Crack Civil Services Exam
By R. K. Pandey
Civil Services in India provide not only jobs for earning and surviving, but a power seat; from where, one can change the world. Yes, here you can change the face of country, you can eradicate poverty and problems, and you can change society. In this service you execute decisions and also participate in decision making and contribute in making law. After being successful at this exam, your fate is changed and the same time you can change others fate. So ready to face one of the toughest hurdle and if you cross it, you are the king.
To become a king, you should have a winning strategy, doing hard work systematically and good guidance. Here, through this article, I am trying to make easy the toughest examination. Preliminary examination is only gateway of mains, nothing more, but main exam is a real test and here each mark not only decide your success but also your ranking. A good ranking means the more chance for you to get your dream job. This article is useful for those, who are going to appear at main this year and it also guides them, who are making plan to appear in coming year.
Ten Success Mantras
Self-Confidence:
Robert Collier says ‘Your chances of success in any undertaking can always be measured by your belief in yourself.’ Yes self confidence plays most important role in success of a person. A difficult and lengthy process of Civil Services exam demands self-confidence because only this can keep you on the right track during the long preparation and examination. Many candidates, who are hard working and intelligent and have taken right decision, right optional, chosen right study materials but ultimately they could not succeed, because of their lack in self- confidence. Due to lack of self-confidence some time they see wrong in choosing options, some time books, some time timing and some time in their-self. So after deciding, be determined and go forward till the process is not completed. Remember, self confidence does not mean over-confidence, so be clear and ready to accept any negative side. Self-confidence is about balance.
Low self-confidence and over-confident are two extremes. If one is under-confident, he’ll avoid taking risks and stretching himself; and he might not try at all. And if he is over-confident, he may take on too much risk, stretch himself beyond his capabilities, and crash badly. Getting this right is a matter of having the right amount of confidence, founded in reality. With the right amount of self-confidence, one will take informed risks, stretch oneself and try hard.
Time Management:
Last but not least, time management is very important to achieve success. It plays very important role in preparation. For this you should divide your study plan in parts. Set a goal to complete one or some parts in given time. If you complete a part in given time you will not feel overburdened and this mental freedom will provide you more understanding and grasping capacity. So make a plan according to your need and convenient rather than following others path.
Clarity:
Candidate must have a clear approach during the preparation and examination. If you have clarity, you will easily overcome of many problems. One should be clear about optionals, study materials, concept, thought, facts and at every step. Do not stay in dilemma. After selecting optionals, materials and selection of study portion of syllabus, follow them strictly.
Go through the syllabus and past-year Q papers:
Read syllabus past year questions of GS and your two optionals carefully, specially past two years. In this way, you will understand what and how to read to tackle the questions and also important and less important part of syllabus. Follow the syllabus instead of reading whole of the book. Choose only those portions of the book which are part of your syllabus and especially you have made guess for this year examination. When ever what ever you read, frame questions on them and try to present an ideal answer. In this way you can increase understanding and expression.
A Balanced Approach:
A balanced approach is needed at every step during preparation. Give equal importance to both of optionals and compulsory papers. Do not neglect any area of syllabus. To get good marks in the exam, on should take seriously question number 1 and 5 (short notes). While preparing, one must note down, from where short notes can be asked. It will facilitate you in exam hall. In this way you can write your complete answer in within the time frame. Many of you often do not take every part of General Studies seriously.
Such step may futile, so read every portion of GS and prepare them well. In your answer, balanced view is important and at the same time one should give approximately equal time to all long answer type questions. Do not write some answer very long and some very short.
Develop Writing Skill:
Writing skills play an important role in the IAS Mains. Most of the candidates appearing for the Mains examination have a lot of knowledge, but lack writing skills. You should be able to present all the information/knowledge in a coherent and logical manner, as expected by the examiner. For example: Quoting with facts and substantiating your answer with related concepts and emphasizing your point of view. Prepare a standard answer to the question papers of the previous years. This will also make your task easy in examination hall. Do not neglect the concepts.
Sometimes the questions are ‘conceptual’ in nature, aimed at testing the comprehension levels of the basic concepts. Get a list of standard textbooks from the successful candidates, or other sources and also selective good notes. The right choice of reading material is important and crucial. . For subjects like Mathematics and Statistics and Geography maps etc, practice is very important. One should also practice other subjects and should not treat the same examination, as an “experience gathering” exercise to get a chance for writing mains is a great thing, which you may not get again.
Go through the unsolved papers of the previous papers and solve them to stimulate the atmosphere of the examination.
Try not to exceed the word limit, as far as possible. Sticking to the word limit that will save time. Besides, the numbers of marks you achieve are not going to increase even if you exceed the word limit. It’s the quality that matters not the quantity. Revision is very important. Revise after a gap. The reason is that you have been preparing for months or years together. It is a human tendency to forget something after some time. Follow paragraph writing rather than essay form. A new point should start with a new paragraph. It is easy to write and understand.. If the question needs answer in point format give it a bullet format. Try to maintain uniformity in the writing throughout the paper. Under time pressure, the script should not go from bad to worse in the later stages of the answer sheets. This may irritate the evaluator. Stick to the time frame. Speed is the very essence of this examination. Hence, time management is very crucial. For developing the writing skills, write model answers at the time of preparation. This helps get into the habit of writing under time pressure in the examination. Develop and follow your own style of writing. Try not to be repetitive and maintain a flow in the style of your writing.
Importance of General Studies
Many candidates, particularly those with a professional degree in science, often ignore serious preparation of GS and focus mainly on their optional subjects. Such attitude is more like a bad gamble. Economy, Science & Technology and Statistical Analysis are the areas that can pose problems in scoring. If you have prepared economy for your Prelims, doing it for the mains must not be difficult. Statistical analysis has to be practised with the help of previous years' solved questions given in all the guides as also the NCERT's Statistical Analysis.
One year regular reading of a national daily, India Year book relevant NCERT books and magazines for the purpose are the basic necessities that you must go through. Scoring in GS is mathematical and any additional score gained through serious preparations must be tried.
Do Not Forget Essay:
Where each number is important to give the shape of your future, how can you miss manage Essay, which carries 200 marks. Essay paper was re-introduced in 1993, created a sort of storm among the aspirants. Rumors was spread that the step had been taken to neutralize the scoring pattern which is highly skewed in favour of some subjects. Though there is no denying the fact that many subjects like Maths, Physics, Commerce etc do not encourage the development of language skill. Those of you with such an academic background but a natural flair for writing developed during school or college days, should be definitely at an advantage.
Writing an essay is an art and if you are not naturally inclined to write that way, you will have to spend at least some time in practising; more so because many of the issues asked in the form of essay are the ones that you generally prepare for your GS where you limit your preparation upto about 250 words. Candidates are advised to keep a thorough eye on all the happenings of the last one year with critical evaluation of those which could be asked in the form of an essay.
Language Papers:
Though, language papers are of qualifying nature only, on should also give some time. Take the last five year papers and solve them, later either check yourself or asked to do so to a teacher or any friend. If you get more than 50 percent marks, then I think no reason to worry. But if you get less than 40 marks, you should give some time. For this, reading news papers and any grammar book is sufficient. If one is very poor, he or she must prepare well on regular basis.
Current Affairs:
It plays very decisive role in your success. Why is it decisive? Because, if you are good in current affairs, you can write better answer of Polity, Economy, Science, Geography questions in GS. Beside these it helps you in the optionals like Political Science, Public Administration, Sociology, Anthropology and others many optionals. Do not forget that it also may become a decisive factor in essay writing in the personality test. Preparing current affairs is very tedious job, so during the whole preparation, you must develop your own methodology. But there is some common approach, which one must not forget to be good at the current affairs.
To study current affairs, it is essential to read one national newspaper, Mainstream, one from Frontline, India Today and Outlook and one from any competitive magazine. When you are studying the round up of national and international affairs, efforts should not be merely taking up the information but also to understand the issues involved. Go into the background of events. for example, the recent Lok Sabha elections, racial attack in Australia threw up many issues. Get to know these issues and be clear about them so that you can answer questions on them.
Study Idea for GS
The books published by the NCERT are important source material. Take up the text-books for classes IX, X, XI and XII. Beside it, some books published by NBT and India Year Book is also useful. But only reading these books will not serve the purpose. What is crucial is that the person taking up self-study must pick up past question papers and write down the answers to questions asked therein. A practice in writing is what is required to attempt the paper. Many students make the mistake of studying for hours but have no practice in writing down the answers, which costs heavily during the exam. The skill required is that of organising the arguments and making a coherent answer from the diverse material.
One more thing that must be kept in mind is that the answers must be a little different from others and must have some extra bit that is missed out by others. This is not difficult if one has understood the issue in depth.
One important characteristic of the Civil Services Mains Exam is that the questions do not ask for mere information as a reply, but seek analysis backed with opinion from the candidates. Usually, one gets the impression that one knows everything but thoughts do not flow out naturally as one puts pen to paper. Therefore, writing down the answers is an important facet of the preparation.
Next thing is that one must carefully read the questions in order to make out what the examiner is asking. After this important is to organise one's thoughts before writing and the sequence of the answer should be from the most important/potent aspect to less important aspects.
If you do not have someone to check your answers, keep them away and after a gap of time, read them again. You will discover many mistakes, which earlier you could not. Analyse the answers in order to improve them. This exercise of re-analysis of answers improves the ability to be precise. One of the important requirements of this exam is that the answers should be crisp and to-the-point.
PAPER - I
(Syllabus, Related Questions and Strategy)
(a) 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.
Questions
1. Answer anyone of the following questions (in about 250 words): 30---2007
(a) What was the character of social religious reforms in the 19th Century and how did they contribute to the national awakening in India?
(b) The crisis of the colonial order during 1919 and 1939 was directly linked to the constitutional reforms, disillusionment and militant anti-colonial struggles. Elucidate.
2. Answer any two of the following questions (in about 150 words each) : 15x2 = 30---2007
(a) What are the salient features of the Government of India Acts of 1858 and 1909?
(b) Do you think Mahatma Gandhi's support to Khilafat Movement had diluted his secular credentials? Give your argument based on the assessment of events.
(c) Evaluate the contribution of revolutionary terrorism represented by Bhagat Singh to the cause of India’s Struggle of independence.
3. Write about the following (not 20 words each) : 2x15 = 30---------------------2007
(a) Age of Sangam Literature
(b) Bhakti
(c) Ashtadhyayi of Panini
(d) Charvakas
(e) Ajivikas
(f) Gandhara Art
(g) Mlechchas
(h) Lingayats
(i) Megasthenes
(j) R. C. Dutt
(k) Nagarjunakonda
(1) Pastoralism
(m) Rudramadevi
(n) Sati
(0) Ramanuja
Study Material -Topper’s Choice
For the complete understanding of India's freedom struggle, NBT'S, India's freedom struggle by Bipin Chandra and Barun De's books are important and 12th class N.C.E.R.T. From the period 1939-1947, History spectrum is comprehensive, it is also helpful for specific topics such as evolution of press, education etc.
This is also handy for final revision. 2 markers - needs to be focused from all the three periods- Ancient, Medieval and Modern. Now focus should be on art, culture, religion, science, rather than on political personalities.
(b) Geography of India
In this part, questions will be on the physical, economic and social geography of India.
Questions
4. Answer any two of the following questions (in about 125 words each) : l0x2=20--------2007
(a) Explain how the Himalayan and the Tibetan highlands play an important role in the development of the South West monsoon.
(b) Technological changes have brought in a major shift in the use of roads as transport corridors in India. How far do you agree with this view?
(c) Explain the nature and causes of growing slum problems in the metropolitan cities of India.
5. Write notes on the following (in about 20 words each): 2 x 5= 10-----------------2007
(a) Special Economic Zone (SEZ)
(b) Inceptisol
(c) Jarawas
(d) Indira Point
(e) Causes of Chambal Ravines
Study Material -Topper’s Choice
Class XII books of Geography (NCERT), Mains Guide in Geography and a good atlas.
(C) Indian Polity
This part will include questions on the Constitution of India, Political system and related matters.
Questions
6. Answer anyone of the following questions (in about 250 words) : 30 ------------------2007
(a) What is a Constitution? What are the main sources of the Indian Constitution?
(b) Bring out the differences between the Fundamental Rights and the Directive Principles of State Policy. Discuss some of the measures taken by the Union and State Governments for the implementation of the Directive Principles of State Policy.
7. Answer anyone of the following questions (in about 250 words): 30----------------2007
(a). What is regionalism ? In which way regionalism has affected the Indian Polity.
(b). what are the Main determination of voting behavior in India?
8. Answer any two of the following questions (in about 150 words each): 15x2 = 30---------2007
(a) What are the exceptions when the President of India is not bound by the aid and advice of the Council of Ministers?
(b) What is pro tem Speaker?
(e) Under what circumstances, Parliament may legislate on State subjects?
9. Answer the following questions (in about 20 words each): 2 x 5 = 10------------2007
(a). What is criminalization of politics?
(b). How president of India elected?
(c). what is casting vote?
(d). what is the difference between council of Minister and Cabinet?
(e). what is the importance of Right to constitutional remedies?
Study Material -Topper’s Choice
For polity I had made notes from Vazi Ram material and Magazines. (Special issues of Polity). For particular topics, DD Basu is authentic and reliable book.
(d) 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 the present-day India, such as the following.
Demography & Human Resource & related issues. Behavioural & Social issues & Social Welfare problems, such as child labour, gender equality, adult literacy, rehabilitation of the handicapped and other deprived segments of the society, drug abuse, public health etc.
Law enforcement issues, human rights, corruption in public life, communal harmony etc. Internal Security and related issues. Environmental issues, ecological preservation, conservation of natural resources and national heritage.
The role of national institutions, their relevance and need for change.
Questions
10. Answer anyone of the following questions (in about 250 words): 30----------2007
(a). what were the main recommendations of the Platform for Action (PFA) adopted at the Beijing Women Conference 1995?
(b) Discuss the steps to get rid of child labour in India.
11. Answer any two of the following questions (in about 125 words each): l0x2=20--------207
(a) What is stealth technology?
(b) Differentiate between Natural and Cultural heritage.
(c) What is value-based politics?
12. Write notes on any two of the following (in about 125 words each) : I0x2=20---------2007
(a) Integrated Child Services (lCDS) Development
(b) Prime Minister's 5-point agenda for India's development as a knowledge society.
(c) The Lokpal Bill.
13. Write short notes on the following ( in about 20 words each ) 2 x 5 = 10----------2007
(a) Yakshagana
(h) PACE.
(c) Footloose Industries
(d) The Statue of Liberty
(e) Genome
Study Material -Topper’s Choice
For Current Affairs, National and Social Issues, the need is to read National Newspaper such as Hindu regularly. Issues such as child labour, gender inequality, Poverty, Problems of Senior Citizens, should be focused on, and 2 or 3 pages on each of these above topics should be prepared. For this Manorama Year Book and Yojna would be helpful.
PAPER - II
Syllabus, Related Questions and Strategy
(a) India and the World
This part is intended to test candidate's awareness of India's relationship with the world in various spheres, such as the following:-
Foreign Affairs
External Security and related matters
Nuclear Policy
Indians abroad
Questions
1. Answer any two of the following (answer to each question should be in about 150 words):
15x2=30-2007
(a) Indo-Russian Defence Co-operation
(b) India's response, to political crisis In Bangladesh
(c) Elaborate on India's Nuclear Doctrine
2. Write about the following (answer to each question should be in about 20 words): 2x5=I 0-2007
(a) SAFTA
(b) India and East Asia Summit (EAS)
(c) Shanghai Cooperation Organization, (S.C.O.)
(d) Panchsheel in India's Foreign Policy
(e) Relevance of NAM
3. Write about the following (answer to each question should be in about 20 words) : 2x5=10--2007
(a) Pravasi Bhartiya Bima Yojana, 2006
(b) Indian All-Women Contingent to Liberia
(c) Madheshis in Nepal
(d) Know India Programme (KIP)
(e) Ministry of Overseas Indian Affairs
Study Material -Topper’s Choice
For International Relations- both related to India and the world and International Politics, I had, relied on coaching class notes, but for comprehensive preparation, 12th Standard N.C.E.R.T. of Political
Science - particular chapters- related to India's Foreign Policy should be focused.
b) Indian Economy
In this part, questions will be on the planning and economic development in India, economic & trade issues, Foreign Trade, the role and functions of I.M.F., World Bank, W.T.O. etc.
Questions
4. Answer anyone of the following (in about 250 words): 30--2007
(a). What is Dumping? Evaluate the remedial measures taken by Government of India vis-à-vis WTO provisions regarding dumping.
(b) Comment on the relationship between credit availability and agricultural growth in India.
5. Answer any two of the following (answer to each question should be in about 150 words )--2007
(a). What is the meaning and aim of social forestry ? What are the main weakness noticed in social forestry programme?
(b). Bring out the main objective of Rastriya Krishi Bima Yojana. The scheme is being implemented by which agency.
(c). Explain Mega Food park Scheme of Government of India.
6. Write about the following (answer to each question should be in about 20 words ) : 2x15=30--2007
(a) Explain the term Merit Goods
(b) What is Cheap Money?
(c) What is Countervailing Duty?
(d) What is Hot Money?
(e). Explain the Concept Trickle Down Theory
(f) What is Stagflation?
(g) What is Engel's Law?
(h) Meaning of CCIL
(i) What is Administered Price?
(j) What is Venture Capital?
(k) Explain the term Balance on Current Account
(I) What is Consolidated Fund?
(m) What is Budget Deficit?
(n) Explain the term Most Favored Nations
(0) Meaning of Capital- Output Ratio
Study Material -Topper’s Choice
N.C.E.R.T. 11th Standard (New) and Uma Kapila for understanding the problems of Indian Economy have been very helpful for in depth analysis of Indian Economy. For two markers - India Year Book and Pratiyogta Darpan special issues are important. The current happening can be studied through Economic survey and Newspaper.
(c) International Affairs & Institutions
This part will include questions on important events in world affairs and on international institutions.
Questions
7. Write about any two of the following (in about 150 words each): 15x2=30
(a) Impact of globalization on state system and its institutions
(b) SAARC Summit 2007--2007
(c) The UN conference on Environment and Development (The Earth Summit)
8. Write about the following (in about 20 words each): 2x5 = 10--2007
(a) G-8 Summit 2007
(b) Hyde Act of 2006
(c) Global Governance
(d) Operation Silence
(e) SAARC Human Rights Report 2006
9. Write about the following by expanding and explaining the objectives (in about 20 Words each): 2x5=10 --2007
(a) ICT4D
(b) BEMs
(c) IAEA
(d) BIMSTEC
(e) ECJ
Study Material -Topper’s Choice
Any Book on International Organization such as UN, Regional Organizations, Human Rights Organization etc, Frontline, World Focus etc
(d) Developments in the field of science & technology, communications and space
In this part, questions will test the candidate's awareness of the developments in the field of science & technology, communications and space and also basic ideas of computers.
Questions
10. Answer any one of the following in about 250 words: 30 --2007
(a). Explain the phenomenon of ozone depletion, its cause and effects . What efforts are needed to reduce it.
(b). what do you understanding by the term ‘biodiversity’? Examine the cause and consequence of degeneration of biodiversity?
11. Answer any two of the following (answer for each question should be in about 150 words) : 15x2=30 --2007
(a) What are the alterative fuels available for the transport sector? Discuss their characteristics, advantages 'and disadvantages in their utilization.
(b) Explain the objectives and the current achievements of human genome project.
(c) Discuss the missile technology initiatives undertaken by India.
12. Answer all the five (in about 20 words each) : 2x5=10 --2007
(a) What is firewall ?
(b) What is mal ware ?
(c) What do the following stand for?
(i) MPEG
(ii) ISP
(iii) HTML
(iv) ASCII
(d) What is Root kit?
(e) What is computer architecture?
Study Material -Topper’s Choice
Science and Technology from Hindu, Yojna and Vaji Ram Notes.
(e) Statistical analysis, graphs and diagrams
This part will include exercises to test the candidate's ability to draw common sense conclusions from information presented in statistical, graphical or diagrammatical form and to point out deficiencies, limitations or inconsistencies therein.
Questions
13. (a) In the year 2000 out of a total 1750 workers of a factory 1200 workers were members of a union. The number of women employed was 200 of which 175 did not belong to the union. In 2005 , the number of union workers increased to 1510 of which 1290 were men . On the other hand the number of non union workers fell down to 208 of which 180 were men. 8 --2007
(i) Put the above information in a proper table with title.
(ii) Calculate the increase in the percentage of the female workers belonging to the union in that five year period.
(b) The marks obtained by 20 students in a subject are given: 8
32, 62, 72, 46, 52, 74, 53, 42, 58, 61, 59, 46, 36, 76, 58, 77, 62, 48, 36, 39.
Form a frequency distribution table with class interval 10. Also Draw the Histogram.
14. (a) For the following distribution of statistics test grades, construct a frequency polygon and answer the following: 8 --2007
(i) How many test grades are greater than 87 ?
(ii) What percentage of test grades are greater than 83?
(iii) What percentage of test grades are lower than72?
(iv) What percentage of test grades are between 72 and 79 (inclusive )
Test Grades:
73, 92, 57, 89, 70, 95, 75, 80, 47, 88, 47, 48, 64, 86, 79, 72, 71, 77, 93, 55, 75, 50, 53, 75, 85, 50, 82, 45, 40, 82, 60, 89, 79, 65, 54, 93, 60, 83, 59
(b). Construct an appropriate diagram to show the following data of a university: 8 --2007
Course No. of Students:
Engineering 440
Arts 220
Agriculture 120
Home Science 80
Economic 60
Total = 920
15. (a) What do you understand by 2 --2007
(i) Primary and secondary data
(ii) Data classification
(iii) Measures of central tendency
(iv) Characteristics of good average
(b) The mean wage of 100 laborers working in a factory running two shifts of 60 and 40 workers respectively is Rs. 38. The mean wage of 60 labourers working in the morning shift is Rs 40. Find the mean wage of 40 Labourers working in the evening shift. 2 --2007
(c) The mean age of a group of 5 boys is 16 years. Another boy joins the group and then the mean age of the group becomes 18 years. How old is the newcomer? 2 --2007
(d) Arithmetic means of two completely different sets of values may be same. When extreme values are taken into consideration, the arithmetic mean is largely affected. Is it merit or demerit of arithmetic mean and give reasons for your statement? 2--2007
Study Material -Topper’s Choice
Spectrum is good. Practice last 10 year questions properly. Time management is the most important thing in Statistics.
