UPSC Prelims 2025 in 100 Day Study Plan

Introduction

The UPSC Prelims 2025 is just 100 days away, and the clock is ticking. With over 10 lakh aspirants competing for fewer than 10,000 seats, a strategic plan is non-negotiable. According to a ClearIAS survey, 78% of 2024 qualifiers credited their success to a structured 100-day strategy.

Take inspiration from IAS Anupma Chandra (AIR 12, 2023), who cracked Prelims with 112 marks by focusing on “PYQs, mocks, and phase-wise prep.” Meanwhile, 30% of aspirants fail due to last-minute CSAT neglect. This guide reveals the exact 100-day roadmap used by toppers, prioritized high CPC topics, and free resources to maximize your score. Let’s dive in!

 

Why 100 Days is Enough for UPSC Prelims?

1. PYQ Trends: 20–25% of questions repeat yearly (e.g., 23% in 2024).
2. Static vs Current Affairs Ratio: 60:40 split allows focused revision.
3. CSAT is Qualifying: A 66+ score is achievable with daily 1-hour practice.

Pro Tip: “Divide your prep into 3 phases: Foundation, Application, and Revision.” – IAS Vinutna, 110+ Scorer

 

Phase 1: Days 1–30 – Build Your Foundation

Focus: Static Subjects + NCERT Mastery

Daily Schedule

• 6:00–9:00 AM: Polity (Laxmikant’s Indian Polity)
• 10:00 AM–1:00 PM: History (Spectrum’s Modern India)
• 2:00–4:00 PM: Geography (NCERT Class 11–12 + GC Leong)
• 4:30–6:30 PM: Environment (Shankar IAS)
• 7:00–8:00 PM: Solve 20 PYQs (2013–2024)

Pro Tip: “Highlight 100 key articles in Laxmikant and revise them weekly.” – Ravi Kumar Sihag, UPSC Mentor

Also Read: Best UPSC Institute Topic wise Expert

Phase 2: Days 31–60 – Integrate Current Affairs & Mocks

Focus: Current Affairs (Jan 2024–Mar 2025) + Mock Tests

Resources:

• ClearIAS Current Affairs Compilation (CCC) – Monthly PDFs.
• VisionIAS PT 365 – Topic-wise CA notes.
• Yojana/Kurukshetra – Govt schemes analysis.

Daily Routine:

• 6:00–8:00 AM: CA Revision (Focus on High CPC Topics):
• Govt Schemes: PM-JANMAN, SVAMITVA 2.0.
• International Relations: India-ASEAN Summit 2024, COP28 Outcomes.
• 9:00–11:00 AM: Economy (Budget 2025, RBI Monetary Policy).
• 12:00–2:00 PM: Solve 1 Mock Test (Time-bound).
• 3:00–5:00 PM: Analyze Mock Results (Weak Areas + Accuracy Tracking).

Stat: Aspirants solving 40+ mocks improve accuracy by 55% (Testbook TPP Data).

 

Phase 3: Days 61–90 – PYQ Mastery + CSAT Prep

Focus: PYQ Trend Analysis + CSAT Speed Practice

PYQ Strategy:

• 2013–2024 Papers: Identify repeating themes (e.g., Environment topics appeared 12 times).
• Subject-Wise Weightage:

Subject	Questions (2024)
Polity	18
Environment	14
Economy	16
Sci-Tech	7

CSAT Hacks:

• Comprehension: Solve 3 passages daily (IASGYAN’s RC Bank).
• Quantitative Aptitude: Memorize 10 Shortcut Formulas (e.g., Percentage Calculations).
• Logical Reasoning: Practice 15 puzzles daily (Past CSAT Papers).

Pro Tip: “Aim to solve CSAT papers in 1 hour 50 mins to build speed.” – IAS Priya Khedar

 

Final 10 Days: Days 91–100 – Revision

Focus: Weak Areas + High-Weightage Topics

Revision Plan:

• 6:00–10:00 AM: Revise Polity + Environment Notes.
• 11:00 AM–2:00 PM: Re-attempt PYQs (2019–2024).
• 3:00–6:00 PM: CA Quick Notes

 

Last-Minute Tips:

• Avoid new topics; stick to your notes.
• Practice 3-2-1-0-E Method for MCQs:
• 3: Confidently correct.
• 2: 50% sure.
• 1: Guess.
• 0: No idea.
• E: Eliminate wrong options.

 

 

Topper Strategies for 110+ Score

1. TTT Formula:
• Test: 40+ full-length mocks (ClearIAS, VisionIAS).
• Technique: IET (Identify-Eliminate-Tick) for negative marking.
• Textbooks: Stick to 4 core books (Laxmikant, Spectrum, Shankar IAS, GC Leong).
2. CSAT Mastery:
• Daily 1-Hour Practice: Focus on comprehension (IASGYAN) and data interpretation.
• Speed Math: Learn ratios, percentages, and averages formulas.
3. Avoid These Mistakes:
• Overloading resources (e.g., reading 5 Economy books).
• Skipping revision cycles.
• Ignoring CSAT until the last week.

 

Free Tools & Resources

1. 100-Day Checklist: Download a day-wise plan (inspired by Anupma Chandra’s strategy).
2. PYQ Analysis: APTI PLUS’s 12-year trend PDF.
3. Telegram Channels:
• ClearIAS (Daily CA Updates).
• IASGYAN (CSAT Practice Questions).

 

FAQs (Voice Search Optimized)

1. “Can I skip NCERTs in 100 days?”
   No! 30% of 2023 Prelims questions were NCERT-based.
2. “How to improve accuracy in mocks?”
   Analyze errors daily and revise weak topics for 2 hours.
3. “Is CSAT tough for science students?”
   No. Focus on comprehension (50% weightage) and basic math.

 

Final Words

With 100 days left, your UPSC Prelims 2025 success hinges on focus, strategy, and discipline. Prioritize high CPC topics, solve 40+ mocks, and revise PYQs thrice. Remember, as IAS Anupma Chandra says: “The Prelims is a game of smart work, not hard work.”

Ready to start? Download your free 100-daychecklist now and ace UPSC 2025!