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FAQ’s

Civil Services FAQs

The nature of the new syllabus is such that one should start the preparation during graduation itself, however, if one has not prepared at that time then there is no need to panic. It is advisable to read NCERT books at the elementary level. One can start with history books of the 11th and 12th. If there is a problem with these books, then there is no harm in reading the 9th and 10th books first. After this, it would be okay to read books from classes 6 to 12 for geography. Along with these, do not forget to practice 'Atlas' continuously. After this look at the books of class 9th to 12th of social science (like- 'Our Constitution', 'Democracy in India', 'Contemporary World Politics' etc.). After this read science books from class 6 to 10. After reading this much one can start studying those books which are written directly for civil services.
Yes, it is difficult but not impossible. If you can understand on your own the concepts contained in different sections, connect contemporary facts with them, understand the material available in English and present it in Hindi and find suitable material from the internet, then in a period of one and a half to two years you will be able to You can prepare for General Studies at your level. Still, we believe that you should take regular training from Anushka Academy or any other higher-level educational institution.
If you are attending or are about to appear in the General Studies (Preliminary & Mains) program of "Anushka Times" then you probably will not need a single book. Given that they do not have to depend on books. Sometimes for a particular topic only we expect students to come after reading a book. If you are not a student of vision then it would be appropriate to study from the following books. First of all, It would be better to read those NCERT books which have been discussed above. After that, it will be often enough to refer to one reference book for different sections. There is no book available for some sections, newspaper articles and internet access for them. The material itself has to be made as to the basis. There are also one or two sections in which one book is not enough, in them some other books have to be seen for some particular topics. In fact, in this regard, you can read various books and books published by Anushka IAS Academy. 'Anushka Times' Mag for Current Affairs Study the zone sequentially. Apart from this, you can also take advantage of the DNA program run by the Anushka IAS Academy. Under this program, there is also a provision to provide you with all the subject-related course materials conducted by the institute sitting at home. Students can take advantage of these as per their interests. Apart from these books 'Oxford and Orient Longman Atlas' for Geography; 'World Focus', 'Frontline' and 'The Hindu' for international issues; 'Pratiyogita darpan extra score' for the economy; 'Vicek Panorama' and 'Pariksha Manthan' for Science and Technology; One should also keep studying 'IGNOU's Notes' for the section on Environment and Bio-diversity and other books for the sections on Social Justice and Current Affairs.
'Hindustan' and 'Dainik Jagran-National Edition' are good newspapers in Hindi from the point of view of preparation for the Civil Services Examination. If you want, you can also read 'Jansatta', but do not let the anti-government opinion dominate you, try to form a balanced opinion. If you have good English then it would be good to read the articles in 'The Hindu'; But don't stress too much if you can't read them. You read 'Anushka Times' in magazines. This is a complete magazine for the contemporary side of General Studies and Essay question papers on Civil Services and PCS Examination (Preliminary and Main Examination and Interview) of various states.
For this, you use the website of 'Anushka IAS Academy'. Under this, the useful study material is updated for preliminary examination and main examination and interview as well as examinations conducted by various state public service commissions. On this website 'The Hindu', 'Indian Express', 'HT Mint', 'Business Line', 'Business Standard', 'DNA', 'Times of India', etc. English newspapers as well as various ministries of the Government of India. News and article analyses are updated by doing a thorough study of websites like PIB etc. Also, questions are given on current affairs on a daily level as per the format of the Preliminary Examination. Apart from this, a series of questions based on NCERT for classes 6-12 up to Preliminary Examination as well as questions based on other certified books have also been started. Apart from this, the strategy to introduce a special program on the format of the main examination is in progress. Most importantly, very soon www.anushkaias.com will present its summary in Hindi with links to some important programs run by Lok Sabha, Rajya Sabha, and All India Radio. We aim to increase the rate of selection in the examination by removing the lack of accurate text material which has been going on for years through the Hindi medium. Keep in mind that finding accurate content on the Internet isn't easy. Also, there is a substantial risk of distraction while using the Internet.
No fixed time limit can be fixed for qualifying for this exam. Success is not determined by hours of study but by its efficiency. If a candidate studies carefully for 6 hours a day for a year, then it can be seen as a good effort to achieve the goal.
What is the minimum age limit for the preparation for the Civil Services Examination, it cannot be determined precisely, yet if the candidate starts preparation at the age of 20 then his condition will be good. This is the time in which the student can focus on his goal. It is another matter that while starting the preparation too early makes you feel exhausted at the right time, starting the preparation late can also cause some damage.
Group discussion has both positive and negative sides. It will prove beneficial if you have a group discussion with serious and dedicated candidates. Keep in mind that group discussions should be avoided in the initial stages of preparation. Apart from this, the group for discussion should not be very large in number. You can form a group and discuss a specific topic that has been studied by all the members of the group. Also, keep in mind that the group is heterogeneous such that the group does not include people from the same area because in such cases the sense of territory comes in the conclusion of the discussion. During group discussions, it should be formal and a definite period should be fixed in advance for such discussions.
Civil Services exam preparation is a long-term process that usually requires one to two years of serious preparation after graduation. Its preparation can also be done with any job or vocational course. If you look at the exam results of the previous years, then every type of candidate (jobs and non-jobs) has been successful in this. That's why you should start preparing according to which you feel comfortable in yourself.
Although coaching institutes help the candidates in many ways, the candidates may face many problems due to not taking admitted to the proper institute. Therefore, the candidates should take due care while choosing the coaching institute. To assess the success rates of the institute over the years, the teacher group of the institute, the method of study, the duration and sequence of the sessions, the course material, and the reach of the students of the institute who have studied in this institute, etc. are some such important factors. Which can prove helpful in determining a suitable coaching institute.
Yes, but still it is always useful to take training from a competent coaching institute. If you are not able to study well on your own then there is no harm in taking guidance from any coaching institute. There are many good institutes and teachers who help the candidates in saving their time and efforts but not all coaching institutes provide good quality service. Therefore, if you want to go to any institute, then go only after a thorough investigation.
The preliminary examination conducted by the commission is objective (multiple choice) in nature, in which one has to choose the correct option out of four possible options (a, b, c and d) given for each question. There is a provision of negative marking for wrong answers in this examination, in which one third (1/3) mark is deducted for each wrong answer. In Paper II (CSAT) marks are not deducted for wrong answers to questions related to 'Decision-making Ability', but marks are awarded based on the accuracy of the answer.
This thing needs to be understood properly. Many candidates answer only 40-50 questions fearing negative marking. So, it is not possible to crack the exam even if all those answers are correct. You should ask at least as many questions as possible to be successful. For this, it is necessary to take a little risk. You should take a risk in the questions for which 2 out of the four options are sure to be the correct answer. Mathematically speaking, the probability of getting your answer right and wrong is equal, but if you get it right, you will get 2 marks while if it is wrong, you will lose only 0.67 marks. If 3 out of 4 such answers are wrong and one is correct, you will be in a no-profit or no-loss situation, whereas according to the law of probability, you can expect that 2 out of 4 answers will be correct and 2 will be wrong. . In case of 2 correct answers and 2 incorrect, you will get a net profit of 2.66 marks. If the number of such questions is 20, then this benefit will increase to about 13 marks. It is important to understand this thing properly being too scared of the exam reduces the chances of succeeding.
'Cut-off' means the minimum marks by which a candidate has been successful in the examination. Every year in the Civil Services Examination, the 'Cut-off' is decided in the result of the Preliminary Examination, Main Examination, and Interview. The candidates who score the 'cut-off' or more are declared successful and the rest are unsuccessful. Under the reservation system, this 'cut-off' varies for different categories of candidates. The 'cut-off' in the Preliminary Examination is determined based on marks obtained in General Studies (since CSAT paper is qualifying) only. To qualify for the CSAT paper, the candidates are required to obtain the prescribed 33% marks (approximately 27 questions or 66 marks). If a candidate does not obtain qualifying marks in the CSAT paper, the answer sheet for the first paper (General Studies) will not be evaluated. Keep in mind that there is negative marking in the preliminary exam. The 'cut-off' is not a fixed position, it changes every year. Its determination depends on factors such as the number of seats, the difficulty level of the question papers, and the number and quality of candidates. It is natural that if the question paper will be easy, or if the number and quality of candidates are high, the cut-off will increase and will automatically decrease in adverse situations.
The cut-off for the year 2015 for the general category was 107.34. Although the cut-off for the 2016 exam has not been published yet, if the experts are to be believed, the cut-off for the general category may remain in the range of 110-115. Based on this, the 2017 cut-off can also be expected to be around the same i.e. 110-120. a
The answer cannot be one for all. If you are comfortable in all the subjects of CSAT and your speed is also satisfactory then you can be successful by attempting questions in any order. In such a situation, it is better to increase the order in which the questions come up, doing them in the same order. But, if your position is not so secure then you should consider the sequence of questions. Firstly, 7-8 questions on Decision Making and Interpersonal Skills should be attempted as they are less time-consuming and there is no risk of negative marking. Also, since they also have a system of 'differential marking', there are chances of getting some marks even if your answer is not the best. After that, move on to quickly ask questions that you are comfortable with and skip those that are beyond your comprehension. Leave a mark for the questions in respect of which you feel that they can be done if you get enough time. In the end, if there is time left, then do those questions and otherwise leave. One suggestion can also be to avoid asking the same type of questions continuously. This is especially applicable to questions of comprehension. After reading 3-4 paragraphs continuously, many times the mind starts getting tired. If you feel like it, then do some maths or reasoning questions in between and then come back to comprehension. The same technique can be applied to other segments as well.
Follow the suggestions given in the answer to the previous question. Apart from that, attend mock-test series before the exam and test in each paper which section of the question can be solved in how much time. If you identify the more time-consuming questions in advance, then no time will be wasted in the exam. With repeated practice, the speed can be increased.
Yes, you can succeed. Out of 80 questions in CSAT, the maths questions are around 15 and in these also 4-5 are of data interpretation and adequacy. If you want to stay away from maths completely, then work seriously on the rest of the questions. If possible, prepare some topics in mathematics that you understand and from which questions are often asked. For example, if you prepare topics like Percentages and Ratios, then along with Mathematics, many of your questions in the section on 'Data Interpretation will be fine. In this way, even if you solve 3-4 questions out of 15 maths questions, you can touch the level of 'qualifying'.
It is better to take out answers to 4-5 questions and fill them on the sheet. With each question, he/she will be given OMR. It takes more time to fill on the sheet. On the other hand, sometimes it happens that many candidates end up with OMR together. Want to fill out the sheet but due to paucity of time can not fill it. The right way to avoid such an accident is to keep filling in the answers to 4-5 questions at once. In questions of comprehension and interpretation of data, usually 5-6 questions are asked based on a paragraph or information. In such a situation, all those questions should be done together as well as OMR. They should also be filled on the sheet.
Considering the comprehension questions to be easy, many aspirants tend to be careless which proves fatal in the end. The candidates should keep practicing this section regularly, don't take it lightly as it is easy. If possible, a practice should be done from such books in which paragraphs are given face to face in both languages. Hindi medium candidates should also make it a habit that wherever there is any confusion or technical words in the Hindi text, they should check the English text to see whether they understand the correct meaning or not. A good way to improve your level of comprehension can also be that you read a newspaper article every day and write it in your own words. This will strengthen your hold on the language, which will not only improve your level of comprehension but will also develop your writing style for the main exam.
Giving mock tests in the Civil Services Preliminary Examination proves to be very beneficial. The first advantage of this is that you learn to control the stress in the exam. Secondly, the ability to manage time is better. Third, you can experiment with different tests to see which order of the questions gives you the best results. Based on these experiments, you can decide your exam strategy. The fourth advantage is that you get an idea of ​​what your level is in comparison to your competitors. Keep in mind that all these benefits are available only if you have chosen the mock test series carefully. The Mock Test Series program of 'Anushka IAS Academy' is of the best quality in which you can give a lot of test exams from January to April.
At different stages of preparation, candidates need to practice different types of questions. The first stage of preparation (Preliminary Examination) should consist of subject-based questions. Once a section of General Studies is read, the questions related to this topic should be practiced. In the second stage of preparation, you can solve mixed questions for self-assessment. However, it is worth considering that practicing questions is not the best way to learn any topic, but solving questions enhances your preparation and also organizes your time, helping you to study further. Help is available.
Immediately after the preliminary exam it is necessary to stop the study for a few days. After this, read the optional subject selected for the main examination carefully for the purpose so that you are well acquainted with it before the main examination. Generally, it is seen that the candidates do not study the optional subject in the last five months or even during the preparation of the preliminary examination. Apart from this, the candidate should also give some time to General Studies.
The choice of the appropriate optional subject is the decision on which the success of a candidate is most important. The real basis of subject selection is only how much 'scoring' that subject is in your medium? Whether the subject is big or small, whether it helps in general studies or not - all these grounds are misleading. Even if the subject is small and helps in general studies but gets 100 marks less than the other subject, then choosing it is fatal. Don't forget that ultimately your selection is made by your marks and not by the arguments here and there. Presently, the subjects of literature are at the highest level in terms of getting marks. You can choose literature in any language you are comfortable with; Like Hindi literature, Gujarati literature, etc. If you do not want to choose the subject of literature, then you can choose any of the other marking subjects.
In recent years engineering students are more inclined toward humanities subjects. Students from engineering backgrounds can choose science or humanities as an optional subject for the Civil Services Main Examination. Most of the candidates from engineering backgrounds generally tend to consider Geography, Philosophy, Hindi Literature, or Public Administration as an optional subject more convenient. There is no wastage of time in these four optional subjects and these subjects can be prepared easily in less time.
If you are not willing to choose Economics as an optional subject then you may be suggested to choose any subject of Humanities as an optional subject. Even among the students studying science subjects at the intermediate level, only a few students choose science subjects as an optional subject. Depending on your background, you can choose any one of the subjects like Geography, Philosophy, Hindi Literature, or Public Administration.
Since the Union Public Service Commission has fixed the word limit for answer writing, the Commission expects all the appropriate information to be provided by the candidates within this word limit. In some special circumstances, candidates can keep the word limit for answer writing slightly more or less than the word limit fixed by the Commission (generally 10% of the given word limit). Continuous practice is required to provide useful important information within the prescribed word limit, so candidates must do answer writing practice before appearing in the main examination.
Understanding the questions is an essential condition for writing effective answers. To accomplish this objective, it is necessary to study the questions carefully. If a question is divided into several parts, the student must read the questions at least twice. Before preparing the outline of the answer, the candidate should understand all the dimensions of the question thoroughly, only after that he should start answer writing keeping in mind the word limit.
In this test, you are given marks on the answer you write and not on the nature of the questions. Considering the nature of the question, a candidate should collect all the information related to that question with himself and select the question according to his ability to combine them. However, there is no such presumption that factual or analytical questions will always fetch good marks.
The adjustment of information and language in answer writing should be such that the examiner remains interested in reading it till the end. So it is worth noting that if the information given by you in your answer is correct and they have been adjusted properly then you will get good marks.
Practice of previous year's questions is important for this exam but they are rarely repeated. However, they have an important role in time management as it develops the nature of questions and the ability to write answers to the questions within the given word limit. Generally, during preparation, the candidates focus on the collection of information without knowing its proper use. The usefulness and proper adjustment of this information in the examination can be learned by practicing the previous year's question papers.
The changed syllabus of the Civil Services Examination has made Essay a determining role in your final selection. Compared to the papers of General Studies or Optional Subjects, more marks can be scored in the essay paper by doing relatively less effort. You can score up to 160-170 marks on a question paper of 250 marks. Essay writing is completely different from answering writing questions about general studies or optional subjects. Through this, the originality and personality of a person are being tested. Essay writing is an art that develops slowly over time. In the past, there was a lack of study material for the essay as there was no standard book available on the market. To get good marks in this, you can appear in any mock test series related to it before the exam. If possible, one can attend essay classes conducted at 'Anushka Academy, Delhi'. It can be suggested that if one can write one essay in a week and outline four essays in a month, then it is a satisfactory condition for the candidate to prepare for the examination.
It is misleading to describe Paper-4 as part of anyone's subject. By reading the syllabus carefully one can understand that different topics of this paper are related to different subjects. For example, topics such as 'Emotional Intelligence', 'Attitude' and 'Aptitude' are related to psychology; 'Ethics' is related to philosophy; 'Human values' have some relation to sociology while the last two topics (like 'honesty in governance') are related to public administration. Paper-4 can be understood only by combining all these subjects. Union Public Service Commission has also tried that all these subjects should not remain separate in the consciousness of the candidate, but he should also understand their mutual relation. That is why sub-headings have been made by linking these subjects at many places in the syllabus of Paper-4, such as 'Ethics in Public Administration', 'Attitude and Core Values ​​for Civil Service' etc. The truth is that the soul of Paper-4 can be captured only with the help of 'inter-disciplinary understanding'. Therefore, if anyone says that this question paper is based on any one topic, then understand that he cannot understand its essence.
The interview is the last and most important stage of any examination. In the Civil Services Examination, 275 marks (1750 marks have been earmarked for the Main Examination) for the interview. The determination of 275 marks for the interview out of the total 2025 marks fixed for this examination itself makes its role in the final selection and post determination clear. Although the interview is the last stage of these exams, it is beneficial to start preparing for it from the very beginning. The personality development of any candidate is a continuous process. To get good marks in the interview, study the topic 'Interview preparation'.
The personality of the candidates is tested during the interview and not their background. There has been some proportionate change in the trend of success over the years but in reality, the Commission has no such concept. So, irrespective of your background, you should prepare a proper and dynamic strategy according to the nature of the exam.
During the mock interview, a real interview environment is created by the experts, in which the personality test of the candidates and understanding of various subjects is checked. If the candidate is unable to answer the questions properly, it may have a disheartening effect on the candidate. So without thorough preparation, mock interviews should be completely ignored.
Etiquette is of great importance in the interview as it creates an image of the candidate in the mind of the interviewer which impresses them while giving the marks. Therefore, it is advised that on such occasions the candidate should maintain common courtesy which can give a solid foundation to his performance.