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UPSC CSE Prelims 2026: A 90-Day Preparation Strategy
A practical, stage-wise plan to cover the Prelims syllabus, practise answer keys and manage your revision in the final weeks.
By Rahul VermaPublished 30 Aug 2026Updated 3 Sept 2026 7 min read Verified 3 Sept 2026
Phase 1 — Foundation (Days 1–30)
Complete the core NCERTs for polity, history, geography and science. Build short notes as you go.
Phase 2 — Subject mastery (Days 31–60)
Move to standard reference books and newspapers. Cover current affairs of the last 12 months systematically.
Phase 3 — Practice (Days 61–90)
Solve previous year papers and take full-length mock tests weekly. Analyse every mistake and revise weak areas.
In the last two weeks
- Revise short notes twice
- Solve at least three full mock papers
- Focus on accuracy over speed
The key to Prelims is intelligent practice: cover the syllabus once, revise repeatedly, and practise question-solving daily.