1.2 UPSC Civils Fresher Challenge

Previous Post- How to decide- should you prepare for UPSC Civils or not?

Hey Amigo,

In the previous post, we discussed how to decide whether you should prepare for UPSC Civil Services or not.

If you haven’t read that article yet, I strongly recommend reading it first.

Now, I want to give you a challenge.

By the end of this challenge, you will have a much clearer answer to a very important question:

“Am I really ready for UPSC preparation?”

Think of this challenge as a gate.

Before entering the UPSC journey, you must first prove to yourself that you can handle the discipline required for it.

I see many aspirants making the same mistake.

They join coaching by paying ₹1 lakh.

They buy books for 20 subjects.

They create elaborate study plans.

And then they assume preparation has started.

But preparation does not start when you buy books.

Preparation starts when you consistently sit down and study.

This challenge is designed to test exactly that.

The Challenge

You need to complete the following three subjects:

World History
Indian Ancient & Medieval History
Indian Modern History

Time Limit:

1 Month – If you are a full-time aspirant
2 Months – If you are working or still in college

When I say “complete”, I do not mean memorising every fact.

I simply mean:

Reading the books properly
Understanding the concepts
Knowing what happened and why
Developing basic clarity on the subject

The goal is understanding, not perfection.

Why Three Books?

Some people may ask:

“Why not just complete one book?”

Because one book is too small a test.

For one week, almost everyone feels motivated.

Real preparation begins when motivation fades and consistency takes over.

That is why I recommend completing at least three books over one or two months.

By then, you will know whether you can continue studying even on days when you don’t feel like it.

Why History?

I intentionally selected History for this challenge.

Compared to subjects like International Relations, Economy, or Ecology, History is generally easier for beginners to understand and more interesting to read.

If someone struggles to consistently complete History books, the tougher subjects later in the UPSC journey will become even more difficult.

This makes History an excellent starting point.

What If You Cannot Complete The Challenge?

Do not take this personally.

Take it as feedback.

Imagine someone says:

“I can run 5 kilometres without stopping.”

The only way to know whether that is true is to actually run 5 kilometres.

Similarly, many people believe they can prepare for UPSC.

But until they sit down and study consistently for one or two months, they do not know their actual capacity.

Real strength is not found in our assumptions.

It is found in our actions.

If you are unable to complete this challenge within the given time, remember what UPSC preparation actually demands.

A serious aspirant will typically study around 20 major books, along with current affairs, revision, answer writing, and test practice over a long period.

Compared to that, these three History books are only a small starting point.

That is exactly why this challenge acts like a mirror.

It shows you your current reality.

Not your dreams.

Not your assumptions.

Your reality.

And once you know your reality, you can start improving it.

Do You Need NCERTs?

Many aspirants ask me:

“Should I first read NCERTs?”

My personal suggestion is no.

The books recommended below already cover the concepts you need for this challenge.

Whether you use our books or books from other authors, there is no need to spend additional time and money reading separate NCERTs for this purpose.

In future articles, I will discuss this topic in more detail.

But for this challenge, the answer is simple:

No, NCERTs are not required.

Which Books Should You Use?

You are free to use our books or books from other authors.

The purpose of this challenge is not to sell books.

The purpose is to help you test your consistency.

That said, our books are designed specifically for beginners.

We have tried to explain topics in a simpler manner and included UPSC-style practice questions after each section to help you test your conceptual understanding, not just your memory.

Choose whichever resources suit you best.

The important thing is completing the challenge.

Use the Right Tools

One tool that can help significantly during this challenge is the FHT Exam Goals App.

Many aspirants believe they are studying consistently until they actually start tracking their progress.

The app helps you identify:

Missed study days
Incomplete targets
Time management issues
Consistency problems

By the end of the challenge, you will know exactly where you need improvement.

More importantly, you will know whether the issue is motivation, discipline, planning, or execution.

My Final Message

See Amigo, there is no shortage of books.

There is no shortage of information.

There is no shortage of UPSC strategies on the internet.

And if information was the problem, I am doing my best to solve that through my books and articles.

What is usually missing is something much simpler:

Trusting the process.

And putting in the effort every single day.

I cannot sit beside you and check whether you completed this challenge.

Only you can do that.

After all, this is your dream.

Your career.

Your future.

So be honest with yourself.

Take the challenge.

Complete it.

And then come back and evaluate whether UPSC is truly the path you want to pursue.

Challenge Summary

You need to complete:

World History
Indian Ancient & Medieval History
Indian Modern History