IAS exam (officially known as the Civil Services Examination) is conducted by the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) annually. The official UPSC Notification for IAS Exam 2024 will be released on 14th February 2024. Currently, IAS Exam 2023 is underway. The IAS Exam for 2024 prelims phase will take place on 26 May 2024. IAS Mains 2024 will commence on 20 September 2024. Once the IAS 2023 will be in its final stage, – as in the interview stage – IAS 2024 will take place.
Introduction
In the history of India’s bureaucratic system, the IAS test has an undeniable significance. The Indian Administrative Service was founded with roots in British colonial times to promote effective governance, protect the rule of law, and spur social advancement. Today, the IAS test is a meeting place for people with various origins and objectives who are brought together by a shared desire for greatness in public service.
IAS Exam Pattern
The IAS Exam pattern is:
- Stage I: Preliminary Examination (IAS Prelims)
- Stage II: Mains Examination (IAS Mains)
- Stage III: UPSC Personality Test (IAS Interview)
Preliminary Exam
- The IAS Exam’s first phase is currently underway.
- The Civil Services Aptitude Test (CSAT) comprises of two papers: General Studies Paper I and General Studies Paper II.
- Both exams consist of multiple-choice questions of the objective type.
- In the first General Studies Paper, topics such current events, history, geography, economy, politics, the environment, and science are covered.
- The CSAT (General Studies Paper II) tests a candidate’s aptitude as well as their capacity for logical thought, analytical skill, decision-making, comprehension, and fundamental numeracy.
Main Exam:
- Candidates who pass the preliminary exam proceed to the main exam.
- The Main Examination has nine papers, of which seven are used to determine rankings.
- Essay, General Studies I, General Studies II, General Studies III, General Studies IV, Optional Subject Paper 1, and Optional Subject Paper 2 are among the papers that may be submitted.
- Candidates must submit two essays on general interest topics for the essay exam.
- History, politics, economics, the environment, ethics, and other topics are all covered in general studies papers.
- Candidates may select a subject from a list of authorized optional subjects for their optional subject papers.
Interview (Personality Test):
- Candidates who clear the Main Examination are called for the Interview stage.
- The Interview assesses the candidate’s overall personality, communication skills, and suitability for a career in the civil services.
- The Interview is conducted by a board of competent and unbiased observers.
Stage I: Preliminary Exam
| Sl. No. | Name of the Paper | Nature of the Paper | Duration of the Exam | Questions | Marks |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | IAS Exam Paper – I: General Studies | Merit Ranking Nature | 2 Hours | 100 | 200 Marks |
| 2 | IAS Exam Paper – II: General Studies (CSAT) | Qualifying Nature | 2 Hours | 80 | 200 Marks |
- The questions in the IAS Exam (Prelims) are of the objective type or Multiple Choice Questions (MCQs)
- There is ‘Negative Marking’ in the IAS Exam for each incorrect answer but only in the Prelims stage. The negative marking for incorrect answers will be 1/3rd (0.66) of the allotted marks of that question.
- The GS Paper II (CSAT) in IAS exam is of qualifying nature and candidates should score a minimum of 33 per cent in this paper to qualify to the next stage of the IAS exam i.e. the Mains.
- Blind candidates are given an extra time of 20 minutes for each paper in the IAS Exam (Prelims).
- It is mandatory for the candidates to appear in both the papers of civil services prelims exam for the evaluation.
- The marks scored by the candidates in the preliminary examination are not counted for the final score. It is only a screening test where candidates not securing the cut-off marks are eliminated.
Stage II: Main Exam
The second stage of the IAS Exam is called the Mains Exam, which is a written descriptive examination and comprises 9 papers. The 9 papers in IAS Exam (Mains) are as follows: Paper-A (Compulsory Indian Language); Paper –B (English) which are qualifying in nature, while the other papers like Essay, General Studies Papers I, II, III, and IV, and Optional Papers I and II are considered for the final ranking.
| Sl. No. | IAS Exam Paper | Name of the Paper | Nature of the Paper | Duration of the Exam | Marks | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Paper – A | Compulsory Indian Language | QUALIFYING NATURE | 3 Hours | 300 Marks | ||
| 2 | Paper – B | English | 3 Hours | 300 Marks | |||
| 3 | Paper – I | ESSAY | MERIT RANKING NATURE | 3 Hours | 250 Marks | ||
| 4 | Paper – II | General Studies I | 3 Hours | 250 Marks | |||
| 5 | Paper – III | General Studies II | 3 Hours | 250 Marks | |||
| 6 | Paper – IV | General Studies III | 3 Hours | 250 Marks | |||
| 7 | Paper – V | General Studies IV | 3 Hours | 250 Marks | |||
| 8 | Paper – VI | Optional Paper I | 3 Hours | 250 Marks | |||
| 9 | Paper – VII | Optional Paper II | 3 Hours | 250 Marks | |||
| TOTAL | 1750 Marks | ||||||
| Interview or Personality Test | 275 Marks | ||||||
| GRAND TOTAL | 2025 Marks | ||||||
Stage III: Interview
The Interview, also known as the Personality Test, is the final stage of the Indian Administrative Service (IAS) Exam. After clearing the Main Examination, candidates who score above a certain threshold are invited for the interview. This stage evaluates the candidate’s personality traits, communication skills, and overall suitability for a career in the civil services.
IAS Exam Preparation
Read on for IAS exam preparation strategy:
- Analysing the trend, more current affairs based questions are being asked in both, Prelims and Mains stage of the IAS exam. Select only credible sources like PIB, The Hindu, Yojana etc. and align the current events as per the IAS exam syllabus. For the IAS exam, current affairs usually comprise events of national and international importance in the last 10-12 months.
- Go through the previous years’ IAS exam questions to gauge the amount of preparation needed from your end.
- Read the NCERT books and make notes. You will have to make at least two sets of notes i.e. short notes for Prelims and descriptive notes for UPSC Mains.
- The preparation for Prelims and Mains must be done simultaneously until 1-2 months before the date of the Prelims exam. Identify the syllabus overlap between Prelims and Mains and focus on those areas first.
- Select an Optional subject for the IAS exam based on your aptitude, interest and experience. Few optional subjects have a significant overlap with the General Studies syllabus in Mains, however, their syllabi are rather vast so do your due diligence before finalising one.
- Go through the standard books for each subject. Find the IAS exam book list, Current Affairs notes, NCERT notes and other information in the links below.
- Do not take lightly the CSAT paper in Prelims and Ethics paper in Mains. Similarly, the two qualifying language papers in Mains are also important as failing to score at least 25% in them will automatically eliminate you from the IAS exam process notwithstanding your stellar performance in all the other papers.
- Take out time for MCQ solving practice for Prelims and answer writing practice for Mains.
- Revise multiple times, update your notes, and revise some more.
Mistakes to Avoid in the IAS Exam Preparation
Some of the most common mistakes that must be avoided during the preparation of the IAS journey are:
- Inadequate understanding of the IAS exam pattern and syllabus: Familiarise yourself with the structure of the exam, the number of papers, their weightage, and the marking scheme.
- Neglecting current affairs and General Knowledge preparation: Develop a habit of reading newspapers, magazines, and reliable online sources to stay informed about national and international news. Additionally, focus on diverse topics to broaden your knowledge base.
- Lack of a systematic study plan and disciplined study routine: Break down the syllabus into smaller, manageable parts and allocate specific time slots for each topic. Stick to a disciplined study routine, ensuring regularity and consistency in your preparation.
- Overemphasis on memorisation rather than understanding concepts: The IAS exam requires critical thinking and analytical skills. Focus on developing a deep understanding of the subjects, grasp the fundamental concepts, and apply them to real-world scenarios.
- Insufficient practice in answer writing and lack of time management skills during the exam: Regularly practice writing answers to previous years’ question papers and work on improving your writing style, structure, and coherence. Practice solving questions within the stipulated time to enhance your speed and efficiency.
FAQs
IAS officers are responsible for the implementation of government policies, administrative functions, and development programs.
The number of attempts varies based on categories. General category candidates usually have six attempts, while OBC candidates have nine attempts. SC/ST candidates have unlimited attempts until the age limit.
IAS and IPS officers undergo separate training programs. While both services are trained at the Lal Bahadur Shastri National Academy of Administration (LBSNAA) in Mussoorie, IAS officers receive broader administrative training, while IPS officers receive specialized police training.
In exceptional cases, an IAS officer can hold positions in the police department, including becoming a police commissioner.
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