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How to prepare for Civil Services Exam
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One
important thing that candidates should keep in mind is that since the
time between the Main Exam and the declaration of result of the
Preliminary Exam is very less, it is advisable to begin preparations of
the Main Exam along with the Preliminary Exam.
The General Studies paper covers the following areas:
General
Science; Current events of national and international importance;
History of India; World Geography; Indian Polity and Economy; Indian
National Movement; General Mental Ability.
For this section,
it is important to be updated in all fields. For History, Economy,
Polity, etc, it is advisable to read Class 11 and 12 books published by
the NCERT. Some books on the freedom struggle are published by the
National Book Trust. For general knowledge and objective-type
questions, refer to General Knowledge Refresher by O.P. Khanna. For
General Mental Ability and current affairs, it is advisable to read The
Competition Master regularly.
One question that is often asked
by students is about the subjects that they should take up. Since some
subjects are scoring, students wish to opt for them. But one thing that
must be kept in mind is one's aptitude. If one has studied a subject
since school and one is comfortable in it, chances of doing well in it
are greater rather than taking up an unrelated subject which one may
never have studied. Generally speaking, do not choose an entirely new
subject in which you will have to work very hard. If the optional is
prepared well for the preliminary and the same subject is also planned
to be opted as one of the optionals, it is very useful and saves a lot
of labour.
Once you have decided to appear in the Civil
Services Exam, preparations should start early. A look at past papers
helps get an idea about the kind of questions that are asked. Over the
years, The Competition Master has published solved papers which can be
referred to. It may be advisable to join a coaching institute so that
one keeps in touch with other students and discuss issues with them. It
is important, however, to select a good institute. However, one can be
successful by self-study also.
Prepare Well
Before
initiating the preparations, a few things must be noted by the
candidates. The choice of optional subject for Paper-II has to be done
very carefully. The candidates must plan ahead of time with eyes on the
main examination and choose the optional which he/she intends taking up
in the Mains. The preparations done for the preliminaries would assist
the candidates in getting good grasp of the subject and the effort put
in would not go waste after the prelims. Secondly, optional subject
carries more number of maximum marks as compared to the General Studies
Paper. Hence, its importance cannot be undermined. A candidate doing
well in the optional paper is expected to fare well in the examination.
Moreover, the optional subject for Paper-II should usually be the
subject in which the candidate has either attained proficiency/higher
academic qualification or in which the candidate feels at home. Another
consideration is the performance of candidates in the said subject in
the recent past. There are several20subjects like History, Psychology,
Sociology, Public Administration etc in which even the candidates not
having special or additional educational qualifications have been doing
reasonably well, while the subjects like Mathematics, Physics, and
Engineering are considered to offer tougher questions and the
candidates with exceptionally good preparation only may expect to do
well. But this observation may not be taken as the universal truth.
Moreover, the aptitude and proficiency of a particular candidate in a
given subject also plays an important role in arriving at a decision.
Availability
and access to good and prescribed books is yet another consideration
and often the candidates are also guided by this factor, particularly
in smaller towns. Books for preliminary examination are available in
plenty in common subjects but in case of specialised optionals like
Mathematics, Engineering, Agriculture etc, one has to look carefully
for good books which cover all parts of the syllabus.
Preparations
for Paper-II also need specific planning. It would be wrong to confine
the studies only to the multiple choice objective type questions.
Unless a detailed study of the subject is carried out, it would be
difficult to answer the questions on the subject properly. The aim,
must, therefore, be to clearly understand the basics of the subject by
covering each and every aspect of the syllabus. This provides a
candidate with adequate self-confidence and knowledge to answer the
questions correctly. It is better to consult various books on different
aspects, as it is very rare that one single book covers the entire
syllabus with total efficiency. After going through all parts of the
syllabus in detail and getting hold of the basic concepts, it is
desirable to have sufficient practice in solving multiple choice
objective type questions. A good book on objective type multiple choice
questions or a good question bank on the subject concerned may assist
the candidates a great deal. Such practice, on the one hand, would
perfect the art of answering the questions correctly and rapidly, and
on the other would enable the candidates in understanding the questions
asked in various forms. It is normally observed that at times even
simple questions are asked in such a complex manner that it becomes
difficult to understand the question correctly.
It is not
difficult to find out a candidate who had, during the past couple of
years, appeared in the prelims with the same subject. It is always
better to discuss the subject, its intricacies, pattern of questions
and the books to be studied. In addition, it is also not difficult to
identify the candidate offering the same optional subject for Paper-II
within the same town/city. It is always fruitful to have detailed
discussions on various parts of the syllabus, books to be consulted for
the basics, multiple choice question books or question banks and other
related issues. Finally, the practice of correctly marking the answer
sheet by using minimum possible time will go a long way in helping you
succeed
General Studies
While
the Optional (Paper-I) subject is very important, the candidates also
need to do well in Paper-I. This paper has a maximum of 150 marks but
in a competition like this where even a single mark matters a lot,
these marks play a decisive role. Most candidates do well in Paper II
since the subject chosen is of their interest and knowledge. As such
the importance of Paper I is immense. Paper-I determines the top
honours and a candidate doing well in this paper as well, can hope to
find his/her name in the list of candidates qualifying for the main
examination. As there is no choice of subject for Paper-I and all the
candidates are required to solve the same questions, this paper assumes
enormous importance as anyone spoiling this paper cannot have any
chance of qualifying the examination.
General Studies paper
consists of questions on Indian Polity and Economy, History of India
including Indian National Movement, Indian and World Geography, Current
Affairs of National and International Importance, General and
day-to-day Science, Mental Ability and Basics of Statistics etc.
Questions on planning, budgeting, developmental programmes, latest
issues of political and constitutional importance, panchayati raj,
electoral reforms, natural resources, culture, growth of nationalism,
Committees, Commission etc can be expected almost every year. Emphasis
normally are placed on the general aspects of the subject which every
educated person aspiring to join the Civil Services as an officer, is
expected to know.
The fact that this paper needs special and
thorough preparations need not be over-emphasised. The aspiring
candidates are expected to have keen interest in the General Studies
and are supposed to have a good amount of interest in current affairs.
All the preparation starting from a scratch cannot be completed in the
short period of 4 to 5 months and the candidates must begin
preparations early. Regular and detailed reading of a good national
newspaper, a standard competition magazine and a basic book on general
knowledge is the essential pre-requisite. Those readers who still have
two to three years of time left for becoming eligible to go in for
Civil Services Examination must begin preparations now. The candidates
who do not have enough background in20the General Studies may have to
put in harder effort to catch up with the others.
"General
Knowledge Refresher" by O.P. Khanna and "The Competition Master" make a
unique combination for this purpose. In addition, a good and basic book
on Indian Constitution, latest plan document and budget/economic
survey, basic books like NCERT books on Indian History and National
Movement, World and Indian Geography and General Science are certain
other books which can fruitfully supplement the efforts. A good
backgrounder on major national and international events assists the
fresh starters to understand the background of any social, economic or
political event, enabling them to understand the details and
developments in a better way. In addition, the candidates who have
recently taken the examination may also be consulted.
The
candidates must bear one thing in mind. Exhaustive study of each and
every aspect of the General Studies is essential. It would be wrong to
presume that any single book would suffice. Every book has its strong
and weak parts. It is, therefore, left to the candidate to consult as
many books as possible, so that every aspect is studied in the required
detail. Another important point is efficient time planning. The time
available with the candidates for preparations is limited and it has to
be intelligently utilised. The candidates must not waste the time
unnecessarily by going into lengthy details of one particular aspect,
leaving other important aspects untouched. Moreover, it is better to
draw up a formal time table so that no aspects of both the papers is
left unprepared.
To conclude, proper selection of optional
subject, availability and selection of proper books and magazines,
meticulous time management, proper planning, hard work and will to
succeed are some of the attributes which play vital role in making a
candidate successful. One thing good about this examination is that the
preparations made do not go waste and are properly utilised for the
main examination. Hard work invariably is rewarded with the sweet taste
of success.
Success Plan for Mains
Preparations
for the Civil Services Mains Exam should start along with those of
Preliminary exam. This is because there is much common ground for
study, and there is little time for the mains exam if one waits for the
results of the Preliminaries. It is a long haul and preparations should
be done with persistence, over nine months to an year.
Choice of subjects
One
of the first questions that has to be answered is the choice of
subjects. Here the choice should not only be with regard to your
interests but also with regard to the study material available. It has
been found that even science and engineering students take up subjects
like history, sociology, anthropology, grography, political science,
psychology and public administration because there is a huge amount of
study material available, which covers the entire syllabus. Even if
your branch of study is different, it is advisable to keep in touch
with one of these subjects which will help you when you start
preparations. Start collecting books and readings once you have made
your choice.
The next step is to make a time-bound study plan,
which would include not only studying the subject but improvement of
writing expression. This is done by writing down the answers to the
questions asked in previous years' papers. Show these answers to
someone you know, like a teacher in your college or university, parents
or friends. The study should be done according to the syllabus and also
in the same chronological order as given in the syllabus.
The following topics need coverage for General Studies:
i) Current AffairsNational and International
ii) Indian Polity
iii) Indian Economy
iv) Geography of India
v) Science and Technology
vi) History of India and Freedom Movement
vii) Study of thoughts of Mahatma Gandhi, Jawaharlal Nehru and Rabindranath Tagore
viii) Statistics and General Mathematics Ability
To
study current affairs, it is essential to read one national newspaper
and The Competition Master. 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
threw up many issues. Get to know these issues and be clear about them
so that you can answer questions on them.
Reading List
With
regard to other topics, the books published by the NCERT are the best
source of study. Take up the text-books for classes IX, X, XI and XII.
However, just reading these books will not serve the purpose. What is
essential 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 aspect of the Civil Services Mains Exam is that the questions
do not ask for mere information as a reply, but seek analysis backed
with arguments 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. Hence, writing down the answers is an important
aspect of the preparation. Another thing is that the candidate must
carefully read the questions in order to make out what the examiner is
asking. Having done that, it is important 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 show your answers, keep them away and after a gap
of some 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 the Mains exam is that
the answers should be crisp and to-the-point.
Optional subjects
While
studying for the optional subjects, keep in mind that there is no scope
for selective studies in the Civil Services Examination. The whole
syllabus must be completely and thoroughly covered. Invariably, some
candidates organise their studies in a manner that they study one
subject thoroughly, with reduced emphasis on their second subject. It
is imperative that equal stress be given to both the subjects you have
chosen.
It is also important to remember that the level of
questions asked is of the Masters level examination. The questions have
an added spin in order to bring out the grasp of the candidate with
regard to the basic concepts of the subject. Hence, if you choose
subjects in which you do not have a basic grounding, it would be
advisable to start from simple books. After getting the grasp of the
basic concepts, start with higher level study material. Here again,
reflections on basic concepts and their application in real life is
important. For best preparation and a success plan, it is suggested
that the candidate make a habit of beginning his study by writing
answers to three questions each day, one each from General Studies and
two from optional subjects. Questions should be chosen from previous
years' papers and the answer writing should be preceded by study on the
subject.
Most candidates do not have problems with regard to
English and Hindi examinations and are able to qualify in them easily.
However, it is important to have a good working knowledge of the two
languages. In order to improve this skill, pick up a General Studies
book and translate it into the language in which you are weak. For
instance, if you are weak in Hindi, try translating important essays on
current affairs into Hindi which will not only improve fluency but also
the general knowledge. Another way is to write letters to friends in
the language that one is weak in.
Studying for General Studies
Giving
a detailed description of the optional subjects is not feasible here
but we give here some suggested readings for the General Studies paper.
Students should remember that this list is not exhaustive and they
should choose the books themselves based on recommendations of previous
successful students, teachers and guides, etc. We are giving a list as
a general requirement. NCERT, IGNOU booklets and National Book Trust
(NBT) publications are quite helpful. For the Preliminary paper, study
the following books:
History: NCERT books of class XI and XII, Freedom Struggle (published by National Book Trust)
Geography: Class XII books of Geography (NCERT), a good atlas.
Indian Polity: Introduction to the Indian Constitution.
Indian Economy: NCERT and other books on Evolution of the Indian Economy.
General Science: NCERT books on science, a science magazine or newspaper supplements on science.
Current Events: A national newspaper, The Competition Master, newsmagazines.
General Mental Ability: Do the Quantitative Aptitude published in The Competition Master, past test papers.
For
the main examination, the study should be done in more detail. In
addition to the above readings, the following are suggested as well:
History: India's Struggle for Independence, IGNOU publications on Modern India.
Indian
Culture: Art and culture portions of history books, India Yearbook
(culture chapter), Encyclopaedia on Indian Culture, Gazetteer of India,
books on culture published by Publications Division and National Book
Trust.
Current Affairs: A national newspaper, The Competition Master, current affairs programmes on Doordarshan, newsmagazines.
Statistics: Class XI NCERT book on Statistics.
Indian Polity: Introduction to the Constitution, Parliament.
Indian Geography: NCERT books on Indian Geography.
Indian
Economy: NCERT and other books on Indian Economy, financial newspapers,
The Competition Master carries regular analysis of the Indian Economy.
Science: A science magazine, supplements in newspapers.
Interview
The
final stage is that of interview. There are cases where students clear
the preliminary and the mains but fail at the last stage. The secret is
to start for preparations for the interview along with the written
test. Develop the habit of debating and discussing issues with friends
or parents. Listen to the current affairs programmes and learn to
organise thoughts the way the participants do. Develop interests and
hobbies so that you are able to answer convincingly. Understand the
current affairs and the issues behind the events. Remember that the
interview is not a cross examination but a natural but purposeful
conversation. It is an opportunity to reveal the mental qualities of a
candidate.
The interview is not a test of specialised
knowledge, as that has already been tested in written examination. The
idea is to see the social traits of a person and his personality as
suited to a career in the Civil Services. If a person gives the
impression of being a bookworm, the chances of his selection are
reduced. The candidate must exhibit an intelligent interest in events
happening around him so that he appears to be a complete personality.
Finally,
there is a very frequently asked question about whether a candidate
should join a coaching centre and if so, which one. Coaching centres
are helpful in the sense that they develop a discipline of attending
regular classes. An instructor may be available who can give an opinion
about the answers written by a candidate. At the same time, the
candidate will meet like-minded people with whom he can develop the
habit of debating and discussion. However, the coaching centre must be
chosen with care: the instructor must be erudite enough to be able to
guide students. If he is not well read, the chances of guiding others
would be diminished.
It must also be remembered that
preparation for the optional subjects must be done on one's own, as it
is unlikely that any coaching centre would be able to do justice to all
the subjects.
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