IAS, IPS, IFS (Civil Services Examination UPSC, India) The Civil Services Examinations conducted by the UPSC

C is one of the toughest in the world with only about 450 candidates selected out of more than 200,000 that appear ever year. (For more information visit www.upsc.gov.in) List of Services: All India Services

Indian Administrative Service (IAS) Indian Police Service (IPS) Indian Forest Service (IFS)

Central Civil Services - Group "A"

Armed Forces Headquarters Civil Service Border Roads Engineering Service Central Information Service Corporate law services Company Law Board Service Central Power Engineering Service Central Electrical & Mechanical Engineering Service Central Water Engineering Service(Civil) Central Water Engineering Service(Mechanical) Central Engineering Service Central Engineering Service(Roads) Central Health Service Central Legal Service Central Labour Service Central Trade Service Defense Lands and Cantonment Service Defence Quality Assurance Service Defence Research & Development Service Defence Aeronautical Quality Assurance Service Indian Foreign Service (IFS) Indian Postal Service Indian Civil Accounts Service (ICAS) Indian Railway Service of Mechanical Engineers Indian Railway Service of Electrical Engineers Indian Railway Service of Engineers Indian Railway Service of Signal Engineers Indian Railway Stores Service Indian Telecommunication Service Indian Revenue Service (IRS) - Income Tax

Indian Revenue Service (IRS) - Customs & Central Excise Indian Audits & Accounts Service (IA&AS) Indian Defence Accounts Service (IDAS) Indian Defence Estate Service (IDES) Indian Economic Service(IES) Indian Ordnance Factory Services (IOFS) Indian Post & Telecommunication Accounts and Finance Service (IP&TAFS) Indian Railway Accounts Service (IRAS) Indian Railway Traffic Service (IRTS) Indian Information Service (IIS) Indian Railway Personnel Service (IRPS) Indian Naval Armament Service Indian Supply Service Indian Inspection Service Indian Salt Service Indian Broadcasting(Engs) Service Indian Ordnance Factories Health Service Indian Economic Service Indian Statistical Service Indian Cost Accounts Service Indian Defence Service of Engineers Indian Broadcasting(Programme) Service Military Engineering Service Military Engineers Service of Architects Military Engineers Service of Surveyors Overseas Communication Service P&T Building Works Service Railways Protection Force (RPF) Railway Medical Service Railway Board Secretariat Service Survey of India Service

Central Civil Services - Group "B"

Defence Secretariat Service Union Territories Administrative Service Union Territories Police Service

State Services

State Civil/Administrative Service State Police Service State Forest Service Pub

Eligibility Age: Should have completed 21 years as on August 1st of that year of examination Should have passed any Degree Students undergoing final year of study in college may also apply subject to submitting their attested copy of degree / provisional certificates when they apply for Main exams. Further they should have completed 21 years as on 1st August. A degree of any of the Universities incorporated by an Act of the Central or State Legislature in India or other educational institutions established by an Act of Parliament or declared to be a Deemed University under the UGC Act, 1956, or an equivalent qualification. Candidates who have appeared or intend to appear for the qualifying examination and are awaiting results are also eligible to appear for the Preliminary Examination. All such candidates who qualify to appear for the Civil Services Main Examination must produce proof of having passed the said examination along with their application for the Main Examination. The UPSC may in exceptional cases treat a candidate without the foregoing requisite qualification as an eligible candidate if he / she has passed an examination conducted by other institutions, the standard of which justifies his / her admission in the opinion of the Commission. Candidates with professional and technical qualifications recognised by the Government as equivalent to professional and technical degrees. Candidates who have passed the final year of MBBS or any Medical Examination but are yet to complete the internship can also appear for the Main Examination. However they must submit along with their Main Examination application, a certificate from the concerned authority of the University / Institution that they have passed the final professional medical examination. At the Interview stage they must then produce a certificate from a competent authority that they have completed (including internship) all the requirements for the award of the Medical Degree. Other Eligibility conditions Nationality i. Only Indian nationals are eligible for IAS and IPS. ii. For other services a candidate can be either of the following: a. a citizen of India, b. a subject of Nepal, c. a subject of Bhutan, d. a Tibetan refugee who came over to India before January 1, 1962 with the intention of permanently settling in India, or e. a person of Indian origin who has migrated from Burma, Ethiopia, Kenya, Malawi, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Uganda, United Republic of Tanzania, Vietnam, Zaire or Zambia

with the intention of permanently settling in India. Candidates belonging to either categories of b., c., d. or e., must produce an eligibility certificate issued by the Government of India. Those who belong to either of b., c., or d., categories are not eligible for appointment to the Indian Foreign Service. AgeLimit A candidate must have attained the age of 21 years and must not have attained the age of 30 years on 1st August, of that year i.e., he must have been born not earlier than 2nd August that year. And not later that 1st August of that year. The upper age limit prescribed above will be relaxable. Details i. A candidate must have attained 21 years and not be over 30 years on August 1 of the year of examination. ii. The upper age limit is relaxed in specific cases as mentioned below: a. upto a maximum of 5 years if the candidate belongs to SC/ST. b. upto a maximum of 3 years if the candidate belongs to Other Backward Classes. c. upto a maximum of 5 years if the candidate had been domiciled in Jammu & Kashmir during the period between January 1, 1980 and December 31, 1989. d. upto a maximum of 3 years in the case of Defence Services personnel disabled during hostilities with foreign countries or in a disturbed area and consequently released. e. upto a maximum of 5 years in the case of ex-servicemen including Commissioned Officers and ECOs / SSCOs who have rendered at least five years Military Service as on August 1 of the year of examination and have been released: on completion of assignment (including those whose assignment is due to be completed within one year from August 1 of the year of examination) otherwise than by way of dismissal or discharge on account of misconduct or inefficiency, or on account of physical disability attributable to Military Service, or on invalidment. f. upto a maximum of 5 years in the case of ECOs / SSCOs who have completed an initial period of assignment (5 years Military Service) as on August 1 of the year of examination and whose assignment has been extended beyond 5 years. Such candidates will have to provide a certificate from the Ministry of Defence stating that they can apply for civil employment and they will be released on a notice of 3 months, upon selection, from the date of receipt of offer of appointment. g. upto a maximum of 10 years in the case of blind, deaf-mute and orthopaedically handicapped candidates.

Number of Attempts Category Age limit 35 33 30 No. of attempts No limit 7 attempts 4 attempts

SC/ST OBC OC Blind, deaf-mute and Orthopaedically handicapped 40 persons Ex-Service man 35

IAS Two Level Examination: The examination is of two levels, Preliminary Screening Test & the Main Examination. Preliminary Screening test is of Objective Type and the Main examination has two parts namely Written Examination and the Personality test (Interview). Preliminary Screening test is only of qualifying nature and the scored in Preliminary Examination will not be taken for ranking Civil Services (IAS) Preliminary Screening Test:

The Preliminary Examination is one of the toughest exams in India and you should not take it lightly even though it is meant to serve as a screening test. This examination is conducted according to the following pattern: PAPER I II SUBJECT General Studies Optional Subject DURATION 2 hrs 2 hrs QUESTION TYPE Objective Type Objective Type

The Preliminary Screening Test comprises, General Studies Paper and Civil Service Aptitude Test (CSAT). Both are compulsory prescribed by the UPSC Marks: The General Studies & CSAT 200 Marks each. Therefore the preliminary exam is held for a total of 400 marks. Negative Marking: There will be penalty (negative marking) for wrong answers marked by the candidate in the Preliminary Examination. There will be four alternatives for the answers to every question. For each question for which a candidate marks a wrong answer, "one third"

(0.33%) of the marks assigned to that question will be deducted as penalty. However, there will be no penalty for the questions which the candidate has left unanswered. Date of Preliminary Examination: Every year the Preliminary Examination will usually held on the Third Sunday of May Result of Preliminary Examination:

Usually the results of the Preliminary Examination are published during the first week of August

GENERAL STUDIES (Prelims) _ Syllabus General Science Questions on General Science will cover general appreciation and understanding of science including matters of everyday observation and experience, as may be expected of a well educated person who has not made a special study of any particular scientific discipline. Current events of national and international importance In current events, knowledge of significant national and international events will be tested. History of India and Indian National Movement In History of India, emphasis will be on broad general understanding of the subject in its social, economic and political aspects. Questions on the Indian National Movement will relate to the nature and character of the 19th Century resurgence, growth of nationalism and attainment of Independence. Indian and World Geography In Geography, emphasis will be on Geography of India. Questions on the Geography of India will relate to physical, social and economic Geography of the country, including the main features of Indian agricultural and natural resources. Indian Polity and Economy Questions on Indian Polity and Economy will test knowledge of the country's political system and Constitution of India, Panchayati Raj, Social Systems and economic developments in India. General Mental Ability On general mental ability, the candidates will be tested on reasoning and analytical abilities.

Optional Subjects: 1. Agriculture 2. Animal Husbandry & Veterinary Science 3. *Botany 4. Chemistry 5. Civil Engineering 6. *Commerce & Accountancy 7. Economics 8. Electrical Engineering 9. *Geography 10. Geology 11. *Indian History 12. *Law 13. Mathematics 14. Mechanical Engineering 15. Medical Science 16. Philosophy 17. Physics 18. *Political Science 19. Psychology 20. *Public Administration 21. *Sociology 22. Statistics 23. Zoology * Coaching classes are held for the (*) marked subjects in most of the cities and towns

Basic readings for Preliminary 1. News paper The Hindu 2. Magazines Civil services chronicle, Competition Wizard; Yojana; Kurushetra; Frontline 3. Text Books NCERT text books on science & Tech, Indian History, Indian Geography, Indian Polity, Indian Economy from standard VI XII 4. General Mental Ability Quantitative Aptitude by R.S.Agarwal 5. General studies manual Tata McGraw Hill Pub / Spectrum Pub 6. Indian polity P.Lakshmi Kanth 7. Modern Indian History "Indias struggle for Independence" Bipin Chandra 8. Indian Economy Pradhyogita Darpan 9. Manorama Year book of publication division 10. Indian Year book of publication division 11. Atlas Orient Longman 12. Previous years solved questions.

Strategy -CCRR 1. 2. 3. 4. Collection of Study Materials Consolidation of topics in study materials that are civil services exam oriented Reading (Comprehensive Reading) Revision (Periodical)

SWOT Analysis SWOT analysis will be extremely helpful in choosing an optional Based on your area of interest, availability of study materials & coaching facilities available for an optional You can choose your own. 1. Strengths 2. Weakness 3. Opportunities 4. Threats

Civil Services (IAS) Main Examination: If the candidate qualifies in the Preliminary exam, he is called for appearing in the Main examination. The Main Examination is to assess the overall intellectual traits and depth of
understanding of the candidates. The Written Examination in the Main Examination consists of 9 papers and is conducted according to the following pattern:

PAPER I

II III IV&V VI,VII,VIII & Two papers in each of two Optional ** Subjects IX Indian Languages(compulsory) (Paper I)
1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. 11. 12. 13. 14. 15. 16. 17. 18.

SUBJECT One Indian language from those included in the Eighth Schedule* of the Constitution English Essay General Studies

DURATIONMARKS 3 hrs 3 hrs 3 hrs 3 hrs 3 hrs 600 600 600 600 600

Assamese Bengali Gujarati Hindi Kannada Kashmiri Konkani Marathi Malayalam Manipuri Nepali Oriya Punjabi Sanskrit Sindhi *Tamil Telugu Urdu

Optional Subjects for the Main Examination (Paper IX)

1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7.

Agriculture Animal Husbandry & Veterinary Science Anthropology *Botany Chemistry Civil Engineering *Commerce & Accountancy

8. 9. 10. 11. 12. 13. 14. 15. 16. 17. 18. 19. 20. 21. 22. 23. 24. 25.

Economics Electrical Engineering *Geography Geology *History *Law Management Mathematics Mechanical Engineering Medical Science Philosophy Physics *Political Science & International Relations Psychology *Public Administration *Sociology Statistics Zoology * Coaching classes are held for the (*) marked subjects in most of the cities and towns

List of Optional subjects that cannot be clubbed

Political Science & Public Administration Commerce & Management Anthropology & Sociology Maths & Statistics Agriculture & Veterinary Science Management & Public Admin Of the Engineering subjects, not more than one subject Veterinary & Medical sciences

Literature of one of the following languages

1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. 11.

Arabic Assamese Bengali Gujarati Hindi Kannada Kashmiri Konkani Marathi Malayalam Manipuri

12. 13. 14. 15. 16. 17. 18. 19. 20. 21. 22.

Nepali Oriya Pali Persian Punjabi Russian Sanskrit Sindhi *Tamil Telugu Urdu

Date of Main Examination: Usually the Main Written Examinations are held during October/November every year. The exam usually begins on the last Friday of October & lasts for about 21 days GENERAL STUDIES (Mains) PAPER - IV 1. History of Modern India and Indian Culture The History of Modern India will cover history of the Country from about the middle of nineteenth century and would also include questions on important personalities who shaped the freedom movement and social reforms. The part relating to Indian culture will cover all aspects of Indian culture from the ancient to modern times as well as principal features of literature, arts and architecture. 2. Geography of India In this part, questions will be on the physical, economic and social geography of India. 3. Constitution of India and Indian Polity This part will include questions on the Constitution of India as well as all constitutional, legal, administrative and other issues emerging from the politico-administrative system prevalent in the country. 4. Current National Issues and Topics of Social Relevance This part is intended to test the candidate's awareness of current national issues and topics of social relevance in present-day India, such as the following: i. The Indian economy and issues relating to planning, mobilization of resources, growth, development and employment.

ii. Issues arising from the social and economic exclusion of large sections from the benefits of development. iii. Other issues relating to the development and management of human resource. iv. Health issues including the management of Public Health, Health education and ethical concerns regarding health-care, medical research and pharmaceuticals. v. Law enforcement, internal security and related issues such as the preservation of communal harmony. vi. Issues relating to good governance and accountability to the citizens including the maintenance of human rights, and of probity in public life. vii. Environmental issues, ecological preservation, conservation of natural resources and national heritage GENERAL STUDIES (Mains) PAPER - V 1. India and the World This part will include questions to test candidate's awareness of India's relationship with the world in various spheres such as the following: Foreign Affairs with special emphasis on India's relations with neighbouring countries and in the region. Security and defence related matters. Nuclear policy, issues, and conflicts. The Indian Diaspora and its contribution to India and the world. 2. India's Economic Interaction with the World In this part, questions will be on economic and trade issues such as foreign trade, foreign investment; economic and diplomacy issues relating to oil, gas and energy flows; the role and functions of I.M.F., World Bank, W.T.O., WIPO etc. which influence India's economic interaction with other countries and international institutions. 3. Developments in the Field of Science & Technology, IT and space In this part, questions will test the candidate's awareness of the developments in the field of science and technology, information technology, space and basic ideas about computers, robotics, nanotechnology, biotechnology and related issues regarding intellectual property rights. 4. International Affairs and Institutions This part will include questions on important events in world affairs and on international institutions. 5. Statistical analysis, graphs and diagrams

This part will test the candidate's ability to draw conclusions from information presented in statistical, graphical or diagrammatical form and to interpret them. Personality Test Even though the interview carries 300 marks with no minimum qualifying marks, it is the deciding factor at many times of your being within the services or out of it and in the least matters in which service you get.However since the interview is so personal and variable it is most desirable to do very well in the written mains. But an Interview can make or break you so take your personality development rather seriously and make sure to attend some mock interviews at leading institutes. UPSC Interview Questions UPSC Interview questions range from questions about your choice of subject to why you want to join the civil services. It is good to answer honestly but at the same time avoid cliches like wanting to do service to the nation etc. Questions on your hobbies are imperative so prepare well as they expect some indepth knowledge on that. Questions relating to your name, your college or school name are also a big posibility. If someone well-know shares one of these names please also prepare on that. Also learn up about important events on the year or date of your birth. As you can see, UPSC Interview questions are mainly from what you have filled in your form including your subject but here it is more a test of logic and presentation and awareness rather than pure subject knowledge. In the UPSC interview many questions are situational like what will you do if a Tsunami strikes your district and you are the DM/Collector/SP. Questions on your choice of service preference also need to be prepared. Current affairs analysis is important too. Tips to improve your performance at the UPSC Interview

There are generally 5 members at the board with the Chairperson seated at the center. Enter confidently and greet the Chairperson, who will probably welcome you, and pleasantly nod at other members. Wait till you are asked to sit. Intelligent listing is the mantra, and for this maintaining eye contact is very important. You should not glare but all the same appear attentive and do not glance at other members, it can be very distracting for the interviewer. However if some other member asks you anything, look at that member and answer and turn back to the first - this is what we do in normal attentive listening. Do not fidget or throw your hands around, or shake your head. Less amount of movement does not mean you should sit unnaturally stiff. Your posture should be attentive and relaxed at the same time. Do not crouch/bend forward or place your hands on the table. Cut your answer short to the required patience shown by the member talking to you. They usually like to talk more, so listen carefully and think for a few seconds before you start answering the question. This will show that you are organising your thoughts in mind before starting to speak.

Leave some room for difference in opinion. Do take a stand, but do not look adamant or unwilling to appreciate the board's opinion. Use couple of words from the question while answering any question. It shows you have listened to the question carefully. But at the same time limit the use the technical jargon. Listen very carefully. Come to the central issue of the enquiry immediately. Wild guessing or speculation are a complete no no. Do not start evaluating your performance while still inthe interview. Even if you have committed mistakes in the beginning, do not think that you have already lost the game. They are looking for warm, sensitive respectful and attentive youngsters. They know you are good or you would not have come so far. Talk humbly about your achievements and hobbies. You may have mentioned some hobbies in the form without serious background in them, but before the interview it would be useful to pick up some basic info on the hobby. Say less to convey more. Less is more these days as per the minimalist creed. Argue logically and generalise correctly. Do not try to read too much between the lines. Remember, while answering any question, what is easy to see is easy to miss. We often tend to miss the obvious and go for some non-crucial aspect of the subject. Get up to leave only when the chairperson asks you to, not because you think everyone has asked a question. Similarly, even if someone has not asked a question and the chairperson asks you to leave then please leave. Some members do not ask questions at all, due to various reasons like limited time. Before leaving politely thank the chairperson and nod at the others politely. Avoid saying "Have a good day sir". A "Thank you Sir/Madam" is enough.

Interview preparation Expected Interview Questions The Kothari Committee of the UPSC, has listed the qualities that should be rated in the interview as, ''clarity of expression, grasp of narrative and argument, reasoning ability, appreciation of different points of view, awareness and concern for socio-economic problems, ranges and depth of interests and personal attributes relevant to interaction with people.'' The Interview for the civil services examination also known as the Personality Test is exactly that. It is aimed at assessing the candidates personality, whether he is suitable to be a competent administrator or not. The candidate is tested not only for his/her intelligence but also for his/her overall personality development, his/her attentiveness, balance of judgement and qualities of honesty, integrity and leadership. Therefore preparation for the Interview requires proper planning. The selectors look out for some attributes in the candidate and decide whether he/she is suited for a career in civil services or not. For this,the candidate should have a positive attitude, should have an alert mind with quick reflexes, should be free from any sort of

prejudice, should be good at making quick decisions and should have the ability to act under stress and to handle difficult situations. Preparation for the Interview is a continuous process. This involves a wide reading of books, journals, magazines and at least two newspapers. One should try to improve his/her conversational skills with the right pronunciation. The candidate should be prepared to answer questions on his background, hobbies and extra curricular activities. It is a good idea to discuss current affairs and recent issues with friends. One good way of rehearsing possible questions would be to have mock interviews and discussion groups. The candidate should make a self analysis of his strengths and weaknesses and make a conscious effort to play on his strengths. Some useful tips for a successful interview at UPSC are: 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. To have a positive body language To have a good personal turnout and ensuring the right posture To answer questions clearly and confidently Try to remain calm and composed even when faced with provocative questions Try not getting into long winded explanations and answer to the point.

Things To Be Avoided at the UPSC Interview

Avoid the expression, 'I am sorry.' Avoid conversational cliches, like: 'as you know', 'that's correct', 'of course', 'indeed', 'obviously', etc. Avoid technical jargon. However, if a member continues to probe you in any technical field, you can use technical expressions. Maintain a cheerful disposition. Now and then you can appear serious; but most of the time keep smiling or look cheerful and composed. One caution here: if the board laughs, you should only smile. It is only when you maintain some amount of distance that the board begins to wonder about the depth of your personality. Do not give long introductions. Come straight to the heart of the matter. Show human concern whenever possible in your answers. You should be logically consistent and analyse things rationally while talking. You are supposed to defend what you say, but with due respect to the views of the board. Stop trying to defend an answer if it becomes difficult to do so logically and fairly. Do not make hasty or sweeping generalisations.

According to UPSC report, it has been observed that from 1979 onwards, 90 percent of the candidates who qualify for interview hover around the minimal percentage of 55 percent that is prescribed for the test. However to be assured of a Class I service, one has to generally obtain about 58 percent marks. It has been noticed that only those, securing 60 percent and above are sure of getting a service of their own choice. The figures clearly reveal that the marks in the interview test play a determining role in final selection of candidates.

Types of questions asked at the UPSC interview.

Relating to your name. Any famous personality who has a similar or same name or surname. Your career choice. Why you want to opt for the civilservices. Your Hobbies. Why you pursue such a hobby or questions related to your hobby. So reasearch well on your hobby. Hot topics of recent days like the Bird Flu and Tamiflu, Office of Profit, Sahara airlines deal and the growing airlines,Terror attacks in India, India US Nuclear deal, Commonwealth games, Saurav Ganguly etc. Keep reading and watching the news. If the recent headlines have something to do with your subject then specially revise those portions. For example if you are a veterinary doctor, Bird flu may go on to other animal diseases that can infect men. If you are an MBBS, then you might be asked about human to human spread of epidemics or any other epidemics and precautions etc. You may even be asked about the influence of MNC or drug manufacturers responsible for the spread of fear etc. If you are from an economy background, the same topic will veer towards the economic implications of the Bird flu. How you are going to use your specific knowledge(like if you are a doctor, lawyer, engineer etc) in the services. Situational questions. Like If you were the collector/SP of Varanasi, what would you do after the Bomb Blast? Choice of services. The order of your choice of services can raise questions too. About your institution and related.If you have studies at IIM you may be asked about the rising salaries, if from IGNOU then even about Indira Gandhi and so on. From your form. You must go through the form you have filled because most questions will arise from there. If you have changed subjects, mentioned anything out of the way, watch out for questions on them. Interviewers take cue from the form you have filled.

Some actual questions asked of UPSC candidates.

Don't you think you can serve your country better by remaining a doctor and treating poor patients? Why do you want to be a civil servant?" It would be best to answer this question very practically rather than emotionally saying you want to serve the country, because even a doctor serves the people. A doctor from Kerala was asked this Question and her reply was - "Because I want to treat the primary malady that afflicts our country, that creates so many poor in India. As a doctor I can treat only secondary maladies." She even came up with exact statistics and suggestions on a rubber plantation for poverty alleviation indicating that she had spent considerable time and thoughts on her future plans. She was awarded a score of 85 per cent. "What are the problems faced by wheat cultivators in your state?" an M.Sc. (Agriculture) student from Palanpur was once asked. "The problem is not so

much to do with agronomy but with the lack of a seed bank in Palanpur," came the reply and the candidate walked away with an 80 per cent score. "Is there a law in physics, which is relevant to administration?" a law graduate was prompted. "Yes. Newton's third law of motion: for every action there is an equal and opposite reaction." He scored a cool 80 per cent.

The above questions can give you an idea of how relevant questions are asked from your subjects even as they are not directly from the syllabus. Source: http://saidaiduraisamysmanidhaneyam.com/