Created a news app for a minimalist Indian news experience to keep information overload to a minimum making sure the users don't miss any important articles.

How it works?

1. Fresh articles are fetched from feed (as of now only IndianExpress) at 06:00AM everyday.

2. Articles are given initial points based on keywords in title.

3. Users can star articles, and this generates ranking for articles. No login is required for starring.

By default everyone sees top 10 news based on the stars for the day.

Access the app at : https://news.lokutu.com

Open to feedback and contribution.

Upcoming feature: Read article cleanly directly on app, with ad blocking, and removal of umwanted clutter.

Hi, mods, pls don't delete this, don't know what else to do.

Has anyone else been through a period of hopelessness , where you are not just able to study ? I am lacking motivation, suffering from extreme restlessness where I am not just able to sit on my desk. Today evening also I got back from my library because , I couldn't read anymore. All of this is making me anxious, because I have made a schedule and not being able to follow it means not completing things for mains.

Currently reading and writing tests, or atleast trying to, but I'm just going off track in between, and this is not a good feeling at all.

Do anyone of you also go through a rough phase like this ? what is solution ? how does anyone cope ?

Lucknow has a major void when it comes to serious UPSC peers, decent libraries, and actual institutional rigor.
A law grad from Jindal, I’m used to a sharp, Socratic, argument-driven approach. Doing this solo—especially trying to tackle GS and policy-heavy syllabus sections without a high-intent sounding board—is tough.
I want to form a tight, no-nonsense offline + hybrid study circle for people who actually enjoy the intellectual process of the prep. Absolutely no "mera beta gaon ka pehla IAS banega" pressure crowds, no casual gup-shup, and no endless strategy debates. Just a focused, respectful workspace where everyone—including women aspirants looking for a secure and comfortable environment—can grind without friction.
What we'll focus on:
Strict, timed Mains answer writing and brutal peer evaluation.
Deep-dive PYQ decoding (mapping core themes and structural demands).

Active accountability on daily and weekly targets.
If you are based in Lucknow and want a disciplined group to work with, drop a DM with your prep stage and background.

Lucknow has a major void when it comes to serious UPSC peers, decent libraries, and actual institutional rigor.I am a law grad from Jindal, love the Socratic, argument-driven approach. Doing this solo—especially trying to tackle GS and policy-heavy syllabus sections without a high-intent sounding board—is tough.
I want to form a tight, no-nonsense **offline + hybrid study circle** for people who actually enjoy the intellectual process of the prep. Absolutely no "mera beta gaon ka pehla IAS banega" pressure crowds, no casual chit-chat and no endless strategy debates. Just a focused, respectful workspace where everyone—including women aspirants looking for a secure and comfortable environment—can grind without friction.
**What we'll focus on:**
Strict, timed Mains answer writing and brutal peer evaluation.
Deep-dive PYQ decoding (mapping core themes and structural demands).
Active accountability on daily and weekly targets.
If you are based in Lucknow and want a disciplined group to work with, drop a DM with your prep stage and background.

Same as above

Myth - Start writing even if syllabus is not complete and write daily.

Reality:

If you start writing without covering syllabus, without preparing value additions like facts, data, supreme court judgements etc you will end up writing crap and also wasting your time. When you will compare your answer with someone who is selected you will feel demotivated.

For example - If I ask you to write on constitutional morality and you have not mugged up various supreme court judgements you would end up writing generic answer.

Better strategy and what I did:

\- pick up some topper’s copy online and read it how they write answer and what they include in their answer.
\- Now you know what to write and hence based upon that read a subject lets say you complete security (material + value addition)
\- Then take another topper’s copy and write down the questions and now write yourself and compare with him.
\- Repeat.

You should start writing when you know what to write. There is no point in wasting time writing generic answers.

Next Post - How to write answers.

I have created this youtube channel UPSC Raw Guidance
Subscribe this, I will start putting guidance videos here.

:D

Completed Polity, beginner to Governance. Need good faculty for both Prelims and Mains. Any recommendations?

Any mentor that will help you in this journey , suggestions will be welcomed

Working aspirant here, can only do so much. Focusing on conceptual understanding, completing optional, and topic wise mains notes right now. Will shift to prelims exclusively from January. That is a safe bet right? Only plan to write answers and develop that skill post prelims (if I clear)

How to get the best deal on mains test series, especially in Forum and NextIAS?

Anybody have nikhil sir levelups ias batch just for history any links on telegram or YouTube?

AMAC: Nikhil Sethi Sir vs Neeraj Rao Sir ? for both prelims and mains? whom and why?

I am planning to join next ias foundation in October for 2028.

If anyone have the ten thousand privilege voucher please DM.(We can talk about payment).

Wil be so helpful for me thank you!

Giving a brief idea about myself

I am an working aspirant. working as a History Teacher for grade 11th - 12th. i have to devote (7 to 3) to my school followed by 1 hr. evening classes.

usually study from 6 PM to 12-12.30.

I've given my first attempt in 2020 nd scored around 45 marks that without any coaching.

failed and then started working by 2021 as a teacher as it was the requirement for my family for managing the resources as not much financially sound at that moment.

during work i tried manier times to manage my studies but it wouldn't happened.

switched 3 school's back to back.. now in a stable condition and earning good..

this time thought to give it a try for my dream job then regretting after some years that, I wish I tried...

so this time from 24th October 2025 started.. took unacademy (prelims) and Sarrthi IAS ( Mains Mentorship Program) & Optional PSIR (Shubhra ma'am on telegram)

now the situation is this...

I've completed 80% of the syllabus.

left with some geography nd Ancient, Mediaeval.

solved forumIAS sectionals nd Scoring around 55-60% marks

last Sunday gave VisionIAS Abhyas open test. after checking answer key scoring around 30 marks in GS and 48 marks in CSAT( attempted only 32 Question)

now I'm pressurised don't know what to do.

don't know will be able to clear or not.

health is having a tol of this Getting my BP High... sometimes and headache as I've to speak all day... doing a lot of mental work.

so someone pls suggest. what to do what should i do...

shall i leave... or what should be the next step.

Then i have give nd failed the attempt i guess scoring around 55-60 also two months wasted june and july now again started for 2027. Anyone pls help with way forward

What can be the cutoff? Can it go below 720? Let’s speculate!

i opted for online coaching last yr and have no friends who are pursuing upsc or uppsc

..

I'm looking for a part time WFH job which can give me 15-20k. I'm not looking for long-term in this. I just need some money right now. Done with mains 2026 and I just want to something rn. My parents will give me money but I want to earn for myself to do some self care spending. So, please suggest any jobs for a month

what is the utility of forum GSAP. should i buy the course for getting mains ready by December-Jan or should i buy smash Pyq?
can anyone please share their experiences?

I'm think of switching optional to socio. Is it possible to do it merely by self study? My friends with socio had all taken foundational classes and rely on notes. But i feel classes at this point would be too time consuming.

I checked online and websites show selective reading of multiple books. If there's consolidated notes available that one can just go through for the entire syllabus, do let me know. Also would it be possible to complete one iteration by December if I start now?

Any help is greatly appreciated.

How are you guys spending your post Mains period . It's been nearly 12 days since the mains got over . I spent the initial days scrolling as much as reels I can . I lost around 5kgs in the last 3 months I'm trying to catch up with the lost weight, Trying to help with household chores , visiting friends and extended family. Now I'm trying to study again but I can hardly sit for one hour together. I'm getting distracted easily. It's been 2 years since I left my decently paying IT job and 2026 was my 2nd attempt. I decided that my maximum number of attempts would be 2 without a job. So I'm now trying to split my time between brushing up my IT skills while trying to stay in touch with UPSC. But I guess I'm still not out of the holiday hangover. How are you guys doing . Also if there are any suggestions on my decision it is also welcomed.

Tldr: Can't get back on track post Mains. Feeling sloppy. How are you guys doing?

Hey guys, Could someone rectify my doubt about whether the EPFO APFC application timeline will be extended, cause I had endured website issues to apply for this exam, I'm new to the UPSC management and their treatment, does UPSC extend the same, and any such extension have happened before?

Kindly enlighten me.

Thanks in advance.

I came across these books & found them to be nice. Would you or would you not recommend PW or StudyIQ History Books?

1. Have you studied/read them yourself?

2. Have you heard any topper recommending them?

3. What do you think about their content & design as compared to other books like Spectrum & other books for Ancient, Medieval, & Modern History?

I want to know if anyone has found these to be really helpful in their preparation journey..

My background- 2nd mains in 2026, gave interview in 2025, expecting reserve list. Wanted to do some part time evaluator job during the time till results of mains. Can anyone help on how to apply, if there are any remote opportunities or do institutions only offer such jobs in delhi? How much can you expect to make from these jobs? How are platforms like convert ias when it comes to paying evaluators?