Most structured 1-year plans follow a three-phase model:

Phase 1 — Foundation (Months 1-3): Complete all essential NCERTs (approximately 40-44 books across History, Geography, Polity, Economy, Science, and Environment) in subject-wise order from Class 6 to 12. This phase takes roughly 2.5 to 3.5 months at a focused pace of one book every 2-3 days. Simultaneously, begin reading a quality newspaper daily — The Hindu or Indian Express — to establish the current affairs habit from day one. Finalise your optional subject by the end of Month 2 at the latest.

Phase 2 — Standard Books and Optional (Months 4-9): Layer standard reference books over NCERT foundations: Laxmikanth (Indian Polity), Spectrum (Modern History), Nitin Singhania (Art and Culture), GC Leong (Physical Geography), Ramesh Singh (Indian Economy). Run optional subject preparation in parallel, targeting 3-4 hours per week dedicated to optional. Begin sectional mock tests on completed subjects from Month 4 onwards.

Phase 3 — Revision and Test Series (Months 10-12): Shift primary focus to full-length Prelims mock tests (target 25-40 quality mocks), PYQ analysis (10 years minimum), and rapid revision of notes. Current affairs coverage intensifies. Answer writing practice for Mains (30 minutes of daily writing is recommended by multiple toppers to avoid the skill atrophying).

Daily study hours: 6 to 8 hours of focused, quality study is the consensus target for full-time aspirants, rising to 8 to 10 hours in the final two months before Prelims.