In recent years, India has seen a surge in the job market. There is a demand for engineering, MBA, Media professionals in the world market. Whether it is the education or the hard working nature of Indians, there seems to be an ever increasing surge of Indian professionals in the private sector. But back home too, there is an increasing demand for government jobs. And by that we mean administrative services. And why not, India boasts of being the highest democracy in the world. Home to 1.5 billion people, it is obvious that the country needs good administrators to run the country as see that basic amenities like education, employment, social growth and the standard of living is provided for to all.

So, how does one administer all this? By being a part of the administration. The Union Service Public Commission or UPSC is the central agency authorized to conduct the Civil Services Examination for entry-level appointments to the various Civil Services of India. The agency's charter is granted by the Constitution of India. s 315 to 323 of Part XIV of the constitution, titled Services under the Union and the States, provide for a Public Service Commission for the Union and for each state.

Hence, it is correct to say that the Indian Civil Services serves as the backbone of the country and carries with it, great respect and responsibilities. Every year, lakhs of people appear for the Civil Services exam. With the Civil Services Exam scheduled for 29 Oct, 2011, students should right now be on their last phase of preparation – Revision.

How to Prepare for Prelims?

Begin your IAS preparations thinking that you have already cleared your Prelims. It puts you in a better situation mentally, as the pressure of the Civil can be huge! We recommend that you start your preparation at least 18 months before the Mains exam. So from February/ March of the previous year, start with the optional papers and wrap it up in about 6 months. About 6 months before the Main exams, start preparing for GS, the General Essay paper and Prelims optional preparation and continue till 6 months before the Prelims. At 6 months before the Prelims, slow down your GS for Mains and General Essay paper and continue with the GS Prelims and Optional Prelims preparation.

How to Prepare for Mains?

Your preparation for the civil services examination should be systematic and well thought out right from the word go. Begin with the preparation for the prelims i.e. CSAT. There is NO optional paper from 2011, so the new syllabus would include general studies and general aptitude.

About 6 months before the Main exams, start preparing for GS, the General Essay paper and Optional. Whatever might be the Prelims result, keep preparing this way till the Mains time. And the cycle continues.

Once you clear the Mains, you need to start preparing for the difficult Interview. Concentrate mainly on GS and OLQ (Officer Like Qualities) – read published interviews of successful candidates to understand the behaviour and pattern. Besides this, keep yourself updated with the latest happenings, the controversial ones for sure! It can give you a chance to steer the interview your way. It is a tough job, even if you don’t perform well in the interview; don’t lose heart, ultimately only your total score matters. Plus, for anybody who has performed well in the Prelims and Mains, it is very tough to foul it up!

Eligibility Criteria

• You should hold a degree from any of the government recognised and/or deemed universities or must possess an equivalent qualification
• You should have completed 21 years of age in the year when appearing for the exam. The maximum age limit is 30 for a general candidate, 33 for OBCs and 35 for SCs/STs. Ex-servicemen will get 5 more years exemption from the prescribed age limit.
• The number of allowed attempts is 4 for general category, 7 for OBCs and unlimited for SC/STs. Appearing for the preliminary exam or even one paper is counted as an attempt.

What to do After Clearing the Civil Services Exam

This exam selects candidates for the prestigious all-India services which include the IAS,IPS,IFS,IRS and others like Group A and Group B central jobs. The National Academy of Administration at Mussoorie now known as the Lal Bahadur Shastri National Academy of Administration imparts training to IAS probationers.

Important Dates

Main Exam – 29^th October, 2011 (different papers spread over around 21 days)

Once you clear the Mains, you will have to appear for a Personal Interview, about which you will be informed.

Sample Test Papers for Civil Services

Career Prospects, Pay Scale & Skills Required

Apt Subject Combinations for the Indian Civil Services

What to Expect in the Prelims of Civil Services

Important Note for Civil Service Aspirants of 2011

Admission certificates to all eligible candidates have already been issued. Letters of rejection citing the ground (s) for rejection have also been sent. If any applicant has not received either of the above communications, he/she may contact UPSC Facilitation Counter in person or on Tel. Nos.23381125, 23098543and 23385271. The eligible candidates who have not received the Admission Certificates may downloaded the "Venue Information" from the above mentioned website and use it for appearing in the examination.

Tagged in MAT MAT test pattern MAT exam AIMA MAT exam structure

Like us on :