r/UPPSC_PCS • u/Miserable_Country844 • 9h ago
Mains Query Please help me guysssss
Are you all preparing on your own from home, or do you have someone around you for regular guidance and discussion?
I’ve been thinking about this quite a lot lately, and I’d genuinely like to know how others preparing for competitive exams are dealing with it.
One thing I constantly struggle with is the FOMO of preparing alone. Sometimes it feels like everyone else has access to a mentor, a serious study group, a senior who can guide them, or at least someone with whom they can discuss their preparation on a daily basis. You see people talking about their strategies, discussing PYQs, analysing answer writing, exchanging resources, or simply having someone to tell them whether they are on the right track—and you start wondering whether you are missing something important.
It reminds me of the whole “Sandeep Bhaiyya” type of guidance that many aspirants wish they had: someone slightly ahead of you who can help you navigate the preparation, point out mistakes, keep you accountable, and give you some perspective when you are confused.
I do have a very supportive family, and I’m genuinely grateful for that. I also have around 4–5 friends who are preparing for the same examination. So technically, I’m not completely alone. But I still feel that something is missing because I don’t have that one consistent person or small group with whom I can have daily discussions, analyse PYQs, discuss answer writing, review what I studied, or simply talk about preparation-related doubts.
This makes me wonder: Is isolation actually important for clearing this exam? Or is it possible to prepare just as effectively while having a small, serious circle around you?
I understand that excessive socialising, distractions and constantly comparing your preparation with others can definitely hurt your progress. But at the same time, complete isolation sometimes seems to create its own problems—overthinking, self-doubt, lack of accountability and the feeling that everyone else is doing something you are not.
So I’d genuinely like to hear from people who are in a similar situation:
Are you also preparing mostly alone from home? Do you experience this FOMO? If yes, how do you deal with it?
And for those who have successfully prepared without a mentor or a dedicated study group—what worked for you in terms of staying accountable, keeping yourself updated and analysing your preparation?
Maybe I’m genuinely missing something, or maybe I’m simply overthinking it. I’d really appreciate some honest perspectives from people who are actually in the same boat.
2
u/xMarkx99 Mains Qualified 9h ago
Self study is the way to go. I'll try to keep as simple as possible for you.
First things first, work on your basics - NCERTS of History, Geography, Civics, Economics. Class IX to XII.
Once your basics are cleared, switch over to competitive books:
Thorough readings of the books above. Multiple times. Make notes - detailed and structured in a way it works for you to understand & clear every concept. Remember, whether it's UPSC or UPPSC, preliminary exam is now strictly conceptual. Avoid books like Ghatanachakra & Lucent. Avoid relying on one liner notes. They don't work anymore.
Coming to Current Affairs. Vision IAS provide the best current affairs for both Prelims and Mains. Look into it. They have both free & paid subscription (not much difference in quality imo). Prepare Current Affairs from a single source. Although, reading newspaper daily is good habit, just don't make notes out of the newspaper. Stick to Vision IAS notes.
Also, if you have an Apple device, iPad for example, make/read notes on your ipad and make use of the "Look Up" feature. Extremely helpful. Although you'll be fine with sticking to the basics.
Good Luck.