VidBodh AcademyThe art and science of civil services preparation

Programmes

Daily Answer Writing

Answer writing from 1 Sep 2026 to 30 Dec 2026: 5, 10 or 20 questions a day, across all four General Studies papers and the Essay, with the days on each topic set by its share of the marks.

The papers run GS2, GS4, GS1, GS3. GS1 and GS3 come last because they overlap most with Prelims, so writing them through November and December doubles as Prelims revision.

The programme is free. The dakshina I ask is not payment. It is that you write every day.

Five General Studies answers a day will not clear Mains on their own. Write five answers on your own optional subject each day as well. The programme does not cover the optional, but it carries 500 marks and needs the same daily practice.

Questions a day
5 · 10 · 20
Days
82
Topics
26
Full length tests
12
Essay papers
5

What it includes

82 days
  • 26 topics, two days each

    • UPSC questions on the first day, mine on the same topic on the second.
    • 5 a day, 10 on a revision day, 20 in a full length test.
  • Three full length tests a paper, five essay papers

    • Two built from the pool, then the actual UPSC 2026 paper for that subject.
    • An essay paper closes each General Studies paper.
    • UPSC Essay 2026 on the opening weekend.
  • Model answers

    • Posted at 8 am the next morning, with that day's questions.
    • Each carries a note on how the answer was built.
    • Essays have none.
  • Telegram and the weekly discussion

    • Post your answers and read each other's.
    • I take one or two each day in detail.
    • On Sunday, the strongest of the week on YouTube.

    Telegram groupYouTube, @VidBodh

Learning to judge your own answer against a model is a skill the examination itself demands, and it is the one this programme is built to teach.

For those who finish

20 places

20 students who complete the programme will be mentored by me personally through Mains.

To be eligible you must write on every day of the programme, missing no more than 5 of the 82. If more than 20 qualify, I will choose on the strength of the answers.

Sign up

For the daily email

The questions and the previous day's model answers are posted at 8 am on every day the programme runs, and the email arrives with them. The 5 essay papers carry no model answer, because an essay has none. Leave your details and you are on the list.

This is for the daily email, not a login. Your details go to the mailing list and nowhere else.

The schedule

82 days · monday to friday, and a few saturdays

Each month takes one paper, so you can see what is covered when and prepare the day before rather than the day of. Ethics case study days carry 3 questions rather than five, because a case is worth 20 marks and 250 words.

The days with no writing are not spare days. Weekends and breaks are for consolidating what you have written and reading ahead for the next topic. The programme sets the writing; the days between are where it settles.

The first day is 1 Sep 2026. Each day's questions appear here on the morning they are set, and the model answers the morning after.

September · GS2

20 working days

  1. 1 SepTuePolity: federal structure and comparison with other constitutions · day 1, previous yearGS2
  2. 2 SepWedPolity: federal structure and comparison with other constitutions · day 2, originalGS2
  3. 3 SepThuPolity: Parliament, the executive, the judiciary and dispute redressal · day 1, previous yearGS2
  4. 4 SepFriPolity: Parliament, the executive, the judiciary and dispute redressal · day 2, originalGS2
  5. 5 SepSatUPSC Essay 2026Essay
  6. 6 SepSunSunday
  7. 7 SepMonPolity: the Constitution, representation, pressure groups and regulatory bodies · day 1, previous yearGS2
  8. 8 SepTuePolity: the Constitution, representation, pressure groups and regulatory bodies · day 2, originalGS2
  9. 9 SepWedGovernance, transparency, e governance and the civil services · day 1, previous yearGS2
  10. 10 SepThuGovernance, transparency, e governance and the civil services · day 2, originalGS2
  11. 11 SepFriBreak
  12. 12 SepSatSaturday
  13. 13 SepSunSunday
  14. 14 SepMonGanesh Chaturthi
  15. 15 SepTueSocial justice: welfare schemes, health, education, poverty and hunger · day 1, previous yearGS2
  16. 16 SepWedSocial justice: welfare schemes, health, education, poverty and hunger · day 2, originalGS2
  17. 17 SepThuInternational relations · day 1, previous yearGS2
  18. 18 SepFriInternational relations · day 2, originalGS2
  19. 19 SepSatSaturday
  20. 20 SepSunSunday
  21. 21 SepMonRevisionGS2
  22. 22 SepTueRevisionGS2
  23. 23 SepWedRevisionGS2
  24. 24 SepThuFull length testGS2
  25. 25 SepFriFull length testGS2
  26. 26 SepSatSaturday
  27. 27 SepSunSunday
  28. 28 SepMonUPSC GS2 2026GS2
  29. 29 SepTueEssayGS2
  30. 30 SepWedBreak

October · GS4

21 working days

  1. 1 OctThuBreak
  2. 2 OctFriGandhi Jayanti
  3. 3 OctSatSaturday
  4. 4 OctSunSunday
  5. 5 OctMonEthics and human interface: essence, determinants and dimensions · day 1, previous yearGS4
  6. 6 OctTueEthics and human interface: essence, determinants and dimensions · day 2, originalGS4
  7. 7 OctWedPublic and civil service values and ethics in public administration · day 1, previous yearGS4
  8. 8 OctThuPublic and civil service values and ethics in public administration · day 2, originalGS4
  9. 9 OctFriProbity in governance · day 1, previous yearGS4
  10. 10 OctSatProbity in governance · day 2, originalGS4
  11. 11 OctSunSunday
  12. 12 OctMonAptitude, foundational values, attitude, emotional intelligence and moral thinkers · day 1, previous yearGS4
  13. 13 OctTueAptitude, foundational values, attitude, emotional intelligence and moral thinkers · day 2, originalGS4
  14. 14 OctWedCase studies: administrative dilemmas · day 1, previous yearGS4
  15. 15 OctThuCase studies: administrative dilemmas · day 2, originalGS4
  16. 16 OctFriCase studies: probity, corruption and conflicts of interest · day 1, previous yearGS4
  17. 17 OctSatCase studies: probity, corruption and conflicts of interest · day 2, originalGS4
  18. 18 OctSunDussehra
  19. 19 OctMonDussehra
  20. 20 OctTueDussehra
  21. 21 OctWedCase studies: welfare, empathy and public pressure · day 1, previous yearGS4
  22. 22 OctThuCase studies: welfare, empathy and public pressure · day 2, originalGS4
  23. 23 OctFriRevisionGS4
  24. 24 OctSatRevisionGS4
  25. 25 OctSunSunday
  26. 26 OctMonRevisionGS4
  27. 27 OctTueFull length testGS4
  28. 28 OctWedFull length testGS4
  29. 29 OctThuUPSC GS4 2026GS4
  30. 30 OctFriEssayGS4
  31. 31 OctSatSaturday

November · GS1

19 working days

  1. 1 NovSunSunday
  2. 2 NovMonArt and culture with ancient and medieval history · day 1, previous yearGS1
  3. 3 NovTueArt and culture with ancient and medieval history · day 2, originalGS1
  4. 4 NovWedModern Indian history, post independence India and world history · day 1, previous yearGS1
  5. 5 NovThuModern Indian history, post independence India and world history · day 2, originalGS1
  6. 6 NovFriBreak
  7. 7 NovSatDiwali
  8. 8 NovSunDiwali
  9. 9 NovMonDiwali
  10. 10 NovTueIndian society: diversity, communalism, regionalism, secularism and women · day 1, previous yearGS1
  11. 11 NovWedIndian society: diversity, communalism, regionalism, secularism and women · day 2, originalGS1
  12. 12 NovThuIndian society: poverty, globalisation, urbanisation and population · day 1, previous yearGS1
  13. 13 NovFriIndian society: poverty, globalisation, urbanisation and population · day 2, originalGS1
  14. 14 NovSatSaturday
  15. 15 NovSunChhath
  16. 16 NovMonChhath
  17. 17 NovTueGeography: resources, industry and location · day 1, previous yearGS1
  18. 18 NovWedGeography: resources, industry and location · day 2, originalGS1
  19. 19 NovThuGeography: world physical, geophysical phenomena and changing features · day 1, previous yearGS1
  20. 20 NovFriGeography: world physical, geophysical phenomena and changing features · day 2, originalGS1
  21. 21 NovSatSaturday
  22. 22 NovSunSunday
  23. 23 NovMonRevisionGS1
  24. 24 NovTueRevisionGS1
  25. 25 NovWedRevisionGS1
  26. 26 NovThuRevisionGS1
  27. 27 NovFriFull length testGS1
  28. 28 NovSatFull length testGS1
  29. 29 NovSunSunday
  30. 30 NovMonUPSC GS1 2026GS1

December · GS3

22 working days

  1. 1 DecTueEssayGS1
  2. 2 DecWedEconomy: growth, planning, employment, inclusive growth and budgeting · day 1, previous yearGS3
  3. 3 DecThuEconomy: growth, planning, employment, inclusive growth and budgeting · day 2, originalGS3
  4. 4 DecFriBreak
  5. 5 DecSatSaturday
  6. 6 DecSunSunday
  7. 7 DecMonEconomy: agriculture, irrigation, marketing, MSP, PDS and land reforms · day 1, previous yearGS3
  8. 8 DecTueEconomy: agriculture, irrigation, marketing, MSP, PDS and land reforms · day 2, originalGS3
  9. 9 DecWedEconomy: industry, infrastructure, investment and food processing · day 1, previous yearGS3
  10. 10 DecThuEconomy: industry, infrastructure, investment and food processing · day 2, originalGS3
  11. 11 DecFriInternal security: borders, extremism and external actors · day 1, previous yearGS3
  12. 12 DecSatInternal security: borders, extremism and external actors · day 2, originalGS3
  13. 13 DecSunSunday
  14. 14 DecMonCyber security, communication networks and disaster management · day 1, previous yearGS3
  15. 15 DecTueCyber security, communication networks and disaster management · day 2, originalGS3
  16. 16 DecWedScience and technology · day 1, previous yearGS3
  17. 17 DecThuScience and technology · day 2, originalGS3
  18. 18 DecFriEnvironment and disaster management · day 1, previous yearGS3
  19. 19 DecSatEnvironment and disaster management · day 2, originalGS3
  20. 20 DecSunSunday
  21. 21 DecMonRevisionGS3
  22. 22 DecTueRevisionGS3
  23. 23 DecWedRevisionGS3
  24. 24 DecThuFull length testGS3
  25. 25 DecFriChristmas
  26. 26 DecSatSaturday
  27. 27 DecSunSunday
  28. 28 DecMonFull length testGS3
  29. 29 DecTueUPSC GS3 2026GS3
  30. 30 DecWedEssayGS3
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