Keeping
oneself updated on current affairs by reading newspapers, magazines, journals, books and periodicals is absolutely
essential. It is also a pre-requisite to have a thorough knowledge on the Constitution of India and the Indian Economy.
Aspiring
candidates have to meet the prescribed eligibility criteria:
Nationality: While the primary
requirement is Indian citizenship, for for Indian Administrative Service (IAS)
and the Indian Police Service (IPS) and the Indian Foreign Service (IFS),
citizens of Bhutan and Nepal, and Tibetian refugees who migrated to India prior
to 1st of January 1962, and Tibetan refugees who came over to India
before 1st January, 1962 with the intention of permanently settling in India,
or people who has migrated from Pakistan, Burma, Sri Lanka, East African
countries of Kenya, Uganda, the United Republic of Tanzania, Zambia, Malawi,
Zaire, Ethiopia and Vietnam with the intention of permanently settling in India
are eligible to appear for most of the services.
Age: Aspirants in
the age bracket of 21 years to 32 years on 1st August of the year of
examination can appear in the general category. Relaxation in the upper age
limit is available for OBC, SC, ST and other categories of aspirants.
The age relaxation provided to the candidates of reserved
categories is as follows:
·
Schedule Caste /
Schedule Tribes: 5 years
·
Other Backward Caste:
3 years
·
personnel of defense
service: 3 years.
·
ex-servicemen
including commissioned officers ECOs/SSCOs: 5 years
Education: Aspirants should have graduated from any recognized university.
It is immaterial if the degree is a three year or four year, or if it is a full
time or if it has been acquired under a distance education program, through
correspondence. Candidates who have pursued professional and technical courses
should have done so from recognized universities only. Students in their final
year of graduation can also apply pending declaration of their results.
IAS Exam Pattern and the Selection Procedure
Round One:
The Preliminary qualifying examination is normally held during the months
of May and June. With very challenging odds of qualifying of about one in
thousand aspirants makes the UPSC CSE Exam the toughest Exam in India.
Round Two:
Those candidates qualifying in the Prelims can appear in the Mains. IAS Mains
Examination held in the months of September to October annually. As with the
Prelims, the preparation for the mains should be well strategized,
and managed approach. The Mains include:
Qualifying Exam
|
Two papers
|
General Essay
|
One paper
|
General Studies
|
Four papers
|
Optional Mains Examination
|
|
Round Three: Aspirants qualifying
in the Mains Examination, are called for the Personality Test or the Interview
Round. In this round candidates are evaluated for their suitability for a
career in public service
The
Final Merit List is prepared by totaling the marks awarded to the candidates in
the Mains Exam and the Interview Round.