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Civil Service Examination is the most contested exam across India. It is commonly known as the UPSC exam because the Union Public Service Commission organizes it. UPSC is a central agency that recruits numerous group 'A' officers under the Government of India.
Indian Administrative Services, Indian Police Service, Indian Revenue Services, and Indian Foreign Services are the four main categories of jobs offered through the exam. The popularity of the exam can be estimated through the figures of the candidates who sit for the exam each year. In 2022, 11.52 Lakh candidates appeared for the exam, out of which only 13090 people cleared the prelims.
- Stages of the Exam
The exam is conducted in a total of 3 rounds: preliminary exam, mains, and interview. The prelims comprise two objective papers, General Studies 1 and General Studies 2. The total marks for these two papers are 400. Generally, both pieces are held on the same day in two sessions.
Each paper needs to be attempted in 2 hours. It is a pen and paper or an offline exam. The cut-off for GS 1 paper varies each year and is counted for merit. However, GS 2 or CSAT is only a qualifying paper (33% is required). The second stage is the MAINS exam.
Only those candidates appear in this exam who have cleared the prelims. This stage judges the candidate based on their general intellect and depth of knowledge on various issues. The revised pattern for the paper followed since 2018 comprises 7+2 written papers. These all are descriptive papers.
Two language papers, one of a modern Indian language from the 22 scheduled languages and the other of English, are only qualifying papers. Both of them are of 300 marks each. Then there are four general studies papers. Each paper weighs 250 marks adding up to 1000 marks.
The scope of the syllabus is graduation level. One optional paper is to be chosen by the candidate and given two papers for it, each for a maximum of 300 marks. The scope for optional is beyond bachelor's but below master's level.
The interview round is also called Personality Test. It is for a total of 275 marks. It is a platform for two-way communication between the aspirant and the board. Various topics under the sky can be discussed.
The average time for an interview is 20 minutes. The total marks for the mains hence add up to 1750. Together with the interview round, the CSE examination is conducted for a total of 2015 marks.
- Attempts
The number of times a person can appear for the exam refers to the attempts one can make. Clearing the exam in the first or multiple attempts has advantages and disadvantages of its own. But the consensus is the more, the merrier.
Hence, it is always better to have one more attempt on your list. While life may not give you a second chance, UPSC does. General and EWS candidates can appear a total of 6 times until the age of 32. OBC candidates have nine attempts, while SCs and STs have no bar other than the upper age limit. Physically challenged candidates also have nine attempts.
- Language
The prelims question paper is made available in Hindi and English languages. The constitution, however, broadens the scope of language for the mains. According to the Eight schedules of the Indian constitution, a candidate can attempt mains papers in any of the 22 scheduled languages.
Similarly, candidates can let the UPSC know their language preference, and a translator of the language will be made available if any interviewers do not know that language.
- Syllabus
No matter what exam one is going to study for, understanding the examination syllabus is essential. The course of the exam is vast. It, indeed, is very broad. The first step towards your preparation should be getting a copy of the syllabus. It isn't easy to summarize the syllabus in this article, but we will attempt it nonetheless.
But make sure to go through the detailed syllabus. The syllabus revolves around the basic understanding of social sciences and an elementary knowledge of science subjects. Current affairs of about 12-14 past months are of utmost importance.
Prelims is an objective paper, so you need to get your facts correct for that, while the clarity of concepts is important to attempt length and descriptive mains exams.
Read your history, geography, political science, and economics books well. Make sure you are well versed in basic physics, chemistry, and biology concepts while also knowing elementary calculation. Ethics and philosophy should also be known to the candidate. Questions also relate to environmental science.
- Basic Course Books
After you have understood the syllabus, hop on to studying it. NCERTs form the backbone of the course of the UPSC exam. Social sciences NCERTs till class 12 and science and mathematics till class 10 should be read and learned.
Next, you can order a bundle of basic course books online or buy them from the market, whatever you prefer. Lakshmikant and Spectrum are two household names on the list. You can search for others online or consult someone from the field. There would be great suggestions; make sure to choose wisely.
- Coaching Institutes
More than a necessity, coaching institutes have become a trend these days. Nonetheless, their role in shaping an aspirant must be considered. The best coaching institute will fix everything from your basics to your deep understanding of an issue.
Many of them compete. Delhi is considered to be the hub for the best coaching institutes. Explore, take dummy classes, and decide with utmost care. You can also prepare through an online package.
Conclusion
While there is no denial of the difficulty of the exam, people do succeed in it. You need to be a hard-working person and not a born prodigy. Include newspapers and magazines in your daily routine. Understand the exam through its syllabus. Have confidence, and be consistent. You will succeed one day!
