My Analysis of 2013 Civil Services Exam Notification

Finally, the notification came, after eternity of waiting. 

And I understood, only towards the end, that why UPSC had to take a month of extra time, to put out the notification.

(Btw, UPSC made me troll, as soon as I opened their notification pdf. I felt sad and ridiculed, looking at the very first page. Take a peek at this Snap-Shot, at point 3. After a month of time that they borrowed, is this the way, to do the things ? )

Now that they have made it more 'General', lets look at the new pattern.

So the exam retained same old Prelims + Mains + Personal Interview pattern. (And I heard from someone, that they might totally change even this!)

Prelims will have, like last year, two papers.

2013 Civil Services Exam - Prelims in a Nut Shell

For Mains, we will have to give totally 9 papers. They are : 

Eight Written Papers :

General Studies (Four papers)                                     - 4

1 Optional Subject (Two papers)                                  - 2

Essay                                                                        - 1

English Comprehension & Precis Writing                      - 1

And at last, after getting through Mains (Written), "Personal Interview"

Weightage of papers in 2013 Civil Services (Mains) Exam

We can see, that GS, with four papers, now has almost half of the share of total marks.  Followed by the Optional Subject (We have to choose 1 from a list of 25), taking close to 25 % . 

If one scores decently in every paper (read it as 50 % plus) and cumulates morsels here and there, wherever possible, and towards the end, march to the range 55 - 60 % of total, ie, 1150 - 1250 on top of 2075, a double digit rank can be easily clinched. 

To quote from ToI article,

Officials feel that the unlike the earlier pattern which used to short-list candidates more on the basis of their score in specified subjects instead of their knowledge in general studies, the new pattern will focus more on testing candidates in their administrative and managerial potential and awareness of the country's socio-economic system.

विजयी भव !

Dont worry about Pattern Chage of 2013 Civil Services Exam !

(Thanks a lot to this page, which motivated me to focus more coherently on 2013 CSE)

Here is that content, for your sake !

Dear student friends ,

There is uncertainty about change in the syllabus of civil services (main) examination. The entire speculation is hovering around the fact that in restructured syllabus optional subjects will be replaced by common and compulsory papers for all the students appearing in the main examination. The speculation is not receding from the scene even after the response of minister of State in the ministry of personnel, public grievances and pensions placed in the Prime Minister’s office (PMO) in RajyaSabha on Dec. 01, 2011 for a starred question. The minister said that the Union Government of India has no plan to restructure the syllabus of civil services (main) examination. But the rumours are aired that UPSC can introduce new pattern of syllabus in 2013. In this situation it becomes really difficult for aspirants to decide their strategy for the examination. The students are in the fix whether to study subjects or not? What will happen if they study subjects and syllabus gets revised in 2013?

The crucial point is that you cannot wait and watch for the notification of UPSC in next year and accordingly plan. By the time notification comes you will be left with three months for clearing the preliminary examination. During this period you cannot prepare for new syllabus which will replace subjects. Thus you will be left with only 4 months to cope with the new syllabus. Here the role of study of public administration before waiting for next year’s notification becomes critical. But the question can be raised why public administration? How it will help in preparing for the new syllabus?

The answers lie in the present syllabus of public administration. The training institutions for All-India services and other services have asked for incorporation of more issues dealing with administrative structure, function and theoretical dimensions of the administration in the syllabus so that selected candidates have better understanding as background for their grooming as efficient administrator through training. Moreover the committees appointed for looking into the matter have recommended changes in Mains syllabus on the same lines. The expectation is that there will be 6 common and compulsory papers for all students in the mains examination. Out of these papers at least 2 papers will have strong dose of the present public administration. The recommended syllabus is expected to cover at least 70-80% of present paper-I of public administration. The second paper of public administration which deals with the Indian Constitution and Indian Administration will be incorporated in the new syllabus with more emphasis on the Constitutional understanding and its implications for the administration.

The understanding of public administration has already become part of preliminary examination in form of decision making questions and communication skills. In this backdrop it seems needless to emphasise the importance of public administration at the interview level. When UPSC is willing to test your administrative understanding and aptitude at preliminary and mains level obviously the understanding of administrative concepts and situation in India will be expected at the interview level.

So this is not time for sitting fingers crossed and loose crucial time for preparation. In this time of transition study of public administration can give you advantage over students of other subjects. Even if syllabus gets restructured with no subjects in new pattern most of the syllabus of public administration will be incorporated in the new syllabus. Now you have to decide whether you want to lag behind or capitalise upon the opportunity by studying public administration and get in advantageous position.

OUR APPROACH

1-Emphasis on conceptual clarity of paper one for better understanding of Indian Administration
2- Continuous updating of Indian Administration with current affairs
3- Special coverage of areas proposed in the new mains syllabus and modified study of the whole syllabus in tune with the changes
4- Printed notes and handouts with contemporary inputs in significant areas
5- Classroom answers writing practice and test series
6- Discussion of previous years questions

RECOMMENDED BOOK LIST-

Paper-1
· Pubic administration- S. Polinaidu
· Administrative thinkers-Prasad and Prasad

Paper-2
· Indian administration-R.K.Arora and RajniGoyal
· Constitution of india-D.D.Basu/ B.K.Sharma

The idea for recommending very small and simple book list is that students should not get confused with more literature at the initial stage of the preparation. Once they build their concepts in classroom they can consult more literature for enriching their answers.

 All the Best !

Aiming 2013-2014 Civil Services Exam.

After going through this page, I am tempted to keep my target a bit higher than what they have done.

(Link goes to Wiki of Civil Services of India)

Overall Target Score : 1400 / 2300

Prelims : Clearing with perfectly answering 70 % of MCQ's.

Mains :

GS papers : Both papers put together,  360 / 600
Optional I : Both papers put together,  380+ / 600

Optional I : Both papers put together,  380+ / 600 

Essay : 100 / 200

Interview : 200 / 300

Total =  1420 / 2300

That would mean 61 percent of 2300 marks.

And I am thinking of Physics and Maths optionals. 

Also, as I might not fare well in Essay, Interview, GS papers in that order, I should be planning to get as many marks as possible, in Optionals. 

Thats all for today,

All the best for your preparations,

V!vek