Getting ready for the UPSC Mains is tough and a lot of it relies on not just knowledge, but a balance between, effort and rest, depth and breadth, but most of all, between General Studies (GS), Optional subjects and the Essay paper itself. There are 60 days left, and the key to success will be to narrow down your focus, plan smartly, and deploy regularly. It’s time to change things, revise effectively, and write like as if you are in the exam hall.

Building the foundation: Why balance matters

GS & Optional are treated equally in UPSC Mains but they can be approached quite differently. GS is very broad and tests your comprehension in governance, economy, history, environment, and current events in four papers. Your Optional is where depth will matter and where you can demonstrate specialization and gain high marks.

Neglecting either will hurt your final rank. And then there’s the Essay paper—often underestimated, but capable of making or breaking your outcome. To crack this stage, your plan must create a meaningful balance across all three.

Weeks 1–3: Structured study and content consolidation

In the first three weeks, try to finish up your GS and Optional syllabus if you haven’t already done so! Work on the topics where you feel weak first, and then revise the ones you’re familiar with actively. Make each day count!! You should structure your day carefully:

Morning: GS Paper I or II, including current affairs.

Midday: Optional paper preparation—conceptual clarity + notes-based revision.

Evening: GS Paper III or IV, or Essay practice on alternate days.

Use weekends to simulate Mains conditions. Write one full-length GS paper and one essay every weekend, and review them critically. Identify where your writing lacks structure or balance and improve from there.

Weeks 4–6: Answer writing and test practice

Having prepared your content base, you now must start to think about presentation. GS and Optional answers require different writing styles: GS requires relatively short, summary and multi-dimensional answers; Optional consider analytical depth. You should complete 2-3 GS answers and 1 Optional answer each day. You should practice increasing your speed and structure through timed tests 2 times each week.

When preparing for essays, practice with at least six different topics over three weeks – provide a range of abstract topics and socio-political topics. In your essay preparation, you should consider content as well as the order you would place your ideas and express them in coherent detail.

Draw from your GS preparation for facts, examples, and perspectives. Read editorials, non-fiction, and collect quotes or anecdotes that can act as powerful introductions or conclusions. Remember, good essays are more about thoughtful arrangement and less about flowery vocabulary.

Week 7: Holistic revision and real-time simulation

The final fortnight is about two things: confidence and polish. Revisit every GS paper and create final revision notes for ethics, governance, and internal security—these often offer easy scoring potential with proper examples.

For Optional, revise key thinkers, case studies, and past years’ papers. Focus more on articulation and flow of answers than reading new material. Essays should now be flowing naturally—write one every 3–4 days and focus on transitions between paragraphs, thematiclarity, and balanced opinions.

This is also the time to revise your notes on current affairs from the last 8–10 months, especially editorials, Yojana, Economic Survey, and India Year Book sections relevant to GS II and III.

Managing time and energy

With three major components to handle, your days must be tightly scheduled. Begin with high-focus subjects in the morning, rotate GS and Optional through the day, and end with lighter reading or essay prep in the evening.

Add an hour twice a week to evaluate what’s working and adjust. Stay consistent but flexible—if a topic takes more time, allow it, but don’t drop the other components. The aim is harmony, not perfection.

Take regular breaks, eat healthy, and ensure 7–8 hours of sleep. Even one hour of focused study is better than three spent worrying. A healthy mind sustains better under the pressure of Mains.

Essay: The most underestimated game-changer

Unlike GS, the essay paper demands originality, clarity, and emotional intelligence. Examiners look for structure, expression, and coherence. Most of your essay content will naturally come from your GS study. The difference lies in how you write.

Spend time organizing your essay before writing—have a clear introduction (a quote or anecdote works well), structured body with arguments and counterarguments, and a forward-looking conclusion. Practice transitions—use questions or linking sentences to move smoothly between paras.

Avoid jargon, extreme opinions, or one-sided arguments. Stick to clarity and balance. Build a small personal collection of quotes, stories, or current affairs snippets to weave into your essays.

Final words: Stay the course

With 60 days in hand, every hour counts—but only when it’s well spent. The path to UPSC success is not about doing more, but about doing what matters most, consistently. Balance GS, Optional, and essay prep like three legs of a stool—remove one, and the whole structure collapses.

Stay focused, revise with intent, write daily, and don’t neglect your wellbeing. This is not just a race of knowledge but of endurance, smart work, and belief.

(The author is Chairman and Managing Director, NextIAS)