UNION PUBLIC SERVICE COMMISSION Civil Services Aptitude Test [CSAT- 2011] The Union public service commission

is an independent body which recruits candidates to group A and Group B gazette posts under central government and for advice in various service matters. The recruitment is nearly 1 yrs process including the period of result declaration. The notification for exam will come in January-February. It is a 3 stage process which includes preliminary exam usually in May-June from which selected candidates will be taken through mains examination which will be in October-November. The candidates short listed from Mains will face the personal interview which is the final stage. The journey begins with preliminary where the UPSC from the current year has introduced change in its pattern of examination bringing serviced pattern in the preliminary examination is civil services aptitude test. From the last revised pattern till 2010 the civil services preliminary test had 2 papers where paper 1 is optional which can be selected from options of 21 subjects like History, Geography, Zoology etc. As for as paper II is concerned it was fully a general awareness test. For Ex: -

1.

Consider the following statements 1. India is a Signatory country to convention on International Trade in Endangered species of wild fauna and flora. 2. India is a signatory country to convention of Wetlands.

Which of the statement(s) given above is / are NOT correct ?

a) 1only b) 2 only c) Both 1 and 2 d) None of the above

2.

Match the List I with List II and select the correct answer using the code given below the List: List I (Proposed Tiger Reserves) A. Sunabeda B. Shahyadri C. Pilibhit D. Ratapani code A
a) 3

List II (State) 1. Madhya Pradesh 2. Uttar Pradesh 3. Orissa 4. Maharastra

B 4

C 2

D 1

b) 4 c) 3 d) 4

3 4 3

1 1 2

2 2 1

3.

Which of the following Railway Network is not included in UNESOCs world Heritage site ?
a)

Kalka Shimla Railway Darjeeling Himalayaan Railway

b) Nilgiri mountain Railway c)

d) Matheran Hill Railways

4.

Consider the following statements 1. The word un touchability has been defined in the Constitution. 2. Art 17 mentions abolition of untouchability with no exceptions.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

(a) 1 only (b) 2 only (c) Both 1 and 2 (d) Neither 1 nor 2

From the new pattern of CSAT-2011 instead of optional subject, paper I contains categories like current events of national & International importance, Indian polity, India & world Geography, General issues on Environment, General science, History of India etc. these areas are stressed by the UPSC in order to make the candidate know the basics on Indian Government & policies of it. Whereas paper II includes general English like comprehension, Interpersonal skills, General mental ability, Basic Mathematics of, English of X std-level. UPSC can assure the candidate pursuing it that there will be a level playing field for all and students may not get scored of whether the questions set by UPSC will be biased towards common admission test (CAT) or GRE since it involves aptitude and English. Materials to Start With As a fresher one can start with reading newspapers like THE HINDU and magazines like Civilzpedia magazine regarding current affairs. concerned NCERT books from class VI to class XII will be helpful. Regarding subjects like History also even starting with NCERT history books the candidates will outperform in the preliminary test. In case of preliminary test for example geography is

Which part must be stressed on THE HINDU? With respect to subject related Maths there are some prescribed books, but for general awareness standard newspapers will do. But there are areas on which emphasis must be made in TH HINDU. For ex; if its Economy & business one should concentrate on important messages of Public sector units, organizations that celebrate Golden jubilee and Diamond jubilee. Other than this while aspects of environment is concerned emphasis on ecological aspect & things causing environment degradation must be viewed upon in order to get basic idea about national & International events candidate must concentrate on unique factors of the events that are going on. For e.g.; Geographical Indication for Tirupathi laddu. It means a background regarding Geographical indication must be traced upon like when it has been started for what kind of products GI will be given, so far how many and what all products have been given GI and things related to it.

One must also know that UPSC does not leave a candidate by simply checking his subject knowledge by asking his subject knowledge by asking questions from areas like Geography, History, and Polity etc. rather it also marked the candidate mentally strong enough to face questions on logical, analytical reasoning which is important for any civil servant to survive upon. The arts student need not get panic areas like mental ability, logical reasoning and so on because it is all about presence of mind on decision making. In speaking detail about CSAT II in which absolute change has been brought one area is mental ability. Till the revised pattern the General Mental ability was in Paper-II and students who found it difficult did not concentrate much upon it where they fetched marks from others areas. But in the changed pattern there is no hole of learning this part for granted since it nearly receives 25% concentration on it, as per the coming of sample questions of UPSC good English comprehension skill was noted where students from rural and semi urban areas who students practiced in their regional language must improve English sections. Other areas like communication skills, basic numeracy of paper II as per UPSC is at X standard but actual differs without any difference in their journey experience. In the Oct-Nov comes the Mains examination, which is the second type of this examination. Mains consist of 9 papers where the candidates have two General Studies, 2 Optional Papers (each containing 2 paper I & paper II). One (1) Essay Paper with the addition of regional language and a General English Paper totaling 2000 marks & 300 for the Interview. Well mains need a more comprehensive outlook on a subject and more over checks how far a candidate can give out a more appropriate answer in a given prescribed time of 8hrs. The opinion needs a very intensive coverage on every given topic. The option formation on every issue which makes news and affects a global world is necessary. The key to the General Studies (G.S) paper is providing real and appropriately answers rather than repetitive theoretical answers. The same approach can be extended to the optional papers as well where questions are mode of setting question is yet to discover. So students from the stream are to sail in the same boat where the destination only

easily predicted. Thus to break that predictability aspect in optional paper, questions of general nature as being asked for say this years Sociology Paper 2010 where questions about women in IT was asked. This question is nothing but related to the gender bias, inequality issues which are common but had to get treatment in sociological way. Geography was also no different where candidates had been asked to link disease Malaise, cross border terrorism issues with Geographical location. Thus clearly showing the changing pattern in framing questions where flexibility in giving out answers is necessary without neglecting the traditional areas the subject. Another area where candidate are judged is on their ability skills on the language they converse in a good balanced confident and not over confident writing is what is expected when it comes to the General English and regional language papers which are compulsory paper. Essay paper contains some general topic of interest which everyone knows but perhaps the difference can be shown on how clearly appropriate and suggestive answers are presented. This can of course boost ones mark in totality. Surely the long ordeal period of papers do require both stamina and adjustable frame of mind. Personality test forms the last leg of journey where selected candidates from mains examination are called for personality assessment test. The test is more depends on candidates international ability, to give out clean answers with confidence with no false makeover of ones personality. More over relevant to what questions has been rather than aiming irrelevant answers which are very much advisable to be avoided as the panel would very well make out from the candidates gesture. To sum it all, as far as preliminary is concerned everything under sky is a valid question. . In mains writing answers in the most non biased manner is expected. And in Interview sun of everything hard work, Commitment, Sensitive approach, Confidence, Preservance, Sustainability & management ability will help you climb up the ladder to the life you always aspire to be from a civil service aspirant to a civil service officer.