Basic Information About Indian Civil Service
The Indian Civil Service serves as the backbone of India and carries great respect and responsibilities. India's best brains vie for entry into the Indian Civil Services as officers. Even though corporate jobs may offer the best of salaries and perks, a majority of youngsters and their parents still crave entry to the prestigious Indian Civil Services held by the UPSC. The very fact that a big share of every year's top posts in the civil services exams are bagged by professionals from various streams, shows that the IAS is still the dream job for many. Here is the Civil List links you would like to follow.
In our effort to be of use to the various civil services aspirants here is a list of tools and resources to give an edge to your prepration for the Civil Service exams conducted by the UPSC India. The competition being very very tough for the IAS examination, one has to be prepared to put in hours (10 to 12 hours) of work and take repeated attempts at the UPSC civil services exam.
Indian Administrative Service
The IAS (Indian Administrative Service) was formally constituted in 1947, and is the premier service in India. It offers an attractive and challenging career. Fame and glamour are also associated with this service. Even though most people tend to think being the DM or Collector is the most powerful and glamorous post, The IAS holds power at all levels. It is the service that is meant to place people straight at the top of any government organization and not the district alone. inspite of all the political interference if you are a determined person and diplomatic you can achieve anything for your country.
The IAS or the Indian Administrative Service, handles affairs of the government. At the central level, this involves the framing and implementation of policy. At the district level, it is concerned with district affairs, including development functions. At the divisional level, the IAS officers look after law and order, general administration and development work. Members of the Indian Administrative Service hold various administrative posts like District Collector, Heads of Departments, Heads of Public Enterprises at the state level etc. They can also be posted on deputation to the Central Government to various posts.
Being an 'All India Service', it follows the Cadre system. In this system officers are allotted to various state cadres and your service is allotted to that state. So for all practical purposes you belong to that state service and may be deputed elsewhere but you'll always be recognized by your parent cadre. These systems though very useful tend to positively and negatively affect careers. The cadre system is allotted on a basis of lottery and the toppers of each state may get a chance to get their home states if they have opted for such a preference.
Indian Police Service
The Indian Police Service [IPS] is primarily concerned with maintenance of Law and Order in the country. This is the premier uniformed civil service in the country. An I.P.S officer works for both the Central and State Governments. He serves the State Government in various capacities ranging from Assistant Superintendent of Police at the beginning of his career to the Director General of Police (who is the head of the police force in his state) at the stage of retirement. He can also serve the Central Government in various organizations like the Central Reserve Police Force, Border Security Force, Central Bureau of Investigation, Intelligence Bureau, Research and Analysis Wing (RAW) etc.
The IPS (Indian Police Service) is responsible for public safety and security. The IPS mainly takes care of law and order, which, at the district level, is a responsibility shared with the IAS ; crime prevention and detection ; and traffic control and accident prevention and management. In order to fulfil these functions with greater efficiency, this service is divided into various functional departments, including : " Crime Branch, " Criminal Investigation Department (CID), " Home Guards, " Traffic Bureau.
With changing times however, more and more IPS officers are serving in departments and areas that used to exclusively be the forte of IAS officers, just as the IAS officers now at times head departments like vigilance which were exclusively given to IPS officers. This widening of opportunities and exposure has made the IPS even more attractive.
Again being an 'All India Service', it follows the Cadre system. In this system officers are allotted to various state cadres and your service is allotted to that state. So for all practical purposes you belong to that state service and may be deputed elsewhere but you'll always be recognized by your parent cadre. These systems though very usefull tends to positively and negatively affect careers. The cadre system is allotted on a basis of lottery and the toppers of each state may get a chance to get their home states if they have opted for such a preference.
the IPS is also filled through teh civilservices exam conducted by UPSC.
Indian Foriegn Service:
The Indian Foreign Service [IFS] is a Central Service and the premier diplomatic service of our country. Members of the IFS, primarily represent the country in the international arena. The Indian Foreign Service deals with the country's external affairs, including diplomacy, trade and cultural relations. It is responsible for the administration and activities of Indian missions abroad, and for the framing and implementation of the Government's foreign policy.
The service offers immense exposure to different political, social, ethnic and cultural milieu. An I.F.S officer can be posted in 160 odd Indian Embassies and Missions abroad. They can also be deputed to institutions like United Nations, UNESCO, World Bank, SAARC, etc. Back home, they can be posted in various parts of the country as Passport Officers.
Even though many toppers at the civil services exams opt for the IAS, with limited vacancies the IFS is also a tough service to get. With India and Indians going global, this is the service which holds a lot of promise and glamour.
Exam Procedure :
The Application Procedure for the Civil Services Examination is pretty simple. Electronically scannable Application Forms along with the Information Brochure can be obtained from the designated Head Post Offices / Post Offices throughout the country. The duly filled in Application Form with the acknowledgement card should be sent to - Secretary, Union Public Service Commission, Dholpur House, New Delhi - 110011. For more details regarding Syllabi, Examination Centres and other clauses, interested candidates are advised to check UPSC's Notification issued during December in 'Employment News' and all major newspapers. Get More Specialise Information on IAS Exams conducted by UPSC. Syllabus, Question Papers and more ...
Scheme of the Examination
The successive stages of examination are:
o Preliminary Examination for the selection of candidates for the Main Examination
o Main Examination (Written) for the selection of candidates for interview for a Personality Test.
o Interview (Personality Test)
Eligibility :
Academic Eligibility for IAS Exams
o A degree of any of the Universities incorporated by an Act of the Central or State Legislature in India or other educational institutions established by an Act of Parliament or declared to be a Deemed University under the UGC Act, 1956, or an equivalent qualification.
o Candidates who have appeared or intend to appear for the qualifying examination and are awaiting results are also eligible to appear for the Preliminary Examination. All such candidates who qualify to appear for the Civil Services Main Examination must produce proof of having passed the said examination along with their application for the Main Examination.
o The UPSC may in exceptional cases treat a candidate without the foregoing requisite qualification as an eligible candidate if he / she has passed an examination conducted by other institutions, the standard of which justifies his / her admission in the opinion of the Commission.
o Candidates with professional and technical qualifications recognised by the Government as equivalent to professional and technical degrees.
o Candidates who have passed the final year of MBBS or any Medical Examination but are yet to complete the internship can also appear for the Main Examination. However they must submit along with their Main Examination application, a certificate from the concerned authority of the University / Institution that they have passed the final professional medical examination. At the Interview stage they must then produce a certificate from a competent authority that they have completed (including internship) all the requirements for the award of the Medical Degree.
(1) Nationality
i. Only Indian nationals are eligible for IAS and IPS.
ii. For other services a candidate can be either of the following:
a. a citizen of India,
b. a subject of Nepal,
c. a subject of Bhutan,
d. a Tibetan refugee who came over to India before January 1, 1962 with the intention of permanently settling in India, or
e. a person of Indian origin who has migrated from Burma, Ethiopia, Kenya, Malawi, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Uganda, United Republic of Tanzania, Vietnam, Zaire or Zambia with the intention of permanently settling in India. Candidates belonging to either categories of b., c., d. or e., must produce an eligibility certificate issued by the Government of India. Those who belong to either of b., c., or d., categories are not eligible for appointment to the Indian Foreign Service.
(2) Age Limit
i. A candidate must have attained 21 years and not be over 30 years on August 1 of the year of examination.
ii. The upper age limit is relaxed in specific cases as mentioned below:
a. upto a maximum of 5 years if the candidate belongs to SC/ST.
b. upto a maximum of 3 years if the candidate belongs to Other Backward Classes.
c. upto a maximum of 5 years if the candidate had been domiciled in Jammu & Kashmir during the period between January 1, 1980 and December 31, 1989.
d. upto a maximum of 3 years in the case of Defence Services personnel disabled during hostilities with foreign countries or in a disturbed area and consequently released.
e. upto a maximum of 5 years in the case of ex-servicemen including Commissioned Officers and ECOs / SSCOs who have rendered at least five years Military Service as on August 1 of the year of examination and have been released:
+ on completion of assignment (including those whose assignment is due to be completed within one year from August 1 of the year of examination) otherwise than by way of dismissal or discharge on account of misconduct or inefficiency, or
+ on account of physical disability attributable to Military Service, or
+ on invalidment.
f. upto a maximum of 5 years in the case of ECOs / SSCOs who have completed an initial period of assignment (5 years Military Service) as on August 1 of the year of examination and whose assignment has been extended beyond 5 years. Such candidates will have to provide a certificate from the Ministry of Defence stating that they can apply for civil employment and they will be released on a notice of 3 months, upon selection, from the date of receipt of offer of appointment.
g. upto a maximum of 10 years in the case of blind, deaf-mute and orthopaedically handicapped candidates.
How many Attempts are there:
Get More Specialise Information on IAS Exams conducted by UPSC. Syllabus, Question Papers and more ... A maximum of 4 attempts is permitted to every candidate and 7 to those belonging to Other Backward Classes. There is no restriction on the number of attempts in the case of SC/ST candidates. All this provided you are still under the age limit. Also it is wiser to be mentally ready for several attempts as cracking the Civil Services Exams is a tough nut to crack the first time around; and if you do qualify you may want to attempt again to improve your ranking and therefore your service allotment.
Preliminary Exam:
The Preliminary Examination is one of the toughest exams in India and you should not take it lightly even though it is meant to serve as a screening test. This examination is conducted according to the following pattern:
| PAPER | SUBJECT | DURATION | MARKS | QUESTION TYPE |
| I | General Studies | 2 hrs | 150 | Objective Type |
| II | Optional Subject | 2 hrs | 300 | Objective Type |
General Studies includes the following: General Science, Current Events of national and international importance, History of India and Indian National Movement, India and World Geography, Indian Polity and Economy and General Mental Ability.
Optional Subjects for Preliminary Examination: Agriculture, Animal Husbandry & Veterinary Science, Botany, Chemistry, Civil Engineering, Commerce, Economics, Electrical Engineering, Geography, Geology, Indian History, Law, Mathematics, Mechanical Engineering, Medical Science, Philosophy, Physics, Political Science, Psychology, Public Administration, Sociology, Statistics and Zoology.
Main Exam:
The Main Examination is to assess the overall intellectual traits and depth of understanding of the candidates. The Written Examination in the Main Examination consists of 9 papers and is conducted according to the following pattern:
| PAPER | SUBJECT | DURATION | MARKS | QUESTION TYPE |
| I | One Indian language from those included in the Eighth Schedule* of the Constitution | 3 hrs | 300 | Essay Type |
| II | English | 3 hrs | 300 | Conventional Type |
| III | Essay | 3 hrs | 200 | Essay Type |
| IV&V | General Studies | 3 hrs | 300 for each | Essay Type |
| VI,VII,VIII & IX | Two papers in each of two Optional ** Subjects | 3 hrs | 300 for each | Essay Type |
* Languages are: Assamese, Bengali, Gujarati, Hindi, Kannada, Kashmiri, Konkani, Marathi, Malayalam, Manipuri, Nepali, Oriya, Punjabi, Sanskrit, Sindhi, Tamil, Telugu, Urdu.
** Optional Subjects for the Main Examination: Agriculture, Animal Husbandry & Veterinary Science, Anthropology, Botany, Chemistry, Civil Engineering, Commerce & Accountancy, Economics, Electrical Engineering, Geography, Geology, History, Law, Management, Mathematics, Mechanical Engineering, Medical Science, Philosophy, Physics, Political Science & International Relations, Psychology, Public Administration, Sociology, Statistics, Zoology, Literature of one of the following languages: Arabic, Assamese, Bengali, Gujarati, Hindi, Kannada, Kashmiri, Konkani, Marathi, Malayalam, Manipuri, Nepali, Oriya, Pali, Persian, Punjabi, Russian, Sanskrit, Sindhi, Tamil, Telugu, Urdu.
Civil Services Interview:
There are generally 5 members at the board with the Chairperson seated at the center. Enter confidently and greet the Chairperson, who will probably welcome you, and pleasantly nod at other members. Wait till you are asked to sit.
Intelligent listing is the mantra, and for this maintaining eye contact is very important. You should not glare but all the same appear attentive and do not glance at other members, it can be very distracting for the interviewer. However if some other member asks you anything, look at that member and answer and turn back to the first - this is what we do in normal attentive listening.
Do not fidget or throw your hands around, or shake your head. Less amount of movement does not mean you should sit unnaturally stiff. Your posture should be attentive and relaxed at the same time. Do not crouch/bend forward or place your hands on the table.
Cut your answer short to the required patience shown by the member talking to you. They usually like to talk more, so listen carefully and think for a few seconds before you start answering the question. This will show that you are organising your thoughts in mind before starting to speak.
Leave some room for difference in opinion. Do take a stand, but do not look adamant or unwilling to appreciate the board's opinion.
Use couple of words from the question while answering any question. It shows you have listened to the question carefully. But at the same time limit the use the technical jargon.
Listen very carefully. Come to the central issue of the enquiry immediately. Wild guessing or speculation are a complete no no.
Do not start evaluating your performance while still inthe interview. Even if you have committed mistakes in the beginning, do not think that you have already lost the game. They are looking for warm, sensitive respectful and attentive youngsters. They know you are good or you would not have come so far.
Talk humbly about your achievements and hobbies. You may have mentioned some hobbies in the form without serious background in them, but before the interview it would be useful to pick up some basic info on the hobby.
Say less to convey more. Less is more these days as per the minimalist creed. Argue logically and generalise correctly. Do not try to read too much between the lines.
Remember, while answering any question, what is easy to see is easy to miss. We often tend to miss the obvious and go for some non-crucial aspect of the subject.
Get up to leave only when the chairperson asks you to, not because you think everyone has asked a question. Similarly, even if someone has not asked a question and the chairperson asks you to leave then please leave. Some members do not ask questions at all, due to various reasons like limited time.
Before leaving politely thank the chairperson and nod at the others politely. Avoid saying "Have a good day sir". A "Thank you Sir/Madam" is enough.
Even though the interview carries 300 marks with no minimum qualifying marks, it is the deciding factor at many times of your being within the services or out of it and in the least matters in which service you get.However since the interview is so personal and variable it is most desirable to do very well in the written mains. But an Interview can make or break you so take your personality development rather seriously and make sure to attend some mock interviews at leading institutes.
UPSC Interview Questions:
UPSC Interview questions range from questions about your choice of subject to why you want to join the civil services. It is good to answer honestly but at the same time avoid cliches like wanting to do service to the nation etc. Questions on your hobbies are imperative so prepare well as they expect some indepth knowledge on that. Questions relating to your name, your college or school name are also a big posibility. If someone well-know shares one of these names please also prepare on that. Also learn up about important events on the year or date of your birth. As you can see, UPSC Interview questions are mainly from what you have filled in your form including your subject but here it is more a test of logic and presentation and awareness rather than pure subject knowledge. In the UPSC interview many questions are situational like what will you do if a Tsunami strikes your district and you are the DM/Collector/SP. Questions on your choice of service preference also need to be prepared. Current affairs analysis is important too.
Tips to improve your performance at the UPSC Interview
Application Procedure:
The Application Procedure for the Civil Services Examination is pretty simple. Electronically scannable Application Forms along with the Information Brochure can be obtained from the designated Head Post Offices / Post Offices throughout the country. The duly filled in Application Form with the acknowledgement card should be sent to - Secretary, Union Public Service Commission, Dholpur House, New Delhi - 110011. For more details regarding Syllabi, Examination Centres and other clauses, interested candidates are advised to check UPSC's Notification issued during December in 'Employment News' and all major newspapers.
For More Details
Civil Service of India website: www.upsc.gov.in
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