How Many Years are Required to Crack IAS with Training? Know the Criteria to Consider

There is no one correct answer to the question “how many years are required to crack IAS with training?” The required IAS training years vary from person to person because everyone’s dedication, commitment, and hard work are completely different. A common right answer to this question is not possible. Yet, questions like “How many years to complete IAS along with training”, “how many years are required to crack IAS along with training” or “how many years are required for IAS training” are quite common among the aspirants.

Though it is difficult to predict the designated period for UPSC preparation, candidates often feel relieved to have a certain timeline for their IAS journey.

Hence this article will look into different criteria that will help excel in IAS along with training, so every candidate knows approximately how many years are required to complete IAS.

Things to Consider before Knowing How Many Years Are Required to Crack IAS with Training

#1. UPSC Syllabus

Before planning how many years it will take, acquaint yourself with the world you are stepping into. For that, get a detailed understanding of the syllabus you have to prepare. Understand your strengths, subjects that need more time and prepare a plan that includes all the subjects and the vast syllabus.

UPSC preparation includes economics, history, geography, politics, environment, ethics, international relations, internal security, sociology, etc., among the several subjects UPSC aspirants have to prepare to ace the exam.

Apart from the core subject papers and the bookish knowledge, it is essential to have general awareness. Hence, reading the newspaper every day to know current affairs will complement your preparation.

#2. Stages of the IAS Exam

To determine how many years it will take for an individual to prepare for the exam, know the stages of the exam you have to get through. For clearing UPSC, we have

#. UPSC: Two objective papers

#. UPSC Mains: Nine descriptive papers

#. Personality Test: UPSC Interview

All these exams are not conducted on the same day every time, but they are conducted almost around the same time every year. The UPSC board declares the dates well in advance, so, before starting your preparation, know the dates, see the time you are left with, and prepare accordingly. If you started the preparation beforehand, you could plan your schedule as per the exam dates.

#3. Competition

UPSC is regarded as the most challenging exam for the most coveted administrative jobs in India. This point is not to overstress you but to bring you to terms with reality. Every year, some lakhs of candidates apply for UPSC, while only a few thousand get shortlisted and qualified for the job. You need to understand that this is not an ordinary exam where you prepare occasionally or a month before the exam. To get an edge in the competition, you need to dedicate yourself to it and prepare for a long time without losing focus on the desired result.

After examining these important things, there are a few other critical criteria that need your attention and time while preparing for UPSC and training.

#4. Current Affairs

You need a separate time for this, along with all your preparation time. Current affairs carry a lot of weightage in the UPSC, so you need to know what’s happening in the country, the ongoing issues, and situations. Make it a point to read newspapers and gather information from authentic online sources, magazines, and mobile applications to be updated with everything in the world.

#5. Making Notes and Revision

While preparing for the exam, make it a point to note down all the essential points as notes, so this will help you whenever you want to glance at the topic for revision or right before the test.

For a difficult exam like UPSC, a candidate shouldn’t revise the syllabus a few days before the exam. For a vast syllabus like this, the aspirant needs to always revise while preparing. A regular and fixed time should be allotted to revision every day, and it is even better to spend weekends revising what’s covered the previous week and this week.

#6. Previous Test Papers for Mock Tests

While the UPSC question paper is highly unpredictable, you can search for questions in previous papers on the same topic. In this way, you will at least get an idea of the structure and how questions are posed. This method is also advised to test your understanding of the topic, and it is required to solve at least the last ten years’ papers to be well prepared.

After you feel you covered the major part of your syllabus, appear for mock tests. Mock tests will definitely help assess your knowledge and command over the subject. More than anything, mock tests help identify your weaknesses, the probable mistakes you might make and give you a chance to work on them.

How Many Years to Complete IAS along with Training? 

As we discussed, it totally depends on a person’s calibre. You might have already calculated the time required to crack IAS with training with all the aforementioned factors. But, to help you more, on average, aspirants usually start their complete preparation 10-12 months before the exam. Even the top ranking UPSC qualified candidates must have devoted at least a year to the preparation and training. However, you need to understand that some may have even cracked it in six months, and unfortunately, some might have taken two to three years or even six to seven.

To answer how many years to complete IAS along with training, we can say that it solely depends on an individual aspirant’s commitment, hard work, sincerity, and dedication.

UPSC Pathshala

The difficulty level, vast syllabus, and competition might seem overwhelming but you need to remember your goals and ambition. If you are fully passionate and ready to give your best, no one can stop you but it is quite easy for anyone to go off the path for various reasons.

At this time, you would desperately need someone who understands what you are going through. For this, you need to choose your group wisely. Offline sessions and training take up a lot of your time; online coaching appears to be a more convenient and popular choice among IAS aspirants.

One such giant institute that thousands of students are trained under and successfully is UPSC Pathshala. Here you will get all the pre-recorded video content of the syllabus, notes, and prepared tests. Moreover, you can enrol yourself under an industry expert who will be with you throughout your journey as a personal mentor. With all the right facilities, UPSC Pathshala is your perfect companion in your journey to achieve great heights.

Did You Like What You Read?

Continue reading our blogs for more UPSC-specific content that will help you ace your preparation. For further assistance, a personal mentor from UPSC Pathshala can solve your doubts, keep track of your progress, help improve and support you in your dream journey. Don’t miss out on our free demo class to know our teaching methodologies before making the next best decision of joining us inside.