UPSC Mains 2026: 5 Success Mantras from IAS Awanish Sharan to Crack the Exam

Clearing the UPSC Civil Services Mains is a marathon that requires more than just raw intelligence—it demands a strategic approach. IAS officer Awanish Sharan, a highly respected figure and inspiration for thousands of civil services aspirants, has shared his "five surefire mantras" to help students navigate the Mains examination effectively. His guidance emphasizes quality over quantity, urging candidates to focus on technique and discipline rather than burying themselves in endless study material.

Mastering the Mains: Awanish Sharan’s 5-Step Strategy

For aspirants aiming for the 2026 attempt, IAS Sharan recommends these actionable steps to refine their preparation:

• Deep Dive into the Syllabus: Before opening a single book, ensure you have a granular understanding of every topic in the syllabus. Knowing what to study—and more importantly, what not to study—is the first step toward efficiency.

• Curate Your Library: The market is flooded with resources, which often leads to "analysis paralysis." Stick to a few high-quality, essential books and master them thoroughly rather than skimming through dozens of average sources.

• The Power of PYQs: Solving the last 10 years of question papers is non-negotiable. It allows you to simulate the actual exam environment and identify recurring themes or patterns in the UPSC’s questioning style.

• Prioritize Writing Over Reading: The Mains is essentially a test of expression. Sharan advises that for every hour spent reading, you should spend at least two hours practicing answer writing. Content is valuable only if you can articulate it clearly under time constraints.

• Focus on Presentation: Your handwriting must be legible and neat. In a competitive examination, clear presentation and error-free spelling significantly enhance the examiner's experience and, consequently, your scores.

From 13 Failures to IAS: An Inspiring Journey

If you feel discouraged by a recent setback, remember the story behind the advice. Awanish Sharan’s path to the civil services was anything but conventional. Far from being a lifelong topper, he scored a modest 44.7% in his 10th-grade boards and maintained average academic records throughout his graduation.

His journey was marked by resilience: he faced failure 13 times across various competitive exams, including missing the State Public Service Commission (PCS) preliminary stage over 10 times. However, he refused to let these setbacks define him. By analyzing his mistakes and relentlessly correcting his approach, he successfully cracked the UPSC Civil Services Examination in his second attempt, securing an All India Rank (AIR) of 77. His trajectory remains a powerful testament to the fact that consistency, rather than a flawless past record, is the ultimate driver of success in the UPSC journey.