Civil Services are jobs like IAS, IPS, IFS, IRS etc. directly related to public service. Along with All India Services such as IAS, IPS and IFoS, a total of 21 services. IAS is the considered as the premier of Civil Services. There are three ways to become an IAS officer: Through Civil Services Examination (CSE) conducted by the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC), promotion of State Civil Service officers to IAS and selection of non-State Civil Service officers.

The candidate must hold a graduation degree from a government-recognized university. In their final year or awaiting results, candidates are also eligible to appear for UPSC preliminary Examination.

Yes, there is negative marking in the UPSC Prelims Exam.

Every wrong answer will cost you 1/3rd of the marks for that answer, i.e., 0.66 marks for Paper 1 (GS) and 0.83 marks for Paper 2 (CSAT). But on the other hand, there is no negative marking in the UPSC Mains Exam. However, You will be penalised for some violations, if you make any, to the extent of some deductions in your total marks

The UPSC last revised the age limit criteria in 2015.

If you are a candidate of the general category, you must be at least 21 years and must not have reached the age of 32 years as of 1st August of the year of examination.

OBC; + 3 years, SC/ST; +5 Years Relaxation

The number of attempts is 6 for a General Category Candidate, 9 for OBC and no limitations for SC/ST

Ans. Yes, an attempt in the prelims examination counted as an attempt for the UPSC exam

Answer: No, an attempt is counted only if a candidate has appeared in at least one paper in the Civil Services (Preliminary) Examination.

Answer:  No, you may choose different centres for your Prelims and Mains.

Answer: Yes, you can choose any optional subject from amongst the UPSC's list of optional subjects for the Civil Services Main Exam.

Answer: No, you have the option to write your answers either in English or in any one of the languages included in the Eighth Schedule to the Constitution.

Ans: Yes, every Prelims is counted as a separate attempt.

There is no such stream or subject. Perhaps a perception of advantage is felt because of certain optional subjects. Ex; A B.A History Student need not choose a different optional subject than what she studies in her college. But this is relative. UPSC is a general studies focussed subject

Every urban area becomes a sprawling center for some activity or the other. It is not surprising that cities like Delhi attract a big number of aspirants. It is a huge industry. When the churn is high, the results also seem to be high. Take this sample; 1 result out of 1000 is the same as 100 results out of 1 Lakh. While there are some advantages in Delhi such as access to resources and materials. It also becomes a problem of plenty. We live in a digital age. Physical boundaries don’t matter at all. Mobile Phones can enable you to access the same classes in Delhi. Online Classes are a rage nowadays.

The biggest advantage of Delhi is that you never get a chance to slip back into complacency.  The competition will be directly on your face. But it is very costly to enrol in a course and accommodate there.

Chennai too has become a hub for civil services aspirants. You can avail the best opportunities wherever you are. So beyond geographic locations, your commitment matters. Even we have a branch in Trichy and Nellai which has enabled the aspirants of the location to have a chance at Civil Services.

Answer - Candidates can apply online for the UPSC Examinations by accessing the online portal hosted on the UPSC’s website (https://upsconline.nic.in).

Answer: UPSC Examination Notices encapsulate the Rules of Examinations notified by the Government. Examination Notices of all the 13 Structured Examinations are uploaded on the Commission’s website around 3 months before the date of Examination. Examination Notices (indicative) are also published in the Employment News/Rozgar Samachar.

 Answer – The UPSC publishes an Annual Programme (Calendar) of all the Structured Examinations/RTs conducted by it at least 6 months in advance (i.e. in June) for the Examinations/RTs to be conducted during the next calendar year. The Programme is uploaded on the UPSC’s website as also published in the leading news papers of the country. The date of issue of Examination Notice for each Examination is also mentioned in this Annual Programme.

Answer: The answer is as many hours as you can study efficiently. What matters is the quality of studying rather than quantity of reading. First the difference between 'studying' and 'reading' should be understood. When understanding adds to 'Reading – it becomes 'studying'. Study Effectively. Revise many times.

We can thus conclude that studying for 6 hours is better and more rewarding than just reading for 16 hours. That is to say 'Quality' is more important than the 'Quantity' invested.

Answer: Most of the students who succeeded in the Civil service were very ordinary students in their academics.

An average student has an added advantage as he knows his/her limitations.

But they knew, how to add 'extra' into 'ordinary' to become 'extra-ordinary'. That extra is provided by their firm determination, honest self-assessment, and planning followed by strict implementation. Hard, Honest, and steady preparation always helps one achieve. Even as a tortoise, you can still beat the rabbit.

Ans: It is imperative to read one newspaper every day during your preparation to understand the current happenings. Monthly magazines and Classes may also help you. But they should not be substitutes. There is no harm in reading some issues twice. Without newspaper reading, Monthly magazines and Classes might make you intimidated and anxious.

Ans: It will be highly beneficial for your Mains preparation if you can follow answer writing every day. If initially, you cannot do it, at some point of your preparation, it needs to become an essential practice

Ans: Yes, you may choose either English or Hindi or any other Indian Language opted by them for the compulsory Indian Language Paper in the written part of the Civil Services (Main) Examination, as the medium for the interview. The candidate has to indicate the language medium of the interview at the time of filling up the Detailed Application Form (DAF)

Ans: The eligibility for the exam in terms of age is 21 years. There is no particular age for starting the preparation for IAS exams. It all depends on an individual and their level of mental ability to grasp things. However, it is suggested that starting it at the age of 18 is ideal because students will get enough time for planning and studies. The upper age limit for appearing in the UPSC exam should also be kept in mind

Ans: Yes, you can prepare for this exam if you use your time wisely. Though, it would be advisable that you spend 5-6 weeks before Prelims and Mains exams, dedicatedly to exam preparation.

Answer: The basic criteria are in same sequence of importance.

• Self- Interest.
• Availability of study material and guidance.
• Scoring options – trend prevailing.