Preparing for Civil Services

Tuesday, April 08, 2008 Preparing for Civil Services

The Civil Services Exam is conducted by Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) across India. Preparation for the most coveted service requires a focused mind, dedication, and hard work.EligibilityYou should be a graduate in any discipline from a recognized university.ExaminationThe Civil Services Examination consists of two successive stages:
· Preliminary Examination – It consists of two papers (General Studies and one of the optional subjects to be selected from the prescribed optional subjects list) of objective type carrying a maximum of 450 marks.
· Main Exam (Written subjective & Interview) – It consists of the following exams carrying a maximum of 2300 marks.
Paper I: One of the Indian Languages
Paper II: English
Paper III: Essay
Paper IV and V: General Studies
Paper VI-IX: Any two subjects (each having 2 papers) to be selected from the prescribed optional subjects
Interview
The marks obtained in the Main Examination (Written and Interview) determine the final ranking. The candidates are then allotted to various services on the basis of their ranks and the preferences expressed by them.The Question Papers are set in English and Hindi. You must begin preparations of the main exam along with preliminary exam. You can even enroll in institutes like Rau's IAS Circle, Vajiram and Ravi. This is because there is little time for the Main exam if you wait for the results of the Preliminaries.To begin with you should consult NCERT books and go through previous year papers. A candidate is permitted 4 attempts at the examination. If you appear in the Preliminary Exam or even appears in one paper, it is counted as an attempt.