Youth Pulse

Career Awareness
• OBC category candidates
= 7.
• SC/ST candidates = unlimited
attempts till 37 years
of age.
• Appearing to attempt
one of the papers in the
preliminary examination
is counted as an attempt,
including disqualification/
cancellation of candidature.
However, applying to
sit the exam but failing to
attend is not counted as an
attempt.
Vacancies and Selection
Generally the number of
vacancies varies every year.
The number of candidates
that pass the preliminary
examination is generally 11
or 12 times the number of
vacancies, and the number
of candidates selected for the
final interview is twice the
number of vacancies. As per
existing policies, reservation
for SC/ST/OBC is applied
to each level of the selection
process.
In 2006, around 400,000
candidates applied for fewer
than 500 vacancies. Of those
candidates, 7,500 passed the
preliminary exam. In 2010,
547,698 candidates appeared
for the preliminary exam.
Preliminary
The pattern of the Preliminary
examination up to 2010
was based on the recommendations
of the Kothari
Commission (1979). It
included two examinations,
one on general studies worth
150 marks, and the second
on one of 23 optional subjects
worth 300 marks. Until
2011, when it was revamped,
the preliminary pattern was
sustained with only minor
changes once every ten to
fifteen years.
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.
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 panchayti Raj system
and governance, economic
and social development,
environmental ecology,
biodiversity, climate change
and general science ,Art and
culture.
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.
In August 2014, the Centre
announced that English
marks in CSAT-II will not
be included for gradation or
merit and 2011 candidates
may get a second chance to
appear for the test next year.
In May 2015, the Government
of India announced
that Paper II of the preliminary
examination will
be qualifying in nature i.e.
it wouldn't be graded for
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List of Services
Following are the services
which one gets on qualifying
the Civil Service Examination.
All India Services (Group A)
Indian Administrative Service
(IAS)
Indian Police Service (IPS)
Indian Forest Service (IFoS)
Central Services (Group A)
Indian Audit and Accounts
Service (IA&AS)
Indian Civil Accounts Service
(ICAS)
Indian Corporate Law Service
(ICLS)
Indian Defence Accounts
Service (IDAS)
Indian Defence Estates Service
(IDES)
Indian Foreign Service (IFS)
Indian Information Service
(IIS)
Indian Ordnance Factories
Service (IOFS)
Indian Post & Telecommunication
Accounts and Finance
Service (IP&TAFS)
Indian Postal Service (IPoS)
Indian Railway Accounts Service
(IRAS)
Indian Railway Personnel
Service (IRPS)
Indian Railway Traffic Service
(IRTS)
Indian Revenue Service (IRS-
IT)
Indian Revenue Service (IRS-
C&CE)
Indian Trade Service (ITrS)
Railway Protection Force (RPF)
Group B Services
Armed Forces Headquarters
Civil Service (AFHCS)
Delhi, Andaman and Nicobar
Islands Civil Service (DAN-
ICS)
Delhi, Andaman and Nicobar
Islands Police Service
(DANIPS)
Pondicherry Civil Service
Pondicherry Police Service
eligibility in Mains Examination
& a candidate needs
to secure at least 33% marks
in order to be eligible for
graded on basis of Marks
of Paper I of Preliminary
April 2018