TIPS FOR GENERAL STUDIES

1. Read newspapers and magazines carefully, which will expand your knowledge base and give good command and writing skill.
2. Preparation for General studies should be done hand in hand while preparing for optional papers.
3. NCERT books should be studied carefully and newspapers like The Hindu and magazines such as Frontline.
4. Trend nowadays has shifted more towards current issues, hence a thorough awareness of recent events/happenings is mandatory.
5. In the Prelims, though the General Studies carries only 150 marks, all the candidates are required to solve the same questions, hence, this paper assumes enormous importance, as anyone spoiling this paper cannot have any chance of qualifying for the Mains stage of the examination.
6. Other than the syllabus given, questions on planning, budgeting, developmental programmes, latest issues of political and constitutional importance, Panchayati Raj, electoral reforms, natural resources, culture, growth of nationalism, committees, commissions etc can be expected almost every year.
7. Emphasis is normally placed on the general aspects of the subjects, which every educated person aspiring to join the civil services is expected to know.
8. The General Studies paper needs special and thorough preparations and does not need to be over-emphasised.
9. In General Studies, other than current affairs, each and every aspect is covered in our school syllabi. Whatever one has studied upto Class XII is only asked in General Studies. The only thing which is different is that it has an application but the basic is from our school textbook only. A good, bright student who understood the basic concepts during his/her school studies will definitely be strong in General Studies too.
10. Those who would like to appear for Civil Services should have a strong base, which will make them easy to follow the subjects.
11. Exhaustive study of each subject and every aspect of the General Studies is essential.
12. An important point is efficient time management and proper planning. The time available with the candidates for preparations is limited and hence has to be intelligently utilized.

IAS V/S IFS

The mains form is here and i guess it will be with you all very soon if it isnt already there. i’m having some last minute jitters filling up the services could some of you kindly give your opinions on what i’ve written below…

IFS - because of navtej sarna, nirupama rao, arundhati ghose - I want to be in their shoes someday!! early career is great you get to learn new languages interact with new people visit distant capitals. there is greater camaraderie amongst batch mates because of a small batch size. time for intellectual blogging. good exposure and opportunity for personal growth. usually the best working environment which govt can provide. organising cultural programs. I enjoy going to the india habitat centre often and organising the same abroad will be great e.g. dance music. you don’t get thrown away to distant villages and states. your cadre doesn’t become a reason for one to contemplate leaving the job.

Later in career too one could possibly join rajya sabha or like our new VP mr. ansari hope to reach a titular office of grandeur.!

IAS - because the tag is easily recognised by one and all. it reverberates through peoples head as someone not to be messed with. minor irritants in life get sorted out easily. how far is it true for ifs? however early in career to be thrown amongst the villagers in an office which is a leaky road side shack wouldn’t be a great thing. ass licking your way up the postings and promotions ladder for getting anything worthwhile. I believe right now im comfortably placed in new delhi, with ias, delhi itself would become a luxury destination. why demote myself in life? but then top 45 ranks without an aberration have picked IAS in 2006! maybe I missed some point? or maybe they are all way too inspired to help the down trodden.?

Policy formulation quite interesting but implementation is only - alright. preparing answers for parliament more clerical sort of work in my opinion.

Messing around with goons of politicians when polling has gone wrong and I’ve to order a repoll would be dangerous for the family. staying in states I will get a meagre Rs. 15 per month for children education. it would be much better putting them in british school or american school via ifs. what use is the intelligence and
energy which I will bring to the government if integrity itself will be battered and will force me to kill my ideals or get out to save my skin! later in the career one could again join rajya sabha or join politics e.g. yashwant sinha, jaswant singh, manmohan singh and so on..

I believe there is some restriction imposed by mea against interacting with certain people when on a mission abroad. is that true?

Eventually I reasoned it will be luck if I got in top 50! so why not put ias on top, ifs has a greater chance to come anyway! and would I be leading a frivolous/fake life in ifs for the work profile available?
e.g. in the nuke deal what couldn’t be sorted out by the diplomats was eventually sorted out by ias and technocrats. so will I only be a curious traveller and a drama organiser in ifs at the end of it?

How difficult is it for an ias officer to go abroad… my neighbours just returned from a 3 year posting to washington, he is from the 1979 ias batch but he seems to have some major links as he was in delhi 10 years prior to that and has now shifted his madhya pradesh office to MP bhawan in new delhi and will stay here till his retirement! this is just an exceptionally well connected case. what is the usual life.

ABOUT CIVIL SERVICE

Which is the right career for all those of you who are brainy but not MBA or IT oriented... and actually harbour ideals like “serving the nation” -
“ Civil Services ko lock kiya jaaye ".
This profession has recently come into the limelight, thanks to apna KBC winner Harshavardhan Nawathe (he said he is preparing for it) . Although always a hot favourite in Delhi (and esp with the chaps from Bihar) the IAS has never been a sought after career option in Mumbai. But once you realise the scope of these “sarkari” jobs, you just might change your mind!
Career Path :
While still on the right side of 30 you could be the collector of an entire district (a job that requires tremendous managerial skills, and a chance to make a difference). You may go on to acquire the post of secretary or advisor to the Prime Minister/ Chief Minister. These are the guys who work behind the scenes and actually formulate 5 year plans and oil import policies.
You might see yourself travelling all around the world (if u join the IFS - Indian Foreign Service) or play a real life hero by running behind the underworld (IPS lets you do that). Needless to say, the perks of the job are tremendous - in terms of housing, servants and allowances. Corruption does exist, but so do clean bureaucrats who can serve as your role models.
How to get in:
The Civil Services selection remains one of the few untainted exams in India. The examination is conducted by the UPSC (Union Public Service Commission) every year. The announcement of the first stage of the selection process is made in the national dailies in the month of Nov-Dec (so watch out!).
The Employment News carries full details of the total number of vacancies, eligibility conditions, plan of examination, and the date of the round of selection to various Central Services (like IAS, IPS, IFS and Indian services in accounts, customs, revenue, postal, railway, defence etc.)
PS. The applications are accepted only till mid-Jan.
Website: The website www.upsc.gov.in carries full details in case u miss the ads
Eligibility Requirements:
a) You should have a Bachelor’s Degree in any faculty with minimum 45%.
b) You should be a citizen of India between 21 to 30 years as on August 1 of the year in which you wish to appear.
PS. There are a set of different criteria for the reserved categories.

How to go about with the UPSC examinations :
The competitive examinations at UPSC are in three stages :
1) Preliminary examinations (Prelims):The prelims are held around May-June.It has objective ie multiple choice questions. There are two papers (duration of each being 2 hrs). a) General studies and b)Optional subject: you can choose from Psychology, Sociology, Philosophy, Agriculture, Maths, Phy, Chem, Stats etc.
Important: It is not compulsory to choose the same subjects of your graduation. The results are declared in July-August and the successful candidates are called for the main examinations.
PS. The prelims score has no bearing for determining the final merit list for the services.
2) Main examination :
The main written examination usually takes place in Oct-Nov, it comprises of 9 papers in all (a lot more strenuous than CAT!) Duration of each paper is 3 hrs.
Language: one of the Indian languages, English, Essay GK and Current Affairs: 2 papers on general studies
Optionals: papers from two subjects that fall in optional-1 and two papers from optional-2 (a choice of subjects is listed by the UPSC in the prospectus)
Candidates who are successful in the main examinations are eligible for an interview which plays a crucial part in the selection.
3) The Interview :The interview calls are sent in March-April of the following year and they take place in the month of April-May. The Board of interviewers look for a well-adjusted personality with the social traits, integrity and qualities of leadership . PS. The number of candidates called for the interview is normally twice the number of vacancies.

BEWARE : The whole process of selection in the civil services takes a full year and when the application process is included it sums up to 18 months in all.
PLEASE NOTE :The main exam score and the interview determines the placement in the final list. You have your say in the choice of service if you have secured a high position, otherwise accept what is offered if not take another attempt (4 attempts permitted) in the general category. Of course you have to start from the prelims all over again.
PS. the I.A.S.occupies the highest order of importance and is usually given first preference by the selected candidates. In recent years Income Tax, Customs etc also have become popular. IFS is not that sought after now.

5 tips for IAS aspirants
1) Be very particular about the subject you choose for prelims, as you will be appearing for an objective type of paper. History, maths, geography may prove to be very scoring. Choose subjects which have availability of books, reading material and guidance. In recent years engineering subjects like civil and electrical can be chosen, giving BEs and IITians an edge (yes! even here they are giving the BAs and BScs a tough fight!)
2) G.K. will definitely pay in your prelims. Reading newspapers, watching TV news and of course quiz shows like KBC is a must.
3) If you have been lucky enough to reach the interview stage book knowledge may not be the only thing you need. Your mental alertness will count as they ask you questions like “How many steps did you walk up to reach here?” or “ What is the colour of the wall behind you ?” - So be prepared.
4) Enhance your personality ‘coz it will definitely be one of the criteria for selection. For IPS physical wellbeing is of great importance, you should be medically fit.
5) Improve your communication skills. IFS aspirants must be proficient in at least one foreign language.
So go ahead, have your say in this political mess of our country and try to make it a better place.
Preparing for the UPSC Exam: There are numerous private coaching institutes and “study circles”. To guide and encourage IAS candidates in Maharashtra the govt has set up
SIAC (State Institute for Administrative Careers), Hazarimal Somani marg (CST) Mumbai-1. Tel :2070942
(You must have Maharashtra domicile to get admission here)
Flash News: The government is contemplating a change in the UPSC selection format which is essentially the same since British times. But, don’t worry - that will definitely take a few years.

POOR KERALA

Dispelling myths about civil services examination

A look at the age, sex, language and domicile factors in the civil services examination.

The one-and-a-half year long selection process for the civil services examination generally begins in December every year. About three lakh aspirants from all over the country will take the plunge in the weeks ahead.
Some myths about this exam, that drain the energy of aspirants, need to be dispelled. Like, for instance, that north Indian candidates have a better chance; that girls are less preferred for these jobs; or it is suicidal to start preparation for the exam after the age of 25.
Surging south
Any notion that the UPSC selection process has a North Indian bias is an unfounded one. It is true that the largest number of IAS officers are from two north Indian States—Uttar Pradesh and Bihar. As on January 1, 2009, there are 4,572 IAS officers in India. Out of them, 1,186 officers are from the two States of UP and Bihar (26 per cent).
The total number of IAS officers from the four south Indian States (Kerala, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu and Andhra Pradesh) together is 949 (21 per cent).
But, recent trends show that south India is surging ahead in IAS selection. In the last five years (2004 to 2008 batch), out of the 465 candidates selected to the Indian Administrative Service, 111 (24 per cent) are from UP and Bihar. As many as 120 (26 per cent) are from the four south Indian states. Women power
Increased intake of lady officers is the latest and most visible trend in IAS selection. Out of the total 4,572 IAS officers all over India (as on January 1, 2009), only 604 are women (Just 13.72 per cent).
But, in the last five years, out of the 465 candidates selected to IAS, 101 are women (22 per cent).
The intake of women has been almost steady over the last five years and it is far ahead of the overall percentage of 13.72 per cent women in IAS.
The age factor
The most interesting fact about IAS selection in recent years is the increase in average age of successful candidates. In the 2008 IAS batch, only 16 officers (out of 111) were below 26. When I started preparing for civil services exam at the age of 25, many friends and well wishers suggested that it is suicidal to start late.
They opined that UPSC generally did not prefer candidates in their late 20s. Only after reaching the Lal Bahadur National Academy of Administration for training did I realise that the average age of successful candidates was above 28 not only for that year, but also in the previous years.
Language
Only a few know that the civil service exam can be written in any of the Indian languages. The medium of communication for the civil services interview can also be any of the languages listed in the Constitution.The number of candidates appearing for exam/ interview in the regional languages is slowly and steadily increasing. In the last year, 19 out of the 111 selected to the IAS wrote the exam in Hindi. Another new trend is the increase in number of candidates who write the civil services exam in languages other than English and Hindi. Also, they emerge successful, giving immense confidence to all those who wish to follow the ‘regional language path' to success. In 2008 IAS batch, there was one officer who wrote the entire exam in Tamil and there was another who wrote it in Telugu.
Relevance of coaching
In the recent years, the manner in which question papers have been framed has been such that the importance of coaching institutes has dwindled in the scheme of things, especially when it comes to the General Studies paper. For the civil services main exam, a candidate has to write four papers in two optional subjects. Most of the candidates will be strong in their chosen subject and hence the major difference in marks may boil down to their performance in the two common General Studies papers and essay paper. A couple of years ago, the general pattern of UPSC main question papers were nearly predictable. These days questions are framed in such a way that the pattern, mark distribution, nature and type of questions is very difficult to predict. Some questions from the latest General studies paper (2009 Main Exam) indicate an emphasis on wide reading and good analytical skills. The inputs for answering such questions can only be obtained through general reading, thinking and opinion formation.
Kerala's position
Kerala tops the country in educational and health indicators. But Malayalis have not been faring well in the IAS exam in recent years. On an average only two or three aspirants from Kerala qualify for the IAS every year. Students from Kerala have the potential to top the examination. But planned study for the civil services examination is lacking these days. Also, the dominant focus on the medical and engineering stream might have led to a shift in their priorities.

HARIKISHORE S.

( The author is Assistant Collector, Kollam)

Planning is what brings success in IAS exams

DRAWING UP an efficient plan and sticking to it is the best way to do well in the Indian Administrative Service (IAS) examinations.

Five IAS probationers who attended a training programme at the Tamil Nadu Agricultural University reiterated this theme and provided insights into the examination that holds the key to a high profile career at the Central, district and divisional levels. R. Vijayaraghavan, Professor of Agricultural Extension, TNAU, was the coordinator of the programme.

At the Central level, IAS officers framed and implemented policies, at the district level the emphasis was on development, and at the divisional level the focus was on general administration.

On completing the training, the probationers filled up response sheets in which they provided students a host of tips for success in IAS examinations.

"Choose your options carefully depending on the time available, guidance, study material and interest," said Anu George, who had opted for sociology and psychology in the exam. "Perseverance always pays. Develop your own style of learning. Try group study whenever possible and ensure clarity of concepts. Quality is better than quantity."

Role model

With her mother as role model, her ambition was to be "a good and efficient human being". Among the best books she had read were Roots by Alex Haley and Randamoozham by M. T. Vasudevan Nair.

Pooja Kulkarni, who had opted for commerce and public administration in the examination, said the Asterix series of comics and the works of P. G. Wodehouse were among her favourite books. Challenge, variety and status had motivated her to become an IAS officer.

"All it takes is some hard work, but don't put your heart into it," she observed about the IAS exams. "The Union Public Service Commission has an excellent reputation for causing heart break. It is important to discuss what to read, and more importantly, what not to read. Take the exam at your own risk!"

R. Ananda Kumar's advice to IAS aspirants was, "Be confident about success. Be focused. Be confident. Be in touch with people who got into the service. Believe that you will win one day. Imagine and plan things completely before you start." He emphasised the importance of keeping in mind all those who had extended help.

Definition of success

"Reaching a point and utilising it for the welfare of all," was his definition of success. His options in the exam had been Zoology and Tamil literature.

V. Arun Roy, who had chosen law and public administration for the exam, said that `To kill a mocking bird' was the best book he had read and "An empty vessel makes much noise", his favourite proverb. "Your success is directly proportional to the number of people who feel sad when you die," was his definition of success.

"Be thorough with the syllabus. Read old question papers. Prepare systematically according to the available time. Write original answers for optional subjects. Sound original and confident in the interview," was his advice to IAS aspirants.

Pinky Jowel advocated "meticulous preparation, confident outlook and sharp focus" for those sitting for the examination. "Be very particular about the subject you choose for prelims, as you will be appearing for an objective type of paper. General knowledge will definitely pay in your prelims. Reading newspapers, watching television news and, of course, quiz shows, is a must," she said.

"If you have been lucky enough to reach the interview stage, book knowledge may not be the only thing you need. Your mental alertness will count. Enhance your personality, because it will definitely be one of the criteria for selection," Ms. Jowel added.

Prof. Vijayaraghavan, who coordinated the programme and spent a lot of time with the trainees, said that the proverb "Catch them young" was applicable for excellence in any field and more so for those who wanted to do well in the civil services examinations.

"What would you like to be when you grow up? It's a million dollar question that children are asked all the time. IAS is - no doubt - an answer from many. `Enterprising' is the word that came to my mind as I bid the trainees goodbye," he said.

A.A. MICHAEL RAJ

JNU has a fair share of success in Civil Services exams

Parul Sharma

NEW DELHI: Jawaharlal Nehru University here has had a fair share of success in the Civil Services Examination, 2007, that was conducted by the Union Public Service Commission and the results for which were declared this past Friday. Three students currently pursuing their Ph. D. and one doing his M. Phil. in JNU have cracked the most esteemed examinations of the country.
Smita Sarangi who secured an overall 15th rank in her fourth attempt is doing her Ph. D. in Sociology.
“It is like a dream come true for me. Managing Ph.D. and Civil Services together is a bit difficult and either one has to take a back seat. This examination requires a lot of patience. There are times when it becomes extremely frustrating and monotonous but you have to keep your spirits high,” said this 29-year-old who is married to a fellow JNUite.
Smita, whose Ph.D. is in the last phase, is contemplating finishing her IAS training and coming back to her alma mater at a later stage to complete her degree.
At the 17th position, Mahesh Kumar’s joy obviously knows no bounds. The 26-year-old from Rajasthan is doing his Ph.D. at the Centre for European Studies and has his sights firmly set on the Indian Foreign Service.
“This was my fourth attempt. It is easy here in JNU. The ambience is very conducive for Civil Services’ preparation. I took no coaching and prepared through group study,” he said.
Hailing from Bahadurgarh in Haryana, Shweta is also doing her Ph. D. from JNU. Having studied at Delhi University’s Kalindi College before going on to do her M.A. and M. Phil. from JNU, she is presently working as a lecturer at Kurukshetra University.
“I was doing three things at a time: Ph.D., teaching and preparing for Civil Services. But it was not unmanageable. My family and friends have been a tremendous support,” said Shweta who got the 147th rank in her fourth attempt.
Sonal Chandra, also from JNU, secured 161st position.
Apart from JNU, several Delhiites also fared remarkably well. The most notable being Ashima Jain who ranked the highest among women in her very first attempt.
Delhi siblings Mukta and Mukul Arya also made it to the Civil Services this year.
Mukta secured an overall 48th rank in her fifth attempt, while her younger brother Mukul was in the 347th position. He is simultaneously pursuing his M. Phil. from JNU. “It is all about dedicated hard work. It is a combination of studies and intelligent analysis. You just can’t cram things. Civil Services is more application oriented now. Shriram’s IAS helped us with the interviews,” said Mukta.

Cell to train students for competitive exams

R. Krishna Kumar

Specialised coaching is needed to make civil services popular, says Mysore varsity Vice-Chancellor

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Importance will be accorded to civil services examination: V.G. Talawar

‘In urban areas private sector jobs are

preferred to civil services’

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MYSORE: The University of Mysore will soon start a specialised cell to train students appearing for competitive examinations with special thrust on Indian Administrative Service (IAS) and other allied services.

This is likely to give an impetus to students to appear for the civil services examination conducted annually by the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC).

The move comes at a time when representation of the State in civil services such as the IAS and the Indian Police Service (IPS) is perceived to be low.

Vice-Chancellor of the university V.G. Talawar told The Hindu that the cell would be in place in the next 45 days and the university would accord importance to civil services examinations.

“It is my dream to have such a cell, and it should be in place very soon,” he added.

“We need to provide specialised training to our students to make civil services popular,” Prof. Talawar said and added that this would be dovetailed with training students for other competitive examinations as well.

Earlier attempts

“The university made certain attempts to create greater awareness among students about civil services in the mid-1990s when I was the Registrar. During that period several students from the university were selected for the Karnataka Administrative Service posts,” said Prof. Talawar.

The move to start the specialised training cell for all-India services comes in the backdrop of a perceived decline in the State’s representation and dearth of IAS officers from Karnataka. Several Ministers and even senior officials have lamented in the past that the State was poorly represented in the all-India services and hence its influence among policymakers in Delhi was withering.

Reasons

Analysing the reasons for students’ “apathy” towards IAS/IPS examination, Satyanarayana Gowda of Jnanabhutti, a training institute which coaches students for various competitive examination free of cost, said the preference in Karnataka was more towards engineering and medical education and only a few self-motivated students appear for the IAS examination. In contrast, IAS, IPS and other allied services were the most preferred in States such as Delhi, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar and Orissa from where a bulk of the candidates clear the gruelling examination, he said.

However, S. Bhanuchandran, a strategic business consultant and career counsellor, pointed out that career preference was also rooted in the socio-cultural milieu of the region to which the students belonged.

In urban areas of Karnataka and generally in South India, private sector jobs were preferred and “education” had been reduced to acquiring a medical or an engineering degree, at least among the middle-class people, because of job potential, he said.

So it was in Maharashtra and Gujarat where the economy was more industrialised and vibrant and career openings were plenty in the private sector. But it was not so in Bihar or Uttar Pradesh, and this was also reflected in the cream of the student community opting for IAS examination, Mr. Bhanuchandran added.

R. Subramanyam, a faculty at Srinivas Ramanujam Literary and Education Centre, attributed the low representation of Karnataka students in IAS and IPS to difference between syllabus of the State universities and that of Central universities, poor infrastructure and lack of study groups. Elsewhere in the country, IAS coaching was a multi-crore industry, he said.

“Besides, most students are not ready to go through two years of preparation that is needed for IAS examination,” he added.

The cream of civil services

WHEN UPAMANYU CHATTERJEE wrote his debut novel, An English August, a semi-autobiographical tale of an IAS officer's travails in a small, godforsaken town, few disagreed with the starkly realistic yet humorous portrayal of an English-educated officer coming to terms with the Indian realities. Chatterjee's protagonist is the typical urban Indian civil servant who dreams of changing lives (for the better) by virtue of his being an IAS officer. That's the aura of power and glory that the All India Services exude.

The Indian Civil Services is one of the legacies of the British that has endured with time, albeit gradually Indianising itself. This intricate order of hierarchical accountability and controls was established after the 1857 uprising, when the reins of power went out of the hands of East India Company to the Crown. The role of the Civil Services has undergone major reforms since independence, operating as it does now, within the parameters of a democratic welfare state with more emphasis on development work and maintenance of law and order.

The All India Services, comprising the IAS, Indian Forest Service plus the Indian Foreign Service, which is a central service and the IPS, are the cream of the services. Powerful, glamorous and the most coveted of the lot these services attract some of the best brains in the country. It is this non-political entity - the bureaucracy that gives permanency to policy-making and its implementation and also serves as an advisory body to the ministers. This highly centralised and hierarchical body is in charge of almost all aspects of administration in the country.

The All India Services follow a cadre system wherein the officers are allotted various states (cadres) during their probationary period, to which they remain affiliated throughout their career.

The Indian Administrative Service (IAS): Constituted formally in the year 1947, the IAS has extended the role of its precursor, the Indian Civil Service (ICS). Handling essentially administrative affairs, IAS officers man the key posts in the districts as well as at the central or state secretariats. At the central level, this involves policy framing and implementation.

At the district level, it mostly sees to development works besides administrative affairs and the divisional level it looks after law and order, general administration and development work.

While work at the secretariat involves a lot of paperwork, preparation of reports and answers asked in the Parliament, discussions etc., a field job is a different story altogether. Field assignments are those where one is required to implement the government policies. It involves greater interaction with people, touring, supervising and co- ordinating the work of governmental and non-governmental agencies and receiving ministers, senior officers etc.

Superintendents of Police (SPs), District Magistrates (DMs), etc. are Field Officers in the central government while Deputy Superintendents of Police (DSP), Block Development Officers (BDOs), Assistant Engineers etc. are the state government employees working in the field posts. In the IAS cadre, the post of DM or DC - District Collector, also called Deputy Commissioner in some states ,is one of the important field assignments covering a vast area of work. As a DM, one is in charge of law and order, attending and convening of meetings and conferences, receiving VIPs, inspections supervising relief operations, organising government campaigns and any other miscellaneous work that may come up. Supervising the allotment and proper utilisation of funds by field staff is another important job.

The Indian Foreign Service (IFS): The IFS is responsible for the administration and activities of Indian missions abroad, and for the framing and implementation of the government's foreign policy. It deals with the country's external affairs, including trade diplomacy and cultural relations. IFS officers are attached to the Ministry of External Affairs and may be posted either in India or abroad. The two-year probation period involves training at the Lal Bahadur Shastri Academy of Administration (Mussoorie), followed by a stint in Delhi. Probationers have to specialise in a certain section of the ministry, like the Commonwealth, USA, Far East etc. This includes learning the language or languages of the region.

The initial posting is as Third Secretary in an Indian High Commission abroad, usually for two years, usually followed by a posting in the country. Travel is an integral part of the job and a country allowance is provided according to the country one happens to be posted in.

The Indian Police Service (IPS): This service has the difficult and unenviable task of maintaining public safety and security. A job that not only demands mental alertness and physical fitness but puts all of one's abilities to the harshest of tests while dealing with the ever increasing crime graph. The role of the IPS has changed over the years. Now, it is not solely concerned with the maintenance of law and order in the traditional sense. Its ambit now includes listening to public grievances regarding neglect or delay of police action, formulating strategies for various programmes associated with public welfare, and taking preventive steps to ensure that elements disrupting social peace are dealt with swiftly and ruthlessly.

To fulfil these functions, the service has been divided into many functional departments: Crime Branch, Criminal Investigation Department or CID, Research and Analysis Wing (RAW) and Traffic Bureau. A number of central policing agencies are also headed by the IPS including the Intelligence Bureau, the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), Cabinet Secretariat Security, Border Security Force (BSF) and the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF).

Entry: Entry into the three All India Services (as well as the Central Services) is through the combined competitive examination held for the civil services. The examination is divided into two sections (i) the Preliminary examination and the (ii) the Main. The Preliminary examination is the first step for selection to the services. On the third Saturday of December usually, the UPSC publishes a supplement in the Employment News on the Civil Service exams. The supplement also contains an application form for the Prelims. The examination is conducted in 40 centres all over the country on the second Sunday of June.

The Prelims is a written test comprising two objective, multiple- choice type papers. Paper 1 is an optional subject of 300 marks and paper 2 is of general studies of 150 marks. There are 23 optional subjects to choose from in the first paper. General Studies covers six topics - Indian History, Constitution of India, Geography, Economics, Science and Current Affairs.

The Mains, also a written test, are held around November/December each year. The exam carries 2,000 marks, to be followed by an interview (for the successful candidates) of 300 marks. The written exam consists of seven papers and two language papers - one in English and the other in an optional Indian Language. Marks gained in these papers are not computed in the total score, but passing in both is compulsory for qualification. The other papers are: one compulsory Essay paper, two papers in General Studies and two papers each of the two optional subjects one opts for. All the papers are of subjective type.

The Interview or Personality Test: This is the final stage in the selection process, the battle royale that can swing the outcome either way. The interview score plays a decisive role in the selection process and also in the service, which is finally allotted to you. Roughly 750-800 candidates make it past the final selection out of the hundreds of thousands who apply.

Padma Ramesh

cclub@nettlinx.com

Handwriting expert in Capital to train IAS aspirants

Parul Sharma

 Mohan Ray

NEW DELHI: Claiming to be a “pioneer” in healthy handwriting, Chandigarh-based Mohan Ray is here in the Capital to hand out some tips to Civil Services aspirants.

Mr. Ray, who has been working in the field of handwriting and graphology, the study and analysis of handwriting, for the past two decades, began a two-day handwriting improvement workshop in Mukherjee Nagar on Saturday.

The expert said his USP was that he helped “adults in improving their handwriting”, be it doctors, engineers, teachers or students.

“A lot of educated people struggle with their poor handwriting and want to write legibly. I realised there’s no one working in the field of handwriting to help such people out,” said Mr. Ray, who runs the Institute of Healthy Handwriting in Chandigarh.

“Master tool”

“I have developed a master tool in healthy handwriting through which I can help people repair their writing. I invite their writing impressions, diagnose difficulties in their handwriting, and give them instructions to repair it so that they write effortlessly,” he said.

Mr. Ray has developed a “handwriting improvement system” (magical methodology) that can help people improve their handwriting in just three hours!

He has travelled across the country to conduct workshops and seminars on handwriting and graphology and can be contacted atwww.healthyhandwriting.net