Rajiv

Pub administration strat

I had chosen this optional over Physics. No Doubt it was a good decision.This optional has become popular over the years, especially among science and engineering graduates, because of the high marks awarded in this subject and the short time in which it can be prepared (4- 6 months for thorough prep). However, last year there was some balancing act by UPSC and the average marks came down a bit. But I still believe this is going to be a good subject in years to come. Here's my recommended booklist for PubAd:-Paper-I1) S Polinaidu, Laxmikanth's PubAd for beginners2) Mohanty's ( Synergy Classes) Class Notes and his study material. His study should be used to supplement his notes.3) Fadia and Fadia for reference to topics not covered by above4) Mohit Bhattacharya after topics have been coverred from above ( gives a depth in conceptual understanding of topics)Caution: - Do not study Nicholas Henry or Stephen Robbins. Relevant topics from above are well-covered by Mohanty Sir.Those too eager to get an unmatched depth in Administrative Theories can refer to Prasad and Prasad, but don't get too indulged.I have not read Fadia & Fadia, I had referred IGNOU material on internet.Do not underestimate Laxmikanth's PubAd Book thinking that it is meant only for prelim. It is still the only source which provides text on most topics in a lucid and concise way.

Paper-II1) Indian Administration by Arora & Goyal2) Mohanty's ( Synergy Classes) Class Notes and his study material. His study should be used to supplement his notes.3) Shubra Saxena's 50 important topics for PubAd.Caution: - Do not refer to Special Issues of IJPA, not event the important topics fom IJPA. Its not required.

Some might claim the booklist is too short, but trust me it is more about relating what you know to the question at hand. You might like to refer to Test Discussion notes of Mohanty Sir, if you can find them, to understand what I mean.

Times have changed. 5 years ago I had to struggle to find a good list of books recommended for any optional for UPSC CSE on internet. Today you can get several websites dedicated to help out a beginner for UPSC and most of them can give a comprehensive list of books required for almost any optional. However in their efforts to be exhaustive, they tend to include more books than required leading to

wastage of time as well as scaring off someone who is trying to get feel of the study required for UPSC. I am putting down my own list of books, starting with GS because it has no defined syllabus.General Studies Booklist:Polity - Laxmikanth (both prelims and mains, nothing more nothing less)Indian History ( Ancient and medieval) - Vajiram's Yellow Books or sections from Unique Guide (Prelims only)Indian National Movement - Unique Guide (Prelims), Spectrum( Mains), Bipin Chandra ( for those who have time and want a DEEP understanding)Geography - Unique Guide (Prelims, Both India and World Geog.), NCERT Class XI-XII & vajiram's Yellow Book(Mains)Indian Economy - Vajiram yellow Book (Prelims), Vajiram's Class Notes( Mains), Pratiyogita Darpan Special Issue ( Prelims and Mains)Science & Technolgy - Vajiram's Class notes, Tables of chemical names, etc. from Unique Guide(Prelims), TMH Sci. & Tech. ( Mains)Bilateral and International relations - Vajiram's Yellow Book, World Focus magazineCurrent Affairs - Chronicle Magazine, The Hindu newpaper, Wizard's Special issue on Current Affairs (Prelims, comes out in March)Statistics - Spectrum ( Mains)

Caution: - 1) I could never study Ancient & Medieval History. Hence ask someone knowledgable for these topics.2) Do not study any other book except Laxmikanth in Polity. It is quite lucid and exhaustive.3) Spend atleast 1 hour everyday on Hindu.With changing pattern of GS wherein it is becoming more and more random and analysis-oriented, The Hindu is the only thing going to save you. Make short of notes of articles on burning issues. In order to streamline your study of The Hindu, see the headings under which articles are written in Chronicle. For example, Bilateral, International, nationa issues, Environment, etc. While readig Hindu choose articles that fall under these headings and read them.Do not keep cuttings from newspaper, study it then and there and make notes if necessary. You will never ever study the newspaper cuttings. Do not bluff yourself.4)Anything else other than mentioned above, do not study anything else. According to me it would be a waste of time.Most important part is to think. Try to have a opinion on any issue you come across. You must think of points both in favour and against the topic. Your thinkig faculty would be your only defence against the vagaries of UPSC.Booklist of Sociology and PubAd would follow later.sssssssssssssss

Finally the big day came. I had wasted almost 20 days before my interview working in Tata Steel, spending time reading others' interview experience and reaching the conclusion that it was usless trying to prepare for it. However, 4 days before interview, it was the same story again. I rushed to Delhi to find some time away from work with loads of books and study materials which could not have been

completed in a month.I also spent hours trying to find the right shirt, trousers, shoes, belt and The Tie, despite already having a set and ended up buying a belt more expensive than my trouser, a tie more expensive than my shirt and a pair of formal leather shoes more expensive than all of them put together. And while doing a last minute full dress rehearsal at night before the D-Day, I found that The Tie wasn't good enough to go along with my attire minus a suit and holes in the belt weren't punched at the right place. So much for The Tie and a belt.I reached UPSC in time but without the photocopies of my original certificates. The staff was very courteous and helpful and it didn't felt like a GOI setup. The hall we were made to wait at looked like the sets of a period movie. Here i was reminded that it was after all a GOI affair. After 1 hour of certificate verification we were made to wait another 45 minutes for interviews to begin. Since I had been warned that the board might ask me to tell the names of other fellows in my group to test my PR skills, I spent the time remembering their names. But it was kindda hard to do so since all of them except one were from Kerela, Tamil Nadu and Andhra pradesh ( no ethnocentricity intended).The board allotted to me was that of Purushottam Agrawal. I tried to recall his background but went blank. Others reminded me after my interview that he is not very favourable towards engineers and even more conservative in awarding marks to anybody. He is also called the Butcher of UPSC for some unknown reason. There went my last hope.Anyways, I was second to be called. The first candidate's interview was over in 20 minutes. Surprisingly the moment I opened the door, all tips and tricks taught in coaching classes about keeping calm and smiling went to dirt. Now I was truly my self, shaking like a leaf. However I tried hard to maintain the charade.These are the questions and the answers as best as I can recall.(Legends: C- Chairman( P. Agrawal), M1,M2- members to my left, M3 M4- members to my right, M4 is a lady)I wished Good Morning to all members, starting with the Chairman, then M4 and then others.C: So you are Rajiv Ranjan Singh.Me: Yes Sir,C ( looking at my form): You have written your hobby as Defence Strategies and...(mumbling)....What does it mean?Me (words coming out very slowly from my mouth) : Sir, I wrote it that way for..umm.. lack of a better word. In this hobby, I regularly update myself with the developments in Defence Sector, particularly Indian Defence, Strategic postures of other nations, especially our neighbours....( C interrupts me)C: So Rajiv, tell me about Gorshkov.Me: Sir, Admiral Gorshkov is an old aircraft carrier that we are buying from Russia after renovation. The deal was made for around 900 m $, but it has now overshot to more than 2.3 b $ and delayed by more than 4 years...( C interrupts me)C: Rajiv, Why do we need an aircraft carrier?Me: Sir, in keeping with our aspirations of becoming a superpower and our economic interests in the Indian Ocean and beyond, we need a blue water navy ( C interrupts me)C:What is a "blue water navy"?Me: A navy that is capable of mounting far from its shore and ...ummm... and undertake expeditionary

operations!C:OK, so go on with your answer!Me:Sir I was saying we need a blue water navy. For that we must have at least 3 aircraft carriers. At present we have only one and that is also in refit. Hence the urgency to buy an aircraft carrier.C: Why do we need to buy it from Russia only?Me: (Actually I should have said that this carrier was coming at very cheap prices, but didn't came to my mind) Sir, Russia has been our trusted ally for a long time and a major supplier of Defence hardware.C: Are you aware of any recent controversy regarding this deal.Me: Yes Sir! Our chief liaison officer, a naval officer, who was in Russia was alleged to be involved in objectionable relationships and it is still under investigation ...( C interrupts me..I was going to say "whether it had any impact on price escalation of the deal")C: Is there any particular term for this...Me (pat came the answer with confidence) : HONEYTRAP! ( all members gave a nod in affirmative signifying they were mighty impressed, my confidence shot through the roof)C: Rajiv, in North India in case of any con act or cheating why is it called "CHAAR SAU BEESI".Me: Sir, I don't know the exact reason but i can make a guess.C: Make a guess!Me: Section 420, IPC.C: Yesss, that is the reason....Me:(Wow. I prevailed again :P). C:Now Tell me what is written in section 420.Me (Confused, how does he expect me to know that): Sir, I haven't read section 420. but..ummm... it should be about acts of con, thugee, ......mmmmmC: Are, section 420 is about "CHAAR SAU BEESI" ...(and he bursts into laughter...other members also share the fun)Me: ( surprised, terrified and barely smiling)...Right Sir!C suddenly get up and goes to the the bathroom.The sight of a vacant chair isn't too pleasing.M1 takes over.M1:Rajiv, you are from Bihar.What is the difference between right wing terrorism and left wing terrorism.Me:Sir, left wing terrorism is..( cuts me short, everyone cuts me short :(M1: No.No.No.You are from Bihar.You first tell me about right wing terrorism.(I think along with my parents origin, he noticed that I had Singh surname and hence a upper caste. I didn't want to be dragged in Ranvir Sena topic)Me:Sir, right wing terrorism seeks to preserve the current structure of society and is led by the dominating sections.It is conservative and emerged in reaction to the left wing terrorism.Left wing terrorism perceives the existing structure of society as unjust and seeks to change it by all means, violent if necessary.C came back from toilet by this time and interferes again.C:Is Jihadist terrorism right-wing or left-wing.I must mention that C spoke in a low volume and table lamp was obstructing my view of his lips. I couldn't hear the word "Jihadist" clearly.

Me:Pardon, Sir.Did u Say jihadist?Chairman (frowning): Yes, Jihadist. Haven't you heard the word.Me:Ughhh....Yes Sir. ( pause)...Jihadist terrorism is a right wing terrorism.Chairman: No!I think it is left-wing terrorism.They are against the existing structure of society.Me(thinking hard): Sir, it is conservative in orientation and seeks to restore age-old customs ...Chairman: No.NO.NO...leave it( points towards M1).M1:What is the relation between governance and development?Me:Without governance there might be economic growth but not equitable distribution of wealth which is necessary for development. Without governance peoples' participation is there only in policy implementation. Governance ensures participation happens not only during policy implementation but formulation stage as well.M1 passes onto M2.M2:Rajiv, you are from Jharkhand. Right?Me:Right Sir.M2:Why has NREGA failed in Jharkhand?Me( Frankly I had no idea NREGA failed in Jharkhand, I knew I shouldn't bluff but not being able to say anything despite being from jharkhand would have looked stupid, so I tried after thinking for few seconds): Sir, its because of widespread illiteracy and the fact that communities at village level are divided along tribal lines. (...bull****)M2: Rajiv, What you are saying is correct but that is not the exact reason. These factors are present in Rajasthan as well, but NREGA there has been a roaring success.Chairman jumps in again.Chairman: Rajiv, I think what you have said is incorrect. But since you have said it, defend it. Argue why you are right?Me( Frankly, I was terrified. They called my bluff and left me no space to manoeuvre): ummm..hmmmmm.ummmmm...Sir, division along tribal lines leads to a fragmented power structure at Panchayat level and a strong panchyat is necessary for success of NREGA..Chairman: Okay leave it...Tell me about the dynamics of Naxalism.Me (Atlast, one question I had prepared about): Sir, naxalism originated as a peasant movement in 1967 in Naxalbari in West Bengal. However it was brought under control after strong and effective action of state govts. The present rise in Naxalism in last 15 years or so is tribal in origin and has happened due to alienation of tribal communities on a large scale. The alienation has happened due to displacement because of mining, dams, industrialisation and tribals not getting a share in development.Chairman: Okay. Tell me how to solve it.Me: Sir, first of all , before anything else, there has to be political consensus at Central and State level.Chairman ( Rhetorically): Don't we have consensus? Everybody believes in constitution and integrity of India.Me:Yes Sir, that is there but there is no consensus about the nature of the problem itself. Some states are averse to using police action against naxalites.Chairman: Which are those states?Me( I was straying into political affairs, a dangerous area): Jharkhand....Madhya Pradesh.Chairman: No they don't have this problem.

Me: Just on the border areas with Chhattisgarh.Chairman: Okay, and?Me: West Bengal!Chairman ( goes into fits) : No.No.No.They would love to use force.They love using force.I should have known that Purushottam Agrawal has a leftist bent of mind and is sympathetic towards naxal cause.Chairman: Anyways, what is next?Me: Sir, after political consensus has been achieved there has to be a three-fold strategy.Firstly, we need a well-trained, well-motivated, well-equipped and sensitised police force. Secondly, we have to refresh all the development schemes that have been hanging.We need to roll them out afresh. And thirdly, govt has to wage psychological warfare.Chairman: Whats that?Me: Sir. naxals have been using propaganda through their front organisations very effectively. Govt. also needs to take similar initiatives.Chairman passes the charge to M3.M3:Rajiv your hobby is defence and .....(mumbles). What is the nuclear policy of India.Me: Sir, the salient points of India's Nuclear Doctrine are....Chairman:No, No, just tell me the nuclear policy.Me: Sir, our nuclear doctrine is not to use nuclear weapons ( I was going to say unless the adversary uses nuclear weapons and blah blah but was interrupted again)Chairman (exclaims) : NOT USE NUCLEAR WEAPONS????Me: I meant "no-first-use" of nuclear weapons.Chairman: Rajiv, don't you think we have put ourselves at disadvantage by declaring no-first-use. We have opened all our cards.Now everyone knows we won't use nuclear weapons first.Me (after 5 seconds): Sir, militarily yes. Now our adversary will be emboldened to attack us especially if it is conventionally superior because it knows we won't use nuclear weapons unless it uses nuclear, biological or chemical weapons or any other weapons of mass destruction against us. BUT, nuclear policy is determined not just by military factors ( interrupted again)Chairman: What are the other factors?Me: Diplomatic and international factors. By declaring no-first-use we have established our image as a responsible, credible, non-proliferating nuclear state.M3: Can you tell me about the difference between good governance and good administration.Me:A good administration is only the machinery that delivers the public goods and it does so efficiently and effectively. However the goods that it delivers may not be what the public at large wants. This is where good governance comes in. In good governance people get a voice in deciding what is the administration going to deliver to them. ( I was being repetitive, but was out of words)M3: How do we measure the development of a state. How do we understand if a state is developing?Me: Per Capita income, life expectancy, literacy rate, mortality rates,i.e., infant mortality, maternal mortality and other such indicators.M3: You have not talked about communication, infrastructure. ( then correcting himself)..okay these indicators will be good only when infrastructure and communication are good.Passes on to M4 ( a lady member)

M4: Rajiv, you said various indicators indicate development. How?Me: M'am, any of these indicators will be good only when there is progress in several other sectors. For ex., maternal mortality rate will be low only when income levels are good, people are literate, health awareness is there, infrastructure is good, hospitals, health centres are present, drugs are available AND THERE IS GENDER EQUALITY.M4:What about development in Jharkhand?Me: Jharkhand performs better in most indicators especially per capita income, maternal mortality, female literacy as compared to its neighbouring states like Bihar and Orissa however it performs poorly compared to West Bengal.M4:You have worked as a manager in Tata Steel for about 3 years. What are the qualities in you that make you a good manager?Me:Firstly, my proficiency in the particular technical function I am engaged in. Secondly, my ability to get along with people who are hardest to get along with. I have experienced this during my college days as well as in my work.Chairman: Rajiv suppose you are posted in a district as a DM. You get the information that in a village, a young couple who married against caste rules are going to be punished by the panchayat. What will you do?Me: Sir, as soon as I get the information I will rush there and inform the Sp and the police to reach there. Once there I will try to deter the people from taking any action by explaining the consequences of taking the law into their hands. I will try to convince the village elders against it.Chairman: Suppose the mob is agitated and they don't listen to you.They are about to kill the couple.Me: I will order the use of force.Chairman looks at me and says your interview is over.ssssssssssssssss

The Indian Civil Services - Answering the Why - Part II

The Wrong Reasons?

I ended my last post with a few questions about what a bureaucrat really does, and whether one’s personality is really suited to be a bureaucrat. KK commented that my somewhat cynical references to the real reasons (the ‘lal batti’ syndrome) why candidates appear for this exam cannot be divorced from other, more genuine reasons. I agree with him on this point as my ‘cynical’ references were meant more as a provocation to thought as why one wants to write the exam. But more on that later. There are really no absolute right reasons for writing the exam. We must all choose our own right reasons for writing the exam. But I will insist that there may be some wrong reasons for writing the exam. Writing the exam for monetary gain, for example, would fall clearly in this category. Government service offers enough opportunities for illegal gratification but if money is really one’s true aim, there are enormous legitimate opportunities in the private sector for those with the will and creativity. Writing the exam so

that one can actively serve the interests of particular groups or sections within the nation, to the detriment of others, whether they may be on the basis of caste, religion or region, I believe is another wrong reason.

This brings me to the controversial issue of the last post: How far should status and privilege motivate one to join the civil services? The Indian Civil Service has traditionally enjoyed huge status on account of the colonial legacy where Whitehall’s writ was executed by the ICS officer on the ground. The notion of the ‘administrator as ruler’ that underpinned this colonial position continues to have a powerful hold on the public imagination. To my mind at least, if the civil service must play a constructive role in pulling India into the 21st century, it must actively seek to break this mould, and this is the most difficult question that both aspirants and civil servants must ask themselves today. Would you still choose the services if it did not perpetuate a semi-feudal ruling elite, but was merely an ordinary part of the executive that was responsible for sensible policy making and effective policy implementation? Would it still be so attractive without its attendant perks, but was merely an agent of change that would empower citizens to depend less and less on the civil servant himself?

The Right Reasons

Undoubtedly, the ‘diminished’ civil servant may not be the ideal person to motivate one for this exam, but here then is the rub: Why then write this exam at all? In spite of all my ‘cynicism’ I do believe that may be some good reasons to give this exam. As I pointed out before, each one will have their own right reasons but here is a checklist of questions that one could ask of oneself before making a final decision. The logic is simple: find out what a civil servant (and here be more specific - IAS, IFS, IPS, etc) does and figure out whether this is the kind of job that you would want to do, and would have a reasonable chance of success in.

1. Is your understanding of a civil servants job based upon perception orreality? If it is the latter, would discussing his or her day to day job(even spending some time with an officer if possible) give you a clearer view?

2. What is your defining interest/motivation in life? Is it to make money, forexample and have a reasonably comfortable life, or is it to attain some degree of fame or to contribute to society in some meaningful way, or even to pursue knowledge for its own sake (not to suggest that any of these objectives are mutually exclusive)? Each of these have particular correlation in different fields, just as some of them may find expression within the services? Do you believe that you can utilize your interest while working for government while acknowledging that it may not give you the returns that it would have, had you pursued it exclusively?

3. What kind of aptitude do you have? Is it amenable to working in a fixed hierarchical system where merit may not always be a priority, although there may be other intangible rewards? Do you have an aptitude for ‘hands on’ public interface or do you prefer to work in a more rarified office atmosphere?

4. And finally, what is your death bed story? As morbid as it sounds, I personally rate it as the most important question when deciding whether or not to join the services. When you look back at your life from your deathbed, how would you have wanted to live it? Are you willing to take someone else’s dream and live it as your own, or are you willing to find your own?

The questions listed above are only indicative of what a decision making process could look like. Points 2 and 3, I wish to mark out since they not only help you decide whether to write the exam, but indicate how successful you may be in the service. The government works in a peculiar environment that everyone may not find comfortable. Your aptitude and your motivation, if appropriately suited, will determine your ability to persevere and succeed. Your aptitude will also help you choose the right service, an issue I hope to deal with in a later post.

A final personal note on the last point: I knew that, personally, when I looked back, I would have wanted to spend a considerable part of my life representing this extraordinary country, representing more than a billion people, and being in part responsible for its rise in the global comity of nations. If I can achieve even a small part of that story as a member of the civil service, I will be a happy manssssssssssssssssssssssss

Post By: Tanvi (with inputs from Ashutosh and Cyril)

“I can't change the direction of the wind, but I can adjust my sails to always reach my destination.” Jimmy Dean

This quote aptly summarises the approach one should have while studying for the GS (Main) since it is dynamic in nature.This changing pattern is a reflection of the times to come so, the best bet now would be to have conceptual clarity on traditional areas but with an additional thrust and inter linkages with current affairs based knowledge.

We (namely Ashutosh , Cyril and Tanvi) have tried to present certain guidelines in the form of a brief analysis of 2009 GS Mains alongwith recommended books/notes, and the approach to be followed in each section of the syllabus.

Paper-I

1. History of Modern India and Indian Culture:

For Long Answers

( in 2009 GS , 15 x 2 = 30 marks,choice of 2 out of 3, word limit=150 words each)

Recommended Books:

I read only Spectrum’ Modern India. However, I would suggest Bipin Chandra's India's Struggle for Independance as a must read.A senior recommended a book on Modern Indian History by Sumit Sarkar too, according to him 2009 GS paper picked up quotes from this book.

How to start:

If you are a complete beginner start with NCERT on Modern India by Bipin Chandra.Others who have read History as a subject in graduation can start with Bipin Chandra's book, 'India's Struggle for Independance'.Do read it well , it will give you conceptual clarity, you could then use Spectrum as some sort of notes to be revised just before the exam.

Approach:

Your aim here is a general understanding of Modern Indian History. For this, you need to have clarity on the way the freedom movement evolved,the issues involved,the perspective of national leaders,etc.Then even if the pattern changes you will be able to handle the questions with ease.

For very short answers :

(In GS 2009, 2 x 10 = 20 marks )

Recommended books:

Do take a look at old question papers 'cos sometimes 2 markers from History are asked more than once.You could read a book by Rajiv Khular which has solutions of two markers asked in the previous question papers.For 2 markers a publication by Civil Services Times is referred to by some candidates (its HUGE so make use of it only if you have time)

Approach:

Your focus should be on NAMES of freedom fighters,social movements,legal/social systems,etc which you can filter out from the recommended reads for long answers. Your focus here is on brevity but without compromising on the important facts.

Changing Pattern :

Many of us were stumped to find two questions on dance and music (10 x 2= 20 marks) in the GS main 2009.We unfortunately focussed on Modern India to the complete exclusion of Indian Culture. So, do pick up a decent book on Indian Culture(there is one by Spectrum) and familiarize yourself with the art/music/dance/architecture etc…..aspects of the Indian Culture.

2. Geography of India: (15 x 4 =60 marks + 3 +3 marker relating to food production and national waterways + 2 marker relating to Desert National park can be said to fall under this heading)

Recommended Books:

The two NCERT books of class XI and XII dealing with Physical and Economic geography of India should be referred.You can also read VajiRam’s printed material on the subject.

Approach vis a vis the changing pattern:

Geography should be interlinked with current affairs knowledge weaned from the newspaper and relevant magazines(the names are mentioned later in the article) . This orientation is well illustrated in the question - significance of coastal regions in the development of India.

3. Constitution of India and Indian Polity:

(In 2009 GS Mains, there were no direct questions on Polity especially when you compare it the way it was traditionally handled.Still the questions on changing determinants of voting behaviour,corruption and esp the one on freedom to express one's opinion all 15 markers could be said to broadly fall under this heading. Further there are 2 markers usually related to terminology like Pocket veto which are asked)

Recommended Books:

Complete beginners can start with Political Science class XI NCERT book " Indian Constitution at Work" .You could then refer to Subash.C.Kashyap's books titled "Our constitution" and "Our Parliament or you could get hold of VajiRam’s printed materials on the subject and also Mr. Raveendran’s class notes. They are lucid and very informative. There is a book on Indian Polity by Wizard ,any issue in recent news can be looked up here since its updated every year.And always keep the Bare Act of the Indian Constitution by your side when you are reading these books/notes.

Approach vis a vis the changing pattern:

You should read the newspaper (preferably The Hindu ) well to keep yourself abreast with the latest issues concerning politico-administrative system of the country. You may also have a look at the excellent blog: www.lawandotherthings.blogspot.com

4. Current National Issues and Topics of Social Relevance:

(This is THE MOST IMPORTANT SECTION which witnessed the maximum allocation of marks and has to be read interlinked with Geography,Polity,Social Issues,Economy,etc)

There are seven broad areas that the UPSC has listed under this head. They do give some clue as to the kind of questions that one might expect but it is indeed an uphill task (bordering on impossibility) to prepare comprehensively for several topics under each of these areas. For example, in the main-2009, there were questions on the Domestic Violence Act, Yashpal Committee Recommendations etc. which in my considered opinion does not fall under any of the seven broad areas listed by the UPSC. You could prepare against such eventualities only by preparing as comprehensively as humanly possible.

Recommended Readings:

You can read Vajiram’s and ALS’s class notes, and also Competition Wizard’s special issue for the main for this part of the GS. You could also think of maintaining a separate note book divided into seven parts for each specified area. Read the newspaper and magazines regularly to gather relevant information under each area and file them in your notebook.Revise it before the exam and if you can ,do try and discuss the newspaper/magazine cutouts/notes with another serious CSE aspirant(remember to keep the discussions focussed since its only when you clear the exam can you change the face of the India!)

Following Resources to be referred in the manner given below should help you out :

The Hindu ( a thorough reading with jotting down of important points and taking out relevant cut outs esp of editorials is recommended)

Frontline (very very selective reading , your focus here should be trying to understand fragmented news in a holistic manner)

Any competitive magazine like Pratiyogita Darpan or Civil Services Chronicle(they encapsulate the news for ready reference.Despite their comprehensive coverage they should NOT be considered as a substitute for newspaper reading, also the opinions espoused in their articles should not be blindly aped.Rather,their articles should be used more as a source of factual information to be applied when required)

Yojana and Kurukshetra should be read selectively to understand the various debates surrounding an upcoming legislation like the women's reservation bill or a critical analysis of implementation of an act/schemes like the MNREGA.

Indian Economic Survey should be read only to understand the general growth trajectory of the Indian Economy with special focus on the boxes.

India Year Book, an extttrrrrremely boring book unfortunately has to be referred to know about the various Govermental schemes :P

Paper-II

1. India and the World:

(This is a very important topic and should be read interlinked with India's economic interaction with the world,together these two topics cover almost 50% of the question paper)

Recommended Readings:

You can rely on Vajiram’s and ALS’s class notes. Competition Wizard’s special issue for the main is useful too. For information on Indian Diaspora, one can look at the India Year Book.However to get a background understanding you can also refer to certain issues of Word Focus, especially the Annual Issue which comes out in Nov-Dec, which is on India’s Foreign Policy. Further here regular reading of newspaper and magazines would be of great help.

Approach:

You should know about any new/landmark bilateral treaty/diplomatic initiative/points of dissent between India and say countries like USA,Russia etc and between India and its neighbouring countries like Bangladesh,China,etc.

2. India’s Economic Interaction with the World: Recommended Sources :

You could refer Vajiram’s, ALS class notes and The Economic Survey. Also, you could pick up bits of information from Pratiyogta Darpan’s special issue on Economics. For the role and functions of IMF, World Bank, W.T.O, W.I.P.O etc you can get information from the net.Further the Ministry of Commerce website http://commerce.nic.in/ is a useful source for information regarding India’s position on various issues in the WTO, etc. along with India’s Foreign Trade

Policy.

Approach:

Here you should know the latest happenings globally say, the recent meltdown, its impact on India and India's response to it.Further the debates/controversies/demands of developing countries in IMF/WTO, World Bank , etc should be read alongwith an analysis of India's Position on the same.

3. Developments in the Field of Science & Technology, IT and Space: (In 2009 GS there was a deluge of questions from this section which took most candidates by surprise....it covered almost 100 marks which is 33% of paper 2 !)

Recommended Readings:

You could read from Vajiram’s class notes and also from the Competition Wizard’s special issue for the main. However, they were not of much use this time since the questions were very contemporary and pertained to the happenings of last one and half year.So a thorough reading of newspaper especially the Science and Technology supplement from The Hindu (freely available on the net) alongwith online inputs wherever required is recommended to score well in this section.There is a Spectrum guide on Science and Technology which can also be referred.

Approach:

Most importantly, non-science background candidates should not get intimidated by this section.Though certain amount of specialized reading is required no one expects you to write like a scientist.Just try to understand the recent technological developments for eg, cloud computing etc along with an analysis of dynamic fields of enquiry like Nanotechnology etc.Further areas of reasearch which are in the form of sub-topics mentioned in the syllabus (robotics, biotechnology, etc.) should be done thoroughly.You should try to understand the concept, the present applications, the future possibilities and limitations/disadvantages surrounding each.Also try to link current affairs knowledge covered via newspaper to this section for example, the question on Green Fluorescence Protein was asked because it was related to the 2008 Nobel Prize for Chemistry. Hence, one can also make notes from newspapers and the internet about the latest developments in this field. The sub-topics mentioned in the syllabus can be useful headings while making notes. A little hard-work in this area may actually fetch a lot of marks and may be the difference between clearing the exam, as Science and Technology is one area which requires specialised reading and where one cannot make up an answer.

4. International Affairs and Institutions: Recommended Readings :

You could rely on Vajiram’s and ALS’s class notes. Competition Wizard’s special issue for the main is useful too.

Approach:

Try to link this section as well to recent issues/controversies/debates covered in the news and extrapolated with online information.

5. Statistical Analysis, Graphs and Diagrams:(Around 30 marks were asked from this section in 2009. Though it may seem like a tough proposition to people who suffer from mathematics-phobia ,its in reality not difficult at all and to top it, it is extremely scoring!On the other hand, Engineers and Science students get overconfident .... please practise since the questions might be easy but because of time crunch you cant make up formulae on the spot.)

Recommended Readings:

You could solve the old question papers by taking the help of either Vaji Ravi's class notes or by solving questions from the Spectrum’s book on the Statistics.

For Mental Ability try to get Mr.Ashok Kumar Singh's(Meridian Coaching,Mukherjee Nagar) solutions of old questions or you could try R.S.Agarwal's book

Approach:

Practise old question papers.

Answering the GS (Main) Paper

By Ashutosh

1. Finishing on time:

One is very likely to overshoot the time limit in the GS paper. One way to ensure completion of the paper with in time limit is to practice answer writing in exam like situation. I just could not get myself to write test series for the GS. However, I tried my best to follow my Senior Aparna’s advice of time-marks division in the exam. Divide 300 marks by 180 mins and figure out the time you would need for 10/20/30 marker and stick to the time limit. I did so and more or less I was able to finish my paper without overshooting the word limit.

2. Plan it out in Your Mind:

For the main -2009, I had visualized the order in which I would answer the GS paper. However, it is a different matter that the UPSC threw cold waters on all my grand visualization by completely altering the pattern of the question paper. For example, I had decided that I would start with the polity questions and then move on to History, Current Affairs etc. I wanted to start with the part of the syllabus that I was most comfortable with and finish it with the part that I was least comfortable with. But you must be prepared with an alternate plan as well in the event your original plan goes haywire like it went for me the last year.

3. Writing in Points:

There are people who have written their entire GS paper in points (for e.g. Roopa Mishra, IAS Topper-2003) while other have stuck to the paragraph format (For e.g. Shubhra Saxena, IAS Topper-2008). I wrote both in points and paragraph depending on the kind of questions, availability of time and amount of information available with me. It does not make sense to write in points when you have very little to write for an answer. I wrote in points for Economics, India and the World, Geography, Science and Technology and some of the questions from current affairs. For history and polity, I stuck to the paragraph format.

4. Value Addition to the Answers:

I think this holds true for every paper including the Essay. You have to walk the extra mile to draw the examiner’s attention towards your answers. Most of us read the same materials for the examination (which is usually the notes given by the coaching institutes or competitive magazines) and end up writing similar answers. Draw maps/diagrams whenever needed; quote from the government/int’l agencies reports and recommendations; make cross country comparisons etc. etc….( Wish I followed what I am preaching now; the score would have looked much better…:) ) sssssssssssssssss

Dear All,It gives me immense pleasure to introduce Abu Mathen George as our guest blogger. Abu is my batchmate from NLS, Bangalore and a very dear friend. He is currently undergoing training as IFS (probationer) in New Delhi. Abu is one of the finest mind I have come across. We are grateful to him for taking time out to write for the blog.-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------I cannot but begin my first post on this blog without a salutation to the person who made it all possible, and who is now enjoying the fruits of his hard won labour. Ever since our time together in law school when we used to meet to ostensibly discuss ‘strategy’ I have been constantly inspired and motivated by my good friend Ashutosh Salil’s passion for the civils. Without his constant encouragement, his good humour and endless hours of nonsensical ramblings that would take the edge off an otherwise mind-numbing preparation schedule, I doubt that it would have been possible for me to get through the grind successfully. Let me also congratulate Cyril and Tanvi, the other contributors to this blog for their success. It has been my privilege to know

Cyril well and his accomplishment this year is truly extraordinary.

Perhaps most importantly, my long conversations with Ashutosh helped answer the ‘why’ of the civils, and that is why I have chosen this as the topic of my first few posts. For those who have even involuntary trespassed on the minefield that is civils preparation will understand that arming yourself with the right reasons to write this exam is crucial. So without further ado, let me begin.

The Indian Civil Services - Answering the Why - Part I

Whenever someone asks me for help on writing the civils, I am tempted to give the same response that the English writer G.K. Chesterton did when approached for advice on marriage: Don’t! Why on earth would you want to write an exam that drags on for so long, that is outrageously maddening in the knowledge/skills that it claims to test, and is completely random in the results it produces. One often jokes that the Indian Civil Service Exam is really a test of your karma, in the classical Indian tradition. Did you do any good in your previous life? Yes, well then great! You can join the great Indian Civil Services in this life, proceed to amass assets disproportionate to your known sources of income, and become a worm in your next.

Often, when candidates are quizzed about the reasons for appearing for the CSE at the famed UPSC interview, they are suddenly possessed with sudden realization. This is, no doubt, the moment that they have all been waiting for (of course, apart from the moment when they will be interviewed by Barkha Dutt after securing the first rank). The ‘correct’ answer will gain them entry into the job of their dreams. So what is the most favoured answer? More or less, almost all variations of the following themes:

I wish to serve the nation.I wish to make constructive and compassionate interventions at the field and policy making levels so as to bring the fruits of development to those who have traditionally been excluded from the mainstream of growth so as to serve the larger interests of the country and make India into a superpower.And oh yes, I wish to serve poor people.

Does anyone recall that lighted thing they put on top of white ambassador cars? Or sprawling bungalows in every district headquarter from Kollam to Kohima? Or fawning men and women for whom the three letters after your name connote the appearance of a living deity?

I exaggerate, but lets get the basics out first: Any good you purport to do in the Civil Services can easily be done many other walks of life, sometimes more efficiently, sometimes with far more impact. Sure, being an investment banker with Goldman Sachs may not be the most conducive way to serve the ‘people’ but one often wonders whether more than sixty years of a glorious and independent civil service has really done any service to the nation at all, especially when one compares it to the last two decades after the initiation of reforms; something that the bureaucracy opposed tooth and nail. Extraordinary work is being done today by ordinary men and women who continuously challenge traditional notions of social service and how it should be performed. The most visible example that comes to mind is that of Aruna Roy, who left the IAS

to begin a grassroots movement that transformed how people access information. One of my friends who contemplated writing the civils asked her once why she left and whether she had any regrets. “Let me put it this way,” she replied, “I drafted a law that my batchmate, the Chief Information Commissioner, now implements.”

So why does one really write this exam? Do you believe that your personality type is suited to be a bureaucrat? What does a bureaucrat really do? Let me leave you with these final thoughts, some of which I hope to answer in my next post. Ssssssssssssss

The Wrong Reasons?

I ended my last post with a few questions about what a bureaucrat really does, and whether one’s personality is really suited to be a bureaucrat. KK commented that my somewhat cynical references to the real reasons (the ‘lal batti’ syndrome) why candidates appear for this exam cannot be divorced from other, more genuine reasons. I agree with him on this point as my ‘cynical’ references were meant more as a provocation to thought as why one wants to write the exam. But more on that later. There are really no absolute right reasons for writing the exam. We must all choose our own right reasons for writing the exam. But I will insist that there may be some wrong reasons for writing the exam. Writing the exam for monetary gain, for example, would fall clearly in this category. Government service offers enough opportunities for illegal gratification but if money is really one’s true aim, there are enormous legitimate opportunities in the private sector for those with the will and creativity. Writing the exam so that one can actively serve the interests of particular groups or sections within the nation, to the detriment of others, whether they may be on the basis of caste, religion or region, I believe is another wrong reason.

This brings me to the controversial issue of the last post: How far should status and privilege motivate one to join the civil services? The Indian Civil Service has traditionally enjoyed huge status on account of the colonial legacy where Whitehall’s writ was executed by the ICS officer on the ground. The notion of the ‘administrator as ruler’ that underpinned this colonial position continues to have a powerful hold on the public imagination. To my mind at least, if the civil service must play a constructive role in pulling India into the 21st century, it must actively seek to break this mould, and this is the most difficult question that both aspirants and civil servants must ask themselves today. Would you still choose the services if it did not perpetuate a semi-feudal ruling elite, but was merely an ordinary part of the executive that was responsible for sensible policy making and effective policy implementation? Would it still be so attractive without its attendant perks, but was merely an agent of change that would empower citizens to depend less and less on the civil servant himself?

The Right Reasons

Undoubtedly, the ‘diminished’ civil servant may not be the ideal person to motivate one for this exam, but here then is the rub: Why then write this exam at all? In spite of all my ‘cynicism’ I do believe that may be some good reasons to give this exam. As I pointed out before, each one will have their own right reasons but here is a checklist of questions that one could ask of oneself before making a final decision. The logic is simple: find out what a civil servant (and here be more specific - IAS, IFS, IPS, etc) does and figure out whether this is the kind of job that you would want to do, and would have a reasonable

chance of success in.

1. Is your understanding of a civil servants job based upon perception orreality? If it is the latter, would discussing his or her day to day job(even spending some time with an officer if possible) give you a clearer view?

2. What is your defining interest/motivation in life? Is it to make money, forexample and have a reasonably comfortable life, or is it to attain some degree of fame or to contribute to society in some meaningful way, or even to pursue knowledge for its own sake (not to suggest that any of these objectives are mutually exclusive)? Each of these have particular correlation in different fields, just as some of them may find expression within the services? Do you believe that you can utilize your interest while working for government while acknowledging that it may not give you the returns that it would have, had you pursued it exclusively?

3. What kind of aptitude do you have? Is it amenable to working in a fixed hierarchical system where merit may not always be a priority, although there may be other intangible rewards? Do you have an aptitude for ‘hands on’ public interface or do you prefer to work in a more rarified office atmosphere?

4. And finally, what is your death bed story? As morbid as it sounds, I personally rate it as the most important question when deciding whether or not to join the services. When you look back at your life from your deathbed, how would you have wanted to live it? Are you willing to take someone else’s dream and live it as your own, or are you willing to find your own?

The questions listed above are only indicative of what a decision making process could look like. Points 2 and 3, I wish to mark out since they not only help you decide whether to write the exam, but indicate how successful you may be in the service. The government works in a peculiar environment that everyone may not find comfortable. Your aptitude and your motivation, if appropriately suited, will determine your ability to persevere and succeed. Your aptitude will also help you choose the right service, an issue I hope to deal with in a later post.

A final personal note on the last point: I knew that, personally, when I looked back, I would have wanted to spend a considerable part of my life representing this extraordinary country, representing more than a billion people, and being in part responsible for its rise in the global comity of nations. If I can achieve even a small part of that story as a member of the civil service, I will be a happy man.ssssssssss

Quitting the job or continuing with it is one dilemma that many of us face while deciding to prepare for the civil services. Quitting your job to write civil services is definitely not an easy decision to make. Again, there is no hard and fast rule that one must quit her job in order to prepare for the civil services. There are people who manage to do both . However, I do not think there are many people who have managed to achieve that feat. I personally do not know any one who has done that. I think it is extremely difficult to manage a full time job and prepare for civil services simultaneously. The nature of the examination is such that it requires at last a year of preparation.

I was working at Amarchand Mangaldas, one of the oldest and a very reputed law firm of the country. Working for a good law firm is hugely rewarding, atleast monetarily. Less than a year into my job, I realized, I was not cut out for a corporate job. I saw no point in working as a corporate lawyer since, I was not going to be very happy doing that. Moreover Civil Services was always there at the back of my

mind.

I guess, the fact that I had no family/financial obligations, made it much easier for me to quit my job. My law degree has been a great comfort factor too. I know I can always fall back on it in the event of non materialisation of civil services. Undoubtedly, the comfort of a professional degree takes off some of the stress and pressure but it could also make one complacent. I remember, everytime I would get frustated with the entire process, I would imagine myself to be a star lawyer. While it is always nice to have a professional degree as your back up option, it is equally important not to find an escape route in it.

To me, it makes complete sense to give a shot to civil services,if that's what one has been aspiring for. No one can take your professional competence away. One can always go back to one's job in the event of civil services not working out. There is absolutely no point in regretting about the missed opportunity later in your life. I would rather risk failure than regret not doing something that I had always wanted to do.sssssssssssssssss

Heartiest congratulations to those who have made it to the interview. Those who couldn't, please do not lose heart. Work harder this time around with full commitment. You are bound to succeed.

By Ashutosh_________________________________________________________________

My interview was on March 24, 2009 in the morning session. After a brief wait outside the UPSC gate, we were all taken to the waiting hall, where six of us sat around the table earmarked for us. It took us another 10-15 minutes to complete pre-interview formalities (giving copies of the Board, Degree certificates etc.). I had a small chat with my fellow table mates. I was informed that I had to go first and it was Madam's board. But then we did not know who the madam was? Since there were two lady members then Ms. Praveen Talha and Ms. Shashi Uban Tripathi. Tea had come and even before I could take a sip, I heard my name being called out. I was waiting outside Ms. Tripathy's room thinking of the morning tea that I had so narrowly missed.

I was soon ushered into Ms. Tripathy's room. This was the first time I felt little tensed. The few steps towards my allotted seat felt like a long distance. I went and stood next to my chair and was greeted with a warm smile by the chairperson. That put me at ease at once. I wished her and other members and took my seat.

Chairperson: Tell us something about your prior work experience? How does a law firm function ?

- I told her about Amarchand Mangaldas where I had worked as an Associate with the Capital Markets team. I explained to her the functioning of the law firms. (Large law firms in the country are usually divided into several teams and the work mostly was of transactional in nature and involved lots of negotiations, drafting etc and it usually did not involve arguing in the court.)

Chairperson: Why is it that more often than not one hears law students and lawyers taking law into their hands? Should not they be upholding it? (I think this was asked in the context of some violence at Ambedkar Law College, Chennai.)

- I said one of the reason could be the false sense of empowerment that came with the knowledge of the law and the working of the Indian legal system. The criminal justice system with all its systematic flaws and pathetic rate of conviction has probably failed to act as an effective deterrent and no one knows that better than the legal fraternity. Hence, the false belief in getting away with violence. ( I don't think I spoke very coherently but this was broadly what I said)

Chairperson: What is the problem with the judicial system ? Why so much arrear?

-I said it was an institutional problem. Our expenditure on justice delivery system is less than 1% of GDP. We need more judges, more courts to bring down the arrears. The Judge-Population ratio in India is 13 per million, that pales in comparison to the western countries where it is usually as high as 250 plus per million. Adjournments also lead and add to the mounting arrear. Our lawyers need to be more responsible while asking for the adjournments and judges need to be very strict while granting them. Lastly I said, that we should resort to ADR mechanisms in a big way to bring down the arrears.

Chairperson: You were a member of the disciplinary committee in the college. Tell us something about that.

-I told her how it was a committee that fully comprised of students only and had the mandate of enforcing the discipline in the hostel. So it was a student's body looking after the discipline in the hostel.

Chairperson: Did it work and which college is this? (I think she was quite surprised to hear students at the college level being disciplined by their peers)

-Yes, it did. Most of the people complied with the hostel rules and those found violating were fined which was almost always paid. This was at National Law School, Bangalore.

____________________________________________________________________

M2: How do you think we could tackle left wing extremism in the country?

-I said we need not see the left wing extremism through law and order prism only. It was also an issue of development since the areas affected most were extremely backward and had lots of catching up to do with the rest of the country........(Interrupted Here)

M2: But the government is spending lots of money there.-I said, I am sure our government has very noble intention but the delivery mechanisms in those areas have not been very efficient. The consequence of which has been corruption, leakages in various govt schemes and very little development on the ground.

M2: Have you heard about PDS and how to make it more efficient?

-I said one of the biggest problem with the PDS was the identification of real beneficiaries and that could be solved to a great extent if there was complete decentralization of the process and panchayats were brought on board.

There were two more questions he asked in quick succession but I can not recall them

___________________________________________________________________

M4: Oh! what a coincidence I share my birthday with him. (I smiled, everyone else smiled too. I was hoping that the coincidence will probably lead to less grilling...:) )

M4: So u r Salil? Do you know a famous musician who had the same name?

-Yes Sir, I am Ashutosh Salil. Salil Chowdhuary was the music director with the same name.

M4: Do you remember any of his songs? (I did not but before I could say no, the chairperson interjected to say something and to my great relief the member moved on to the next question)

M4: You are from Saharsa? Tell me why is it famous?

-I said historically it's famous because of the debate on the religion that took place between Adi Shankracharya and Mandan Mishra, a sanskrit scholar in a place called Mahishi. Mandan Mishra lost the debate and soon thereafter his wife Bharti challenged the Shankracharya for a debate with her and she won the same.

M4: But its famous for something else also? Tell me the name of a famous personality from there?

-I took the name of Mr. B.P.Mandal, the parliamentarian and the chairperson of the very famous Mandal Commission. (Mr. B.P. Mandal was from Madhepura which was recently carved out as a separate district from Saharsa)

M4: No, no there is someone else?

-I ticked my brain hard but could not think of any one so I said, I do not know.

M4: So you have been part of NCC? What is a Horse......(Don't recall the exact word)-I do not know sir.

M4: You should know. You have been part of NCC.

-Yes sir, I should. I am sorry I Do not know.

M4: Do you like Economics?-I just follow it from the newspaper.

M4: Which newspaper do you read?-The Hindu (Later I was told that there were people who said Hindu and they were told it's The Hindu not Hindu. Don't know how much truth was in that?)

M4: Good. So what was the Sensex yesterday?Sir, I Do not know. (Later i realized that the question was asked because there had been unusual

movement in the index. I should have been prepared.)

M4: You should know, you just said you read the newspaper.

There was one more question that he asked (do not recall it now) which I answered. He was not very sure about my answer but fortunately M3 intervened and seconded my answer and the Chairperson nodded too.

I was beginning to get nervous now. Had failed to answer many of M4's questions and he did not look very happy with the ones that I had answered. The thoughts of terrible marks kept crossing my mind.......

____________________________________________________________________

M3: You left your job to write civil services. Do you realize that the amount you were making there would probably be your salary in the services at the time of retirement.

-Yes sir I do. While I recognize the importance of money, it definitely is not the most important thing in my scheme of things. It does not hold great attraction for me.

M3: Why Civil Services?Sir, the yardstick that I have chosen for myself in respect of a job is:Is this a job where I am able to go to the bed with a sense of satisfaction, that through my work it has been possible to make little difference to someone's life. If the answer is yes, then the job is worth aspiring for. And I believe that the probability of the aforesaid question being answered in affirmative is much higher in civil services than in a corporate law firm job.

M3: Then he asked me few basic legal questions (e.g. What is Res-judicata, About Arbitration, How is the New Arbitration and Conciliation act different from the old one? Difference between Conciliation and Mediation etc.....)

M3: You have said you hobby is reading? What do you read?-Yes Sir. I usually read non-fiction.

M3: What was the last book you read?-The White Tiger

At this point, the Chairperson interjected : "But the White tiger is fiction"?

-Yes, Ma'am it is. I said, I usually read non fiction but do read fiction also whenever I find something interesting. (Both Chairperson and M3 smiled after hearing that)

M3: Which is your favourite book?

-Sir, it is difficult to pick one. However, Life of Gandhi by Louis Fischer is a book that I enjoyed reading.

M3: Do you think Gandhi is relevant?

-I said he is. His core values of honesty, truth and non-violence are as relevant as they were in his time and they will continue to be relevant in the future too.

M3: But he was against violence. So what do you do if a country attacks us. Going to war will be violent and against his principles.

-No doubt he believed in non violence but he also abhorred cowardice on the part of people. In fact, during the second world war when the threat of japanese aggression was looming large, he said, he would be the first to pick up arms against the japanese aggression. Thus while non violence was his creed, it was not an absolute concept from which no deviation was possible.

___________________________________________________________________

M1: He asked me something about International Humanitarian Law and Geneva Conventions. (I did not know the answer too well)

M1: Is the process of appointment to the Higher Judiciary alright?-I argued against judges arrogating to themselves the power of appointing judges and said India was probably the only country where it was being done. I argued for restoring the old system of the executive appointing the judges, with some checks and balances.

There were two more questions that he asked but I am not able to recall them now.

__________________________________________________________________Chairperson: You said, service was what motivated you to write the exam. But was that the only consideration?

-It was not the only consideration but it was definitely the most important consideration. Social recognition and prestige that came with the services were important considerations too.

Chairperson: Suppose there is a law and order problem, how will you go about it? will you implement the illegal orders that came from the top?

-No I won't. I will go strictly by the letters of the law and will refuse to implement illegal orders.

Chairperson:There will be lots of pulls and pressures in the job. Will you listen to your political masters?

-I will indeed listen to them since they are people's representatives and they must be heard on their suggestions/complaints etc. But I will act on my own, independently of them, as per my own conscience. My loyalty will lie only to the Constitution and to the laws of this country and not to the political bosses.

Chairperson: You may go now. (Did not hear that and when she did not see me rising from my seat, she repeated that again and then I realized that my interview was over.)

Thank you ma'am.

I was in such a great hurry to leave that I picked up the sheet and the pencil that were lying on the table, thinking that they were mine. At this point M4 says, hey where are you going with the sheet and the pencil? They are UPSC's properties. Every one burst into a laughter. I quickly apologized for inadvertently attempting to take away the UPSC property and left the room with a smile on my face.sssssssssssss

By Ashutosh

Mains results should be out any time soon. Interview even though accounts for only 300 marks is nonetheless very crucial in getting us the service we want. A brilliant mains performance punctuated by a terrible interview score is likely to upset all our calculations. I think this is the toughest part of the entire process only for the reason that it is highly unpredictable. I intend to divide this post into two parts. Part-I is about My own preparation for the interview and some general DO's and DON'Ts for the interview. Part-II will be the factual narration of my interview as much as I can recall.

PART-I

I finished my mains on November 5, 2008 and joined the office of Mr. Shailesh Gandhi, CIC the very next day. By the time I finished writing the mains, I was so fed up with it that I decided to keep UPSC completely away from my work. I had completely forgotten about it, except for the occasional reminders that I would get from family and friends enquiring about the result. Interview preparation was the last thing on my mind and I had no plans to prepare for it until the results were out.

I still remember the day when the results were out. I was at work busy doing nothing very important. Nitin, a friend from Kanpur, called to say that the results were out and he did not make it. He did not sound too sad about not clearing it. He then asked, if I had checked mine. I said no and told him that I was not free and would check whenever I was done with my work. For some reason, I did not feel any strong urge to check my result then. Looking at my disinterestedness, he then volunteered to check it for me. I was happy to let him do the honours. Gave him my roll no, hoping that I had remembered it correctly. I think in the first instance he missed my roll no and told me it was not there. I was not too sad to hear that and told him we will work harder next year. Even before I could finish, he asked me to hang on and in the meanwhile he looked for my roll no again and found it this time in the list.

Was I happy to know that I had cleared the exam? Oh yes,there was a sense of satisfaction and relief but I was definitely not jumping with joy. Mr. Gandhi, my ever generous and caring boss distributed chocolates to every one in the office. I had to tell him and everyone at work that I still had the last hurdle to clear and clearing mains is no guarantee that I will make it to the final list. Called up home to tell my parents and my brother and then got back to work. But the call did not stop coming. Friends and family kept calling entire evening.

I had already booked my ticket to visit home for Holi and did not want to cancel it. But I was

beginning to get worried now since I had very little time to brush up even the current affairs. I went ahead with my plan any way. Went home for a week, had a good Holi and came back all rejuvenated. Next day, I went to Vajiram to enquire about their mock interviews and filled up the form for a mock interview with Mr. Raveendran. It was there that I heard people talking about "Samkalp" an institute that provided guidance for interview. I was told it was somewhere near Jhandewalan and I could get information about them from the RSS Headquarter there. On my way back to home from Vajiram, I got down at the Jhandewalan metro station, went to the RSS HQ and got the no of the gentleman who was in charge of the interview Programme. I called him to find out if I could attend their programme. I was politely told, that I was very late and they will not be able to accommodate me.

I had very little time at hand. I think a week or so. I was beginning to panic now. I turned to my friends and seniors who had already gone through the grind and had come out with the flying colours. I think I spoke to Abu (a very close friend from college days and now training for Foreign Services), almost daily and discussed the probable areas that I should focus on. I also spoke to my seniors Anoop and Aparna and was benefited greatly by my interaction with them. Aparna has been a great source of encouragement and support throughout. She made me read out the answers that I had prepared for the probable questions and gave her invaluable feedback on the same.

Since, I did not even have enough time to brush up even law, there was no question of looking at pub-ad for the interview. I browsed on the net for the recent developments in the legal field and read few issues of Frontline and the Economist. Amidst all this chaos, I went and did my mock with Mr. Raveendran. That was a big morale booster. I got excellent feed back there and was little less panicky now than I was before. After a day or two, I went for one more mock at ALS. The mock interview at ALS was of great help because they not only grilled me thoroughly but also gave me valuable feedback on my body language and hand movements. I had this wonderful habit of telling "that's right sir" little too often. I was politely told that I should not be doing that since it did not sound very appropriate.I got an excellent feed back at ALS too.

While I was happy to get these feed backs, I also knew that they were only an indication of how the interview might go. I think this was some 3 days before my interview. But I was confident now and spent last 2 days going through my mains form again and preparing for all the possible questions that could be asked. I wrote the answers, rewrote them, spoke them aloud till I was satisfied with my answers.

That was how I went about my interview. Would I do it differently the second time around? The answer is NO. Is preparing for the interview in the last 10 days only a good idea? The answer is: I Do NOT KNOW. It worked for me (I got 216/300) but it might not work for you. Having said that, I believe its difficult to prepare for an interview since, it is largely the test of our personality than the knowledge that we have acquired over the years. We can not change into a different person in a short span of few months. Therefore, my advice would be to take it easy, be yourself and do not lose sleep over it.

DO's and DON'Ts

DO's

(i) Please read the mains form very carefully. It is very likely that many of the questions will revolve around the information that you have filled in the form. Please formulate answers to some of the expected questions and rehearse them well at home before the grand finale.

(ii) Do read about your Home State, Home District, Educational institution you went to in great details. Ignorance about any historical/important facts associated with these places is not bliss in the UPSC interview.

(iii) Please know the fundamentals of your graduate/post graduate subject well. Not knowing them is unpardonable. Interview isn't only the test of personality. Very often candidates are grilled on their academic background too. I was asked quite a few law related questions.

(iv) Please be well informed and well aware of the events in and outside the country. You can revise your GS notes and also read the last few issues of any decent magazine. For example: rationale for the smaller states could be a probable question because of the ongoing Telangana agitation. Resumption of dialogue with Pakistan is another example. Knowing facts might not be enough. Try and answer questions like: Does dialogue help? What are the alternatives to the dialogue? etc.etc.

(v) No doubt honesty is the best policy when it comes to the interview but brutal honesty at times might not be a brilliant idea. Certain amount of diplomacy(not dishonesty) might go a long way in improving your score card.

(vi) Mock interviews are helpful. But do not overdo it. 2 or 3 mocks from different places should be sufficent.

(vii) Do maintain eye contact. Be polite (not docile), keep the aggression to yourself, apologise if you have had the slip of the tongue. Keep an easy demeanour. Do not force a smile on yourself but do not look hassled either.

DON'Ts

(i) Do not lie to the Board. Once you are trapped in the kingdom of lies, you would never be able to get out of it.

(ii) Do not give the wrong answer if you do not know the answer. We are not expected to have an answer to every question. Say sorry if you do not know. (I said sorry several times in the course of my short interview)Do not guess unless you are asked to.

(iii) Do not jump with your answer even before the member has finished asking her question. Think it over and then answer clearly and concisely. Please be precise and do not beat around the

bush. (no one has time to listen to our pearls of wisdom in extensive details)

(iv) Do not give them reasons to ask questions, to which you do not have convincing answers. For example wearing stones in all your fingers,any visible religious marks etc.

(v) People with bad sense of dressing, Please ask your friends and family to help you choose the right attire for the occasion. Being shabbily dressed is a big No. I remember a gentleman who was not wearing his tie, was asked why he was not when every one else was. I am sure he would not have been judged on that count but then why take a chance?