Current Affairs for UPSC: The 60-Minute Strategy

The biggest reason aspirants feel overwhelmed is Current Affairs for UPSC. With newspapers like The Hindu or The Indian Express, monthly magazines, and endless YouTube videos, it is easy to spend 4-5 hours just consuming news. Current Affairs for UPSC

But here is the hard truth: If you spend 5 hours on news, you will fail the static portion (History/Polity).

To crack this exam, you don’t need to read more; you need to read smart. At Trademark IAS, we teach our students the “60-Minute Rule” to master Current Affairs for UPSC without compromising on static subjects.

1. Stop Reading “News”, Start Reading “Issues” Current Affairs for UPSC

A common mistake is memorizing temporary facts (e.g., “PM visited France”). UPSC doesn’t care about the visit; they care about the Strategic Partnership signed there.

  • The Filter: Before reading an article, ask: “Can I use this in GS Paper 2 (Polity) or GS Paper 3 (Economy)?” If no, skip it.

  • Focus Areas: Editorials, Supreme Court Judgments, Government Schemes, and International Treaties.

2. The “One Source” Golden Rule Current Affairs for UPSC

Do not try to read three newspapers.

  • Read: ONE standard newspaper (The Hindu OR Indian Express).

  • Supplement: ONE Monthly Magazine (like the Trademark IAS Current Affairs Magazine).

  • Ignore: Random YouTube videos that waste time with clickbait titles.

3. How to Make Notes (The Keyword Method) Current Affairs for UPSC

Don’t copy sentences from the newspaper. That is a waste of ink.

  • Method: Write the Headline -> Write 3 Keywords -> Write the Conclusion.

  • Example: Topic: Inflation. Keywords: Repo Rate Hike, CPI Data, Supply Chain Disruption. Conclusion: RBI prioritizing stability over growth.

  • Trademark IAS Advantage: We provide daily Flash Cards of important news to our students, saving you the effort of note-making.

4. Revision is Key

Current Affairs for UPSC is volatile memory. If you don’t revise, you will forget.

  • The Weekend Rule: Use Sundays only to revise the news of the past week.

  • The Monthly Rule: Read the Trademark IAS Monthly Compilation at the end of the month to connect the dots.

Conclusion

Mastering Current Affairs for UPSC is not about knowing everything; it is about knowing what matters. Stop drowning in information and start building knowledge.

Want to save time? Get our curated Daily News Analysis (DNA) delivered straight to your phone.

[Download Today’s Analysis PDF]