Civil Services Examination (India)

The IAS (Indian Administrative Service), formerly known as the ICS (Imperial Civil Service), is one of India’s most rigorous competitive exams. It is held by the Union Public Service Commission to select officers for the All India Administrative Civil Service.

The Indian Civil Services test, generally known as the IAS exam, is held every year by the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC). Although the exam is considered one of India’s most challenging, it is feasible to pass it with thorough preparation and effort. In India, this is a distinguished government service.

Eligibility Civil Services Examination (India)

• A Bachelor’s Degree from one of the accredited universities is required of the candidate.
• Candidates who have taken the qualifying examination and are awaiting results, as well as those who have not yet taken the qualifying examination, are eligible to take the Preliminary Exam. Along with the application for the Main Examination, such candidates must provide documentation of passing the aforementioned examination.
• Candidates with government-recognized professional and technical qualifications, or their equivalents, are also eligible to apply.
• Candidates who have finished their final year of MBBS or any other medical examination but have not yet completed their internship can also take the Main Exam. They must, however, present proof of passing the final professional medical examination from the relevant university.

Type of Examination

Civil Services Examination (India) is divided into three stages: a preliminary examination comprised of 2 objective-type papers (General Studies Paper I and General Studies Paper-II, also known as the Civil Service Aptitude Test or CSAT), the main examination divided into nine conventional (essay) type papers, two of which are qualifying and only seven marks are counted, and a personality test (interview).

Preliminary exam

Paper I Current events, Indian and global geography, Indian political Panchayati Raj system and governance, economic and social development, environmental ecology, biodiversity, climate change, and general science, as well as art and culture, are all put to the test.

Paper-II (also known as the Civil Services Aptitude Test or CSAT) assesses a candidate’s understanding, interpersonal skills, communication, logical reasoning, analytical ability, decision-making, problem-solving, basic numeracy, data interpretation, English language comprehension skills, and mental ability. It is a qualifying exam, and the marks earned in this test are not used to determine merit. However, to qualify for the Prelims exam, the candidate must score at least 33% on this test.

The Government of India announced in May 2015 that Paper-II of the preliminary examination will be qualifying in nature, meaning that it will not be graded for Mains Examination eligibility and that a candidate must score at least 33% to be eligible for grading based on Paper I of the Preliminary Examination marks. Those who pass the Prelims are qualified for the Mains.

Main exam

Interview

The goal of the interview, formally known as the “Personality Test,” is for the board of competent and neutral observers to assess the candidate’s personal appropriateness for a career in public service. The purpose of the examination is to determine a candidate’s mental aptitude. In general terms, this is a test of a candidate’s intellectual abilities, as well as their social traits and interest in current events. Mental alertness, critical capacities of absorption, clear and logical exposition, the balance of judgment, diversity, and depth of interest, aptitude for social cohesion and leadership, and intellectual and moral integrity are some of the attributes to be judged.

The interview style is not strict cross-examination, but rather a natural, but focused and intentional dialogue aimed at revealing the candidate’s mental capabilities.

The purpose of the interview is not to examine the candidate’s specialized or general knowledge, which has already been examined through written papers. Candidates are expected to have shown an intelligent interest not just in their academic specialties, but also in current events both within and outside their state or country, as well as modern currents of thought and discoveries that should pique the interest of every well-educated youngsters. The interview standards are quite high, necessitating extensive preparation as well as dedication.

Preparations for Civil Services Examination (India)

The first step is to thoroughly review the syllabus of the Civil Services Examination (India). Read the message carefully and then repeat it a few times. Do it yourself instead of relying on what others say. Determine how much and what you need to learn for each subject.

This research can be done on the internet. This blog listed all of the books that students read for each topic, and many others have done the same. Take a look at those lists. Examine what appears to be relevant. Begin with the NCERTs. Then move on to books that are more specialized. You can utilize the internet to thoroughly research each issue.

Simply go over the syllabus thoroughly. Determine how much and what you need to learn for each subject. Divide the course into subjects, and then into little chunks within each subject. The current curriculum is very topic-based. Choose the books and materials you’ll need to study for each topic.

Then figure out how many days you’ll spend on each topic. Divide the material for each topic into days, as in what you’ll finish on each day. Of course, set daily goals and meet them! Make a simple schedule. Don’t put too much pressure on yourself. Maintain a flexible timetable so that if you are unable to complete a topic adequately, you will have an extra day to complete it. Allow time for correction as well.

Selected Candidates Deploying Departments

If you pass the Civil Services Examination (India), you may deploy various Government of India departments such as:

All India Civil Services

• Indian Administrative Services (IAS), Indian Police Service (IPS), Indian Forest Service (IFS)

Group ‘A’ Civil Services

Indian Foreign Service (IFS), Civil Services Examination (India), Indian Audit and Accounts Services (IAAS), Indian Civil Accounts Service (ICAS), Indian Corporate Law Services (ICLS), Indian Defence Accounts Service (IDAS), Indian Defence Estates Service (IDES), Indian Information Services (IIS), Indian Ordnance Factories Service (IOFS), Indian Communication Finance Services (ICFS), Indian Postal Service (IPS), Indian Railway Accounts Service (IRAS), Indian Railway Personnel Service (IRPS), Indian Railway Traffic Service (IRTS), Indian Revenue Service (IRS), Indian Trade Services (ITS), Railway Protection Force (RPF)

Group ‘B’ Civil Services

• Armed Forces Headquarters Civil Service
• DANICS
• DANIPS
• Pondicherry Civil Service
• Pondicherry Police Service

For further details or queries about the civil service CLICK here.