Every year 9 to 10 lac people apply for UPSC. Out of these, 5 lac appear for prelims. Further, only 13000 (approx.) qualify for mains. Hence, only a few people clear the exam. Hence, there is a need for tough training. You can find many free UPSC study materials. Yet, it is crucial to choose the right material. Many students don’t select the right material. Hence, they lose out on precious time. To save you from this, we have come up with the best free UPSC study material for IAS. You must begin with some research about the exam. Further, you will get an idea about the nature of the test. It is better to target prelims first. Then you can go for mains preparation. As you can see from the data above, prelims are a tough talk. But don’t worry, we’ve got you covered.
About the Article
After enough study, we’ve come up with the right study material for free. We shall also cite the analysis for materials given further in this article. You will get free UPSC material on the net. However, this study material will be scattered. Know that GS is the most important part of your paper. Hence, we’ve emphasized this section. Your free UPSC study material for Optional can differ. But, we’ve tried to cover up that for you as well. Apart from GS and Optional, there are other papers. These papers are language papers. They have a qualifying nature. Hence, aspirants prepare for them in later stages. Studying for prelims and mains will need the best IAS study material. Thus, we’ve tried to put these sources in one place. You will have all your IAS study material by the end of this article.
About UPSC Exam
As of now, we know there are 3 parts to this exam. We will provide free UPSC study materials for all of them. An amazing fact is you can use the same study material for prelims and mains. This will ease your way towards the exam. However, the style of both stages is different. There is an interview stage at the end. Prelims are objective type. Whereas, mains is subjective. The interview is a personality test. This test is conducted by UPSC. Further, another difference is that prelims follow negative marking. This makes prelims even more crucial. Clearing prelims is tough, but it isn’t impossible. Hence, with guidance, you can qualify for mains. UPSC syllabus is wide as an ocean. You must find the right content to prepare for. Check out the UPSC syllabus here: Read more.
Usually, students study for a year for this exam. Hence, there is more to study in less time. We shall talk about the best free UPSC material for IAS ahead.
Free UPSC material for GS
- Free UPSC materials: Read more.
- Clear IAS: Read more.
- BYJU’s free IAS preparation: Read more.
- IAS SCORE: Read more.
- Free UPSC material by Mrunal: Read more.
- Free UPSC study material for IAS pdf: Read more.
These sites provide the best content. You can refer to basic notes from here. Further, you can also access current affairs from here. It is advisable to refer to various sources of UPSC study material. This will help you prepare holistically. Apart from notes, these sites also provide mock tests. Further, you may try a mock test as well. This will build your concepts well. Hence, these free UPSC material sources are quite reliable. Thus, you can check the latest data here. These sites also cover certain notes for optional.
You can also refer to our site for detailed guidance on UPSC preparation: Read more.
Firstly, you must prepare an exam plan.
For detailed UPSC prelims strategy: Read more.
For detailed UPSC mains strategy: Read more.
IAS Study Material for Prelims
Prelims contain two papers. Firstly, there is a GS paper. Then, there is a CSAT paper. This paper is an aptitude test. Hence, it is qualifying in nature. Note that GS in prelims is a mixture of GS in mains. Thus, the study material for prelims and mains for GS remains the same. However, you can refer to prelims mock tests. This will help you understand the marking pattern in prelims.
To access CSAT book pdf: Read more.
To access free UPSC prelims test series: Read more.
NCERTs to Refer
To download these books: Read more.
- History NCERTs from grade VI to XII
- Indian Society NCERTs from grade VI to XII
- Art and culture NCERTs grade XI
- Geography NCERTs from grade VI to XII
- Polity NCERTs from grade IX to XII
- Science and Tech NCERTs from grade VI to XII
- Economy NCERTs from grade X to XII
Before preparing for any subject, you must refer to the basics. NCERTs will give you a glimpse of your topics. The language used is simple. Hence, this helps you to clear your concepts faster. After NCERTs, you may move on to the other free UPSC material. If you follow this order, there is a greater chance you will understand concepts quickly. UPSC has asked questions from NCERTs many times. Thus, it is foolish to skip reading them. For revision, you can create your notes from NCERTs.
Other free UPSC materials
Apart from these materials, you must refer to some additional sources. Hence, it is crucial to gather details on current affairs. Current affairs are one of the most important parts of your study. Free UPSC material for Current affairs includes youtube videos. Many YouTube channels post free UPSC Current Affairs analysis daily. Newspapers like The Hindu and The Indian Express are key sources of preparing Current Affairs. You can also read monthly magazines online. Hence, monthly magazines will save your time. In addition to this, you must refer to free UPSC material like PIB. This is a govt source and it releases the latest schemes and govt policies. Further, magazines like Yojana and Kurukshetra are also important. All these sources will help you interlink and score better in prelims and mains.
Previous Years Question Papers
If you’re studying for UPSC, then mock tests are your best friends. You can start by solving previous years’ question papers. Hence, the UPSC study material must be followed by mocks. To download previous years’ question papers: Read more. You can solve these papers with the time constraint. Self-assessment must be done after each paper. You can solve the past ten years of papers. In addition to this, you can take up a mock test series. These test series are available freely on the above-mentioned sources as well. However, some sites need you to enroll before solving mocks. This will give the exam feels. Thereby, helping you prepare for the final exam.
Summary
- Newspapers
- NCERTs
- Free UPSC material
- YouTube
- Mock test series
- Previous years question papers
To summarize, these are the free IAS study material. You can maintain a timetable. Accordingly, you can create a study plan. With the right strategy, it is possible to clear the exam. Distribute your time to all subjects. Keep revising notes. It is beneficial to create your own notes for revision. Further, you must practice answer writing. Practice at least one answer every day. Solve MCQs after each topic. Hence, you’ll prepare for prelims and mains. Once you clear the mains, you can start preparing for the interview. Interviews are generally personality tests. Passing in the interview will lead you towards selection and training.
You can also check about Test Series, Study Material, Question Paper & CSE Subjects which in details talk about Prelims Test Series, Indian Polity, 2019 Question Paper, UPSC Optional Subjects, UPSC History Syllabus
FAQs
No, you must refer to as many sources as possible. You can refer to news tv channels. You can also seek data from YouTube. For those who have less time, they can refer to monthly current affairs magazines. You can easily find such magazines on the net.
No, it is advisable to read NCERTs. They are very basic in nature. Hence, skipping them is not sensible. However, you can skip some irrelevant chapters. Note that these books will help you clear your concepts. Directly jumping to the intermediate level books can prove confusing.
This is totally a discretionary matter. However, you must solve topic-wise test series. Don’t wait for the syllabus to end. Instead, revise and solve mock tests as and when possible. You can google unfamiliar questions.
Editor’s Note | Free UPSC Material
In conclusion, we’d like to say that, the UPSC syllabus is wide in nature. It is difficult to handpick limited best free UPSC materials. However, we’ve tried our best to give you a comprehensive insight. For those who are aiming to attempt the exam soon, don’t rush towards new sources. It is better if you stick to the static references. On the contrary, those who can spare time must research well. You will find your best match to prepare for UPSC. Refer to your Current affairs daily. Make notes with dedication. This will ease your last minute revision. Practice answer writing. Self-assess and improve. Do not get demotivated and strive hard. Remember, UPSC is a tough journey but the fruit is worth it! Best of luck!
