1}

A 2012 alumnus with a BE Computer Science degree, Vandana Raj maintained a CGPA of 9.4 and still made
a bold decision to not sit for placements. Rather, she decided to take a year off to prepare for the UPSC
exam. Being offered the post of Asst. Commissioner in the Indian Revenue Service, she decides to take
another shot trying better and even harder for the Administrative service. When we contacted her for a
phone interview, she was more than happy to answer my questions earnestly. Not for a moment there was
a surge of pride in the voice, it went on more like a senior-junior convo. Out of respect and admiration, I
ended up addressing her as Ma'am every time. Here is an excerpt from the interview about cracking the
Civil Services.
Civil Services examination is tough to crack in a single attempt. Share your experience/thoughts
on that..
Yes, that is true. Understanding the approach towards this exam is crucial, which can be obtained only with
right guidance and support. Knowing what not to read is more important that what to read, given the vast
syllabus and the needed depth of understanding.
Did you have a family member in the Civil Services domain to guide you? Who was your mentor?
How were you inspired?
No, I had no family member in the Civil Services. I was inspired by my neighbour Late Shri. S.Sripall, retired
DGP, Tamil Nadu. He was a man of impeccable integrity, compassion and courage. He used to patiently
narrate his experiences in the service, to a novice like me. I listened in awe and reverence. Apart from the
heroic tales, his empathetic approach, ready-to-help nature and humility have always inspired me.
Having graduated from CEG - a premier institution for engineering, what made you want to get
into the Civil Services?
Graduating from a top college does tempt you with a lucrative job offer. However, it cannot be a long term
motivator. I felt this career, apart from satisfying my needs, also helped me become a useful part of the
society. It is this quest for meaning and purpose in life, that led me here.
How was this decision supported by your family?
My family has been the pillar of support for me. The Civil Service examination is a long and well spaced-out
process, demanding great level of patience and commitment. There are bound to be many excruciating
moments. You need to overcome peer-pressure and self-doubts. You are also required to make few
compromises in social life. At these times, family can be one's best support system. I am glad and truly
blessed to have had them beside me.
When did you begin preparation for the examination?
I started preparing from my final year of college. I enrolled with Prabha IAS Academy in Chennai(preliminary
stage) and Vajiram and Aspire IAS in Delhi(Mains stage). Websites
likeinsightsonindia.com, mrunal.org, idsa.in and pib.nic.in were very useful in my preparation.
In your final year, how did you juggle placements and UPSC preparation?
Well, strangely enough, I didn't take up placements. Some called me over-confident, some called me naive.
To me, I was pretty sure of what I wanted to do. Furthermore, I did not want to unnecessarily seize
someone else's opportunity to prove my self-worth.

There may be many challenges on the way, but never give up. Love what you are
doing. Never crib, it does not make things any better.
To what extent do grades obtained in school or college affect one's chances?
They have absolutely no relation. They neither help you nor pull you down. It is sufficient to the extent of
having a degree beside your name.
Tell us about your preparation strategy.
The exam occurs in 3 stages - Preliminary, Mains and Interview. For all the 3 stages, one needs to have a
thorough knowledge of the syllabus, past question papers and relevant books. For Preliminary, an extensive
study covering diverse topics is essential. For Mains however, an indepth understanding of the current issues
is needed. And interview, confidence with clarity, is the key.
Is it necessary to be strong in G.K. before starting preparation?
Well, by GK if you mean, factual, memory based knowledge - those days have gone by. Questions like the
longest river, the tastiest water are not tested anymore. But by GK, if you mean, a well rounded personality,
aware of the things happening around and curious to learn new things, then yes it is! And it is not necessary
that one possesses such attributes before the preparation - it is a part of the preparation.
What were some of the motivating factors that kept you focused during your preparation?
Well, during the preparation I realised that no motivation is enough unless it comes from within. I tried
collecting inspiring quotes and sticking them all over. It never worked, beyond a few minutes! So I think,
one needs to motivate oneself. I try to write when I am feeling low. At other times, I talk to my mother.
How was your final interview? Could you tell us a little about your experience
My interview was very exciting, to say the least. The panel was headed by an Indian Foreign Service officer Shri. Manbir Singh. The seasoned diplomat that he is, he was extremely cordial and supportive. Questions
ranged from my academic background to the national and international events in the past week. The
questions were deliberately current affairs oriented, to check spontaneity and perception. Few questions
were - Why should India be given the permanent membership in UNSC, Indo-Pak recent standoff, shut down
of Hindustan Motors & Ambassador cars, Cross media holdings, Badaun rape case, corruption etc.

The questions were deliberately current affairs oriented, to check spontaneity and
perception.
Which of the three services do you prefer, why?
I prefer the Indian Administrative Services - for the sheer diversity of job profile. It provides an opportunity
to work both at the field level and at the policy level. The ability to have a positive impact on the lives of
numerous people has been an inspiration.
About your time at CEG?
CEG gave me lots of exposure to the outside world. I was a regular participant of Kurukshetra from 2010
(Projects team), 2011(Media Team) and finally a K!ore member in 2012. As the class representative for a
year, I gained many skills of coordination, initiative and leadership. The German classes in my second year,
were lots of fun. I was also a part of the Guindy Times. I enjoyed every moment being the Student Editor.
Theme based articles on Chennai and Movies were my personal favourites. It was an outlet for creative
energy, far away from the world of numbers and programs of Computer Science engineering.

I enjoyed every moment being the Student Editor. Theme based articles on
Chennai and Movies were my personal favourites.
Your message to the future Civil Services exam aspirants...
This exam is a ready recipe of 3 ingredients - Patience, Hardwork and Consistency. Add some salt of
curiosity and little sweet of compassion. Garnish it with few smiles(positive energy) and passion. And it is
ready to serve! To all aspirants and non-aspirants follow your heart. There may be many challenges on the
way, but never give up. Love what you are doing. Never crib, it does not make things any better. Be of some
use, to the people around you. Help, trust and love - unconditionally.

2}It was a great day and I was charged with the blessings and wishes of hundreds of my wellwishers. My civil
services interview was scheduled in the morning session. I was the second candidate to be interviewed by my
panel. Fortunately, there was no time for discussions about the board while we were sitting in the waiting hall
as the UPSC staff had kept us busy with the formalities that had to be completed. The UPSC staff is very cordial
and effecient. I felt happy about it. The first candidate was called at around 10.00 a.m. I was made to wait
outside the interview hall at around 10.15 a.m. It is a wonderful ambience inside the UPSC building and by
Gods Grace, the climate was too pleasant for a April 13 in Delhi. I was enjoying this beauty when suddenly, a
person came with some
snacks and tea. I was praying that he should serve the snacks and tea before I enter the room. I would not be
very comfortable having those snacks and tea and answering the interview panels questions simultaneously.
My prayers were heard.
The board took around 10 minutes after the exit of the first candidate. I am not sure if they were discussing my
summary sheet or having their snacks. The bell rang at around 10.25 a.m. I entered with a May I Come in Sir.
The Chairman responded with a great smile. I took my seat and was into a different world altogether for the
next 35-40 minutes. Words flew from my mouth effortlessly without any blabbering and I am feeling very good
that there was no untoward incident reported during the interview. I am not taking the efforts to describe the
exact details of the interview room or the exact layout of the members table. There were five members
including the Chairman (all male). Here are the questions and answers that will decide my career in the civil
services. The sequence is not original. I am also refraining from naming the chairman of the board.
Sudhakar Gupta.
Sir, it is Sudhir Gupta.
Sudhir, What are you doing currently?
Sir, I am an intern at the Planning Commission of India.
What is it? Is it a permanent employment?
No Sir, the internship is for a maximum of six months.
What do you do there?
Sir, I am assigned to the Socio Economic Research Division and I am allocated some work by the advisor of the
division.

How much do they pay you?

Sir, they pay me 10000 rs per month
Did you leave your previous job as Assistant Professor?
Yes sir, I resigned after clearing my prelims.
But now, you have joined some other employment. How does it help.
Sir, I joined the Planning Commission only recently after clearing my mains examination.
You are a MS by Research in Computer Science Engineering? (A question like why do you want to join civil
services was asked)
Sir, I feel helpless when I see the people in distress conditions, the marginalized sections of the society. I believe
that by the authority vested in me, particularly by getting into IAS I will no longer be helpless. I will be satisfied
and happy. My lower order needs have been met and now it is the self esteem and self actualisation needs that
are important for me. I am pursuing my dream.
(There was a tacit approval of my strategies on the face of the member)
How does one become happy?
Sir, One becomes happy when one gets what one wanted or reaches his goals.
What does it take for one to be happy? Money, power, satisfaction.
Sir, it is a mix of all these and this proportion varies from person to person.
Nowadays, it is felt that politics can do a lot to help the people. What is your opinion?
Post independence sir, the political executive has a lot of authority to transform the lives of the citizens. It is
definitely on my agenda but today,getting into IAS is a much more easier proposition than getting into politics.
What is GPS?
Geographical Positioning System
Ok, you will be knowing this. Now, tell me what is the system that Russia and EU is building in lieu of GPS?
Sir, Russia is building GLONASS (Global Navigation Satellite System) and I forgot the name of the system,
Europe is building.
Ok, is GLONASS operational or was it operational before and now defunct?
Sir, GLONASS is still short of some satellites required for being operational. It was never
operational. The project was shelved after the disintegration of the Soviet Union. It has been activated only now
with the help of other countries.
Tell me about ITER (he did not say aye tee ee aar)?
Pardon me sir.
Now he said I. T. E. R
Sir, it stands for International Thermonuclear Experimental Research. He corrected it as reactor and I

acknowledged. I further said that this research aims to harness energy from the nuclear fusion process, the
process that takes place on the surface of the sun.
Do you know about the project cost and the countries involved?
Sir, I do not know about the exact project cost and all the countries involved. I only know that India is a part of
this project.
You are from IIIT-Hyderabad. The ministry of HRD is trying to establish IIITs on a PPP basis. Are you aware of
such a proposal?
Yes Sir, this proposal is inspired by the successful functioning of IIIT-Hyderabad. The Government gives the
land and other infrastructural facilities. The institutes should have to become self sustainable and find their
own resources for the maintenance.
You are giving me the general details. Do you know the specifics of the proposal?
No Sir, I do not know the specifics.
There was some question of biological diversity and he clarified that he wanted to know about living modified
organisms.
I told him about the access and benefit sharing provisions of CBD which enable the local communities to share
the profits accruing to the companies from living modified organisms. He seemed to be satisfied and did not
grill me further.
Which are the different modes of trade recognized under GATTS? Sir, there are four modes of trade M1, M2,
M3, M4. I know that M4 is movement of people. I know the other modes but do not know the exact mapping as
to which is M1, M2 and M3. Presence abroad, Foreign investment are the other modes. He then told me about
internet etc as M1. I then added remittances to it. He felt satisfied.
Have you heard of Article 370. What is it?
Sir, this article provides special status to the state of Jammu and Kashmir.
Is it special status? Do you know the exact titling of the article.
No Sir, I only know the essence of the article.
Ok, tell me the essence of the article.
Sir, there are some subjects of the Union list which are not applicable to the state and the state also has its own
constitution.
Does it have a constitution or only a law?
Sir, it has its own constitution drafted by a Constitutent Assembly.
Constituent Assembly? Are you sure?
Yes Sir, I am sure.

Do any other states enjoy this special status?

Yes Sir, Under article 371, some states of the North East enjoy this special status.
Yesterday, you have heard about the judgement on Right to Education by the Supreme court?
What is the exact title of the act?
Sir, I will try to recollect. It is Right to Compulsory education Act, I think sir.
It is Right to Free and Compulsory Education Act.
Thank you sir.
What is the implication of the judgement?
Sir, the implication is that Corporate Social Responsibility is no longer voluntary and it can
be mandated by the State.
Are all the private institutes affected by the judgment?
No Sir, unaided minority institutions are not affected.
Which are the categories of institutes affected>
Sir, Government schools, Aided private schools and unaided private schools.
Question repeat: Which are not covered?
Sir, Unaided minority schools.
Are Kendriya Vidyalayas also included?
Sir, I think, an amendment was passed to keep Kendriya Vidyalayas out of the purview of the act.
No, it was within the act itself.
Ok sir, thank you.
Are you aware of any previous two judgements of Supreme Court in which the rights of private institutions were
upheld? Yes Sir, I only know the name of one of the case. It is T.M.A Pai case. I do not know the specifics of the
case.
Ok, your subjects are public administration and sociology? Tell me, what is marriage.
Sir, Marriage is a social institution that legitimizes procreation and there are other perspectives like the
marxian perspective which say that marriage is a way of producing children of undisputed paternity which is
related to property rights.
What do you think about the compulsory registration of marriages? Should we go for it.
Sir, right now, marriage is not a subject dealt by the Uniform Civil Code and is left to the
individual communities. We should know the sense of the community.
The cabinet has made decision about the same yesterday. Do you know about it.
No Sir, I am not aware of it.

You have written something about Green day and AIDS awareness? Can you tell more about that.
Sir, as a secretary of Community Development, we started the celebration of Green day where every saturday,
the students and the faculty were requested to use public transport system and not their personal vehicles.
What personal vehicles?
Most of them used to get a two wheeler. Some of them used to get a four wheeler.
What about AIDS awareness?
Sir, we used to conduct seminars and distribute related material.
What did it contain?
Sir, many students were unaware of the ways through which AIDS infects and spreads. We tried to tell them
about this sources and the prevention that they should take.
What is STD?
Sexually Transmitted Diseases.
You said something about Corporate Social Responsibility? What is it?
Sir, CSR requires the businesses to follow ethical practices in their business and also contribute to the
community around them.
So, what are the companies doing?
Sir, the public sector companies are earmarking 2% of their profits towards CSR. An equal amount is not
forthcoming from the private sector but the private sector have their own ways to effect CSR by establishing
trusts and foundations.
Do you know of any such trusts or foundations?
Yes Sir, I know of one such trust in my hometown. Its Deshpande foundation run by Mr. Gururaj Deshpande
who is an NRI.
What do they do?
Sir, they are focusing on the education of children. They have a programme called Agasthya. The students are
provided best quality education in sciences and they also help in other ways by adopting schools and providing
transport facilities to the students.
You spoke about self esteem and self actualisation. What are they?
Sir, they are the high order social needs as propounded by Maslow.
What is IPO?
Sir, is it Intellectual Property Outsourcing.
No, I was speaking about Inputs, Process and Outputs. Can you tell me more?
Sir, they are the basic units of a system and we could also add a fourth one which is feedback.

As an administrator, you will be required to know all these things. Compare it with the administrative system.
Sir, the inputs are obtained from the people from whom we derive our authority. The processes are established
by the procedure established by law or the due process of law. The outputs are results from the various
programmes of the administration.
Nowadays people are not satisfied with the outputs. Can you elaborate?
Sir, there is a realisation today that we should move from outputs to outcomes. Outcomes depends on the
outputs in various interdisciplinary fields.
Can you give an example?
Sir, in case of health. The outcome is to provide the best health services to the citizens. But, this will not depend
just on the outputs produced by the health department like IMR and MMR because the villages are connected
to the primary health centre by roads and roads are built and maintained by public works department.
Similarly, the ambulance services may be provided by the transport department. So, the outcome will depend
on the outputs provided by various departments.
Define motivation? Sir, I do not know the scholarly definition of motivation but I can define it myself?
Ok go ahead and define it.
Sir, motivation is the determination to get what you want and achieve your goals.
What was you specialization in IIIT Hyderabad?
Sir, I worked on image processing.
Ok, I will give you a task. You are driving a vehicle. There is another vehicle in front of you and there is a vehicle
coming from the front. How will you overtake? Give me an answer from the engineering point of view in terms
of input, processing and output.
Sir, the input will be provided by the eyes in terms of the visual information. Some other sensory organs like the
ears could also supplement if the vehicle coming from the front also sounds horn. There is also a sense of depth
because of the stereoscopic vision. So, all these inputs will be processed by the brain and signals will be sent to
the locomotory organs. In this case, to the arms that are controlling the steering wheel and to the legs that are
controlling the accelerator.
Compare a human being with a computer.
Sir, the sensory organs act like an input, the brain does the processing along with the mind and output
functions are performed by certain other organs like the locomotory organs. Mind is represented by the heart.
Which is the CPU? The brain or the heart?
Sir, comparing to the mechanical computer, it is brain where the calculations are done.
The CPU is the heart. Without heart, the body will not function.
I was nodding with a good smile on my face

Thank you, your interview is over.

Thank you Sirs.
No non sense questions and I am happy. Fingers crossed for the results in the first week of May.

3}

Ira Singhal IAS Topper Rank 1 Interview

BIODATA

Father name Rajendra Singhal

Mother name Anita Singhal
Height 4.5 feet
Cleared UPSC Examinations in 2010 Joined IRS
School (Class 10th)- Lorento convent
School (Class 12th)- Army Public School, Dhaula kaun.
Graduation- B.E (Computer engineering) from Netaji Subhas Institute Of Technology
Post Graduation -(M.B.A) in marketing and finance from the faculty of management
studies, University of Delhi.
Hobby She has keen interest in football
Work Alos worked in Pepsi Co
Date of Birth 31-08-1983
AIR-1
Percentage secured in UPSC Exam 2014-2015 53.43 per cent
Marks 1,082 marks out of a total 2,025
Last candidate of UPSC Exam 2014 marks 713 marks (35.20 percent)
Click Here to know the Marks of Ira Singhal and Others
This is the latest update about Ira Singhal IAS Topper Rank 1 Interview who cleared UPSC exams more than 2 times. UPSC
result declared in the evening of 4th July 2015 and there was the flow of success and happiness stricken at the
door of Ira Singhal who secured 1st position in UPSC Civil service examination 2014.She was the topper of UPSC examinations
who secured AIR 1.Ira Singhal got 920 marks in written Exam and 162 marks in the Interview section or personality test.
Must read Facts and Myths about IAS Exam
As Renu Raj and Nidhi Gupta has secured second and third positions respectively.
Ira Singhal and Nidhi, who are from Delhi, are Indian Revenue Service (Customs and Central Excise) officers and third ranker
Renu Raj is a doctor by profession. She is from Kerala.
Read Everything about IAS Exam
Ira Singhal told that I want to be an IAS officer. I want to do something for the benefit of physically challenged
people.Nidhi told that it is the proud moment for her to get selected in the UPSC examination. It is really a proud
moment. I put in a lot of hard work and finally it paid, She revealed.
You can also read Latest Eligibility Criteria for IAS Officer
Ira Singhal was 32 years old in 2015, a general category candidate and also a physically challenged. Ira Singhal was shocked and
surprised by her success in UPSC Civil service examinations. Ira Singhal had never allowed her disability to come in the way of
pursuing her dreams. Ira Singhal is suffering from scoliosis or curvature of the spine is curved, but this has never stopped or
demotivated her. She told BBC in an Interviewcrazy desire to serve my country.
Must read Step by step Guide on Best Coaching Classes for IAS IPS UPSC
An interview given to Hindustan Times, she told the reporter that I am both shocked and surprised at becoming the national
topper. I just want to say to everyone who is reading this, please let your daughters study and work. Let your daughters go out in
this world and make something of their lives.
You can also read Some Important Statergy for IAS Examination
The biggest issue with Ira Singhal was related with the physical and medical point of view, Ira Singhal is not eligible to be
an Indian Revenue Services Officer due to her health issue.Ira Singhals disability means she was not eligible for any
service of UPSC apart from IAS. She was not allowed to join any other service after giving CSE in UPSC including secretarial
and clerical Posts. As we all know that getting into UPSC qualified candidates list is tough but ranking the best to become an IAS

is tougher. So she had to obtain the best marks out of lakhs of candidates to get her dream Job of an IAS.
But, she never gives up. she fights against discrimination system due to the medical and physical issue, According to her this
should not be in the system of UPSC Examinations as it is the highest exam of the country.

Important Books for UPSC IAS IPS Prelims

Exam (Click on Books to buy):

General Studies Manual Paper-1 2016 (Paper-1 Manual)

General Studies Paper 2 (2016) (Paper-2 Manual)
20 Years IAS Prelims (CSAT) General Studies Topic-wise Solved Papers (1995-

2014)

(20 Years Solved Papers)

IAS (Pre.) Solved Papers General Studies (Solved Paper)

General Knowledge 2016: Latest Whos Who & Current Affairs: Latest Whos
Who and Current Affairs ( 2016 General Knowledge)
India 2015 (2015 Current Affairs)
Manorama Yearbook 2015 (Book & CD) (2015 Current Affairs with

CD)

History of Modern India (History)

The Wonder That Was India (Culture)
Geography of India (Geography)
Environmental Studies: From Crisis to Cure (Environment)
INDIAN POLITY 4th Edition (Polity)
Indian Economy 7th Edition (Economy)
Science & Technology (Technology)
Analytical Reasoning (CSAT Paper 2 Analytical Reasoning)
A Modern Approach to Verbal & Non-Verbal Reasoning ( CSAT Paper

Verbal Reasoning)
Ira Singhal had given CSE in the year 2010, 2011,2013 and in 2014. Ira Singhals file was rejected in 2011 when she had filed the
lawsuit and Ira won in the year 2014.Her lawsuit was rejected because according to commission her disability did not fit into any
of the disability categories. According to Ira Singhal, the commission had violated the Persons with Disabilities Act (PWD)
Articles 14 and 16 when she filed the lawsuit. After the rejection of her lawsuit by the commission, she moved to Central
Administrative Tribunal and she won it. In her previous attempt when Ira Singhal did not able to come in the top lists, she
had almost given up
You can also read What are the Special Functions and Powers of an IAS
An Interview is given to Livemint in which she said We girls are not meant for the kitchen, we have to shine and show we can
do wonders in the work field,
Click here to read The most Important reason to become an IAS
And, while the phone started ringing continuously after the news of her result broke, the most special call was undoubtedly from
that of a top official of the Department of Personnel and Training, who in 2010 had denied her posting, reported Hindustan
Times.
An Interview is given to Indian Express in which she told the reporter that It was a big disappointment, a major setback
then. But I decided to fight back. It was tough initially as I had to undergo tests, submit medical certificates and prove that I am
capable of doing jobs entrusted to me in the IRS. For two years, it was tough but then everyone realised that I am capable of
working in spite of the disabilities. They realised I am no pushover,
Click here to know how easily you can select Optional subjects
The question asked by Zee news with the Parents of Ira Singhal How do you feel after knowing that your daughter topped the
civil service examination, You was confident on your daughter that she will get succeeded ?
Answer given by Parents Yes we were confident but not sure till the result get declared
You can also read The most effective way to start UPSC Preliminary Preparation

Ira Singhal loves to read books. Her other hobby was reading books. She vested St Anns Junior College and told the students I
read everything under the sun, I read a lot of fiction too. I have around 750 unread books with me. I have been buying and buying
and hoping one day I will find time to read them, She also told the students While struggling through all the insecurities of life,
just remember that this too shall pass She love reading Victoria Holt and Jane Austen.
Suggestion by Ira Singhal to UPSC aspirants
She told the Future UPSC Aspirants and Civil service Aspirants First get a professional degree, get a few
years work experience and then take the UPSC exam if you want to. And no matter what you do, always remember to have a
life. Ira derives inspiration from fiction by female authors which has female protagonists.
Ira Singal also told No matter what you do, remember to have a life

Important Books for IAS Mains Exam (Click

on Books to buy):

IAS Mains General Studies Paper 1 INDIAN HERITAGE & CULTURE HISTORY &
GEOGRAPHY OF THE WORLD & SOCIETY (Reference Manual GS-1)
History of Modern World (History GS-1)
Social Problems In India (Indian Society GS-1)
India After Gandhi: The History of the Worlds Largest Democracy (World

History GS-1)

IAS Mains General Studies Paper 2 GOVERNANCE CONSTITUTION, POLITY

SOCIAL JUSTICE & INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS (Reference Manual GS-2)
Governance for Growth in India (Governance GS-2)
Pax Indica: India and the World of the 21st Century (Foreign Policy GS-

2)

India and the World: Through the Eyes of Indian Diplomats

(Foreign Policy

GS-2)

IAS Mains General Studies Paper 3 TECHNOLOGY ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT

BIODIVERSITY ENVIRONMENT, SECURITY & DISASTER MANAGEMENT (Reference

Manual GS-3)

Indias National Security: A Reader (Critical Issues in Indian Politics)

(National Security GS-3)

Internal Security & Disaster Management: GS Paper 3

(Internal Security

GS-3)

IAS Mains General Studies Paper 4 ETHICS INTEGRITY & APTITUDE

(Reference Manual GS-4)

Contemporary Essays for Civil Services Examination

151 Essays (Essay)

(Essay)

Self-written Message to all the fans of Ira Singhal

on her Facebook Profile
Dear All,
I am overwhelmed by the immense amount of blessings and wishes you have all been so wonderful in
sending. It feels like the biggest honour to receive your messages. I am trying to respond to everyone,
but it is taking some time so please forgive me if I havent yet responded.
Must Read Essay Syllabus
Some people have sent me messages that I cannot reply to, so Id just like to thank you all here. I am
truly touched.
To all the aspirants who have added me or sent me messages, I am trying to get back to you as fast as
I can, but before that I just wish to say that I feel very very blessed that you all think that I can be of
help. I will try to answer all the queries I receive from your end so please feel free to message me with
any questions you have. I dont think I am some kind of an expert, but I will respond to the best of my
knowledge and understanding. Do give me some time to respond, though. I also wanted to just say
that if some of you feel that adding me is somehow going to be extra beneficial, then I dont think it

will. To my understanding, the only thing that will help you is your sincere effort and your faith in
yourself. So please study hard and dont listen to anyone else on how you should study. Choose what
works best for you. I shall be unable to add you as I dont think that will be of any special help to you. I
am always available through messages so you can always send me your problems there. Please do not
feel offended or singled out if I am unable to accept your requests. I truly cherish that you felt I was
someone worth adding, but I sincerely believe I can be there for you just as much without that. I hope
you do understand my dilemma. Best of luck to all of you and I hope to see you all as fellow officers,
serving the nation sometime soon! And again, truly blessed to have all your wishes sent my way.
Warmest Regards and Sincerest Thanks
Ira Singhal IAS Topper Rank 1

s well. Only then should u attempt the Civil

Services Examination 2016. If that is not the
case ethen ssuccess is very very bleak. What
is latest structure of IAS prelims exams? From
2011 onwards, the Preliminary examination,
now popularly known as the Civil Services
Aptitude Test (CSAT)( officially it is still called
General Studies Paper-1 and Paper-2), intends
to focus on analytical abilities and
understanding rather than the ability to
memorize. The new pattern includes two
papers of two hours duration and 200 marks
each. Both papers have multiple choice
objective type questions only.[9] TFrom 2011
onwards, the Preliminary examination, now
popularly known as the Civil Services Aptitude
Test (CSAT)( officially it is still called General
Studies Paper-1 and Paper-2), intends to focus
on analyticalMs. Bilquees Khatri is the
4}

Academic Head and Students Mentor at A. A.

Shahs IAS Institute. She is a Computer
Engineering graduate from Mumbai University
and has been guiding students for the UPSC
Civil Services exam since 2009. She has been
part of the faculty for Polity, History and
Current Affairs for various batches. She has
also been visiting faculty for M. A. course in
Public Policy at St. Xaviers College, Mumbai.
She has mentored students for various
competitive exams UPSC, SSC, Banking,
Sainik School and many have qualified and
achieved success. Ms. Bilquees answered Sify
readers queries related to the above in an
exclusive chat. Hi ma'am. Which books will
help for a thorough preparation of history
keeping in mind mains&optional For Prelims:
Art and Culture : NIOS material / Nitin
Singhania notes History Ancient - R. S.
Sharma History Medieval - Satish Chandra
History Modern - Bipan Chandra Additions for
Mains: History India Since Independence Bipan Chandra History World - Arjun Dev
Additions for optional: The Wonder That Was

India A.L. Basham Ashoka and the Decline of

the Mauryas Romila Thapar Medieval India:
From Sultanat to Mughals 1- Satish Chandra
Medieveal India: From Sultanat to Mughals -2
Satish Chandra Mastering Modern World
History Norman Lowe What should be our
approach for preparing mains and current
affairs? And also how to quote or link current
affairs in mains answer? Preparing mains
should be done by studying the syllabus and
previous years questions. Prepare notes for
each topic on loose A4 sheets wherein you
can add even current Affairs related to the
topic. If you have prepared current affairs
well, when a question comes up , you will be
able torecollect relevant news and can then
mention it in your answer. Good afternoon and
regards. Belonging to the vernacular medium
education, my confidence is somewhat low. I
also do not represent a high profile college.
Please help and guide. Vernacular medium
should not be a hindrance. Get basic grasp on
English. That's sufficient. Confidence is what
you surely need to build up. High profile

college is not at all required. There are many

cases where SSC and HSC failed have also
qualified civil services exam and become
officers. Prepare well. Dont lose confidence.
Best of Luck. How similar are interviews held
by coaching classes to the official interview? It
depends. Many institutes do attempt to put
forth a good replica of UPSC interviews. This is
the best you can get before facing the UPSC
interview board. Being the mentor for so
many years what is your message mam
Bilquees to the new aspirants? 1. Read the
correct books (not many books) 2. Revise a
lot. 3. Write answers and get them evaluated
by a good faculty 4. Select an appropriate
optional for yourself. 5. Attempt tests and
improvise Working as a government
employee. Have some financial issues so
cannot quit this job. But I have a desire to
prepare for civil services. Please give your
guidance on how to prepare while continuing
my present job. Hi Ramman, you can appear
and qualify UPSC. It is a little difficult for
working people to prepare for this

examination. But it is possible and very many

have qualified the exam. Generally it takes
atleast one year to prepare. You may target
the exam after say two years of good
preparation. 3) What points should my brother
keep in mind before choosing the subjects for
civil services? To select ioptional subject one
should keep in mind: 1. One's Interest and
comfort level with the subject. 2. Its
performance in general in the examination. 3.
Proper guidance available for the subject 2)
Do the questions mainly depend on the topics
mentioned in the candidates biodata? yes
and also general questions on current
issues/topics. Hi Ms. Bilquees. This is Nikhil
this side. My younger brother is keen on
pursuing UPSC. Need some helpful
suggestions from you. 1) How should he
prepare effective possible questions for the
UPSC interview? UPSC interview preparation is
not about content but about personality
development and test of ethics and morality
as well. Even pyschologists are present
studying your body language. Content

development is already done while preparing

for the entire examination. Also, you are
expected to be well versed about your state,
town and your graqduation subject. How are
the answers to the questions asked in the
personality test finally judged? That what all is
considered while judging the answers? Thank
you madam. Officially called the "Personality
Test", the objective of the interview is to
assess the personal suitability of the
candidate for a career in public service by a
board of competent and unbiased observers.
The test is intended to evaluate the mental
calibre of a candidate. In broad terms, this is
really an assessment of not only a candidate's
intellectual qualities, but also social traits and
interest in current affairs. Some of the
qualities to be judged are mental alertness,
critical powers of assimilation, clear and
logical exposition, balance of judgement,
variety and depth of interest, ability for social
cohesion and leadership, and intellectual and
moral integrity. What kind of questions does a
candidate get in the UPSC interview? Officially

called the "Personality Test", the objective of

the interview is to assess the personal
suitability of the candidate for a career in
public service by a board of competent and
unbiased observers. The test is intended to
evaluate the mental calibre of a candidate. In
broad terms, this is really an assessment of
not only a candidate's intellectual qualities,
but also social traits and interest in current
affairs. Some of the qualities to be judged are
mental alertness, critical powers of
assimilation, clear and logical exposition,
balance of judgement, variety and depth of
interest, ability for social cohesion and
leadership, and intellectual and moral
integrity. The technique of the interview is not
that of a strict cross-examination, but of a
natural, though directed and purposive
conversation that is intended to reveal the
mental qualities of the candidate. The
interview is not intended to be a test either of
the specialised or general knowledge of the
candidate, which has been already tested
through written papers. Candidates are

expected to have taken an intelligent interest

not only in their special subjects of academic
study, but also in the events which are
happening around them both within and
outside their own state or country as well as
in modern currents of thought and in new
discoveries which should rouse the curiosity
of all well-educated youth. What is the
personality test or the UPSC interview all all
about? Officially called the "Personality Test",
the objective of the interview is to assess the
personal suitability of the candidate for a
career in public service by a board of
competent and unbiased observers. The test
is intended to evaluate the mental calibre of a
candidate. In broad terms, this is really an
assessment of not only a candidate's
intellectual qualities, but also social traits and
interest in current affairs. Some of the
qualities to be judged are mental alertness,
critical powers of assimilation, clear and
logical exposition, balance of judgement,
variety and depth of interest, ability for social
cohesion and leadership, and intellectual and

moral integrity. The technique of the interview

is not that of a strict cross-examination, but of
a natural, though directed and purposive
conversation that is intended to reveal the
mental qualities of the candidate. The
interview is not intended to be a test either of
the specialised or general knowledge of the
candidate, which has been already tested
through written papers. Candidates are
expected to have taken an intelligent interest
not only in their special subjects of academic
study, but also in the events which are
happening around them both within and
outside their own state or country as well as
in modern currents of thought and in new
discoveries which should rouse the curiosity
of all well-educated youth. Is the personality
test similar to the UPSC interview? Officially
called the "Personality Test", the objective of
the interview is to assess the personal
suitability of the candidate for a career in
public service by a board of competent and
unbiased observers. The test is intended to
evaluate the mental calibre of a candidate. In

broad terms, this is really an assessment of

not only a candidate's intellectual qualities,
but also social traits and interest in current
affairs. Some of the qualities to be judged are
mental alertness, critical powers of
assimilation, clear and logical exposition,
balance of judgement, variety and depth of
interest, ability for social cohesion and
leadership, and intellectual and moral
integrity. The technique of the interview is not
that of a strict cross-examination, but of a
natural, though directed and purposive
conversation that is intended to reveal the
mental qualities of the candidate. The
interview is not intended to be a test either of
the specialised or general knowledge of the
candidate, which has been already tested
through written papers. Candidates are
expected to have taken an intelligent interest
not only in their special subjects of academic
study, but also in the events which are
happening around them both within and
outside their own state or country as well as
in modern currents of thought and in new

discoveries which should rouse the curiosity

of all well-educated youth. When is the UPSC
Civil Services exam interview done? The
interview is held every year in the month of
March /April. Only those who qualify the Mains
written examination are called for the
interview. Gd day.How important it is to refer
to the previous years question papers. It is
very very important to refer to previous years'
questions along with the syllabus. For Prelims
STUDY previous years questions from 2011
and for Mains from 2013. These are the years
when the respective patterns changed. I need
your guidance for next year appearance. Do I
need to prepare for Mains also along with
Prelims or is that only after clearing Prelims?
No. You certainly should be well prepared for
Mains along with your optional subject before
appearing for the Examination. Let March
2016 be the deadline for complete
preparation for Mains. It will ensure a major
chunk of yor Prelims preparation a abilities
and understanding rather than the ability to
memorize. The new pattern includes two

papers of two hours duration and 200 marks

each.[9] Both papers have multiple choice
objective type questions only.[9] They are as
under: Paper I tests the candidate's
knowledge on current events, history of India
and Indian national movement, Indian and
World Geography, Indian Policy and
governance, Economic and social
development, environmental ecology,
biodiversity, climate change and general
science.[9] To qualify minimum marks should
be 30. Paper II tests the candidates' skills in
comprehension, interpersonal skills,
communication, logical reasoning, analytical
ability, decision making, problem solving,
basic numeracy, data interpretation, English
language comprehension skills and mental
ability.[9] To qualify minimum marks is
33%hey are as under: . Can I know some
books to refer based on the current syllabus
for IAS examination? History Of Modern India
Bipan Chandra. (History) Indias Struggle For
Independence Bipan Chandra. (History)
Indias Ancient Past R.S. Sharma. (History)

History Of Medieval India Satish Chandra.

(History) world history - Arjun dev old ncert
geography 11th & 12th ncerts Geography of
India Majid Husain. (Geography) Oxford
School Atlas Oxford. (Geography) Certificate
Physical and Human Geography Goh Cheng
Leong. (Geography) Indian Polity for Civil
Services Examinations M. Laxmikanth.
(Polity) Indian Economy Ramesh Singh.
(Economy) Economic Survey. (Economy)
Science and Technology in India TMH.
(Science and Technology) Environmental
Studies - Erach Barucha or NIOS material.
India Year Book (Current Affairs) CSAT Paper
2 Manual by TMH or CSAT-II Arihant (CSAT
Paper 2) Verbal & Non-Verbal Reasoning R.
S.Aggarwal (CSAT Paper 2: Reasoning) Hi
Madam.What is the best way to prepare for
UPSC IAS examination according to you
mam? Hi Surya Start preparing quite in
advance. Read all standard material. Revise a
lot. Prepare for mains before attempting for
prelims. Attempt and get tests evaluated both
Mcqs and subjective Good morning Ma'am.

Does the age limit vary on the basis of

different categories of candidates for
appearing in Civil Service Examinations? Yes.
Prescribed age limits vary with respect to the
caste reservations. The minimum age for
everyone is 21 years. The upper age limit for
General category is 32 years. One who turns
21 on August 1 is eligible whereas one who
turns 32 on August 1 of the year of
examination is not eligible. For OBC category
upper age limit is 35, and for SC/ST it is 37
years. Upper age limit relaxatioI is provided to
certain candidates who are backward with
respect to other factors and physically
handicapped people Please provide a brief on
the study materials available today, online
and offline for UPSC? Essential IAS Books For
UPSC Prelims (Click to Buy Online) Click to
buy India Year Book 2015 Click to buy India
Year Book 2015 History Of Modern India
Bipan Chandra. (History) Indias Struggle For
Independence Bipan Chandra. (History)
Indias Ancient Past R.S. Sharma. (History)
History Of Medieval India Satish Chandra.

(History) The Wonder That Was India A.L.

Bhasham. (Culture) Facets of Indian Culture
Spectrum. (Culture) Geography of India
Majid Husain. (Geography) Oxford School
Atlas Oxford. (Geography) Certificate
Physical and Human Geography Goh Cheng
Leong. (Geography) Indian Polity for Civil
Services Examinations M. Laxmikanth.
(Polity) Indian Economy Ramesh Singh.
(Economy) Economic Survey. (Economy)
Science and Technology in India TMH.
(Science and Technology) Environmental
Studies from Crisis to Cure 2nd Edition
R.Rajagoplan. (Environment) Efforts Towards
Green India Environment and Ecology
Arihant Experts. (Environment) India Year
Book (Current Affairs) Manorama Yearbook.
(Current Affairs) CSAT Paper 2 Manual by
TMH or CSAT-II Arihant (CSAT Paper 2)
Analytical Reasoning M. K. Pandey (CSAT
Paper 2: Analytical Reasoning) Verbal & NonVerbal Reasoning R. S.Aggarwal (CSAT Paper
2: Reasoning) Many tests and current affairs
material are available online What all

included in the UPSC Main examination? Civil

Services Main. Content Paper A (One of the
Indian Language to be selected by the
candidate from the Languages included in the
Eighth Schedule to the Constitution) 300
marks Paper B English(Qualifying) 300 Paper I
Essay 250 marks Paper II General Studies I
((Indian Heritage and Culture, History and
Geography of the World and Society) 250
Paper III General Studies II (Governance,
Constitution, Polity, Social Justice and
International relations) 250 Paper IV General
Studies III (Technology, Economic
Development, Bio-diversity, Environment,
Security andDisaster Management) 250 Paper
V General Studies IV(Ethics, Integrity and
Aptitude) 250 Papers VI, VII Any one subject
(having 2 papers) to be selected from the
prescribed optional subjects (250 marks for
each paper) 500 Sub Total (Written Test) 1750
Personality Test (Interview) 275 Total Marks
2025 Hello mam. What all comes under the
preliminary exam for UPSC? The preliminary
examination for upsc comprises of two papers

GS I and GS II of two hours duration and 200

marks each.Both papers have multiple choice
objective type questions only. From 2015
onwards GS paper II has become qualifying
paper with minimum 33% marks. Paper I tests
the candidate's knowledge on current events,
history of India and Indian national
movement, Indian and World Geography,
Indian Policy and governance, Economic and
social development, environmental ecology,
biodiversity, climate change and general
science. Paper II tests the candidates' skills in
comprehension, interpersonal skills,
communication, logical reasoning, analytical
ability, decision making, problem solving,
basic numeracy, data interpretation, English
language comprehension skills and mental
ability. What is the minimum and the
maximum age limit for civil service exams?
Prescribed age limits vary with respect to the
caste reservations. The minimum age for
everyone is 21 years. The upper age limit for
General category is 32 years. One who turns
21 on August 1 is eligible whereas one who

turns 32 on August 1 of the year of

examination is not eligible. For OBC category
upper age limit is 35, and for SC/ST it is 37
years. How many times can one attempt to
clear UPSC examination Madam? The number
of attempts for the exam is limited as follows:
General Category= 6 attempts OBC non
creamy layer category = 9 attempts SC/ST
Candidates = no attempt limit Candidate just
applied but not appear at the exam is not an
attempt. What do I need to keep in account
while choosing subjects for IAS? 1. Your
Interest snd comfort level with the subject. 2.
Its performance in general in the examination.
3. Proper guidance available for the subject
M'am I want to know the minimum
qualification to get through IAS entrance
exam. The minimum educational qualification
for UPSC IAS exam is graduation. However,
you can also give the exam in the final year of
your graduation. There are no minimum
marks required in graduation for the exam.
The minimum marks to get through the exam
is not fixed. It is a competitive examination.

Thus cut off will be determined by the no. of

vacancies and the competition. It is not
prefixed. In Preliminary examin ation the cut
off is generall a little above 50 %. In civil
services mains examination 2014 only 4
successful candidates scored above 50%. In
the 'general' category, the minimum cut-off
was 42% while in other categories, it went as
low as 35%. is it very necessary to attend
coaching classes to prepare for upsc
examination? It is very necessary to have the
correct guidance. It helps u in knowing what
to prepare. what not to prepare and how to
prepare. You may get this from coaching
institutes or from seniors and other experts.
Classes conduct tests, mcqs as well as written
which are crucial for your step-wise
preparation. Self study under proper guidance
is also possible. Dear madam, i am in 3rd year
engineering. i want to appear for upsc. should
i do MBA and then appear for upsc
examination? pl guide. If u are keen on MBA,
you can go ahead and do it. Even during that
course you can initiate your UPSC

preparation. UPSC is not a course, it is an

examination, which you can attempt once you
are well prepared. I am in HSC now. Am
interested in getting into civil services. How
can I start my preparations drom now? Hi
Kewlya, Many aspirants start preparing for the
exam quite in advance. The sooner you start
preparation, the better. After 10th and after
12th is the time when one can do some
substantial preparation for the exam. You can
start studying NCERT Books from 6th to 12th
for atleast History and Geography. Also Polity,
Economy NCERTs can be read. There are
many foundation course batches for
undergraduates which run for students post
10th and 12th std. Will be thankful if you can
share some useful tips on preparing for UPSC?
1. Read the correct books (not many books) 2.
Revise a lot. 3. Write answers and get them
evaluated by a good faculty 4. Select an
appropriate optional for yourself. 5. Attempt
tests and improvise Hello Madam. I am
working female-age 24yrs. I am interested in
UPSC. Can I appear for UPSC. How much time

I need to prepare for it? Hi Prerna, Of course

you can appear and qualify UPSC. It is a little
difficult for working people to prepare for this
examination. But it is possible and very many
have qualified the exam. Generally it takes
atleast one year to prepare. You may target
the exam after say two years preparation. My
son is keen on clearing UPSC. He is in FYJC
now. Should he join a good coaching centre
this year or can he do that after clearing HSC?
Many aspirants start preparing for the exam
quite in advance. The sooner you start
preparation, the better. After 10th and after
12th is the time when one can do some
substantial preparation for the exam. It
depends on the calibre of the student. If he
can grasp what is taught then it will surely be
an advantage. Also, if he wwishes to prepare
after 12th, no harm. Atleast he can start
studying NCERT Books from 6th to 12th for
atleast History and Geography. Also Polity,
Economy NCERTs can be read. How important
is it to prepare notes? Preparing notes is
important for Mains General Studies and for

the optional subject. Alsso notes preparation

for currnt affairs is beneficial. You can easily
avoid preparing notes for Prelims and study
directly from standard books. Please provide
us with some tips on preparing notes. Notes
prepared should always be crisp and precise.
Otherwise, bulky notes are not revised
regularly and the entire exercise becomes
futile. Also, prepare notes at a later stage,
after you have well understood the subject
and the exam's requirement, i.e. studied
previous years;' papers. Also, it is very
beneficial if you prepare notes for the Mains
examination, where the detailed syllabus is
provided and notes can b prpared on each
topic from multiple sources as well as latest
news/ current affairs additions can be done for
each topic. Could you give us tips on essay
writing for Civil Mains? Hi Seema, Essay
writing requires good grasp of the topic as
well as the correct flow. For writing an essay,
first read the title multiple times and
understand what the essay demands. Then
get into brain storming and note down in

rough all the different points/aspects which

come to your mind related to the topic. Then
prepare a sequence using those points to
provide a smooth flow to your essay. Build up
a broad structure of your essay. Only then one
should start writing an essay. A good
introduction and an apt conclusion are
significant. Please guide with some strategies
for preparation of IAS Exam Hi Seema, IAS
Exam preparation requires dedicated
preparation under the right guidance. It is
much more important to know what not to
study than what to study. Having the right
guidance is crucial for this examination. How
can we keep ourselves organized while
studying for Civil Services? What kind of study
plan would you recommend? Study plan can
be prepared with short term and long term
targets. Ideally one should be prepared with
Mains along with optional by the end of March
2016 if one is preparing for 2016. this will
take care of your Prelims preparation as well,
since Prelims is a subset of Mains. You can
have short term targets on coverage of

subjects or combination of subjects and

topics. It is extremely essential to Plan. Plans
should be made as practical as possible and
should ensure that you will be able to cover
the syllabus for both Prelims and Mains
examination on time. Even if you do not follow
plans verbatim, it is always beneficial and
keeps you on your toes. It would be better if
you could prepare a common study plan with
another serious aspirant. Your'l would thus
motivate each other to follow the study plan
How can we effectively prepare for Current
Affairs? Hi Shwetha, For current affairs follow
a good international newspaper. The well
known newspaper for civil services aspirants
is The Hindu. You can refer to other
newspapers like Indian Express/ Hindustan
Times/ Times of India as well. Its better to
maintain some crisp notes on current affairs.
These should be very precise and should be
maintained subject wise - Polity, Economy,
Geography, Environment, Science and
Technology, Bilateral Relations, International,
etc. You may use loose A4 sheets so that

additions can be easily done in various

sections. Good afternoon. Is there any easy
way to prepare for Indian Polity and Economy?
Preparing Polity and Economy is simple.
Indian Polity can be done from the book Indian
Polity by Laxmikanth. Indian Economy can be
done from either Ramesh Singh or Sanjiv
verma. Apart from this regular current affairs
updation is essential. Please tell us last
minute revision tips for the exam. If anyone is
attempting UPSC civil services Preliminary
exam 2015 on 23rd August, then the last
minute revision should basically focus on four
core areas: Polity, History Modern, Geography
and Economy. Once mastered this, you can
work on questions related to environment.
Without this, qualifying Prelims is very
difficult. Hi Ma'am, I am an engineering
graduate. What optionals would be suitable
for me? Hi Navneeth, First of all, with UPSC
pattern change in 2013, now you have to
select only one optional subject. Many
engineering graduates prefer picking up
optionals like Geography, Sociology, Political

science, Public Administration, etc. Such

optionals overlap with General Studies papers
and can be easily covered. However, selecting
an optional subject should be essentially
based on your interest and comfort because
you shall be studying that subject in much
detail and have to master it. Hi Mam, My
sister is studying B.Sc. Mathematics(3rd Year),
she have much interest to become IAS. So
kindly assist us for what we need to do and
where we have to study? which one is good
for get training. Hi Sankar, There are many
coaching institutes for training civil service
aspirants all over India. You can do a
background check of institutes in your
state/city and then decide. I am associated
with A. A. Shah's IAS Institute in Mumbai and
Pun
Read more at:
http://www.sify.com/skills/expert-talk-how-toprepare-for-upsc-examinations-preparationtips-for-upsc-civil-services-exam-news-exampinpKRggjfebc.html

5} UPSC Civil Services 2013 All India Rank 5 and topper among women candidates Dr. Bharti Dixit cracked

the prestigious exam in her very first attempt. An MBBS, Dr Bharti left her PG in surgery (M.S.) at Ram
Manohar Lohia (RML) Hospital, Delhi, to pursue a career in Civil Services despite reservations from her family
members. Earlier, Dr Bharti had qualified UPSC combined medical services exam 2012 with AIR 13 and joined
New Delhi Municipal Council (NDMC) as Medical Officer.
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In this interview with Career360, the topper shares UPSC Civil Services Preparation Strategy and advises
aspirants to choose civil services only if they feel passionate towards contributing to society. Apart from sharing
UPSC Civil Services Exam Tips, she also elaborates on her Interview round where she had tough time defending
her argument on controversy surrounding bureaucrat Ms. Durga Shakti Nagpal.
Premium Help-Talk to our expert counsellors to explore the best suitable job opportunities
through competitive exams on 011-40360360 (Paid Service)
Interview Excerpts:
Careers360: Congratulations for your outstanding performance in Civil Services Examination!
How did you celebrate your success?

Bharti Dixit: Thank you. On the day of result declaration, I was about to reach UPSC building and I saw the
result in my mobile. I felt very happy when I saw my rank and I immediately called my parents. I celebrated my
success by going to temples with my family because without their (God and My Family) wishes and blessings
this wouldnt have happened.
Careers360: What were the key factors behind your brilliant performance in Civil Services
Exams? Please share separately for all three stages.
Bharti Dixit: First thing is the passion I had for the Civil services and next thing self-confidence. These factors
were responsible for me to take very important decision in my life. I had to choose between Post Graduation
surgery (M.S.) seat which I secured in RML Hospital and civil services preparation as it was not viable to do
both of them simultaneously. Also my UPSC combined medical services exam 2012 preliminary result was
expected to be declared soon.
Finally I decided to surrender my PG seat for Civil services against the wishes of my friends and relatives. It was
only my mother who supported my decision. I took that step because of the confidence I had in myself that I
would achieve my dream one day. It was the passion to excel and to realise my dream which made me work
very hard and finally achieve this feat.
Careers360: Tell us about your area of studies, qualifications, degrees, and Job Experience?
Bharti Dixit: I did my schooling from Holy Child Auxilium, R.K. Puram in Delhi. Thereafter I did M.B.B.S
from Lady Hardinge Medical College, Delhi. After finishing my graduation, I qualified post-graduation entrance
exams of AIIMS, NEET and Diplomate of National Board (DNB). I took up post-graduation in surgery (M.S.) at
RML Hospital, Delhi. At the same time, I cleared UPSC combined medical services exam 2012 with All India
Rank 13. In order to pursue my dream for civil services, I surrendered my surgery seat and decided to work as a
medical officer in NDMC. Along with the job I prepared for Civil services as well.
Careers360: Where did you get inspiration for IAS? What were your key career ambitions that
kept you motivated towards IAS?
Bharti Dixit: Though a career in civil services was my childhood dream I realized its importance when I was
pursuing my Graduation in medicine. The happiness and the satisfaction I get when my patients thank me from
their heart, when they are completely cured by treatment, is immense. I realized the saying Happiness is a byproduct of an effort to make someone else happy when I served as a doctor. I wanted to carry that beyond my
patients, to more people, through civil services.
Careers360: What was your preparation strategy for Prelims and Mains level exam?
Bharti Dixit:First thing about my strategy for Prelims was that I memorized the syllabus. Aptitude is
something that a person always has with himself or herself so the aptitude test does not really require any
serious preparation. But attending plenty of mocks tests is must. For preparing GS, the NCERT books and
Newspapers are the best sources. First try to be thorough with primary sources and then go to secondary
sources such as coaching materials.
Under strategy for Mains, first thing I did was the same, I memorized the syllabus. Mains preparation requires
exhaustive study. Going through Government websites, Govt of India reports, approach paper for 12 th Plan,
ARC, Economic Survey, newspapers and magazines, etc is must. Listening to AIR spotlight, current affair,
interview programmes, Rajya Sabha and Lok Sabha TV programmes is also a must. For essay practice, I wrote

an essay on current happenings on daily basis. Also I prepared a few ideological essays with in-depth coverage.
At the same time language papers also need to be taken seriously as many candidates even after scoring very
good marks in GS lose because of their poor performance in language papers.
Careers360: What was your strategy for interview?
For interview, I extensively prepared for probable questions around my profile with attention to even the
minute details which may have been overlooked all these years, starting from the most incipient stages,
schooling, college, job profiles and native place. I tried to analyse current happenings in-depth with unbiased
opinion. I knew that just the problems are not to be highlighted but solutions to those problems were to be
suggested. The most important part was my attitude to be confident and hold stand till the last. Its all about
being yourself. Interview is ideally a test of honesty and integrity of a candidate.
Careers360: What was your optional subject at mains level? How did you divide your
preparation schedule among the different subjects?
Bharti Dixit: My optional subject was Medical Science. My in-depth study of medical science during
graduation gave me an edge as it saved a lot of time for coaching and learning so that I could spend more time
on General Studies. It also helped me at interview stage as questions from graduation are inevitable part of
ones interview.
For General Studies paper, I did extensively-focused preparation of important and selected topics. My method
was to learn something of everything (like topics which are difficult and not of my interest) and everything of
something (most important topics and the topics which I like and have an interest).
Careers360: Which were the easiest and the toughest part of your preparation?
Bharti Dixit: There is nothing easy and tough when you prepare for the exam with a joy. Dont think civil
service as a career option, have the passion for it, you will enjoy studying. I put equal effort in every stage of
preparation. The only thing that was running in my mind whenever I cleared one stage of preparation was that
I got to put in my fullest effort like never before.
Careers360: Please share a few questions asked to you by the interview board? Which was the
toughest question for you to answer?
Bharti Dixit: The interview board asked me questions on article 370, essential services maintenance act,
medical journals and television shows, Ms. Durga Shakti Nagpals issue and women empowerment. Also
questions from Medical Science related to postpartum haemorrhage, its management, maternal mortality and
steps to reduce it, along with a few situation-based questions were asked.
Careers360: How was your interview board (numbers)? Did you also find any uneasy moment
during your interview? How did you tackle that?
Bharti Dixit: I was interviewed by board chaired by Ms. Rajni Razdan with four other members on April 25,
2014. The uneasy moment was when they asked me about Ms. Durga Shakti Nagpals issue. They wanted to
know my opinion on that issue and they were refuting my stands and arguments. However, I was firm on my
stand till the end and finally they were pleased with the conviction with which I held on to my stands when
everyone was going averse.

Careers360: How important is coaching for preparations for top jobs exams like Civil Services?
If an aspirant cant afford coaching, how should he prepare for the exam?
Bharti Dixit: I believe that coaching is not mandatory once you know what UPSC expects. Apart from the
optional subject, the syllabus of other papers includes the knowledge at 10 th standard and the general
awareness, therefore coaching is not required. The best thing for the aspirants who cant afford coaching is to
get the right guidance from the successful and the senior candidates and such students can visit free online
portals related to civil services.
Careers360: Besides studies, what do you do? Which sport do you like most? Why?
Bharti Dixit: Once I got the job, I started preparing for Civil Services along with my job. So, I hardly got
anytime to spend for leisure activities. I used to spend time with my parents and sister whenever I get spare
time.
Careers360: Are you active on social media. How useful is this for you?
Bharti Dixit: I was not much active on social media before preparing for civil services. In fact, I opened
account in Facebook only after the Civil services result. But I used to follow twitter especially the Government
offices and News Channels. Though I used to refer and study a lot from online portals and websites, I did not
use social media. It certainly has many advantages for persons preparing for competitive exam such as real time
update of important events provides a platform for discussion, sharing materials, to get inputs from successful
candidates, etc. Its disadvantages include the time factor as people get carried away by it resulting in wastage of
precious time for preparation.
Careers360: Please share your tips and message for future Civil Services aspirants.
Bharti Dixit: Recognize your strengths and weaknesses. Build upon your strengths and minimise your
weaknesses. Devise your own strategy and do not blindly follow what others say. Study with full devotion and
dedication. Quality of study matters more than the number of hours you put in. Avoid distractions and once you
have decided to do something, never deter from your path. Think 100 times before deciding anything, but not
even once after you have taken the decision.
Careers360: You would soon be joining bureaucracy. What are the top three agenda that you
believe, should guide a bureaucrat?
Bharti Dixit: No specific agendas. As a bureaucrat, one should fulfil the goals and ideals enshrined in our
constitution with dedication, empathy, honesty and integrity.
Careers360: How big is corruption a problem? What is your model for solving this evil from our
system?
Bharti Dixit: Corruption is indeed a grave problem which is eating up the system like a termite. However to
be capable of tackling a problem of such enormity, we need to first of all understand the ground realities and
the tactics employed by the corrupt officials to counter the system. Thereafter, we need to devise adequate
safeguards in the system which should be extremely difficult to circumvent. The best way I believe is to move
away from top to bottom up approach so as to ensure that people at large be the real stakeholders in policy
decisions and there should be greater community mobilisation and participation.

7}ies eligible :
IAS stands for Indian Administrative Services .IAS exam is conducted by UPSC every year .This Examination is
conducted by Union Public Service Commission.
If you have completed Graduation in any discipline from recognized university are eligible for IAS exam.There is no
marks criteria.Final year student are applicable for IAS Exam.
Age criteria for IAS exam for general candidate is 21 to 30 years old.Age relaxation is there as per govt rule .
Age relaxation for IAS exam:5 years relaxation for SC/ST candidates
3 years relaxation for OBC Candidates
10 years relaxation for PHC candidates
5 years relaxation for Ex-serviceman
No. of Attempts:
For General: 3
For OBC: 7
For SC/ST: No Restriction
If you want for optional subject for IAS exam then i will proffered you can go for History and Pol science .
IES Stands for Indian Engineering Service examination .
If you have completed B-Tech / BE OR M.Sc. degree or equivalent with Wireless Communication, Electronics, Radio
Physics or Radio Engineering as a special subject is also applicable for IES exam.
But you should write your written exam in below departments .So you can choose any department from given
below1.Civil Engineering
2.Electrical Engineering
3.Mechanical engineering.
4.Electronics and Communication Engineering.
As computer science department you can choose Electronics and Communication Engineering as written subject for
IES exam .
The applicant age should between 21 yrs to 30 yrs.Age relaxation is provide for SC/ST/OBC candidate as per govt
rule .

http://entrance-exam.net/forum/general-discussion/can-computer-scienceengineering-student-give-ias-exam-ies-1273421.html#ixzz4977Bz5c8
Source:

Hi Sheifali,
A computer Science student is eligible for both IAS and IES examination. But, I would not recommend you to apply
for IES examination as this examination is conducted in only these four streams:
1. Electronics
2. Electrical

3. Mechanical
4. Civil
So, it will be very difficult for you to qualify.
For, IAS there are so many options available in both Arts and Science fields to choose from.
You can choose the subject in which you are most confident.
Official website: www.upsc.gov.in
Thank you.

http://entrance-exam.net/forum/general-discussion/can-computer-scienceengineering-student-give-ias-exam-ies-1273421.html#ixzz4977OkV5Q
Source:

10}

Dear Aspirant,
Civil Services exams are comprises of three tests namely 1)CSAT 2)Mains and
3)Interview. We'll see about the first test which is the CSAT, it is an aptitude test
that is conducted as a screening test for the selection of candidates for the next
exam the Mains. The CSAT is conducted usually in the month of may/June and the
Mains are conducted in October/November. The CSAT is a preliminary test and it
consists of 2 papers of 200 marks each. The First paper is about general awareness,
which tests your understanding of the current events which are of national and
international importance, it also test your knowledge about the political, economical
scenario of India. It also tests your knowledge about Indian Geography, its
importance, in addition to this you would also have general sciences.
The Second paper tests your reasoning, analytical, interpersonal communication,
problem solving and decision making skills, you also have test on English
knowledge, also tests on General mental arithmetic , data interpretation and basic
numeracy. The English and Mathematics part would be of Class 10 standard, so my
advice to you would be to go through the Science and Mathematics text book of
class 9 and 10 just to brush up your knowledge.
The CSAT is an elimination exam, of all the applicants ,every year 10,000-13,000
candidates are selected for the Mains exam, this selection is based on the score in
the CSAT. Cut-off marks are announced for the selection and this cut off depends on
the difficulty level and vacancies available each year.
On qualifying for the mains, the exams are conducted in the month of
October/November over a span of 20 days with each candidate having to write 9
papers in total.
The 9 papers are 1) Indian Languages, 2)English, 3)Essay, 4 & 5)General Studies,
6,7,8 & 9 )Two optional subjects two papers in each.
Of the above papers Paper 1 Indian languages and Paper 2 English are qualifying

papers, which means your other papers would be valuated only if you pass the
Papers 1 & 2.
For Paper 1 you have a choice between 18 different languages namely Assamese,
Bengali, Bodo, Dogri, Gujarathi, Hindi,
Kannada,Kashmiri,Konkani,Maithili,Malayalam,Manipu
ri,Nepali,Oriya,Punjabi,Sanskrit, Santali, Sindhi,Tamil,Telugu,Urdu.
The duration of exams for Paper 1 and 2 is 3 hours and the exams are conducted for
300 marks.
The 3rd paper essay is that the candidates are required to write on specific given
topics, the duration of the exam in 3 hours and the paper is for 200 marks.
The 4th and 5th paper general studies consists of two papers of 300 marks each,
the 4th paper consists of questions about History of modern India and culture,
Geography of India, Constitution of India and current national issues and socially
important topics. The 5th paper consists of India and its relations with the world,
India's foreign policies, India's economic relations with the world, India's
development in the field of IT,Space and science and technology, and statistical
graphs and analysis.
The papers 6,7,8 and 9 are papers of the two optional subjects that you opt for. Two
papers for each subject.
The subjects available are 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, Zoology, Anthropology. In addition to this there
are Literature main subjects that you can opt for, they are Arabic, Assamese,
Bengali, Chinese, English, French, German, Gujarati, Hindi, Kannada, Kashmiri,
Konkani, Malayalam, Manipuri, Marathi, Nepali, Oriya, Pali, Persian, Punjabi, Russian,
Sanskrit, Sindhi, Tamil, Telugu and Urdu.
In addition to this you have Management subject too.
But there is a catch , there are certain subject combinations that are not allowed by
the UPSC. They are
Political Science & International Relations and public administration
Commerce and Management
Anthropology and Sociology
Maths and Statistics
Agriculture and Animal Husbandry and Veterinary sciences
Management and Public Administration
Animal Husbandry and veterinary Sciences and Medical sciences
Any two branches of engineering
Combination of two literatures.
After the Mains you would be having an Interview in whichever medium you choose
and it accounts for 300 marks
So totalling up
Paper 1,2,4,5,6,7,8,9 each of 300 marks

Interview of 300 marks

and esaay paper for 200 Marks
Your marks would be calculated for 2300 Marks.
Depending on the marks you score your ranking would be done.
All the subjects mentioned above would be of the level of an honors degree which is
slightly higher in standards when compared to a bachelor's degree but lesser when
compared to master's.
As you have mentioned that you are interested in Foreign Services, i would
recommend you to be proficient in 1 or 2 foreign languages so that you may have
an edge to be selected.
ALL THE BEST
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8th September 2012 07:39 AM #3

rakee15
Junior Member
Join Date
Aug 2012
Posts
149
Re: Civil Services after completing B.Tech in Computer science and Engineering?

Dear aspirant :
You are eligible for civils examination
you must have minimum qualifications like :
Minimum Eligible Age: 21 years
Maximum Age Limit: 30 years
The maximum age limit is relaxed for reserved category candidates as per
the regulation of Central Government.
The examination is conducted once a year and in order to apply for the
upcoming Civil Service Examination, you must keep yourself updated
regarding the examination by visiting the official website of Union Public

Service Commission.
The following are the list of optional subjects that you have :
Agriculture,Animal Husbandry & Veterinary Science, Anthropology,
Botany,Chemistry, Civil Engineering, Commerce and Accountancy,
Economics,Electrical Engineering, Geography, Geology, History, Law,
Management,Mathematics, Mechanical Engineering, Medical science,
Philosophy,political Science and International Relations, Psychology,
PublicAdministration, Sociology, Statistics, Zoology
all the best ...........
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14th September 2012 08:59 PM #4

Unregistered Guest
Re: Civil Services after completing B.Tech in Computer science and Engineering?

i have done diploma in electronics engg and completed engg in electronics and
telecommunication....can i apply for CBI,RAW and other civil services...
Reply With Quote

15th September 2012 06:30 AM #5

pabolu manikanta
Member
Join Date
Oct 2011
Posts
918
Re: Civil Services after completing B.Tech in Computer science and Engineering?

Hello Dude.......

Good you had completed the Computer science engineering and if you wants to
apply for the civil services examinations you need to first know about the civil
services examination and the conditions to be followed for appearing to the civil
services.
These civil services examinations are conducted by the UPSC services and these
UPSC are the main body which organize the civil Services selections and selects the
candidates the selection procedure for these Civil services is one year long as this is
one of the prestigious services which are offered in India and the Civil Services
mainly are.....
*Indian Police Services
*Indian Administrative Services
These are the two main civil services which are available...........
The entry in to these civil services is through the Entrance examinations which are
available and the selection procedure contains some of the steps of selection and
the selection is done through the
*Civil Services Aptitude Test(Preliminary Examination)
*Mains Examination
*Interview
The candidates after selecting in each round only will be transfered for the next
round of selection and this selections are conducted every year and you should
have good knowledge and brain to get in to these civil services......
First of all in order to enter in to these civil services you must have good knowledge
and also the eligibility qualifications to appear for the Examinations such as the......
*Age LimitShould have attained the age of 21 years and should not exceed the age of 30
years
upper age limits are according to the government prospectus.........
*Educational Qualificationsshould have completed the Graduation in any of the discipline for appearing to
these civil services and pass of graduation is enough....
*NationalityAs this is the one of the prestigious services examination you must be the citizen of
India Only.......
*Number of AttemptsThere are fixed number of attempts to be made such as
General-4
OBC-7
SC/ST-no limit
These are the qualifications you need to have.........
REGARDS:
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 15th September 2012 03:18 PM #6

UIETan
Senior Member
Join Date
Mar 2012
Location
haryana
Posts
2,636
Re: Civil Services after completing B.Tech in Computer science and Engineering?

hello friend,
Civil services for the engineering degree CSE which are like in which you
can apply:
IAS
IPS
IFS
CBI
SI
Railways jobs etc
these are toughest entrance exam which has been conducted by the UPSC
department ..
eligibility for the civil services :
>> should be passed the bachelor degree from any recognized university.
>> age must be between the 21 to 30years,. age relaxation as per gov.
rules.
>> indian citizen.
selection process:
1. preliminary test
2. Main entrance exam
3. Interview etc

for more details : www.upsc.gov.in

thank you!
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15th September 2012 08:53 PM #7

rickykumar24
Senior Member
Join Date
Sep 2011
Location
JHARKHAND
Posts
2,050
Re: Civil Services after completing B.Tech in Computer science and Engineering?

you should choose your career option according to your interest and your
performance. M.Tech and civil service both are good.
if you want to do M.Tech then you must be very much strong in technical subject.
after M.Tech job opportunity and scope is very much high. you may join as lecturer
in any good institution after completion of your M.Tech. you may also join in industry
as an engineer.
civil service is totally different from engineering. the job after civil service is very
much honorable and surely job satisfaction is very much high. but the competition
in civil service examination is very much tough. till you may try for the civil service.
obviously this is a very good option if you can clear the examination.
you may also join in job in any company. your college is not so much reputed it will
not create burden to get job. if you have the capability to suit for the job position
and if you can show that then easily you will get good job. i think you should try for
the job also. you may also try for some government job. for government job you
have to appear in their written examination first.

if you are technically not strong enough then you may also go for MBA study. but
MBA is mainly deals with management job although your technical degree will give
you more opportunity after MBA.
you should now decide your career yourself. i think it's better to try for everything.
appear in GATE examination to take admission in M.Tech through GATE score.
appear in job interview and also appear in civil service examination. whichever you
will clear go for that.
best of luck.
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31st October 2012 08:35 PM #8

selvam64
Senior Member
Join Date
Oct 2012
Posts
217
Re: Civil Services after completing B.Tech in Computer science and Engineering?

YOU ARE ELIGIBLE FOR UPSC EXAM.

UPSC-2012-Exam-Results-www.upsc_.gov_.in_.jpg
TO JOIN UPSC EXAM;*you must be passed graduation from a recognized university.
*age limit is 21-30 years.
category age relaxation
obc 3
sc/st 5
physically handicapped 10
*you must be Indian citizen.

Source: Civil Services after completing B.Tech in Computer science and Engineering? | Government
Jobs http://governmentjobsalerts.com/civil-services-after-completing-b-tech-computer-science-engineering53809.html#ixzz4977goHcV