IAS Officer After Class 10th, Roadmap, Stream Selection, Tips

When IAS Officer Tina Dabi secured Rank 1 in UPSC CSE 2015, she said that she started her preparation of becoming an IAS Officer After Class 10th itself. This sent a wave of motivation and aspiration to make a career in public service in a lot of school and college students. This early aspiration can be channelized into a strategic and disciplined approach which can prove to be a solid foundation and a stepping stone for becoming an IAS Officer later in life.

Can One Become an IAS Officer After Class 10th?

As per the Eligibility Criteria of UPSC CSE Notification 2025, the Minimum Age Limit to appear for exam is 21 years (as on 01/08/2025) in exam year. 

The candidate also must be a graduate from a recognised university. There are no particular requirements about the subject of graduation.

‹ ›

This 5 year time can be strategically utilised by the candidates to build their basics and mould their personality in order to qualify the exam in the first attempt itself.  

Roadmap to Becoming an IAS Officer After Class 10th

Becoming an IAS Officer requires hard work, discipline, dedication and commitment to public service. The annual cycle of the exam demands an early preparation to have an edge among other aspirants.

Read on to know how you can start the preparation to become an IAS Officer After Class 10th

Step 1- Choosing the Stream to Become an IAS Officer After Class 10th 

Though UPSC CSE Notification 2025, does not mandate a particular stream, students are generally suggested to choose Arts/Humanities stream which offer subjects like History, Political Science, Economics, Geography etc. These subjects form core of UPSC Civil Services Exam and having a thorough understanding of them provides an edge in becoming an IAS Officer After Class 10th.

Step 2- Develop Foundation Course Knowledge

Without compromising on academics of class 11th and 12th try to build a strong foundation from NCERTs of subjects- history, political science, geography and economics. They are the most authentic source to build your basics in order to become IAS Officer After Class 10th. 

Step 3- Understand UPSC Civil Services Exam

To become an IAS Officer After Class 10th start by reading and understanding UPSC Syllabus 2025 and develop an understanding about the Exam Cycle and Pattern. Read about subjects that are covered in UPSC Prelims Exam and UPSC Mains Exam and align your reading of NCERTs with Previous Year Questions of the exam available on upsc.gov.in. Also Read about various Optional Subjects offered by UPSC to choose from.

Step 4- Pursue your Graduation

In order to become an IAS Officer After Class 10th graduation from a recognized university  is mandatory. Candidates can pursue graduation in any subject or stream of their choice in regular or distance mode.

Step 5- Simultaneous Preparation of UPSC Civil Services Exam

Along with graduation studies, candidates are advised to level up their preparation for the exam by now covering Standard Books required to be studied for UPSC Civil Services Exam. These books provide advanced content in crisp format and in line with recent demand of the exam. Candidates should also develop a habit of newspaper reading and SMART Current Affairs preparation as they are proven to aid students navigate tricky Current Affairs oriented questions in exams.

Step 6- Apply and Appear for the Exam

Candidates are eligible to apply for the UPSC Civil Services Exam in the final year of their graduation. The UPSC CSE Notification 2025 came out in the last week of January and Prelims 2025 is scheduled to be held on 25/05/2025. 

Step Up Mentorship provided by Vajiram and Ravi caters to the unique demands and issues of students who have applied and cleared certain stages of the UPSC Civil Services Exam in the first attempt.

Tips to Become an IAS Officer After Class 10th

An early start backed with discipline and consistency is bound to yield positive results in UPSC Civil Services Exam journey. Timely and personalized Step Up Mentorship also plays a vital role in achieving success in UPSC Exam 2025

Here we are mentioning some practical tips to crack UPSC Civil Services Exam after Class 10th

• Build a clear and solid foundation of core subjects from NCERTs
• Read Standard Books for deeper and wider understanding of subjects and topics
• Build upon habit of reading Newspaper daily and follow Vajiram and Ravi’s monthly Recitals for consolidated and exam oriented current affairs
• Align and track your preparation with Previous Year Questions of UPSC Civil Services Exam on upsc.gov.in
• Practice structured, crisp and coherent answer writing to ace SureShot Mains   
• Although self-study is non-negotiable, joining Vajiram and Ravi’s StepUp Mentorship program will surely go a long way in realizing your dream of becoming an IAS Officer After Class 10th

Being an IAS means a life dedicated to Public service. Always keep in mind the grassroots level changes you will be able to bring in society and let this thought fuel you for all the hard work, discipline and consistency required to crack this exam. Start your preparation with Vajiram and Ravi’s General Studies program and realize your IAS dream.