The Mains-First
Programme
General Studies 1 · 2 · 3
Be Mains ready by Christmas. Begin your Prelims 2027 preparation on 1 January with clarity and confidence — not with a syllabus still unread.
- Programme begins
- 22 September 2026
- Programme concludes
- 24 December 2026
- Chief mentor
- Rohan Dange
The argument
Most aspirants meet Mains too late.
The conventional sequence — finish Prelims, then discover Mains in the ten weeks after the result — is the single largest source of avoidable marks lost in this examination.
Mains is not a memory paper. It rewards a trained hand: the ability to read a demand accurately, structure a response under time pressure, and write with substantiation rather than assertion. That hand takes months to build, and it cannot be built in the weeks between two results.
This programme inverts the order. Between 22 September — 24 December 2026 you cover the entire General Studies 2 and General Studies 3 syllabus, broken into micro-themes, together with the current affairs core of General Studies 1. Every theme is taught, written, and evaluated.
50
Theme lectures across three months
GS 2 & 3
Entire syllabus in micro-themes
GS 1
Current affairs portion covered
13
Full-length tests across two phases
4 days
Copy evaluation turnaround
Every theme
Model answer and notes
One theme. Five deliverables.
The syllabus is divided into micro-themes rather than broad heads, so nothing is covered in the abstract. 50 episodes run across the three-month span — coverage is sequential and cumulative, each theme building on the analytical vocabulary established before it.
- 01
A theme lecture
The concept discussed in full — scope, debates, institutional and constitutional grounding, and the examiner's likely angle of attack.
- 02
An answer-writing philosophy for that theme
Not generic advice. What a good answer on this specific theme must do, what it must avoid, and where marks are actually awarded.
- 03
A structural template
A reusable skeleton for the theme — introduction, body architecture, substantiation, and a closing that adds value rather than repeating the body.
- 04
A model answer
Written to the standard expected in the examination hall, so the target is visible rather than described.
- 05
Comprehensive notes
Consolidated theme notes, issued alongside the model answer, that stand on their own for revision.
Thirteen full-length papers, in two phases
Writing is assessed the way it is examined — full paper, full duration, full syllabus. Every copy is evaluated and returned within four days of submission, so the correction reaches you while the attempt is still fresh.
Phase One
Six papersFrom 10 December 2026
- General Studies 12 tests
- General Studies 22 tests
- General Studies 32 tests
Phase Two
Seven papersAfter Prelims 2027
- General Studies 12 tests
- General Studies 22 tests
- General Studies 32 tests
- General Studies 4 — Ethics, Integrity and Aptitude1 bonus paper
Copy evaluation for the post-Prelims phase is provided free to registered aspirants after the end of the course.
September 2026 to Mains 2027
Enrolment does not end in December. Registered aspirants stay inside the programme through the Prelims cycle and out the other side.
- 10 September 2026
Early registration closes
The reduced fee is held only for aspirants who register on or before this date.
- 22 September 2026
The programme begins
Micro-theme lectures across GS2 and GS3, plus the current affairs portion of GS1.
- 10 December 2026
Full-length test series opens
Six papers — two each on GS1, GS2 and GS3. Copies returned within four days.
- 24 December 2026
The programme concludes
You are Mains ready.
- 1 January 2027
Prelims 2027 preparation begins
With clarity and confidence, against a syllabus you have already written on.
- January 2027 onward
One lecture every week
With questions and model answers for that week. Free access for registered aspirants.
- After Prelims 2027
Seven further full-length papers
Two each on GS1, GS2 and GS3, plus a bonus GS4 paper on Ethics, Integrity and Aptitude. Copy evaluation provided free.
Meet Your Mentor
Rohan Dange Sir — Founder & Chief Mentor
Founder & Chief Mentor
Rohan Dange Sir
Rohan Dange Sir is the Founder of Roundtable IAS and a Distinguished Fellow at the Forum for Global Studies, New Delhi, where his work engages deeply with global affairs, security studies, and India's evolving strategic and foreign policy landscape.
With over 15 years of experience in UPSC coaching, Rohan has mentored civil services aspirants across international relations, economy, world history, essay, and political science. His teaching philosophy rejects rote learning in favour of structured dialogue and analytical rigour — translating complex policy and defence concepts into accessible, exam-ready frameworks.
Under his leadership, Roundtable IAS prioritises substance over spectacle — fostering collaborations with institutions, experts, and stakeholders committed to strengthening India's strategic discourse through knowledge and informed engagement.
Read More“The UPSC doesn't test what you know — it tests how you think about what you know. Our job is to build that thinking muscle.”
Fees and registration
Early registration
₹21,999
For aspirants who register on or before 10 September 2026.
Standard fee
₹24,999
For registrations made after 10 September 2026.
Included in the fee
- Fifty theme lectures across GS2, GS3 and the current affairs portion of GS1
- Answer-writing philosophy and a structural template for every theme
- A model answer for every theme, plus comprehensive theme notes
- Weekly questions and model answers alongside each lecture
- Six full-length tests from 10 December — two each on GS1, GS2, GS3
- Copy evaluation within four days of submission
- Free access to the weekly lecture series from January 2027
- Seven post-Prelims papers, including the bonus GS4 paper, evaluated free
Before you register
Be Mains ready by Christmas
The programme begins 22 September 2026. Early registration at ₹21,999 is held only until 10 September 2026.