The Assam Public Service Commission (APSC) is one of the most prestigious exams for aspirants in Assam who dream of joining the state civil services. Every year, thousands of students appear for the APSC Combined Competitive Examination (CCE), but only a handful succeed.

Why? Because success in APSC requires clarity, consistency, and the right strategy. Random preparation or reading too many books without revision won’t help. In this guide, we will give you a step-by-step roadmap to crack the APSC exam – covering the exam pattern, recommended booklist, newspaper reading, YouTube resources, answer writing, and even a 1-year study plan that you can follow like a timetable.

1. Understanding the APSC Exam Pattern

Before starting preparation, you must know the structure of the exam. APSC CCE is conducted in three stages:

Stage 1: Prelims (Screening Test)

• General Studies I (200 marks) – History, Geography, Polity, Economy, Science, Assam-specific topics, and Current Affairs.
• General Studies II (CSAT – 200 marks, qualifying) – Maths, Reasoning, Comprehension, and Decision-Making.

Stage 2: Mains (Written Exam, 1500 marks)

• English (Qualifying – 300 marks)
• Essay (250 marks)
• GS I (250 marks) – History, Geography, Indian Society, Assam culture.
• GS II (250 marks) – Polity, Governance, International Relations.
• GS III (250 marks) – Economy, Environment, Disaster Management, Assam-specific economy.
• GS IV (250 marks) – Ethics, Integrity, Aptitude.
• Optional Paper I (250 marks)
• Optional Paper II (250 marks)

Stage 3: Interview (275 marks)

• Personality test covering general awareness, current affairs, and knowledge of Assam.

👉 The key is to prepare for Prelims and Mains together, because the syllabus overlaps heavily.

2. Timeline for Preparation (12–18 Months)

Most successful candidates take 12 to 18 months for systematic preparation. Here’s the timeline:

• Months 1–3: Build foundation with NCERTs and Assam basics.
• Months 4–8: Move to standard books, start MCQs, begin optional subject.
• Months 9–12: Focus on answer writing, essay practice, and Mains preparation.
• Months 13–18: Intensive revision, mock tests, current affairs.

3. Recommended Booklist for APSC

Choosing the right books is half the battle won. Stick to limited but standard sources.

📚 General Studies (Prelims & Mains)

• History:
  • NCERTs (Class 6–12)
  • A Brief History of Modern India – Spectrum
  • Assam History – S.L. Baruah
• Geography:
  • NCERTs (Class 6–12)
  • Certificate Physical & Human Geography – G.C. Leong
  • Assam Atlas (official govt sources)
• Polity:
  • Indian Polity – M. Laxmikanth
  • Assam Polity (Assam Yearbook, govt sources)
• Economy:
  • NCERTs (Class 11–12 Economics)
  • Indian Economy – Ramesh Singh
  • Economic Survey + Assam Budget
• Science & Tech:
  • NCERTs (6–10)
  • Current Affairs (ISRO, Environment, Health)
• Current Affairs:
  • The Hindu or Indian Express
  • The Assam Tribune (local must-read)
  • Vision IAS or Drishti IAS monthly magazine
  • Assam Yearbook

📘 CSAT (Prelims Paper II)

• NCERT Maths (6–10)
• Quantitative Aptitude – R.S. Aggarwal
• Previous UPSC/State CSAT papers

📝 Mains-Specific

• Ethics (GS IV): Lexicon for Ethics, Integrity & Aptitude
• Essay: Past papers + practice
• Optional: Choose based on interest (History, Geography, Political Science, Anthropology are popular). Use UPSC-level books but supplement with Assam-specific notes.

4. Daily Newspaper & Magazine Reading

Current affairs is a game-changer in APSC. Develop a newspaper habit:

• National News: The Hindu or Indian Express
• Regional News: The Assam Tribune (compulsory)
• Magazines: Yojana & Kurukshetra (for essays), Vision IAS Monthly CA

👉 Make short notes focusing on what happened, why, impact, and Assam relevance.

5. YouTube Channels for APSC Preparation

Free online resources can make learning faster and more interactive.

• National UPSC/GS Preparation:
  • Vision IAS
  • Drishti IAS
  • StudyIQ
  • BYJU’s IAS
• Assam/State-Specific:
  • Knowledge365 Assam
  • APSC Tutorials
  • Aspirant Forum Assam
• Current Affairs:
  • PIB (Press Information Bureau)
  • RSTV/Sansad TV Debates

6. The Ideal Daily Routine

Here’s a sample 8–10 hour study routine for APSC aspirants:

• 6–8 am: Newspaper + Current Affairs notes
• 9–12 pm: Core GS subject (History/Polity/Economy)
• 1–4 pm: Optional subject preparation
• 5–7 pm: CSAT or Prelims MCQ practice
• 8–9 pm: Answer writing practice
• 9–10 pm: Revision / YouTube lecture for weak areas

👉 Adjust based on personal productivity (morning/evening person).

7. Answer Writing Practice

Mains is all about expressing knowledge in structured answers. Start early.

• Use previous year APSC mains papers.
• Stick to Intro → Body → Conclusion format.
• Add data and Assam-specific examples (floods, tea industry, NRC, literacy rate).
• Practice 2–3 questions daily.

8. Test Series & Previous Year Questions (PYQs)

• Solve at least 10 years’ APSC papers (Prelims + Mains).
• Join an online/offline test series to practice under exam conditions.
• Review mistakes carefully – this is where real learning happens.

9. The 1-Year Weekly Study Plan

We’ve created a simple four-phase study plan to cover the entire syllabus systematically.

Phase 1: Foundation (Weeks 1–12)

• Read NCERTs (History, Geography, Polity, Economy, Science)
• Study Assam Yearbook basics
• Daily newspaper reading
• CSAT practice (2 hours/week)

Phase 2: Core Building (Weeks 13–28)

• Standard books (Spectrum, Laxmikanth, G.C. Leong, Ramesh Singh)
• Assam History & Polity
• Start Optional Subject
• Essay practice (1 every 2 weeks)
• Monthly current affairs revision

Phase 3: Mains-Oriented (Weeks 29–40)

• Answer writing practice daily
• Essay writing (1 per week)
• Optional subject completion
• Sectional mock tests
• Assam-specific notes

Phase 4: Revision & Tests (Weeks 41–52)

• 2 Prelims mock tests weekly
• Daily mains practice
• Final revision of GS & Optional
• Essay writing (2 per month)
• Revise last 1 year current affairs

👉 Stick to this roadmap, and within one year, you’ll be exam-ready.

10. Mindset & Motivation

Preparing for APSC is a marathon, not a sprint. Keep these tips in mind:

• Consistency is more important than intensity. Even 6 focused hours daily beats 12 distracted hours.
• Revision is king. Don’t read too many books – revise the same sources multiple times.
• Stay updated with Assam. Always connect national issues with their impact on Assam.
• Take care of health. Good sleep, exercise, and a balanced diet improve productivity.
• Believe in yourself. Many toppers were once beginners like you – what made the difference was persistence.

✨ Final Words

Success in APSC is not about studying the most, but about studying the right things, in the right way, consistently. If you follow this roadmap:

1. Build your foundation with NCERTs.
2. Master Assam-specific content.
3. Stick to standard books.
4. Read newspapers daily.
5. Practice answer writing and test series.
6. Revise, revise, and revise again.

Remember, every day you prepare brings you one step closer to your dream career in Assam Civil Services. Stay disciplined, stay motivated, and success will follow.