* All-party meeting in West Bengal decided to rename the state as Paschimbanga.
* Stealth frigate Statpura commissioned into navy.
* Historian and Indologist Ram Sharan Sharma died.
* Leader Paes and Mahesh Bhupati won the doubles title at Cincinnati tennis match.
* Government and Team Anna held talks to reach truce.
* Haryana lifted ceiling on non-farm land.
* Baichung Bhutia brought down the curtain on his international career.
* Fast attack warship INS Karuva inducted into Navy.
* K. Rosaiah appointed new Tamil Nadu Governor.
* Birla Corp suspended mining in Rajasthan.
* Indian Finished 8th in the WSF men’s world team squash championship held in Germany.
* Juvenile Justice (amendment) Bill introduced in Lok Sabha.
* Sucheta 33 year old women from Pune became first Indian woman to cross Gobi desert.
* Former TN Governor and political analyst PC Alexander died.
* Lok Sabha passed SBI Subsidiary Banks Bill.
* BrahMos Varian Block III supersonic cruise missile test-fired successfully.
* Indian cricket team lost the No. 1 Test rank to England.
* Veteran actor Shammi Kapoor died.
* PM Manmohan Singh addressed the nation on 65th Independence Day.
* New Indian Chief suspended over credit over for Paramount Air.
* N A K Browne has been takes charge as the 23rd chief of the Indian Air Force.
* Coal India Ltd. Dethroned Reliance Industries Ltd. as most valued firm.
* National Sports awards announced.
* Ronjan Sodhi has been ranked world No.1 in double trap shooting as per the ISSF world rankings.
* HDFC bank has launched a service of accepting income tax payment through ATMs.
* Gagan Narang Ace Indian shooter is set to get Khel Ratna.
* Prahaar missile was recently test-fired successfully at Chandipur, Orrisa.
* Rahul Dravid became 2nd highest run scorer in Test cricket surpassing Ricky Ponting’s record.
* Former Supreme Court Judge Shivraj V.Patil has been appointed as Lokayukta of Karnataka to succeed Santosh Hegde.
* Shammi Kapoor bollywood actor passed away recently.
* Month-long monsoon session of Parliament began.
* Centre agreed to a Rs.19000 Crore ballout package for West Bengal.
* The first-ever Kashmir Premier League (KPL) T-20 Chinar Cup-2011 ended.
* DV Sadananda Gowda sworn in as Chief Minister of Karnataka.
* SC partially lifted mining ban in Bellary.
* Indian archers won three silver medals in the Archery World Cup in Ogden.
* N-E body sought national drink status for tea.
* Indian wrestlers won 49 medals in the commonwealth wrestling championship in Melbourne.
* Aditya Mehta clinched the 78th National Snooker Championship title.

The civil services got a major upliftment with the introduction of CSAT. Earlier the government of India had witnessed some irregularities with the pattern of preliminary examination as not all topics were given due attention and the overall paper was a sort of unfair treatment for applicants. This is the exact reason why UPSC and the Indian government came up with the CSAT.

The UPSC CSAT stands for the Civil Services Aptitude Test and will test the aptitude of the applicant unlike its previous counterpart which tests memory of a contender. It has changes in its General Studies paper. You will be surprised to know that nearly five million applicants submit an application for the preliminary civil services examination. Thus the competition is fierce, cut throat and not to mention aggressive which is why it is imperative for you to lay your hands on CSAT Study Material and make certain that you are prepared to embark on this journey.

Here are some tips to help you excel in your endeavor. Go through NCERT Books from class vi to x and always remain up to date by reading newspaper daily. Going through regular magazines which proffer significant insights into GK, current affairs, etc. will also be an added advantage. Make sure you are medically fit and that your personality is a superior one. It is also imperative to work on your communication skills and make certain that you are fully prepared for interview if you passed the written exams.

Prepare at least a year or more in advance as the preparation will surely consume some time keeping in eye the vast curriculum. Not only you have to excel in the prelim and the main written examination, but also have to perform excellently in the interview round as all the marks are combined and your result depends on the performance in each one of them. Also make sure that you put into practice CSAT Practice Tests.

A meticulously sought after planning and proper & timely guidance can enable an alert individual to clear the tough UPSC examinations. According to the UPSC aspirants, half of the battle is won right after selecting the right optionals for the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) selection examination. Provided that optionals in each IAS preliminary and IAS mains examination determine a candidate’s scoring pattern, questions asked in the final interview are based on the choice of optional subjects chosen. This makes the decision extremely difficult as well as critical.

There is a plethora of subjects to choose from, since students belong to varied streams of education, the subjects on offer include Science subjects that expands over Physics, Chemistry, Botany and Zoology; Humanities subjects that expands over History, Political Science, Public Administration, Geography and Sociology and languages such as Hindi, English, Urdu and Pali. UPSC also offers subjects such as Anthropology, Psychology and Philosophy. Additionally, the more number of subjects make it more difficult for students to make choices in optionals.

Optional subjects are chosen on the basis of a number of parameters, on one hand there are optionals that are considered to be scoring where as there are others that are favored for their relevance to either General Studies papers or Current Affairs and essay questions whereas there are many who choose subjects for their defined set of topics asked and comparatively short type answers. Students feel that this bit of planning makes their choice of subject a success as there are combinations that have common IAS syllabus which reduces their workloads and improves their chances of scoring in civil services examination.

Likewise botany and zoology are two complementary optionals that have common syllabus as these prove to be advantageous for their future. The IAS syllabus talks about emerging issues such as genetically modified (GM) foods, cloning, biotechnology and environmental sensitization. However, students should also show their aptitude skills for the subject they choose as they require a fair degree of specialized knowledge. While preparing for the optional, it is advised to study first for the IAS mains paper and then prepare for IAS preliminary as this provides students an edge and then allow them to specialize in certain scoring areas.

The foremost thing you need to consider while looking for Civil Services like IAS is to make a wise selection of subjects for the Preliminary as well as for the Main Examinations. Often you will have choice of choosing the subjects you are familiar with. Make sure that you choose the subject you are comfortable with.
Always do an analytical study of previous years’ syllabus and question papers. Look for the pattern of the subject you have chosen. It is always better to seek advice from seniors and colleagues to keep confusion at bay at higher level of the exam.
The IAS exam preparation must be done in a perfect manner. Prepare for General Studies at the same time, while preparing for optional papers. You can adjust your timings for both; thus you will not be bored and be able to give more time to your studies.
Never, ever compromise with your optional subjects for General Studies as every question in optional subjects will get you 2.5 marks and the paper will be of 300 marks in total. Most importantly, the input and output ration is lots better in optional compared to General Studies.
The prominent thing in preparing for the IAS preliminary exams is to identify your weak points and work on them effectively.
Only way to be successful in the exam, in addition to rigorous hard work, is planned and systematic study. Prepare a schedule as per your convenience and stick to it.
It is essential to read newspapers and magazines regularly. Other than keeping you updated with current affairs, you will also get to know how facts are presented in a clear manner. Current issues are addressed in all Civil Services Exams, so it is a must that you are aware of recent happenings in not only India, but across the World.
Complete your entire syllabus at least a month prior to the main exam. Keep the syllabus handy so that you can tally it time and again to be sure that you are not wasting your precious time in studying topics which are not of much relevancy in the exam.
Consider the question papers of previous years and see the pattern of questions asked and point out which types of questions are often repeated.
It is best if you attempt previous years question papers. This will help you know your mistakes and weak points better. Additionally, it will help you in improving your speed and accuracy too.

In the end, no doubt, IAS exam is an important exam, but depression or nervousness will not take you anywhere. So have faith in yourself and keep on moving steadily. Remember, quality of time you put in your preparation is far important than the quantity of time.

The Preliminary Examination consists of two papers of objective type (multiple-choice questions) carrying a maximum of 400 marks. The Question Papers are set in English & Hindi

Civil Services Aptitude Test
The new Recruitment Process of Civil Services Exam is called the CSAT or the Civil Services Aptitude Test.CSAT will not only enable us to choose civil servants with right aptitudes but also end the use of scaling system for varying subjects that has been a matter of concern for many.

From Civil Service Examination 2011, Preliminary Examination would consist of two papers- Paper I and Paper II. The syllabus and pattern of the Preliminary Examination would be as under :

(Paper 1) (200 marks) – Duration : Two hrs.

Current events of national and international importance
History of India and Indian national movement
Indian and World Geography- physical, social, economic geography of India and the world
Indian Polity and governance – constitution, political system, panchayati raj, public policy, Rights issues, etc.
Economic and social development – sustainable development, poverty, inclusion, demographics, social sector initiatives etc.
General issues on environmental ecology, bio-diversity and climate change-that donot require subject specialization
General science.

(Paper II) (200 marks) – Duration : Two hrs

Comprehension
Interpersonal skills including communication skills
Logical reasoning and analytical ability
Decision making and problem solving
General mental ability
Basic numeracy (numbers and their relations, orders of magnitude etc. (Class X level), Data interpretation (charts, graphs, tables, data sufficiency etc. –Class X level)
English language comprehension skills (Class X level)
Questions relating to English Language Comprehension skills of Class X level (last item in the Syllabus of Paper-II) will be tested through passages from English language only without providing Hindi translation thereof in the question paper.
The questions will be of multiple choice, objective type.

IAS Service or Civil Services Continues to be the first career choice of career aspirants in India. But have you ever wondered what it entails to become an IAS officer.

Step #1

First of all what you need to have is a thirst to excel and to keep your dream alive by working for it. “Yes, I want to become an IAS Officer, and I will work hard for it from this moment.” If you think this value is instilled in you very strongly, continue reading the following mantras.

Step #2

Know all about the IAS Exam. Starting 2011 Exam, it will be CSAT (Civil Services Aptitude Test) in place of the present Preliminary Exam. Those who pass the CSAT will be eligible for the Civil Services main Exam followed by the interview.

Step #3

Start reading an English newspaper on a daily basis and make it a habit to write notes on important news reports. Buy one Year Book, preferably India Year Book 2010, published by Publications Division, Government of India.

Step #4

Have a good study plan. As the exam pattern is being changed with the introduction of CSAT, it is better to complete the entire portions of the Mains (GS plus 2 Optional or at least 1 optional) before January 2011. From January, your entire time should be earmarked for the CSAT.

Step #5

Post CSAT, the preparation should be continued without any break. The following five months will be more crucial than the months prior to the CSAT and the preparation should be at full momentum. After the main exam, interview preparation should begin.

Step #6

There will be temptation to give up the journey as you progress in the preparation. This is mainly due to the huge syllabus and the accumulating pressure. But be aware that these are critical moments in civil services. You should face all these pressures with courage. Be determined to clear the exam in the first attempt. Streamline your preparation on the above Step and success IAS Exam will be with you.

No matter how much you may want one of these pre-employment types of exams to go away, it never will. And the best way to deal with an examination is to embrace it and give it your best shot. After all, careful preparation is required. And this type of pre-test prep can help you learn more about how to answer the various questions carefully and concisely; thus giving you the best chance of passing as possible.

A lot of people agree that the biggest issue you need to address when preparing for an exam is time to get some hands-on practice working with common test content and subject matter. And it is true that many of us simply don’t think we have the time to study and practice, but it’s important we make time. In fact, practice is critical to test success.

Plus, preparation shouldn’t be rushed, and there’s no use just scanning through a learning resource just before an exam. Rather, proper Civil Service test preparation and practice takes time and effort. And doing such but hard work can really pay off. As a result, Civil Service test practice can be an ideal method to score big.

In the end, you really do need to score big and pass if you want to get that new career. And in order to pass, you really do need to get some practice working with common test content as well as discovering general test structure.

So, if you’re serious about preparing for your particular examination, then getting some sort of Civil Service Test Practice is an excellent way to get ready for these types of examinations.

1.     According to the Economic survey 2010-11 what percentage growth was recorded by the manufacturing sector in 2010?
a.    9.1%
b.    8.6%
c.    7.3%
d.    8%
Answer: a

2.     As per the economic Survey of India 2010-11, the production of food grains is estimated at over 232 million tonnes with record production of which food crop?
a.    Rice
b.    Wheat
c.    Bajra
d.    Maize
Answer: b

3.    What is the percentage growth of GDP predicted by The Economic Survey for the financial year 2010-11?
a.    8.6%
b.    8.3%
c.    8.0%
d.    9.1%
Answer: a

4.      The Economic Survey estimated the Forex reserves of India at over 297 billion US dollars. The surge in Forex is attributed to growth in which of the following sector?
a.    Export sector
b.    Foreign Direct Investments
c.    Agricultural output
d.    Industrial output
Answer: a

5.        Gross Fiscal Deficit stands at 4.8% of GDP. What was the percentage of Gross Fiscal Deficit in 2010?
a.    6.3%
b.    5.8%
c.    5.0%
d.    7.1%
Answer: a

6.   Agriculture is expected to grow by what percentage in 2010-11 as per the Economic Survey?
a.    5.0%
b.    5.1%
c.    5.4%
d.    5.5%
Answer: c

7.      What percentage of GDP growth at market prices was estimated by the Economic Survey 2010-11?    a.    9.0%
b.    9.5%
c.    9.7%
d.    10.0%
Answer: c

8.        Exports surged by what percentage in the period between April to December 2010?
a.    25.0%
b.    29.5%
c.    18.1%
d.    33.0%
Answer: b

9.     Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee proposed to increase the Income Tax Exemption Limit for individual tax payers from 1 lakh 60 to _?
a.    1 lakh 80 thousand
b.    1 lakh 90 thousand
c.    2 lakh
d.    2 lakh 20 thousand
Answer: a

10. Which of the following was not proposed in the Union Budget 2011-12 presented by pranab Mukherjee?
1.    Special vehicles were proposed to be created in the form of Infrastructure Debt Funds to attract foreign funds.
2.    Rs. 300 crore expenditure was proposed to promote horticulture centres in rain fed areas for increasing crop productivity.
3.    For the manufacturing sector, the budget proposed reduction of basic customs duty on raw silk from 30 to 5 per cent.
4.    Concessional 10 per cent Excise Duty was also proposed for fuel cell or Hydrogen cell-technology-based vehicles.
a.    1 & 3
b.    Only 2
c.    Only 4
d.    3 & 4
Answer: b

11.     In the Budget it was proposed to provide sum of money for implementation of vegetable initiative to set in motion a virtuous cycle of higher production and incomes for the farmers. What was the proposed amount?
a.    Rs 500 crore
b.    Rs 300 crore
c.    Rs 10000 crore
d.    Rs 650 crore
Answer: b

12. Rashtriya Swasthya Bima Yojana was proposed to be being extended to the beneficiaries of which of the following Union Government schemes?
a.  Mahatma Gandhi NREGA beneficiaries
b. Beneficiaries of Swavlamban pension scheme
c. Indira Gandhi National old Age Pension scheme beneficiaries
d.Beneficiaries of Rajiv Gandhi Grameen Vidyutikaran Yojana
Answer: a

13. Acknowledging the need for development of J&K and North-east, Mamata Banerjee introduced in the Railway Budget 2011 a number measures for these two regions. In which of the following North-eastern cities did the budget propose to set up a diesel locomotive centre?
a.    Imphal
b.    Manipur
c.    Guwahati
d.    Tripura
Answer: b

14.    Read the two statements with regard to the passenger benefit plans proposed in the Railway Budget 2011.
1.The budget proposed extension of Train Management System to New Delhi, Bangalore, Secunderabad, Ahmedabad and Lucknow stations to provide information on running of trains.
2.Mamta Banerjee introduced a new concept of Smart Card – Go India for long distance travel by Indian railways.
Which of the two statements are true?
a.    Only 1
b.    Only 2
c.    Both 1 & 2
d.    None of the above
Answer: c

15. According to Railway Budget 2011, railway card passes would be extended to the parents of the unmarried posthumous winners of which of the following Awards?
1.    Param Vir Chakra
2.    Bharat Ratna
3.    Ashok Chakra gallantry award
4.    Padma Shri
a.    1 & 2
b.    2 & 3
c.    1, 2 & 3
d.    1 & 3
Answer: d

16. Which of the following schemes proposed in the Railway Budget 2011 is/are not meant for Railway Employees?
1.    Expansion of Liberalized Active Retirement Scheme for Guaranteed Employment
2.    Railway Vidyalaya Prabandhan Board
3.    Sukhi Griha Scheme
4.    Pradhan Mantri Rail Vikas Yojana
a.    1 & 3
b.    3 & 4
c.    2 & 4
d.    1 & 4
Answer: b

17. The electrical energy requirement of railways is growing rapidly with the expansion of the rail infrastructure and traffic. Considering the rising demand the Ministry of Railways proposed to set up 700 MW power plant at Thakurli in Maharashtra. The power plant is proposed to be based on what form of energy?
a.    gas-based
b.    coal-based
c.    solar power
d.    nuclear energy based
Answer: a

18.     Ministry of Railways proposed to extend Anti Collision Device (ACD) to which of the following Railway zones in India?
1.    Eastern zone
2.    East Central
3.    North Eastern
4.    South Central
a.    1 & 4
b.    2 & 4
c.    1 & 2
d.    1 & 3
Answer: c

19.     With regard to the infrastructure development of Railways as proposed in Railway Budget 2011 which statement/statements is/are false?
1.    The budget proposed to lay 40 new lines, covering 1075 km.
2.    The Ministry has allocated Rs 5406 crore for doubling of 867 km of lines
3.    A greater thrust was given to the expansion of the rail network with a larger allocation of Rs 9583 cr for new lines.
4.    for gauge conversion over 1017 km. Rs 13820 crore was proposed
a.    Only 1
b.    1 & 2
c.    Only 4
d.    2 & 4
Answer: c

20.     Read the two statements mentioned with regard to the budgetary allocations for addressing environmental concerns.
1.    The budget proposed that the solar lantern used in far-flung villages will attract no duty from 10 per cent charged earlier.
2.    To provide green and clean transportation for the masses, National Mission for Hybrid and Electric Vehicles will be launched in the year 2011 in collaboration with all stakeholders.
Which of them is true?
a.    Only 1
b.    Only 2
c.    Both 1 & 2
d.    None of the above
Answer: b

21.     To enhance credit worthiness of economically weaker sections and LIG households, a Mortgage Risk Guarantee Fund was announced to be created under which of the following scheme or Yojana?
a. Rajiv Awas Yojana
b. Rajiv Gandhi Grameen Vidyutikaran Yojana
c. Indira Awas Yojana
d. Mahatama Gandhi NREGA
Answer: a

22.    Read the following statements with regard to the allocation in the Educational sector as proposed by Union Budget 2011-12.
1. For Sarva Siksha Abhiyan the allocation was increased by 40 percent to 21000 crore rupees.
2. All institutions of higher learning will be connected through optical fibers by March 2012.
3. 500 crore rupees was proposed to be provided for national skill development fund.
4. For the needy scheduled castes ad scheduled tribe candidates studying in class-IX and Xth pre-matric scholarship scheme was proposed to be introduced.
Which of the above mentioned statements is not true?
a.    1
b.    2
c.    3 & 4
d.    4
Answer: b

23. The Basic Customs Duty exemption was proposed to be extended to which of the following sectors?
a. art and antiquities for exhibition or display in private art galleries
b. Cinematographic film, factory-built ambulances
c. syringes and needles
d. agricultural machinery
Answer: a

24.    What amount of money was allocated for Bharat Nirman?
a. 1000 crore
b.  58000 crore
c. 55438 crore
d.  14362 crore
Answer: b

25. Which of the following statement/statements is/are true with reference to the Railway Budget 2011?
1.    Railway Minister Mamata Banerjee proposed Annual Plan for the year 2011-12 at Rs 57630 cr which is the highest ever plan investment by the railways in a single year.
2.    Under the proposed Pradhan Mantri Rail Vikas Yojana the pending socially desirable lines would be completed and other similar new line projects would also be taken up.
3.    Mamata Banerjee declared 2010-11 as the Year of Green Energy.
4.    2 AC Double Decker Trains in the Jaipur-Delhi and Delhi-Ahmedabad routes were proposed.
Choose Answers:
a. 1,2 & 3
b. 1 & 4
c.  2 & 3
d. 1 & 2
Answer: d

1.Which Indian state is the largest producer in the world of the golden coloured ‘Muga’ silk?
Assam
Orissa
West Bengal

2. Anandmath’, ‘Durgeshnondini’ and ‘Kapalkundala’ novels were authored by which Bengali writer ?
Sharat Chandra Chatterjee
Bankim Chandra Chatterjee
Bibhuti Bhushan Bandopadhyay

3. Which country is also known as the ‘Rainbow Nation’ ?
Australia
Switzerland
South Africa

4. Which among the following is manufactured at Avadi (abbreviation for ‘Armoured Vehicles and Ammunition Depot of India’) town in Tamilnadu ?
Maruti Cars
Tejas Aircrafts
Arjun Tanks

5. Where was the ‘Project Tiger’, the tiger protection programme, launched on 1 April 1973?
Simlipal National Park (Orissa)
Kanha National Park (Madhya Pradesh)
Corbett National Park (Uttarakhand)

6. Which among the following instrument is used for measuring wind speed ?
Anemometer
Hygrometer
Spectrometer

7. The tendency of a liquid drop to assume spherical shape is due to what ?
surface tension
viscosity
density

8. Which water body separates the Andaman Islands from the Nicobar Islands ?
Palk Strait
Gulf of Mannar
Ten Degree Channel

9. Who among the following was the first woman President of the UN General Assembly?
Sarojini Naidu
Vijaya Lakshmi Pundit
Sucheta Kripalani

10. For which of the following purposes is a transformer used?
conversion of DC into AC
Regulation of fluctuation of voltage
conversion of low voltage into high voltage and vice versa

Answers:-

1.Assam
2.Bankim Chandra Chatterjee
3.South Africa
4.Arjun Tanks
5.Corbett National Park (Uttarakhand)
6.Anemometer
7.surface tension
8.Ten Degree Channel
9.Vijaya Lakshmi Pundit
10.conversion of low voltage

Exam fear is an awful sensation that we many people experience. From those early school examinations we sat, right through to the Civil Service test – examinations never get any easier. But there is one thing you can do though to give yourself the best chance possible at getting a great mark. And that item is called preparation.

Without preparing for an exam you can’t possibly hope to pass. And preparation may seem like a drag at the time, but the benefits are huge when you take your seat in the exam room and begin the real test. After all, there’s nothing worse than turning over your exam page to begin your test and not knowing the answer to any of the questions. And as you probably can imagine, this can happen to even the most brightest of test takers. And that is where proper test prep comes into the equation.

The most common type of help for these types of examinations comes in the form of a Civil Service study guide. This is because using one is a very useful learning resource that will help you best prepare for what is most likely to be on the real examination. Furthermore, these resources are rich in content which will help you best tackle the questions most likely to be on the test and it should even offer you a look at past question formats. These tactics can really help you become one step ahead of other candidates. This is because once you have learned prior experience of the general test format; it can really pay dividends.

And please do not forget that competition for jobs is only getting harder, so it is critical to make yourself stand out with a great mark on your particular examination. Plus, sometimes a passing score just is not enough to get hired. Meaning, often times you really need to blow your test away by scoring higher than your competition to get that career you are after.

In the end, by thoroughly preparing for your examination you’ll really be helping yourself in the long run because you will have a strong foundation and understanding of what you can most likely expect. And utilizing a Civil Service study guide is the perfect partner for anyone who is serious about passing their particular test the first time around.