Which Magazine is Best for UPSC Preparation? Know the Best Magazines for Current Affairs

Magazines are additional reading options that can help you prepare for the UPSC Civil Service test. There are many current affairs journals and magazines available for UPSC preparation, but you do not need to read all of them. Reading articles from a few handpicked monthly publications for UPSC will help you do competently in the Civil Services Preliminary and Main Exams.

The articles are written by different authors on various topics, it allows applicants to produce a diverse range of views and perspectives, which will be advantageous for the UPSC IAS Mains Examination as well as the interview. If you’re unsure which magazines to read for UPSC exam preparation, keep reading to learn more about the finest monthly magazines for UPSC exam preparation.

Which Magazine is Best for UPSC Preparation?

Aspirants should know the importance of reading a magazine because it cannot be overemphasised for overall marks in the UPSC Civil Services Exam. Along with the standard reference books and NCERT textbooks, publications provide important study material for current affairs which is an important element of the topics asked in the IAS exam.

The top four best magazines for UPSC are-

Yojana

Kurukshetra

Economic and Political Weekly

Down to Earth

Also Read: How to Prepare Current Affairs for UPSC? Which Monthly Magazine is Best for UPSC?

Yojana

Yojana is a monthly current affairs magazine that is excellent for the IAS Exam. It addresses socioeconomic concerns that are significant from an Indian standpoint. The Government of India’s I&B ministry publishes Yojana magazine.

The magazine is now available in 13 languages-English, Assamese, Hindi, Telugu, Bengali, Gujarati, Urdu, Marathi, Punjabi, Tamil, Malayalam Kannada and Oriya. It gives you facts, data, etc which are accepted by the Government.

In the last three years, several successful candidates have praised the Yojana as the greatest magazine for UPSC preparation. Every year, one or two pieces from Yojana magazine appear in the UPSC Main test. It addresses significant issues like government, federalism, the budget, and agriculture, among others.

Importance of Yojana

#Because the magazine is published by the Government of India, it contains genuine facts and statistics that can be cited in the exam ( I&B Ministry)

Subject domain specialists, such as Niti Aayog members, provide balanced and in-depth perspectives.

#Low prices and easy availability

#Every month, a different India-centric socioeconomic theme is released.

Also Read: Important Current Affairs Topics for UPSC 2021: Up Your Current Affairs Preparation

Kurukshetra

Kurukshetra is a monthly journal issued by the Government of India’s Ministry of Rural Development. It focuses entirely on rural development. In fact, it provides a venue for serious debate on a variety of agricultural and rural development concerns. This will assist the candidate in comprehending the government’s schemes.

This will come in handy if you want to pursue a career in public administration. According to recent trends in the civil service exam, UPSC is emphasising rural development, environment, and other topics, therefore reading Kurukshetra will benefit you in both the Main and Prelims exams.

Importance of Kurukshetra

#For UPSC exam preparation, it is a valuable source of current affairs information and insight.

#Because the information comes from the government, it is trustworthy and can be used to answer questions on the IAS exam.

Economic and Political Weekly

Economic and Political Weekly is a well-known and highly regarded social science publication. This magazine’s usefulness for the IAS examination is minimal. Their writings are highly technical and necessitate several readings. It publishes articles on current events as well as research studies in the social sciences.

The Economic and Political Weekly is a multidisciplinary newspaper that covers history, political science, sociology, and environmental studies. Leading topic specialists, well-known public commentators, and political activists have contributed essays.

Importance of Economic and Political Weekly

Because of its high quality and extensive content, the EPW has long been a favourite among UPSC candidates.

While the original magazine covers a wide range of topics and events, only a few are relevant to the IAS exam and are necessary. Exam-worthy articles are difficult to come by for students, so they should choose wisely.

Down to Earth

It’s a bi-monthly publication that focuses on environmental issues and awareness. It is especially beneficial to kids who are interested in geography but do not take it as a subject. According to the syllabus, the candidate should read and analyse the themes.

Importance of Down to Earth Magazine

#It goes into great detail about the subject. Its cover article gets a good rating from the aspirants. The data and infographics are of excellent quality.

#The cover story is really comprehensive.

#The finest DTE output, however, is the annual study titled “State of India’s Environment.”

Which Current Affairs Magazine is Best for UPSC?

The above four magazines should be given the top priority and some more magazines are listed below.

The Hindu 

The Hindu is a weekly edition that began in 1878. As time passed it grew as the most important newspaper in India. There are many circumstances where it has been proved that The Hindu is the most efficient and reliable newspaper in India. There are many newspapers that focus on the vocabulary rather than the quality of information. The Hindu focuses on quality rather than the richness of the language.

In the Sunday Edition of The Hindu, they have an opinion column, where people can read some information by writers, philosophers, authors and many more. They usually provide the column to some trending topics and issues.

This column helps the UPSC aspirants to form a structure of opinion that is used to answer UPSC questions, particularly in mains.

The Indian Express

The Indian Express was established in 1932. It began its journey as a daily English newspaper in the country. The newspaper focused on the news and information rather than language. The language is easy to understand and is written in Indian English. They have neutral points of view when they write news.

The news will help the aspirants to get both the negative and positive points of view. If the aspirants are covering a whole story then, the aspirant should prefer this newspaper.

Also Read: Best Apps for Current Affairs for UPSC: Current Affairs Preparation Guides for IAS UPSC

Business Standard

The name itself gives you the indication that it is a business newspaper. They also cover the international and national economic situation. They cover the daily news which is related to the business and economic situation and the newspaper publishes various articles everyday.

The newspaper formulates many aspirants the opinion about contemporary economic issues, which are frequently asked in the UPSC mains. As we all know that economics is also a crucial subject in the prelims part, it is also helpful there.

Dainik Bhaskar

The most read and popular newspaper in India is published in Hindi. The newspaper is a great resource to get the local news. The company is established in 14 states of India and the most popular one is in Madhya Pradesh.

The magazine is available in four languages: English, Marathi, Hindi and Gujarati. They also have the city Bhaskar edition which has all the local updates of the city.

Dainik Jagran

Dainik Jagran has a large number of daily readers in India. It all started with a daily Hindi newspaper. Because it is recognised by the National Newspaper Association, it is once again a reputable source of information.

It is also classified as an international paper. Dainik Jagran is a Hindi newspaper that UPSC aspirants can consult.

Navbharat

In the country, it has a relatively small readership. It is primarily found in the states of Madhya Pradesh and Maharashtra, as well as the Malwa region. Their focus is on modern concerns in India. Aspirants can look to this Hindi newspaper for information on current national concerns. It is a daily publication.

Civil Services Times

One of the most important publications for civil service tests is this one. They’ve gathered reliable data from a variety of government-run websites. They produce in-depth articles on various topics based on last year’s queries. They cover a wide range of issues, including national and science and technology, international affairs, and the economy.

World Focus

It’s a global affairs publication that focuses on Indo-centric topics. It examines many internationals from India’s perspective. Analysts, diplomats, policymakers, experts, and scholars contribute articles to this monthly periodical.

The World Focus focused on articles that are related to diplomacy, current affairs, security issues, foreign policy and international relations.

Also Read: Why UPSC is not Asking Current Affairs that Much? Check Here to Find-out!

Which Monthly Magazine is Best for UPSC?

Given below are the monthly magazines which are best for UPSC.

Science Reporter

Scientific Reporter is one of India’s oldest English-language popular science monthlies, having been published since 1964. It is widely distributed across the country. Science Reporter aims to convey information about scientific and technological breakthroughs around the world, with a particular focus on Indian achievements.

It provides insight into all the major technological and scientific developments, tries to bring to its readers interesting and presents facts about controversial scientific concepts, exciting and informative information from several domains of science.

Frontline

Since 1984, Frontline, a fortnightly English magazine from The Hindu’s stable, has been a notable presence in the media industry.

The topics Frontline covers range from economics, politics and social issues to the culture, nature, environment and cinema. Its cover articles are comprehensive. No other Indian magazine documents world affairs as comprehensively as Frontline does.

The journal has remained particularly focused on people’s problems, refusing to accept the policies and programmes of succeeding governments without question. It has fought and aided in the fight against societal ills.

Competition Success Review

Competition Success Review, or CSR, is an Indian public awareness magazine planned for aspirants preparing for Union Public Service Commission examinations. Its topics include general knowledge with an emphasis on current events in India, recommendations for college interviews, interviews with IAS high-ranking officials, interview and GD hints, and sample question papers for various competitive exams. It was established in 1964.

Pratiyogita Darpan

Shri Mahendra Jain established Pratiyogita Darpan in 1978. It is a widely read and popular magazine for exams, published by Upkar Prakashan in Agra, and covers a wide range of topics including geography, economy, history, politics, current affairs, and India’s constitution. The magazine is also available online and is available in Hindi and English.

According to the Indian Readership Survey (IRS), it topped the list of career/education magazines in India in 2011 Q2, with an average issue readership (AIR) of 2.154 million. It also had a total readership of 5 million, making it India’s third-largest magazine.

Geography and You

The magazine mainly focuses on the topics of Geography. It has recent updates about nature and environment which might be asked in the exam. Topics like ozone layer depletion, deforestation, sustainable development, global warming, endangered species, flora, fauna and much more information have been covered in this magazine.

Also Read: Which Newspaper is Best for UPSC? Hindi and English Newspapers for IAS Preparations

Having Yojana Magazine Aligned with UPSC Syllabus

Because the magazine was not created expressly for UPSC aspirants, it is vital to recognise that some sections will be irrelevant to the exam.

Second, if one is not making and gathering their own notes on socio-economic issues, reading Yojana dilutes the impact.

In general, a UPSC syllabus preparation plan should include the following items.

Tips

#Each edition has a distinct theme, one can acquire a more in-depth understanding. However, in order to get the most out of the magazine, it should be read after going over the fundamentals, such as NCERTs, and while taking notes.

#Read the note from the Chief Editor’s desk at the beginning of each edition since it contains the premise for the entire edition. It can also be utilised to generate ideas for creating an Essay paper because it clearly connects many opinions, concerns, and government actions relating to a specific theme.

#In Yojana articles, read the headers, bullet points, subheadings, and highlighted elements several times.

Some More Points

Keep prior year’s question papers on hand to obtain a sense of the types of questions that might be asked. Furthermore, when taking notes from the magazine, it is a good idea to jot down some sample questions using one’s own ideas and observations.

Reading Yojana is good for both prelims and personal interview stages, but mains provide the most return on investment (in terms of time and effort).

Developmental issues (population, urbanisation) are part of GS-I, government programmes are part of GS-II, the Indian economy is part of GS-III, and any socio-economic topic is essential from an essay standpoint.

Also Read: Daily GK Current Affairs July 2021: Know the July Current Affairs Sources, MCQs & Preparation Tips

How to Read Magazines for UPSC?

Here are some tips for reading magazines.

Before you begin your preparation, get a good understanding of the UPSC curriculum so that you can tell what is linked to the syllabus and what isn’t.

Only read the articles and editorials that are relevant to the exam.

When it comes to reading the newspaper, your purpose takes importance over your curiosity. It’s easy to be attracted to reading about a favourite topic or a famous person highlighted in the newspaper, but this eats up valuable time. Keep in mind that you’re reading the paper with the goal of passing the UPSC civil services exam.

As you read the newspaper, jot down notes. Your memos should be brief and to the point.

Some More Tips

In most circumstances, you won’t need to go into great detail. You don’t have to recall every name and number that appears in publications about a certain fraud.

All you need to know is the underlying problem, the important figures and people involved, the relevant policy/law, and the country’s and society’s repercussions.

Make notes in your own words when taking notes from newspaper articles and editorials. Keep things simple and straightforward.

When reading editorials, make a list of the positive and negative aspects of a subject. You must include information from a variety of sources. Editorials tend to favour one side or the other based on the editorial policy of the newspaper.

Also Read: Year Time Table for UPSC Preparation: Latest Time Table for Prelims and Mains

Some More Tips

When reading and extracting information from them, though, make sure to include both points of view and take a balanced approach.

Make an attempt to categorise everything you read into categories such as ecology, politics, economy, geography, environment, science and technology, and so on. This will make it easier for you to take notes and prepare.

Make a point of reading the newspaper on a regular basis. Sit at your study table while reading so you don’t miss any important information. When travelling, avoid reading the newspaper. If you don’t have much time, you can read the notes you made out of the newspaper while travelling.

Conclusion

The above article focused on the important magazines and newspapers for UPSC. The newspapers and magazines are the most reliable and best options which the aspirants can select for preparation for current affairs and other subjects. The magazines above provided fact-checked and appropriate information for UPSC.

The newspapers and magazines are also accessed easily in any part of the country. They mainly focus on current affairs but can sometimes cover other subjects too. All the aspirants must go through the list and the information above because that will give you a better idea of what to choose.

Also Read: Best Monthly Magazines for Current Affairs for UPSC: Here’s the List of Magazines to Ace UPSC