6 Best Monthly Magazines for UPSC CSE Preparation

Best Current Affairs Magazine for UPSC CSE

To make your preparation easier we have curated six of the best current affairs monthly magazines and other magazines for UPSC preparation. Let us look at each one in detail. 

1. Yojana Magazine

Yojana magazine for UPSC is one of the most widely read current affairs magazines. 

It is a journal devoted to covering socio-economic issues and started its publication in 1957 with Mr. Khushwant Singh as its chief editor. Yojana is published in 13 languages including English, Hindi, Urdu, Punjabi, Marathi, Gujarati, Bengali, Assamese, Telegu, Tamil, Kannada, Malayalam and Odia. 

Being a great source of current affairs, Yojana has become a recommended source for current affairs. Despite being a government-sponsored venture, it is not restricted to expressing the government’s views alone. It gives due praise wherever the government has done something worth recognizing and criticizes its policies constructively with equal enthusiasm. 

It is particularly helpful for IAS aspirants because it gives different shades of opinions on a variety of issues and aims to present a balanced picture of every subject matter. Every year one of two essay topics comes directly from the Yojana magazine.

The magazine covers important topics like federalism, governance, budget and agriculture among other topics. 

Useful articles for UPSC CSE preparation:

2. Kurukshetra 

Kurukshetra is a monthly magazine for UPSC published by the Ministry of Rural Development, Government of India. The prime focus of this magazine is on rural development and it serves as an excellent forum to read about the various issues related to rural development such as land resources and agriculture. 

Through Kurukshetra, you will be able to understand in depth the various schemes introduced by the government. It is a great source of information for all IAS aspirants. 

According to the past few years of question papers, the UPSC has asked questions on the environment and rural development. Therefore, reading Kurukshetra is highly recommended to ace both the Prelims and Mains examinations. 

3. PrepMagazine

One of the most popular monthly magazines for UPSC, PrepMagazine is a smart feature for UPSC aspirants who want to stay updated with the latest developments around the world without wasting too much time. 

It also includes information from all the important monthly and weekly magazines like Yojana, Kurukshetra, EPW and DTW so that you can access all the important magazines for UPSC on one single platform. 

PrepMagazine entails comprehensive coverage of all the relevant newspapers and important topics so that you do not miss out on any crucial information. It is an excellent resource to learn about every relevant topic for UPSC aspirants such as migration, population, and Fundamental Rights, Nature and Score of Human Geography.

Its content is written in a crisp and concise manner and from an examination point of view. This ensures that your IAS exam preparation is effective and you are able to access quality study material. 

PrepMagazine has separate sections for Prelims preparation and Mains preparation so that you can quickly study all the important points according to the demands of the exam. In addition, it includes smart study tools such as Mind Maps, Infographics, and others to help you retain information for longer. 

Before we move to the next magazine, here is a glimpse of our new YouTube series, Bharat a to z. In this latest episode, watch Vivek Singh sir explain everything you need to know about state-wise SEZs. 

4. Pratiyogita Darpan

Pratiyogita Darpan is a well-known current affairs monthly magazine for UPSC CSE aspirants. According to the information on its website, it has been rated India’s No. 1 Career and Competition Magazine by the Indian Readership Survey since the year 2000. 

This magazine does not cater to UPSC CSE aspirants alone. In fact, it is a complete solution for most competitive examinations such as civil services, defence, MBA, UGC-NET and others. 

The focus of this magazine is on national and international news of importance, career and employment-related news, toppers’ interviews, solved papers of various Grade A competitive exams and various interesting contests and quizzes. 

5. Economic and Political Weekly (EPW)

The Economic and Political Weekly (EPW) is a globally reputed social science journal. It is the only kind of magazine where there is an exchange of ideas across the social science disciplines. 

However, for IAS aspirants, reading the entire magazine is not necessary because it contains a lot of social science research with a lot of technical terminologies. 

EPW is one of the best magazines for UPSC to understand the analysis of any contemporary issue. Aspirants can go to its Commentary section where they will find informative articles on current affairs. The prime focus of EPW is economic issues. 

6. Down To Earth Magazine (DTW)

Down To Earth (DTW) is a science and environment fortnightly magazine. This magazine is an excellent source of information for aspirants who want to understand current affairs surrounding the environment, health, science and technology. 

DTW was started by environmentalist Anil Agarwal in 1992 as a print magazine. This magazine will help you understand climate change in depth and understand the challenges of local and global environmental management.  

This is one of the best magazines for aspirants who have taken Geography optional for UPSC. However, candidates should be careful because the articles written are detailed and you must read and analyze each topic according to the requirements of the UPSC CSE syllabus. 

Also Read: How to Read Newspapers for UPSC Civil Services Preparation

Those are six of the best current affairs magazines you need to ace your UPSC CSE preparation. 

Now that you have a list of the best magazine for UPSC, let us go through a few pro tips that will elevate your UPSC preparation. 

Pro Tips to Study Current Affairs Monthly Magazines for UPSC

#1 Rely on Limited Sources 

Studying current affairs becomes tricky because there are unlimited sources to study it. We suggest limiting yourself to one or two sources otherwise it becomes difficult to complete them. As a result, it affects your study of static subjects. 

For example, if you choose to study a topic like Bhakti-Sufi traditions from 3-4 different sources, you might overlook critical information and make the mistake of focusing more on extra information.

Ideally, the best monthly magazine for UPSC that you choose should be a compilation of all the important topics and includes information from all the recommended monthly magazines. For example, PrepMagazine makes your study more efficient by limiting your source to only one magazine.  

Before we move to the second point, here is a video that is absolutely important for you. Watch Mr. Yaksh Chaudhary, AIR-6, UPSC CSE 2021, and learn proven techniques to take your essay writing performance to the next level.

#2 Multiple Revisions 

After you have chosen a monthly magazine to follow, we recommend you revise that magazine multiple times. This ensures that you remember all the information you need to ace Prelims and Mains. 

#3 Solving Mock Tests

Next, we recommend you solve as many mock tests as you can. Mock tests are important because they will build your exam skills and improve your confidence. As a result, you will commit fewer mistakes in the real examination. 

#4 Make Notes

You can enhance your reading of the newspapers and monthly current affairs magazine by making notes of all the important topics and events. Following the practice of note-making during your exam preparation will elevate your interest in current affairs and make your preparation easier.

Also, note-making helps in studying static subjects as well. For example, if you are studying the Harappan civilization it is best if you make notes about their agricultural technologies, architecture and social life.

And with that, we have come to the end of the blog post. It is now easier for you to make a decision regarding the best magazine for your UPSC preparation and study it. 

Frequently Asked Questions About Magazines for UPSC CSE Preparation

Which current affairs magazine is best for UPSC?

PrepMagazine is the best current affairs magazine for UPSC because it is an all-in-one magazine that contains key information from other major magazines like Yojana, Kurukshetra, EPW and DTW.

Are current affairs magazines enough for UPSC?

No, aspirants have to study newspapers first and only then current affairs magazines for UPSC.

Which magazine should I read for UPSC?

To save time, read PrepMagazine for UPSC. It has key information from all major magazines like Yojana, Kurukshetra, EPW and DTW.

Which yearly current affairs magazine is best?

PrepMagazine is the best yearly magazine to learn about every topic for UPSC, including human geography, migration, fundamental rights and population.

Which monthly magazine is best for UPSC by toppers?

Even toppers prefer PrepMagazine because it contains simplified information from all major magazines, has key points and helps save a lot of time.

You can make your UPSC journey easier with the PrepLadder App. Our leading UPSC Faculty like M.Puri, Vivek Singh, Himanshu Sharma and Hemant Jha will help you with every subject and paper to take your preparation to the next level. 

It has high-quality study tools, concise, effective and well-planned video lectures by the Dream Team, high-yield QBanks and PrepTests based on the real exam pattern, and PYQs. 

Everything you need to ace the UPSC CSE is available on the PrepLadder App. 

Keep following our blog for more interesting posts like 6 Best Magazines for UPSC CSE Exam Preparation. You can also follow our Telegram Channel to keep up with the latest information about the exam.  

Own Your Dream 

Team PrepLadder