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 Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) has informed the Bombay high court that candidates, who opt for an Indian language medium (other than Hindi) for the written Civil Services exam, can henceforth either choose the same Indian language, English or Hindi for the interview.

Similarly, even those candidates, who give the main exam in English, can now choose English, Hindi or any other Indian language for the interview, opted by them for the compulsory Indian language paper in the written part of the test, UPSC said, in an affidavit, recently.

The affidavit was submitted in response to a PIL filed by IAS aspirant Chittaranjan Kumar, challenging the existing rule that requires a candidate to give the interview in English, if he had appeared for the main examination in that language.

The candidates, who are, as per the present policy, exempted from the compulsory Indian language paper, will have to appear for the interview in English or Hindi only, the affidavit said, adding that these were the recommendations submitted by an expert committee, formed specially to look into the issue.

The recommendations had been accepted by the UPSC and forwarded to the Government with a request to send comments or observations. After hearing from the government, the UPSC would incorporate the necessary changes and implement them, the court was told.

Union Public Service Commission (UPSC), New Delhi, has invited applications for Engineering Services Examination, to be held in the ensuing session 2011. The examination is scheduled to be held on the date mentioned below. It is an entrance exam conducted to recruit the eligible candidates for various engineering services/posts in various Government departments across the country.

Date of Exam
May 14, 2011

How to Apply
Interested candidates can apply online by visiting the official website: http://www.upsconline.nic.in/. Candidates applying online will have to p[ay Rs 50 either by remitting the money in any branch of SBI or by using the net banking option of SBI or by using Visa/Master Credit/Debit Card. Candidates residing in certain remote areas are required to apply offline. Such candidates can apply using common application form devised by the commission for this examination. Candidates can obtain this form from the designated head post offices/post offices throughout the country by paying Rs 20 in cash. Candidates applying offline are required to pay Rs 100 through Central Recruitment Fee stamp only. The duly filled application form is to be submitted to the Controller of Examinations, Union Public Service Commission, Dholpur House, Shahjahan Road, New Delhi – 110069. Candidates must submit the application form through Post/Speed Post only. SC/ST/Female/PH candidates need not pay any fee. For further details, candidates can visit the UPSC’s website: http://www.upsc.gov.in/ or its aforementioned website.

Last Date of submitting Application Form

Last Date of Submitting Online Application – February 7, 2011 till 11.59 pm

Last Date of Submitting Offline Application – February 14, 2011

The current pattern of the civil services preliminary exams was conceived in 1979 on the recommendations of the Kothari Commission. Since then, for 41 years, the preliminary pattern sustained with only some minor changes once in ten or fifteen years. But from 2011 onwards, civil services aspirants should prepare themselves for a sea change in how they prepare for the preliminary examination as the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) has received the Union Government’s approval for introducing the Civil Services Aptitude Test (CSAT) pattern.

So what will the CSAT be like?

* CSAT will have two papers common to all candidates with no optional paper
* There will be a paper to test the candidate’s aptitude for the prestigious civil services from the ethical and moral dimension
* The age limit could be lowered
* The number of attempts could also be reduced
* More emphasis on understanding and analysis than memorizing

What will be the impact of these changes?

* IAS candidates can no longer neglect the General Studies paper and rely solely on optionals to see them through
* UPSC might give preference to younger candidates with high motivation and zeal in the interview
* Coaching classes notes will not be enough to clear the CSAT exam
* Candidates with low moral and ethical aptitude will get weeded out, which is not happening currently

How should you prepare for the CSAT exams?

* Focus more on decision-oriented analytical questions
* Be prepared to answer situational questions faced in real life by the civil servants
* Questions will be more dynamic than at present
* Spruce up your general awareness and mental ability

Also, it’s certain that the mains pattern of the UPSC IAS exams will change from 2012 onwards after the introduction of UPSC CSAT exams in 2011. Most probably the civil services mains will also have common papers for all to eliminate the present practice of scaling which is detested by many candidates and public figures as well.

Conducted by UPSC, The reputed Civil Service Examination (also called IAS exam) is going to Follow a new pattern from 2011 onwards. With union government approving inclusion of Civil service Aptitude Test (CSAT) into the selection procedure of most reputed and competitive exam of the country, Thus students will face an all new pattern of IAS exam in 2011. The existing Pattern of this exam was applied out in 1979. Since now it has continued to last with some periodic small changes. The traditional Pattern consisted of a preliminary exam followed by a mains exam and an interview. The advantage with this pattern was that candidates only had to choose one optional subject for the mains exam since the other optional subject was already covered in preliminary exam. Although introduction of an inequality between the candidates because of their different educational background and due to choice of optional subjects was a drawback of this system.

Civil service aptitude test will consist of two objective question papers of equal marks. Students from any educational background will face the same questions in CSAT with Special Emphasis on Testing Decision-Making Ability & Aptitude. Some IAS exam eligibility criterions could be changed including lowering the age limit and the number of attempts and younger students with a good zeal may be given preference in the interview. The following Types of questions will be asked in CSAT-

-> Current Affairs from National and International Events, -> Logical Reasoning and Decision Making, -> Elementary Mathematics, -> Quantitative Ability, -> Data Interpretation from Graphic and Chart

This new pattern is good for science background candidates as they hate the questions from history and political science etc. Likewise, the art subjects’ candidates (mainly history, geography and political science) may get affected badly from this pattern. Thus UPSC should also take care of the art subjects’ students. The new pattern for IAS exam is supposed to bring all the candidates from any educational background under the same horizon. The importance of general awareness has now increased many times and it will be a deciding factor for selection of candidates. The questions will be more analytical and situations oriented, testing the mental ability of the candidate.

Thus it is time for a new trend in approach towards the most reputed and competitive exam. As according to the previous toppers success in IAS exam is not about overcoming the expectations of UPSC, it’s not possible in real sense, but what needs to be done is to analyze the intensity of competition that among the IAS aspirants and doing proper planning for getting one step ahead from them. All the candidates are now being brought under the same horizon and the one who understands requirements of this new pattern and will adopt for it as soon as possible, will get an edge over the other candidates.

Union Public Service Commission (UPSC)
Shahjahan Road, Dhopur House, New Delhi – 110069

Advertisement No. 18/2010

UPSC invites application on prescribed forms by 14/10/2010 (21/10/2010 for the candidates from far flung areas) for various posts in various Government of India Ministries and Departments in the prescribed format. The posts are :

1. Director of Laboratories  : 01 posts in Directorate of Marketing & Inspection, Department of Agriculture & Cooperation, Ministry of Agriculture

2. Assistant Director : 02 posts in Directorate of Central Poultry Development Organisation, Department of Animal Husbandry, Dairying & Fisheries, Ministry of Agriculture

3. Plant Protection Officer (Entomology)  : 13 posts in Directorate of Plant Protection Quarantine & Storage, Department of Agriculture & Cooperation, Ministry of Agriculture

4. Professor (Mathematics) : 01 post in Indian Naval Academy, Ministry of Defence

5. Assistant Professors (Management) : 01 post in Indian Naval Academy, Ministry of Defence

6. Lady Medical Officer (Family Welfare) : 01 post in  Family Welfare Programme under DGAFMS, Ministry of  Defence

7. Specialist Grade-II (Tuberculosis) : 01 post in Ministry of Health & Family Welfare, Central Health Service (Non-Teaching) Specialist Sub-Cadre

8. Assistant Professor (Cardiology) : 08 posts in Ministry of Health & Family Welfare, Central Health Service (Teaching) Specialist Sub-Cadre

9. Deputy Mineral Economist (Intelligence) : 03 posts in Indian Bureau of Mines, Ministry of Mines

10. Assistant Mineral Economist (Intelligence) : 05 posts in Indian Bureau of Mines, Ministry of Mines

11. Chemists : 03 posts in Indian Bureau of Mines, Ministry of Mines

12. Assistant Director General of Shipping : 01 post in  the Ministry of Shipping, Road Transport & Highways, Directorate General of Shpping, Mumbai

13. Professor (Physiology) : 01 post in the Government Medical College & Hospital, Chandigarh

Fee payable is Rs.50/- in the shape of Central Recruitment Fee Stamp only. (fee exempted for SC/ ST/ PH/ Women candidates)

For Details of posts, qualification, instructions and application format relating to Advt. No. 18/2010, please visit UPSC web site at http://upsc.gov.in/recruitment/advt/2010/advt1810.htm. Application forms are available in the Recruitment Section of the above said website.

Completed applications with enclosures should be sent to the Joint Secretary (Recruitment), Union Public Service Commission, Dholpur House, Shahjahan Road, New Delhi – 110069, so as to reach on or before prescribed closing date i.e. 14/10/2010. Application format is available at http://upsc.gov.in/general/general.htm

A group of students on Sunday staged a demonstration at the capital’s Jantar Mantar protesting the Union Public Service Commission’s (UPSC) civil service exam preliminary results.

A candlelight vigil was held by the students who alleged that the results were not fair and blamed the commission of corruption.

The UPSC preliminary exams results were declared last week. The UPSC conducts a three-tier exam yearly for entry into country’s higher administrative services.

The students are demanding greater transparency in the procedure of conducting the exam and revelation of the cut-off marks.

Disclosure of marks and the cut-off has been demanded by students in the past as well. The commission has also rejected Right To Information applications demanding the disclosure of marks.

The current pattern of the civil services preliminary exams was conceived in 1979 on the recommendations of the Kothari Commission. Since then, for 41 years, the preliminary pattern sustained with only some minor changes once in ten or fifteen years. But from 2011 onwards, civil services aspirants should prepare themselves for a sea change in how they prepare for the preliminary examination as the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) has received the Union Government’s approval for introducing the Civil Services Aptitude Test (CSAT) pattern.

So what will the CSAT be like?

* CSAT will have two papers common to all candidates with no optional paper
* There will be a paper to test the candidate’s aptitude for the prestigious civil services from the ethical and moral dimension
* The age limit could be lowered
* The number of attempts could also be reduced
* More emphasis on understanding and analysis than memorizing

What will be the impact of these changes?

* IAS candidates can no longer neglect the General Studies paper and rely solely on optionals to see them through
* UPSC might give preference to younger candidates with high motivation and zeal in the interview
* Coaching classes notes will not be enough to clear the CSAT exam
* Candidates with low moral and ethical aptitude will get weeded out, which is not happening currently

How should you prepare for the CSAT exams?

* Focus more on decision-oriented analytical questions
* Be prepared to answer situational questions faced in real life by the civil servants
* Questions will be more dynamic than at present
* Spruce up your general awareness and mental ability

Also, it’s certain that the mains pattern of the UPSC IAS exams will change from 2012 onwards after the introduction of UPSC CSAT exams in 2011. Most probably the civil services mains will also have common papers for all to eliminate the present practice of scaling which is detested by many candidates and public figures as well.

UPSC has decided to overhaul the civil services examination from next year, as the aspirants are likely to face a different pattern of examination.

Replacing the existing preliminary examination which shortlisted candidates for the main exam, it will now be replaced with Civil Services Aptitude Test (CSAT), in which they will have to appear in two objective-type papers having special emphasis on testing their ‘aptitude for civil services’ as well as on ‘ethical and moral dimension of decision-making.’

Both these papers will be given equal weightage and will substitute the one common paper (general awareness) and one optional paper (any particular subject of choice) which emphasized on subject knowledge.

The change, as of now, will be effective only for the first stage of the Civil Services Examination (CSE) from next year onwards while the consequent stages, which are the CS (Main) Examination and interview, are unlikely to change until a committee of experts goes into various aspects of the entire system and submits its report.

“With regard to the CSE, the Prime Minister has approved the proposal for introduction of CSAT in place of the existing Civil Services (Preliminary) Examination,” said the minister of State in the Ministry of Personnel, Public Grievances & Pensions, Prithviraj Chavan in a written reply to a question in Lok Sabha.

“The CSAT is expected to come into effect from CSE, 2011,” it added

The Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) announcement of the date of Civil Services Examination 2010 as May 23 has also come up with a windfall announcement.

To meet the growing needs of the nation and to address the heightened concerns on the internal security front, the government has decided to recruit 385 more IPSofficers for the Civil Services Examination (CSE) takers. From 580 seats in 2009 the figures have jumped to 965 in 2010.

The 965 seats are to be filled through the 2010 CSE meant for all 24 services, including IAS, IFS, IPS, IRS and others.