3-Month Weekly Study Plan – Current Affairs for UPSC
📅 Duration: 12 Weeks (3 Months)
🎯 Goal: Build current affairs coverage + issue analysis + mains answer writing skills.
📰 Core Sources:
- The Hindu / Indian Express (Daily)
- PIB (Press Information Bureau)
- PRS India (Policy Reviews)
- Yojana / Kurukshetra / Down to Earth (Monthly)
- Rajya Sabha TV / All India Radio debates for understanding issues
📘 Month 1 – Foundation and Coverage Strategy
Week 1: Setup & Static Linkages
- Learn how to read newspapers for UPSC (note-making strategy).
- Make 6 categories for note-making:
- Polity & Governance
- Economy
- International Relations
- Environment & Ecology
- Science & Tech
- Social Issues & Schemes
- Revise important government websites (PIB, PRS, NITI Aayog, MoEF, RBI).
Practice: Write daily summaries (100 words per article).
Week 2: Polity & Governance – Part 1
- Major constitutional & legal developments
- Supreme Court judgments, commissions & committees
- Government policies & reforms (Digital India, Mission Karmayogi, etc.)
- Governance topics: E-Governance, Citizen Charter, RTI updates
Practice: Write 3 GS-II level answers from recent news issues.
Week 3: Economy – Part 1
- Economic Survey highlights (latest edition)
- Budget 2025–26 summary
- RBI monetary policy updates
- Inflation, unemployment, fiscal deficit, current account deficit
- Government schemes related to economy (Startup India, PM Gati Shakti, etc.)
Practice: Daily 2 Prelims MCQs + 1 Mains question on economy.
Week 4: Environment & Ecology – Part 1
- COP meetings, IPCC reports, UNFCCC, Paris Agreement
- National parks, biosphere reserves, recent environmental issues
- Forest and Wildlife Acts, Green Energy initiatives (Hydrogen Mission, EV Policy)
- India’s renewable energy targets & climate action plans
Practice: 1-page summary on every major environmental agreement.
📗 Month 2 – Deep Coverage & Issue Analysis
Week 5: Science & Technology
- Space tech (ISRO missions, Gaganyaan, Chandrayaan updates)
- Defence tech (DRDO projects, AI in defence)
- Biotechnology (Genome India, vaccines, gene editing)
- Digital India: 5G, Cybersecurity, Semiconductors
Practice: Write 5 short notes linking science topics with governance.
Week 6: International Relations – Part 1
- India and its neighbours (China, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Nepal, Sri Lanka)
- QUAD, SCO, BRICS, G20, ASEAN, UN reforms
- Global conflicts (Ukraine war, Middle East issues)
- India’s foreign policy themes (Neighbourhood First, Indo-Pacific strategy)
Practice: Write 3 GS-II answers linking India’s diplomacy with national interests.
Week 7: Social Issues & Governance – Part 2
- Education: NEP implementation, Skill India
- Health: Ayushman Bharat, digital health mission
- Gender: Women’s Reservation Bill, SHG empowerment
- Poverty, welfare, inequality, urbanization, social justice
Practice: Make notes linking schemes to Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
Week 8: Economy – Part 2
- Agriculture: MSP, FPOs, agri-exports, PM-KISAN
- Banking: NPAs, Insolvency & Bankruptcy Code, Financial Inclusion
- Industry: Make in India, PLI Schemes
- Reports: IMF, World Bank, UNDP, WEF Global Competitiveness Index
Practice: Attempt 10 current affairs MCQs + 1 Mains question daily.
📙 Month 3 – Integration, Revision & Practice
Week 9: Environment & Ecology – Part 2
- Disaster management: NDMA guidelines, early warning systems
- Climate finance and green bonds
- Plastic waste management, e-waste, air pollution policies
Practice: Write 1 case study on environmental governance (GS-III style).
Week 10: International Relations – Part 2
- India–US, India–Russia, India–Japan relations
- India–EU, Middle East, and Africa engagement
- Global summits and bilateral agreements
- India’s stand in international organizations (UN, WTO, IMF)
Practice: Write 2 issue-based essays (e.g., “India’s role in a multipolar world”).
Week 11: Ethics, Governance & Internal Security Linkage
- Ethical governance and accountability
- Internal security current issues (border management, cyber threats, terrorism)
- Data protection, surveillance, privacy debates
- Case studies on public service ethics from recent events
Practice: 5 case studies + 3 GS-IV answers from current issues.
Week 12: Final Revision & Mock Tests
- Revise 3-month notes topic-wise.
- Make one-page mind maps for each category (Polity, Economy, etc.)
- Attempt:
- 1 Full-Length GS Paper II (Current Affairs)
- 1 Full-Length GS Paper III (Current Affairs)
- Analyze mistakes and revise government schemes thoroughly.
📚 Bonus Tools
- Monthly Compilations: Vision IAS / ForumIAS / InsightsIAS / Drishti IAS current affairs
- Daily Practice:
- 5 Prelims MCQs
- 1 Mains question
- 10-minute daily note revision
- Weekly Habit: Watch “Rajya Sabha TV – Big Picture” or “Sansad TV Perspective”