#340: 26 ideas for '26
UPSC changed, A LOT (You shall too!)
If you’re reading this, chances are you are mostly an aspirant or an aspiring mentor and worst (?) an aspiring entrepreneur trying to build in this space.
Why worst? Industry is under consolidation.
Let’s accept it: Consolidations are painful.
Sales are at an all time low. New products are showing up quick and dying quicker.
This article is PURELY to reflect my learnings, intuition and ‘UPSC’ game (term I use for data. Trust me, I see a lot of it, daily.)
I have spent nearly 6 years of my youth in this game. First as an aspirant, then as a veteran and eventually, building communities that grew to be a LOT bigger than me.
Here are my 26 ideas on how UPSC prep will force aspirants to change in 2026.
If you are an aspirant, learn.
If you are an aspiring mentor, argue.
If you are an existing or aspiring entrepreneur, connect with your views.
These 26 ideas are split in 6 zones of 5 ideas each & 1 bonus:
Zone 1: Exam Patterns & Trend Shifts
Zone 2: Prep realities
Zone 3: Psyche games
Zone 4: Systemic Inequities (and leverage)
Zone 5: Ecosystem Commentary
Zone 6: Bonus word
So, grab your reading glasses and feel free to be a critic.
Zone 1: Exam Pattern & Trend Shifts
(1) Prelims: The Unpredictable Public Service Commission
Cut-off left us wandering:
2023: 75.41/200
2024: 87.98/200
2025 paper saw some fun changes turning heads and leaving MANY dry (thanks to CSAT)
Word: No pattern lasts. Don’t seek advise from people who claim to know the pattern. Don’t bother guessing. Prepare for everything!
Embrace the uncertainty for the Unpredictable PSC ;)
(2) Mains: Analytical, Applied, and Still Surprising
Prelims is like a fickle mistress, you see? But Mains? Alas, the stern elder sibling.
Expect a test of 2As: Application & Analysis
You see some people publishing lists ‘10 topics LIKELY in Mains’ ?
UPSC has categorically decided to kill those lists, it seems.
Note the cut-off Score trend:
2022: 748
2024: 729
This is a signal. Understanding > Memory
(3) Essays: Oscillating between Philosophy and Pragmatism
I can write a separate article on essay.
It’s like a teenager expressing personality disorder, on the surface.
You dig deeper and you realize the game.
2023: Essays felt like philosophical quotes using GenAI prompts
2024: Direct & accessible topics
Pick last 10 years and you’d realize the depth is screaming at you.
DEPTH + ORGINALITY
In this domain, you can learn framework from both: Anudeep Durishetty and Vikram Grewal
Don’t wander much, UPSC wants YOUR ideas. And if you can marry data with reflection, I have a good news for you.
An image I took 3-4 years back when fingers refused to write but we keep going!
(4) Ethics (GS-IV): More Relevant, More Tricky.
Single line idea: Ethics paper has silently graduated from being theoretical snooze-fest to a test of real-world moral reasoning.
Recent paper amped up contemporary connections:
AI dilemmas
Climate ethics
Global conflict scenarios
Yes, syllabus lists Kant, Plato, thinkers of the world blah blah blah.
Yet it is almost poetic to see how it’s seen hand in gloves with current affairs.
To navigate it better, here’s a pro tip:
Have 5-7 fav ethical quotes and find ways to quote them! Helps you with old guard questions and newbie issues.
UPSC doesn’t want a DC who’d chicken under pressure, you see?
(5) Optional Subjects: The Rollercoaster Ride
I am not an expert on optional subjects but as keen observer and industry insider, the debate of ‘removing’ optional is futile. It’s not going anywhere!
In one of my conversations with Mrs. Shubhra Ranjan, she explained it beautifully: “Why is optional a part of UPSC?”
“To test how you deal with challenges in subjects YOU choose.”
If you want to change optional or pick one as a fresher, know this:
it’s like living in a live-in with your partner. Make a wise choice!
Don’t fell prey to sexy elements but one you can live with when it’s ugly.
Preparation Realities
(6) The “One Perfect Strategy” Myth
UPSC prep is meant to be Personal
Interview is a Personality Test for a reason.
Stop seeking (and chasing) strategy of EVERY glamorous person you can think of!
I have been observing this keenly.
This was reinforced is one of my conversations with Jitin Yadav. (IAS, WB)
This is why AI-tools will dominate.
This is why ‘personal’ mentorship will still find waves.
Personalization. A strategy that YOU can stick to!
(Revisit Optional live-in theory and know that Strategy is vital but Strategy Paralysis is real. BE SUPER CAREFUL, personalize things based on who YOU are)
PS: Anyone claiming a guaranteed hack = salesman!)
(7) Revision Loops and the Curse of Diminishing Returns
Revise. Revise. Revise.
Sure, but for how long?
After a point it leaves you in zombie zone.
It’s real that most of you reading this will NEVER crack UPSC.
Not because you are inefficient
More because the exam is designed to eliminate!
Don’t be struck in prison. Leave, while you still can! For there will be a time when you won’t be able to leave and it’s going to be painful.
You are looking at something that changed my life forever. I am an average person with pretty average skills. I just showed up every day since 22 June 2022 to tweet and result? LIFE CHANGING TOOL in hand!
(8) Test Series Mania: A Double-Edged Sword
Coaching is a great idea to waste first year of UPSC preparation.
Test series, on the contrary, are a great idea to gain conceptual clarity.
Catch?
DO IT WITH HONESTY
DON’T LIVE BY IT
(9) The Telegram Tsunami and YouTube University
Single line: Quit groups if they don’t serve your purpose.
YouTube is often giving you a feeling that you studied. But did you? ummmmmmmmmmmm!
(10) AI Tools: Helper, Not Replacer (Yes, We Tested It)
Anything other than ChatGPT or Gemini is just you trying to waste your time. Use these for:
Mains answers evaluation
Generate Questions for practice/Mocks
Discuss/deliberate essay topics
Generate flowcharts/notes in pictorial representation
At best, it’s a tool to assist you. Never outsource THINKING firsthand!
The Psychological Game
(11) Burnout is Real – Recognize the Patterns
Let’s accept it: UPSC is a loop
Your life is measured less in events of your life and more in Pre-Mains-Interview cycle (if you ever reach interview or Mains, ofc!)
I can’t emphasize enough on how UPSC calendar is a burnout calendar for majority.
I am not telling you to quit ASAP but SCHEDULE.
Have a plan. Plan your breaks, meet your friends, Don’t F*ck up your social life.
Be in touch with friends and develop solid coping mechanisms. You need to recharge to win this marathon. And develop some meditative hobbies!
My prep journey was better with chopping. Cooking my own meals gave me much needed mental space to live with myself, beyond prep and hustle, ofc!
(12) The Loneliness of the Long-Distance Aspirant
UPSC prep is oddly lonely. Just like JEE/NEET or any exam prep!
Except UPSC has longer cycle.
You start at 20/21, miss important events, fail a couple of times and BOOM! You are suddenly 28 with no industry skills and exam prep is not taking you anywhere.
This breeds loneliness. Sanjeev Sanyal consistently speaks about this terming it “waste of time”
He’s not right or wrong. That’s subjective! But he has a point.
Today, luckily, apps like Aspirant Adda are already making it big. Use them to your advantage.
(13) Fear of Missing Out (FOMO)
I have spent first 4 months of 2025 among 100s of aspirants in 10-12 cities of India.
CLASSIC FOMO:
Those in Darbhanga, Azamgarh, Sikar want to know what’s happening in Lucknow/Patna/Prayagraj/Jaipur
Those in Patna/Prayagraj/Lucknow/Jaipur want to know what’s happening in Delhi.
It’s sad seeing it first hand. Majority still sees UPSC like a suspended animation.
Top it with seeing your non-UPSC friends getting married, having kids, traveling abroad and what not?
I don’t have a solution to it, it’s just an idea based on observation.
(14) Working Professionals: The Guilt and the Grind
Mad respect to those who prepare alongside job.
My friend Umed Pratap Singh is a classic example.
Bro didn’t just inspire thousands on X but ALSO wrote exams with a full time job.
He cleared SBI PO recently. In my eyes, it’s a win. I am certain his consistency will reward him with bigger roles, shall he continue striving for them.
More than me, he’s better person to learn from if you are a working aspirant
Hard reco: do speak to him!
(15) Repeater’s Dilemma: Between Perseverance and Stubbornness
One of my friends, Sakshi Priya, who also worked at CSEWhy for a brief period is now back to exam
She gave the exam, wrote Mains, didn’t clear.
Took a break. Worked at diff startups, built some savings and went back to exam.
Is it right or wrong? No straight answer.
But with exposure to industry, she’s in a better position to make a call on what she wants to do next!
Lesson: If you think it’s not working out, either take a full time break or start freelancing on the side purely to expose yourself to industry.
PS: Society pressure doesn’t matter
Systemic Inequities & Edges
(16) Meritocracy and the Privilege Paradox
I often hear “UPSC is the great equalizer”
You might also find news of how son of a rickshaw puller won the lottery by clearing exam. Even UPSC chairman confirmed than ~85% applicants are from Tier-2 and below
Sure! This is indeed a great ticket to social mobility.
But let’s talk privilege. How many of those 85% clear?
Harsh realities:
Hindi medium is at a disadvantage
(I have 100s of aspirants in my 4 months on ground in start of 2025, situation is sad, to say the least!)
Rich privilege is a reality
You always know if it doesn’t work out, you can go back to doing things either in industry of your choice (network) or family business.
Let’s be real: UPSC prep is expensive.
You can’t move to Delhi when family back home struggles to pay the rent
My job here is not to discourage you. But use it as a motivator.
And help you weigh your options right. PLEASE, do that!
My privilege: Not having to think of putting food on my plate (btw, everything you see here is chopped/cooked by me!)
(17) Caste, Reservation, and Uncomfortable Truths
R-word is the layer 2 of privilege.
It’s served both: leveller and lighting rod
2026 shall be the right time to initiate a discussion on how India badly needs reforms in reservation to GENUINELY give benefits to those who are last in the line.
Caste and class are still providing edges (or act as a hurdle)
My take: You can’t control any of this. Just be aware of your realities.
use it without guilt, if you have it
don’t shit on beneficiaries if you don’t have it
Acknowledge the inequity without letting it define your attitude
(18) The Interview: Confidence or Crapshoot?
Personality test
Do you have a personality?
Most of us living in ORN (Del), Naya Tola (Patna), Bhawar Kuan (Indore), Tonk Fatak (Jaipur) do not have a personality beyond UPSC/books.
Nope, not cool!
JUST control the controllables.
In this case, that’s your DAF
Remember, UPSC doesn’t make you an IAS. It picks you as one!
Fake no accent, gain skills during prep, be versatile.
It’s a conversation, not an interrogation. Be conversation worthy!
(19) The Coaching Conundrum: City vs Self Study
Single word: More and more aspirants will study (and clear) the exam from non-hubs.
They are smart, are you one, too?
(20) Educational Background: Engineers, Doctors and Humanities
Fun fact: Easily 50% of those who cleared were engineers
Being an engineer is NOT your ticket to UPSC
Same way, exam elements like CSAT & personality elements of engineering help.
<5% of these 50% clear exam with engineering subjects
So, you know that they are good at ‘gaming’ the system for better results.
Don’t hate us engineers. Just own it! Your background doesn’t matter
What matters is how far you are ready to go and how much pressure can you bear?
So, how much pressure can you bear?
Ecosystem & Industry Commentary
(21) Mentorship: From Guru-Shishya to Startup Service
I have no faith in paid mentors.
It’s not a business that’ll scale.
It’s not a system that an aspirant shall aspire for!
AI will kill it really quick with its ability to store data, personalize output and scan the internet faster than any human ever could!
That being said, mentorship will thrive but in small groups.
Those who are genuinely passionate, invested, and patient enough to deal with uncertainties will kill it as mentors.
I also predict that a model of “AI + trusted veteran” will take off!
Smart aspirants will rely on AI as well as human intervention from such veterans to seek help. (and it will work!)
As an aspirant, where will you find such people?
(No, paid ads won’t bring them to you! *wink*)
(22) Content Factories and Commodification of Notes
I feel cringed at a lot of newbie creators trying to do things of 2022 in 2025
Yes, some of us like CSEWhy and upscprepIAS had early advantage
We scaled fast and grew purely on understanding of the algorithm
But what worked in scale journey for us in 2022 won’t work in 2026
What will?
AI natives will kill it
Teach aspirants how to use AI (if you are an aspirant, LEARN)
Show, don’t tell
Embrace uniqueness, develop your own style
In age of AI text, WRITE originally
Know that virality isn’t authority. You need an audience who listens to you BECAUSE of you. Not because of how you got topper copies viral
We’ll see micro-influencers commanding larger share of brand money.
But people like CSEWhy will stay relevant for we read, learn and constantly upgrade. (Lesson: Don’t blame algorithm, play with it.)
For aspirants, most of us are here to cater to algorithms in an attempt to win your attention
For an instance, I always ensure to NEVER serve low quality content.
This helps me keep growing on all platforms.
But for your well being, you need to unfollow MOST of the people on the internet. (including me if you think I am not right fit for you!)
If it serves your purpose, do it. If it’s brain rot, move on!
(23) Rank Marketing and the New Regulations
I’d shout it on top of my voice: CCPA needs to up its game
Industry is full of smart people
Algorithms & AI are daily working overtime to make more money from insecurities, vulnerability and confusion of aspirants.
Ranks are being sold, results are being fabricated and if you don’t do ANYTHING, mere 10 lac fines are a mockery of your system.
Further, I strongly believe govt shall
lower the age
limit the attempts
It sucks! no cap.
(24) Coaching Cartelization and Content Cartels
Remember how I told you that I spent 4 months of early 2025 living among aspirants in ~10 cities of India?
Best experience of my life.
I learnt so much, gained right data and observed human psyche up close.
I also saw a dark, negative side
No one is responsible for it, it’s just a factor of time: centralization
“You can’t clear if you aren’t in Delhi”
Well, you can. Data confirms that!
I don’t have a solution to it. I am just uncomfortable. It punches me in the gut to see unwarranted consolidation of content mafias ruling the central markets.
End of the day, you are a customer. Just know this!
Everyone is here to sell to you and make money.
(25) UPSC as an Institution: Slow Evolution vs Stubborn Status Quo
I have great faith in ability of this institution to produce the best!
At the same time, what’s it in the system that aspirants who spend years perfecting their essays for morality or ethics answers often end up accepting bribes for ‘service to nation’
It may not be an extreme overnight reform but it MUST come from within
If not, disruption, distrust and disability will steam in ways no one will expect.
Pratibha Setu is a welcome move and Commission needs to do a LOT more
(+1) The Honest Close: Embrace the Journey, Not Just the Destination
(26) The Final Pep Talk (for lack of a better term)
This is strictly for
a) Aspirants
Cut-offs will keep wandering, don’t let them deter you
Stop chasing others. It’s an exam of looking within!
Get fitter, go looksmaxxing! (both mind and body)
Spend more time with your family, they need you!
Have extreme levels of sexual discipline
b) Content creators
Maps are going to be huge. See how you can use AI to curate content
Own your distribution through email IDs and DTP (direct to phone)
Do limited work but make it impactful
I made a personal Instagram and posted all my maps for revision on it. Served me well! Maps are going to be huge, bigger than even the flowcharts.
Other than this, if you came this far, wow! Congrats. You’ve patience of an IAS officer to be reading long form content in an age of distracted attention.
I am here. I will build the best content to serve you better and counter both: the mafias and peddlers. You know who you are!
I don’t promise to change the world with my content. I confirm it’ll be original, in your best interest and AI-native.
Lastly, PLEASE UPSKILL. Please.