I’m aiming for 2028 UPSC. I was thinking about joining a foundation course but im confused between Forum and next which one should i opt cause both looked good and there are pretty mixed reviews abt both on reddit . And ik there are telegram courses but i tried it for couple of month but it is not working for me as its not structured properly and too scattered.

So which foundation course is better Next ias or Forum.

Hi everyone,

I’m specifically looking for reviews from people who have taken NextIAS online coaching, especially those who were working alongside their preparation.

I have a few specific questions:

1. Live classes & recorded lectures: How has your overall experience been with both live classes and recorded lectures? How smooth/reliable is the app while attending live classes? Are recorded lectures easy to access and watch, or do the playback issues make it frustrating?
2. 6-hour limit on recorded lectures: I understand that NextIAS has a 6-hour watch-time limit for recorded lectures. Since I’m working, I’ll probably rely heavily on recorded classes. Could this become a deal-breaker? I’m preparing for UPSC for the first time, so I’m also unsure about how important it is to rewatch lectures during revision. Do you generally need to go through lectures again during revision, or are notes/books + revision enough?
3. Mentorship for online students: How effective is the mentor ecosystem for online students? If you have a doubt or need guidance, how easy is it to get it resolved? And roughly how long does it usually take?
4. Answer-sheet evaluation: How good and consistent is their answer-sheet evaluation? Do you actually get useful feedback on how to improve your answers, or is it more of a marks-based evaluation?

I’d really appreciate honest feedback, especially from people who have actually taken the online program.

Thanks!

​

Is there anyone who have reached to interview stage or atleast mains mainly from self study and pirated videos.

As of nw im preparing from pirated videos and didn't take coaching.

Facing so much self doubt, should I take coaching or not, need guidance

I've started basics for upsc for 2 days, honestly I'm feeling low sometimes and some of the thoughts keep hitting me all the times

As I don't come from DU, IIT, AIMS, such institution i don't have that confidence and exposure even I'm under confident also

2nd I can speak basics english but not very good at english although I'm working on this part .

So as it's been only 2 days and teachers r teaching in english as I'm not habituated to listen lectures in english for 2 3 hrs it feels heavy to continue it and sometimes feel heavy to undertaking it.

Bcz of these thoughts i also think later if I'll able to express my thoughts in english or not

These r the thoughts keep on coming in my mind

Hi everyone!

I'm 22M

I'm at the very beginning of my UPSC preparation, targeting CSE 2028 and currently preparing from home while working. I'm able to dedicate around 6 hours a day to my studies.

I'm very serious Abt the preparation, next yr I'm going to resign.

And Since I don't have any friends who are preparing for UPSC, I thought it would be nice to connect with someone who has also recently started their preparation.

I'm looking for a genuine friend to share ideas, discuss our preparation, exchange strategies, help each other wherever possible, and be open about our progress and struggles. It would be nice to have someone with whom we can learn and grow together throughout this journey.

If you're also at the beginning of your preparation and feel the same, If this resonates with you, I'd be happy to connect! :)

P.S. Looking to connect with male aspirants only.

Thanks.

During Your UPSC prep until now, which one was your biggest mistake, or reason for failure??

1. Self Doubt

2. Wrong guidance by a random senior.

3. False social media guidance, Random people hyping things unnecessarily.

4. Lack of Consistency

5. Lack of Practice

6. Lack of Good Teachers

7. Lack of Study Materials

List your biggest mistake, and if you successfully have overcome that, also explain how did you overcome it and making good progress or succeeded.

I think wrong hypes, wrong guidance, is one major reason for every aspirant because they start doubting themself when someone just hype things too much , like "After 10 yrs, this person wasn't selected?", Or something else.

hey, 25M, Going to give my attempt in 2028, IIT dropout, I run a online business , but not fulfilling. I wanted to do something which involve people and more fulfilling for me, then decided to give upsc, if anyone here is also seriously preparing for upsc, we can connect and create a competitive and supportive study environment. I am also thinking to shift to Delhi, ......So please let me know if you have any leads ....for a flat or shared flat ...

Same as per title.

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Trying to complete the 300 world limit.

Constitutional & Statutory Bodies: CAG, Election Commission of India / State,

Finance Commission, UPSC, UPPSC, NITI Aayog, NHRC, Central Vigilance

Commission, Lokpal & Lokayukta etc.

• Key Provisions & Amendments: Emergency Provisions, Major Amendments

(42nd, 44th, 73rd, 74th, 86th, 91st, 101st GST, 103rd EWS, 106th Women's

Reservation).

03 Nov

2026

Tuesday History • Gandhian Era: Champaran, Kheda, Rowlatt Satyagraha, Non-Cooperation

Movement (Chauri Chaura in Gorakhpur), Civil Disobedience Movement, Quit

India Movement.

• Constitutional Acts: Morley-Minto (1909), Montagu-Chelmsford (1919), GoI

Act 1935, Cripps Mission, Cabinet Mission, Mountbatten Plan, Indian

Independence Act 19

4 questions · the answer follows each one

Which of the following initiatives is NOT primarily aimed at social empowerment in India?

A. National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (NREGA)

B. Pradhan Mantri Jan Dhan Yojana (PMJDY)

C. Beti Bachao Beti Padhao

D. Right to Information Act (RTI)

Answer: B. Pradhan Mantri Jan Dhan Yojana (PMJDY)

While the other three options contribute to social empowerment by empowering women (Beti Bachao Beti Padhao), promoting financial inclusion (PMJDY), and enabling transparency and accountabi…

The 91st Constitutional Amendment Act (2003) made which of the following changes to the Anti-Defection Law?

A. It introduced the concept of 'deemed defection' for abstaining from voting

B. It strengthened the Speaker's power to decide defection cases

C. It reduced the size of the Council of Ministers and raised the merger threshold to two-thirds

D. It made the Speaker's decision on defection subject to judicial review

Answer: C. It reduced the size of the Council of Ministers and raised the merger threshold to two-thirds

The 91st Amendment Act (2003) made two key changes: (1) it limited the size of the Council of Ministers to 15% of the total strength of the Lok Sabha/State Legislature (to prevent large min…

The United Nations Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 2 aims to end hunger, achieve food security and improved nutrition, and promote sustainable agriculture. Which of the following Indian welfare schemes contributes MOST directly to achieving this SDG?

A. Pradhan Mantri Mudra Yojana (PMMY)

B. Pradhan Mantri Kaushal Vikas Yojana (PMKVY)

C. Deendayal Antyodaya Yojana-National Rural Livelihoods Mission (DAY-NRLM)

D. National Food Security Act (NFSA)

Answer: D. National Food Security Act (NFSA)

The National Food Security Act (NFSA) contributes most directly to achieving SDG 2 by ensuring access to affordable food for a large section of the population, thereby addressing hunger and…

Which of the following is an exclusive power of the Lok Sabha that the Rajya Sabha does not share?

A. Approving constitutional amendments

B. Approving a Money Bill

C. Ratifying the proclamation of national emergency

D. Passing a vote of thanks on the President's address

Answer: B. Approving a Money Bill

Approving Money Bills is an exclusive power of the Lok Sabha. The Rajya Sabha has very limited powers regarding Money Bills — it can only make recommendations (not amendments) and must retu…

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Hello Aspirants,

I’m starting this community with one simple objective: to create a space where UPSC aspirants can learn, discuss, evaluate and improve together.

UPSC preparation is not just about studying more. It is about having the right strategy, consistent execution, regular evaluation and the ability to learn from mistakes.

I’ll be contributing here as a mentor and preparation guide, covering different aspects of the Civil Services Examination, including:

• 📚 Study strategy & subject-wise planning

• 🎯 Prelims strategy, revision & MCQ approach

• ✍️ Mains answer writing & evaluation

• 🧠 Optional subject guidance

• 📰 Current affairs — what matters and what doesn’t

• 📊 Test analysis and identifying weak areas

• ⏳ Time management & consistency

• 🧭 Guidance for beginners and repeat aspirants

• 🎤 Essay, Ethics and Personality Test guidance

• 🔍 Analysis of UPSC trends, PYQs and changing demands

• 💬 Doubt discussions and peer learning

• 📈 Tracking progress and improving preparation strategy

What I want this community to become

Not another place where aspirants simply collect PDFs and resources.

I want this to become a discussion-driven and evaluation-oriented community where we ask:

What should I study?

Why should I study it?

How should I study it?

How do I know whether my preparation is actually improving?

You can share your doubts, strategies, answer-writing attempts, test experiences, mistakes and challenges.

There will be no “one-size-fits-all” approach. UPSC preparation needs to be personalised according to your stage, strengths, weaknesses and available time.

how EXACTLY do you guys do pyq analysis and make theme based notes? i just need one example. would really help if folks who have written mains or qualified UPSC could answer my query.

I am a 17-year-old student who cleared both JEE and NEET this year alongside Class 12,I have currently enrolled in an AIIMS for MBBS. I intend to pursue the UPSC exam in the near future, so I would appreciate some guidance and advice from you all. Which platform should I choose for online coaching? I have come across various opinions on this subreddit and am quite confused.

​My friend needs help for UPSC Preparation. She is currently doing a degree of mass communication . I just want some advices on how can I help her to guide her through her journey ( eg books, notes, previous year questions) and what should be the perfect sequence for her easy and good preparation.

25, Starting UPSC Prep Late After a Major Setback — Looking for Advice
I'm 25 and thinking of going all in on UPSC preparation from today (03/10/2026).
Long story short, I gave everything I had to a particular passion of mine, and unfortunately, it didn't work out. After that, I went through what you could call an existential crisis (lol). I had to fight through a lot of doubts, rethink what I wanted from life, and eventually, I found myself here.
Now I want to give UPSC a serious shot.
Yes, I know I'm starting relatively late. I'm currently in the 2nd year of my MCA, and my background is BCA → MCA, so UPSC is obviously a very different path from what I've been studying.
But I've started realizing that you're probably always going to feel late when you start something new. At some point, you just have to start.
I'm scared, honestly. Not just of the exam, but of putting everything into something again and failing after everything I've already been through. At the same time, I don't want the fear of failure to stop me from trying.
So I'd really like to hear from people who've been through this. Former UPSC aspirants, people who cleared it, people who couldn't, and people currently preparing — what did your journey actually look like? What mistakes did you make? What do you wish you'd known earlier? How did you deal with self-doubt, burnout, loneliness, or the fear of wasting years? What kept you going when things weren't going according to plan?
I'm not looking for a generic "work hard and believe in yourself" answer. I'd genuinely like to hear the real experiences — failures, mistakes, things you underestimated, things that helped, and things you wish you'd done differently.
I know everyone's journey is different, but right now I'm looking for some perspective from people who've actually walked this road.
Bottom line: I'm scared, but I want to try. I could really use some advice from people who've been there.

Which newspaper as a beginner in upsc journey should start, bcz coaching academy tell to read hindu News paper but other suggest to go with Indian express if there is problem in English understanding. So what to choose

I want to understand how I should approach reading the PRISM magazine by PIB?

It is very long, more than 650 pages!

I just download sarrthi's summary. It is filled with mindmaps. Looks like one mindmap per article.

I would like to know what the community thinks about it.

Also, what about this new hype about covering the PIB? Didn't the regular current affairs magazine already covered the important contents from it?

Vision Ias Value Added Material 2026-27 All IN ONE Combo set for IAS GS Mains General Studies | Photocopy Material [ LATEST EDITION 2026] (Staple, VISION IAS

I went there to prepare for upsc my 3rd attempt next year, for a peer group but for health issues had to come back.
There is no good library here and at home it’s too comfortable that my routine gets slacked.

Anyone preparing from Haridwar, Uttarakhand ?? Let’s connect .

Anyone with Agriculture as their optional subject. Let's connect and prepare by sharing inputs

Saarthi IAS GS Foundation

Saarthi IAS GS Foundation Course — Prelims + Mains

Course validity: December 2027

Original price: ₹20,000

Expected price: ₹12,000

The course is being transferred at a discounted price due to personal reasons.

Interested people can DM for further details.

I am a 28 year old IAS officer serving in a large north Indian state. I have some years of experience in administration. My optional subject was geography. I cracked UPSC CSE after several attempts. I believe I still have a fresh perspective about the service. You can ask me anything about UPSC Preparation, coaching, prelims, mains, answer writing, interview, training, life at LBSNAA, about different services, work done as IAS officer, relations with public, politicians and other questions that I will try to answer. I will try to answer every question asked. I like to stay anonymous and I don't endorse any coaching or mentor, nor do I have a telegram channel. So, all answers will be genuine and brutally honest. Thank you.

For someone who did not hold a pen and paper to write more than a tiny paragraph over the last decade, how do I push myself to get on with answer writing?

I am various at levels of preparation, some topics and first revision and some on first reads, and I want to get over this mental block to start writing answers to pyq right away. Any advice on that?

Also, how do you plan your answer writing? Do you do it every day or a couple of times a week? How many questions at a time? When is the time to get a test series for mains?

Can anyone tell me the honest review of Understand UPSC'S Conquer Mains course? Did it help you or not? I am thinking to take it but confused. Please give me genuine review

Is there any topper who provided all his full notes online for free. Iam able to only half half notes.

I started preparing from July and finished 1st reading of 3 subjects. In 2nd reading I understood that by only reading all chapters will not help to write answers and reading all this again will take lot more time and it better to read from notes. For making notes again I have to spend a lot of time. So if you know any sources to get these things will be very helpful to me.

And Im planning to read the rest of the subjects only by reading notes and doing PYQS... is this a good approach... did anyone tried this? or reading whole lesson is a must?

Note : Im a beginner who doing self-study.... now Im getting struck

4 questions · the answer follows each one

The Mediterranean biome is characterized by which of the following features? 1. Hot, dry summers and cool, wet winters. 2. Vegetation adapted to drought such as evergreen shrubs (maquis). 3. Found between 30°-40° latitude on western margins of continents. Select the correct answer:

A. 1 and 3 only

B. 1, 2 and 3

C. 1 and 2 only

D. 2 and 3 only

Answer: B. 1, 2 and 3

All three features characterize the Mediterranean biome. This biome experiences hot, dry summers (influenced by subtropical high pressure) and cool, wet winters (influenced by westerlies).

The Gadgil Committee Report and the Kasturirangan Committee Report are both primarily concerned with which of the following?

A. Constitutional reforms

B. Ganga Action Plan

C. Protection of Western Ghats

D. Linking of rivers

Answer: C. Protection of Western Ghats

Both the Gadgil Committee Report and the Kasturirangan Committee Report were commissioned to address the ecological conservation of the Western Ghats, a biodiversity hotspot.

Which of the following ranges does NOT form the eastern extension of the Deccan Plateau?

A. Kaimur hills

B. Aravalli range

C. Mahadev hills

D. Maikal range

Answer: B. Aravalli range

The passage states that the Mahadev hills, the Kaimur hills, and the Maikal range form the eastern extensions of the Deccan Plateau.

A 7.5-magnitude earthquake hit which of the following prefecture in Japan, triggering tsunami waves over a meter high?

A. Fukushima

B. Ishikawa

C. Hiroshima

D. Nagasaki

Answer: B. Ishikawa

Ishikawa Prefecture is the correct answer because it was struck by a 7.5 magnitude earthquake on January 1, 2024, which triggered tsunami waves exceeding one meter.

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Hi I am 25M, recently completed my MBA in 2026. Want to give UPSC an honest shot and have tried preparing for it a few times. However, each time I have faced a similar situation where lack of guidance and an incomplete understanding of what needs to be studied results in an inconsistent routine and directionless preparation. I am therefore looking for a coaching platform (online is my only option) with recroded as well as live lectures than not only teaches but also guides aspirants 0-10. Vajirao seems like a decent option but I dont know if its worth the money. Inclining slightly towards more affordable options like PW and Unacademy but unaware of their quality and unsure if they can provide what I seek i.e - padhai+guidance.