TO THE POINT PREPERATION

FOR IAS (PRELIMS AND MAINS

EXAMINATION)
A Guide for beginners to crack civil services
examination in 1st attempt
Hardeep Singh , AIR-331 , CSE-2015, 1st attempt

This manual includes study tips, strategies and suggested sources for prelims and mains stage of
civil service examination, enabling aspirants to crack this examination in first attempt itself.
 PREFACE
This handbook is written to help the civil services aspirants in their
preliminary and mains stage of the examination. Since the syllabus of this
examination appears to be limitless to new aspirants and there is a lot of
confusion as to what to read and what not to, so this manual has been written
to clear this confusion.
To the best of my ability I have mentioned in detail the topic-wise coverage
of whole syllabus and sources required to cover these. The study sources
mentioned in this manual have been followed by me as well as many other
successful candidates. It also includes strategies and study-tips for the first
two stages of the examination.
There is no guaranteed success formula in this book. Success is guaranteed
only through right planning , its implementation , combination of hard work
and smart work. Treat it as your guide and feel free to refer to it when you
fell astray. This manual is an effort to keep you in right direction while your
preparation.
Best wishes for your preparation!
 Contents

WHAT KIND OF MINDSET AND QUALITIES YOU REQUIRE TO CRACK MOTHER OF ALL
EXAMINATIONS AND BEFORE YOU START YOUR JOURNEY ?
HOW TO BEST USE THIS MANUAL ?
STRATEGY FOR NEW ASPIRANTS: THE BEGINNING
STRATEGY FOR WORKING ASPIRANTS
PLANNING YOUR PREPERATION IN RIGHT WAY: DO SMART WORK
RELEVANCE OF COACHING
SOURCES TO STUDY : DETAIL LAYOUT and STUDY TIPS
Preliminary Examination
Paper 1 : General Studies sources to study
Paper 2 : CSAT
Mains Examination
General Studies 1:
General Studies 2:
General Studies 3:
General studies 4:
GENERAL OBSERVATIONS AND TIPS ON GENERAL STUDIES
STRATEGY FOR ESSAY
IMPORTANT WEBLINKS
ENGLISH AND INDIAN LANGUAGES
HOW TO CHOOSE RIGHT OPTIONAL
FAQs
 WHAT KIND OF MINDSET AND QUALITIES YOU REQUIRE TO

CRACK MOTHER OF ALL EXAMINATIONS AND BEFORE YOU

START YOUR JOURNEY ?

Set your GOAL honestly : Success is something we all aspire for. Achieving
success is your right and you can realise it provided you go for it in right
way. The first step towards success is to choose your goal sincerely. The
major reason for failure is that sometimes goal for us is imposed upon us. For
instance we may start preparing for civil services just because our parents
want. You can easily achieve things in which you are interested. But
remember this is a different kind of exam and unless you have a burning
desire towards your dream , CSE may remain a hard nut to crack whether in
first attempt or fourth.
Consistency and discipline : In my own journey towards this exam I have
seen many intelligent candidates from IITs , IIMs , AIIMs and other reputed
colleges failing because of lack of consistency and discipline . There are
innumerable roads to success. There are number of strategies of toppers
available online. But you have to identify a customized strategy that would
work best for you because each of us is coming from a different background.
Some are students , some have jobs , some are teachers etc. So whatever plan
you make , one has to be consistent and disciplined in following it.
Self motivation and compassion : It is sometimes difficult to traverse a long
journey without self motivation. Civil services is one such journey. But if you
are compassionate and motivated to contribute to the development of nation ,
serve millions of poor and be service oriented , no one can stop you from
reaching your destiny. My mentor used to tell “ you have to fight some bad
days to earn the best days in your life “.
Patience : As I said earlier that civil service preparation is a long journey.
You will have many ups and lows during this journey. So don’t be impatient
that you do not know this or that. You need time to lay strong foundation.
You have to study a subject one at a time. Don’t be impatient that you are
forgetting what you are learning. Make plans patiently to revise again and
again. You will have to be patient to learn from your mistakes in mock tests.
You should feel that the preparation is giving you an opportunity to learn new
subjects , understand your surroundings better , making you an enlightened
citizen etc. Enter into vicious cycle of interest and learning.
Get around right people : Much of your success is going to be determined by
the quality of people you will have around you. There will be many who
would de-motivate you telling that “only intelligent students can crack civil
services” , “ you have low marks in your board exams so you cannot clear
this tough exam” , “ better try bank PO exam first and civil services later “ , “
only 0.001 % makes to the final list “ and so on. You will hear these
innumerable phrases but beware of them. These are hollow words. There are
some people who may mislead you or will not tell the right source of
preparation. Keep away from such people. Make a group with sincere
students and teachers.
So in conclusion I would like to say that friends have faith in you. Be a
victor and not a victim. Follow never say die approach.
“Arise awake and stop not till goal is reached”
- Swami Vivekananda

HOW TO BEST USE THIS MANUAL ?

Information overload during upsc exam preparation is a serious

problem so the purpose of this manual is not just flooding an
aspirant with tips , sources for preparation etc but reminding
him/her the things that ought and ought not be done
Treat it as a guide and whenever you feel you are going off-track
do not hesitate to refer it again
Read each chapter twice and then jump to the next
Underscore important ideas
Always keep this manual with another important document i.e.
 syllabus
Read between the lines . Pause , think , comprehend and then
move forward
Use this volume as working handbook to help you solve your daily
problems. Many people told me that they don’t have guide. So
treat this handbook as your ‘ big brother ‘.

“ You must keep on trying things . Success or failure can be gauged only
after implementation “
- Abraham Lincoln

STRATEGY FOR NEW ASPIRANTS: THE BEGINNING

Felicitations to all the new aspirants who have taken the first key step
towards their success in civil service exam i.e setting up their goal to crack
CSE.
When I began my preparation I had thousands of questions in my mind . The
situation is not an exception . It is same for almost all the new aspirants
irrespective of the background they come from. The starting phase of the
preparation is most difficult part of the entire journey. So I would try my best
to clear as many doubts from your mind as possible. All I ask in return is
having firm conviction and confidence in your abilities to crack CSE.
First of all download the syllabus of prelims and mains stage of examination .
It is freely available on web.
STEP 1 : Study newspapers regularly

Newspapers are the single most important source of information

for this examination. Start with one newspaper ( most preferably ‘
The Hindu ‘ ). I would personally suggest two newspapers. The
second one can be ‘ The Indian Express’ or ‘ The Times of India ‘.
Selective reading of newspaper will come only once you have in
detail gone through the syllabus of mains examination. You can
read an article/editorial which you feel fits into some given topic
in syllabus. For example , if you get an article on India-Pak
relations or ‘ Right to information ‘ etc then these falls under
India -neighbourhood relations and Various aspects of governance
( topics of GS paper 2)
Do not read political news , sports section , regional news etc. In
broad the areas to be covered are:

➢ Economy
➢ Science: space , IT , health , defence , biotechnology etc
➢ Social sector schemes and policies
➢ Governance
➢ International relations
➢ Security issues
➢ Environment and disaster management

Newspaper reading should be supplemented by tracing

background of the article you are reading. You can use internet or
magazine .
Regarding note making from newspapers you should focus on
issues that have been in news for long . You can use ‘ Evernote ‘
to make digital notes . You can also make handwritten notes but I
personally feel that it becomes time-consuming sometimes.
Supplement your newspaper material with Vision IAS current
Affairs monthly material. It is available for free on internet.
Your understanding of issues will Improve when you would be
simultaneously reading NCERTs and some standard books (
mentioned in subsequent chapters)
This is the best phase to start making use of internet. The manual
will mention some very important web-links ( selective only)
Do not mug anything . Try to understand the issues and form your
personal opinion
Revise your newspaper notes atleast twice in a month. That will
increase your retention power
At this stage no need to worry about answer writing at all
In starting you may take a lot of time upto 2 hours or even more but do not
panic . Your speed will improve slowly and steadily.

STEP 2 : QUICKLY FINISH YOUR NCERTs

NCERTs are indispensible for laying a strong foundation for your
preparation. They are written in very lucid manner and simple to understand.

You should take around 3 months to complete all the below

mentioned NCERTs

Class 6 & 7

History our past

The Earth our Habitat
Social and political life 1 & 2
Our past-2
Our environment

Class 8

Resource and development

Our past 3 & 4
Social and political life
economics

Class 9 and 10

Science
India and contemporary world
Contemporary india
Understanding economic development
India and contemporary world 2
Democratic politics

Class 11

Chemistry unit 14
Biology Unit 4 and 5
 Fundamentals of physical geography
India Physical Environment
Understanding society
Indian constitution at work
Themes in world History
Indian economic development

Class 12

Chemistry unit 16
Biology units 8 , 9 and 10
Fundamentals of human geography
Living craft traditions unit 9 and 10
India – people and economy
Indian society
Themes in history 1 and 2
Contemporary world politics
Introduction to Indian art

Though the list seems long but many NCERTs are very thin .
Hardly such textbooks take one day.
I would suggest you to either enroll for objective test series of
insightsonindia.com or get their old papers from market. They
have good sink of questions from NCERTs.
Note making from NCERTs can be optional. You can highlight in
NCERTs itself and make small notes along the empty margins
give alongside the page.
But I would reiterate that do not rush . Cover the books as per your
own speed. Grasp what you are reading.
STEP 3: IMPROVE YOUR OTHER SOFT SKILLS ALONGSIDE

This is also the best time to improve your other skills like
handwriting , reading articles quickly ( this will help you in
reading comprehensions fast in CSAT test) , communication skills
, vocabulary etc
STEP 4: Moving on to magazines and TV debates
 Do not read all articles in magazine. Have selective reading as
suggested in newspapers
Some good magazines to read:

➢ World Focus
➢ The Yojana magazine
➢ The Kurushetra magazine
➢ Frontline
➢ Science Reporter

Beware of reading too many magazines.

Some very good TV debates

➢ RSTV Big picture , Sarookar etc

➢ LSTV
➢ NDTV prime time
STEP 5 : Moving onto General Studies mains syllabus step by step
This section has been dealt at lengths in subsequent chapters.

STRATEGY FOR WORKING ASPIRANTS

As per the statistics the average age of joining the civil services is 27.5 years.
Many aspirants have worked or are working in some reputed organization ,
MNC etc. Working people who enter the civil services bring valuable
experience and add diversity to the services. There are numerous examples
before us of aspirants who have cracked civil services alongside their jobs.
But still to many aspirants minds arises a question that do they have to leave
their job to prepare for civil services examination ?
This depends on the nature of job one is currently in and his/her
circumstances ( eg lone earner of the family ). Some jobs like IT are very
demanding and it may be difficult for the aspirant to extract time for the
preparation .
Some tips I would like to suggest for working aspirants are:

Ensure you have no restriction to internet and are able to read in

office whenever you have time
Be very selective in reading the sources because you do not have
time to try experimentation with different kinds of book. It is
better to read one book 10 times than 10 books one time.
Do not try to do secret preparation under your
manager/senior/colleagues because your mind will not be peaceful
under stress. Try to reach a common understanding with them and
seek how they can help you in your endeavour
Don’t just leave your job at the starting of your preparation .Go
through NCERTs and standard books first and see whether you
would be able to sustain interest and remain motivated for another
year or two
Time management

➢ Use your time during commutation to and fro from the

office if you travel in public transport . You can listen to RSTV
debates during such period
➢ Use your office breaks for your preparation . Engage your
colleagues if possible in debates relevant to your preparation
➢ Though it may sound unethical but use your office
stationary ,internet, printing facility for preparing notes etc
➢ Use smartphones for preparation . Download relevant apps
➢ After office hours take an hour break and get back to
studies
➢ Utilize your weekends to full extent and avoid wasting
these precious days
➢ Make sure that you get leave for atleast one month before
preliminary as well as mains examination

If still you find very difficult to prepare alongside your job and
you are serious about getting into civil services you can resign
from your job. But it’s your personal choice.
PLANNING YOUR PREPERATION IN RIGHT WAY: DO SMART

WORK

One of the major reason why candidates fail again and again is that they lack
proper planning for preparation and consistency in implementing one’s
strategy. If one does not plan then no matter how much efforts one puts ,
results still remain elusive.
So plan your preparation according to the time you have before the
examination. Some important aspects to kept in mind while planning are:

Know your speed: This is important to know how much time you
require to complete the preparation . Also you need to assign time
to a subject as per your own speed.
Know what all to read : Beware of reading too much . Many
aspirants complain of information overload and retention problem.
So read limited good standard sources . Some of them would be
discussed latter.
Know how to read : Put 100% focus while studying .

➢ Understand the concepts and get clarity . Do not mug up .

Wherever you face obstacle while studying , please have
patience to stop and search for that problem on internet.
➢ Read only 1-2 books for a topic.
➢ Look for side spaces and try to summarize over there as to
what you have read and understood.
➢ And once you have done a topic , revise it again and again.
➢ More time should be spent on thinking rather than just
reading.

Previous year papers should be examined so as to get an idea

about what an examiner asks
Set daily targets , weekly as well as monthly goals

Revision again and again is very important. Each time you revise a
topic you get different perspective again and again .Keep one day
per week for revision purpose.
Note making : It is again one’s personal choice as there are some
toppers who crack the examination without making notes. If you
are not comfortable making notes then you can skip this exercise
because making notes is not compulsory to clear the exam . What
is needed is clarity of concepts and retention of what you read. But
if you want to make notes ( they help in quick revesion) then
following are some of the suggestions :

➢ Make notes in your own words. Do not just copy paste the
sentence from textbook
➢ Make notes on A4 sheet and not a ruled register. ( Note :
UPSC mains answer-sheets are plain and not ruled)
➢ Make notes on one side and leave other side empty so that
you can do additions in that topic in future or you can leave
around 6 cm margin on each sheet for the same purpose.
➢ If you make notes do revise them regularly
➢ You can make notes digitally on evernote
➢ Some institutes provides ready made notes . But these are
not substitute for any textbook or original source of information
➢ To make process of note-making joyful you can use
coloured pens as well
➢ Do not buy each and every material that is available in
market

Plan for your downtime also : It is not possible for any individual
to always remain concentrated while preparation . There are
problems of mood swings. Sometimes we all feel de-motivated
and starts questioning our ability to crack this exam. So do insert
regular breaks in your plans . Go out with friends . Watch movies
and have sumptuous meals to cool yourself down. Do not worry
about results . Enjoy the preparation .
You can provide yourself flexibility to change your plan
Implement your plan otherwise planning is futile exercise
 RELEVANCE OF COACHING

Due to complex nature of exam , aspirants feel that coaching is important .

But unfortunately it is a costly affair. Though there are number of successful
students who have not taken any coaching , still there are some positives :

They improve your perspectives about various issues

Helps you to build momentum for studying
Give you consolidated material
Helps in getting contacts with co-aspirants
You can clear your doubts with teachers and co-aspirants
Regular mocks give you good feedback
But still I believe that coaching is not mandatory at all provided you are
focussed, disciplined and determined.
If you want to join coaching keep following points in mind:

Do not merely go by advertisements

Meet successful candidates and seek their opinion
Do not go by an advise of only one person
Meet teachers of institutes and ask for their programme details
No coaching institute can provide you good guidance for all the
subjects. So join them according to your requirement
I would advise all aspirants to do join some mock test series for prelims and
mains .It would definitely be an effective aid for your preparation.

SOURCES TO STUDY : DETAIL LAYOUT and STUDY TIPS

Preliminary Examination
It is the first stage of examination and should not be taken lightly .
Preparation should be such that you should not have any doubt of clearing
this exam.
Paper 1 : General Studies sources to study
SUBJECT SOURCES TIPS

History and NCERTs as mentioned in For history it

Culture chapter….. is better to
Spectrum publication solve
modern India or Bipin questions than
Chandra’s India struggle endlessly
for freedom reading as it
Spectrum’s facets of helps in better
Indian culture retention of
www.ccrtindia.gov.in facts
All previous year papers of
history section
For MCQs :

➢ GKtoday.in
➢ Insightsonindia.com
➢ Arihant Publication’s
MCQs

Polity Indian Polity by For prelims

Lakshmikant Lakshmikant
TMH synopsis for polity is very good
TMH polity questions source. Read
All previous year and revise it
questions again and
again.

Geography NCERTs This subject

Physical Geography by does not
Goh Chen Leong require
TMH geography questions extensive
Mrunal.org video lectures preparation so
 All previous year kindly do
questions selective study

Environment Shankar’s Environmental Do not neglect

studies this section at
any cost.
Or Ecology and environment by Follow current
PD Sharma affairs related
to environment
Annual Report of section very
environmental ministry religiously
NCERTs Please
Mrunal.org maintain a list
Previous year MCQs of wildlife
www.gktoday.in parks ,
environment section or biosphere
insightsonindia.com reserves ,
sanctuaries ,
threatened
fauna etc

Economy NCERTs This subject

Economic Survey of India requires proper
Indian economy by understanding
Ramesh Singh of concepts
Mrunal.org and
The Newspaper terminologies
Previous year MCQs Current affairs
TMH questions for are of utmost
economy importance

Sciences NCERTs as mentioned Trace new

 Science Reporter scientific
Magazine developments
Science section of The in
Hindu Newspaper nanotechnology
TMH questions on science , space ,
defence ,
biotechnology
, computers etc
carefully

Current Vision IAS monthly You can refer

Affairs compilation India year
Insightsonindia.com daily book. But no
current affairs and daily need for
quiz complete
Yojana and Kurushetra reading
magazine Read
Newspaper
regularly

Some more useful tips :

Do not start memorizing. Understand the concepts.

It would be better if you do preparation for prelims and mains in
integrated manner. Just the only difference is that in prelims you
have to solve MCQs while mains is written examination
Solve as many MCQs as possible. It is better to do all mistakes
before the exam than on the judgement day
Keep track of negative marking

Paper 2 : CSAT
CSAT is now a qualifying paper. Thus relief for many students from non-
medical background . But still you need 33% to qualify it . In my personal
opinion a little bit of practise in right direction can help crack this nut. There
is now no need for coaching for CSAT. Self practise is sufficient .
The most important skill set that is tested in CSAT is speed and accuracy.
Only way to achieve this is practise .
Topic Study Source Tips/strategy

Reading Mrunal.org Do not buy any

Comprehension (RC) aptitude separate book for
section it
Previous year Your speed of
papers reading will
Career gradually
Launcher / increase along
Time test with your habit of
series paper newspaper
are easily reading
available in Reading from
market ( magazine,
Delhi) / standard books
online for free will also help in
long run
Try to read varied
topics from
newspapers and
magazines
While attempting
the
comprehension ,
first read the
question and then
search for
relevant answer
in passage
Analysis of RC is
 very important
after attempting.
See why you got
some questions
wrong

Mathematics section
Analytical Practice Practise
Reasoning by Practise
MK Pandey
(for logical
and analytical
reasoning ) or
RS Aggarwal
Quantitative
aptitude by
Arun Sharma
Mrunal.org
aptitude
section ( very
helpful)
Any Magazine
with set of
questions for
CSAT

Mains Examination
The first step is to cover whole syllabus topic by topic. Please do not leave a
single topic if you want to score high marks in mains. Set daily targets and
achieve them. Do not do any specialized research on a particular topic. You
are not here to do a Phd.
Many sources for prelims and mains are overlapping . Remember that the
preparation for prelims and mains is not separate. It has to be an integrated
preparation.
General Studies 1:
Topic(T)
T-1: Indian culture will cover the salient aspects of Art Forms, Literature and
Architecture from ancient to modern times

Spectrum book on facets of Indian culture or Nitin Singhania’s

book on Indian culture
NCERT (class 11 and 12) on Art and architecture
CCRT website
T-2: Modern Indian history from about the middle of the eighteenth
century until the present- significant events, personalities, issues
T-3: The Freedom Struggle - its various stages and important
contributors /contributions from different parts of the country.
T-4: Post-independence consolidation and reorganization within the
country.

Bipin Chandra’s India struggle for freedom

Spectrum book on Eminent personalities of modern India
Chapter 6 – 12 of India Since Independence – Bipan Chandra
NCERTs which you have already read
T-5: History of the world will include events from 18th century such
as industrial revolution, world wars, redrawing of national
boundaries, colonization, decolonization, political philosophies like
communism, capitalism, socialism etc.- their forms and effect on the
society.

Except for Industrial revolution, Mastering Modern World History

 by Norman Lowe covers all topics of this part of the syllabus – it
is a very good book. Stick to only this book.
book by Arjun Dev – History of the World from the Late
Nineteenth to the Early Twenty First Century
Old NCERT World History Class-X
T-6 : Salient features of Indian Society, Diversity of India.

NCERT – Indian Society Class 12

Indian Society – Ram Ahuja
Social Problems in India – Ram Ahuja
T-7: Role of women and women's organization, population and associated
issues, poverty and developmental issues, urbanization, their problems and
their remedies.

For India specific women related issues download this beautiful

report (PLATFORM FOR ACTION-REPORT ON INDIAN
WOMEN ).
Other sub-topics are general in nature and can be found in
Magazines and Newspapers. If one is thorough with current events
questions on these sub-topics can be answered very well by
consolidating their knowledge.
Yojana magazine issues on women empowerment
T-8: Effects of globalization on Indian society

http://www.cpim.org/content/globalisation-impact-indian-society
Rest is covered in books by Ram Ahuja
T-9: Social empowerment, communalism, regionalism & secularism

NIOS material on these topics. From following web-links you can

download it
http://insightsonindia.com/wp-
content/uploads/2013/07/regionalism-in-india.pdf
http://insightsonindia.com/wp-
 content/uploads/2013/07/communalism.pdf
T-10: Salient features of world's physical geography.

Certificate Physical and Human Geography 1st Edition by Goh

chen Leong
NCERT Class-XI – Fundamentals of Physical Geography

T-11: Distribution of key natural resources across the world (including

South Asia and the Indian sub-continent); factors responsible for the
location of primary, secondary, and tertiary sector industries in various
parts of the world (including India)

NCERT Class XII – Human Geography

NCERT Class-XII – India-People and Economy
Human and economic geography – Goh Chen Leong

T-12: Important Geophysical phenomena such as earthquakes, Tsunami,

Volcanic activity, cyclone etc., geographical features and their location-
changes in critical geographical features (including water-bodies and ice-
caps) and in flora and fauna and the effects of such changes.

This is a repetition actually. You can read Physical Geography

book by Goh Cheng Leong which is mentioned above (Certificate
Physical and Human Geography 1st Edition)
Follow current affairs

General Studies 2:
T-1: Indian Constitution- historical underpinnings, evolution, features,
amendments, significant provisions and basic structure

D.D. Basu’s “Introduction To The Constitution Of India” First 5

 chapters in this book exclusively deal with this part of the
syllabus
Vajiram’s or Vision IAS printed material for these topics
T-2: Functions and responsibilities of the Union and the States, issues and
challenges pertaining to the federal structure, devolution of powers and
finances up to local levels and challenges therein

Report of the 2nd Administrative Reforms Commission, named

– Organizational Structure Of Government of India (13th Report)
DD basu
For devolution of powers read this http://insightsonindia.com/wp-
content/uploads/2013/07/local-governance-arc.pdf
Vajiram or Vision IAS material
T-3: Separation of powers between various organs dispute redressal
mechanisms and institutions.

This topic is very dynamic so follow newspaper and magazine

articles
Vajiram / Vision ias material
Laxmikant or DD Basu
T-4: Comparison of the Indian constitutional scheme with that of other
countries

Vision ias material or

A book by S. Chand – Select Constitutions of the world. But do
not study it in depth
Parliament and State Legislatures - structure, functioning, conduct of
business, powers & privileges and issues arising out of these.

Our Parliament by Subash Kashyap

Structure, organization and functioning of the Executive and the Judiciary
Ministries and Departments of the Government; pressure groups and
formal/informal associations and their role in the Polity.

Laxmikant is enough for this topic.

Regarding pressure groups/ informal associations – recent
activism shown by Civil society, conflict with the government and
other such topics should be studied in depth.
Salient features of the Representation of People's Act

http://www.india-
seminar.com/2008/586/586_yogendra_yadav.htm
Vision ias material or
Laxmikant
Appointment to various Constitutional posts, powers, functions and
responsibilities of various Constitutional Bodies.

Laxmikant
“Public Institutions in India – Performance and Design by Pratap
Bhanu Mehta
Statutory, regulatory and various quasi-judicial bodies

Laxmikant
“Public Institutions in India – Performance and Design by Pratap
Bhanu Mehta
Government policies and interventions for development in various sectors
and issues arising out of their design and implementation

Follow magazines like yojana , Frontline

Newspaper editorials which analysis the government actions and
schemes
Development processes and the development industry the role of NGOs,
SHGs, various groups and associations, donors, charities, institutional and
other stakeholders

http://www.anand.to/india/ngo.html
http://planningcommission.nic.in/reports/sereport/ser/ser_shg3006.pdf
Newspaper and magazines

Welfare schemes for vulnerable sections of the population by the Centre

and States and the performance of these schemes; mechanisms, laws,
institutions and bodies constituted for the protection and betterment of
these vulnerable sections

Again it is a complete current affairs section .

Issues relating to development and management of Social Sector/Services
relating to Health, Education, Human Resources.

Again it is a complete current affairs section. We read lot about

this these days: Food security bill, PDS reform, Poverty reduction
schemes, Poverty-line controversy, Malnutrition figures, report
on malnutrition(remember HungMa report?) etc.
So newspapers + Yojana / Kurushetra
Important aspects of governance, transparency and accountability, e-
governance- applications, models, successes, limitations, and potential;
citizens charters, transparency & accountability and institutional and other
measures.

E-governance chapter from IGNOU:

http://www.egyankosh.ac.in/bitstream/123456789/8102/1/Unit-
1.pdf
2nd ARC report on “Promoting e-Governance: The SMART Way
Forward” : http://arc.gov.in/11threp/ARC_11th_report.htm
Role of civil services in a democracy
 2nd ARC report (10th report) – Refurbishing of Personnel
Administration has whole chapter (ch-4) on this topic.
T-16: India and its neighbourhood- relations.
T-17: Bilateral, regional and global groupings and agreements involving
India and/or affecting India's interests
T-18: Effect of policies and politics of developed and developing countries
on India's interests, Indian diaspora.
T-19: Important International institutions, agencies and fora, their structure,
mandate.

Book by Rajiv Sikri – Challenge and Strategy – Rethinking

India’s Foreign Policy
RSTV debates on international relations
Civil Service Times book on India’s foreign policy
Indian Express editorials by C Rajamohan
World Focus magazine

General Studies 3:
Indian Economy and issues relating to planning, mobilization of resources,
growth, development and employment.

NCERTs
Indian Economy for Civil Services Examinations – Ramesh Singh
Newspaper and magazine editorials
Inclusive growth and issues arising from it.

Indian Economy by Ramesh singh

Read this also :
http://www.undp.org/content/dam/india/docs/consultation_on_conceptualizing_
Government Budgeting
 NCERT class 12 macroeconomics chapter 5
Excellent source : http://insightsonindia.com/wp-
content/uploads/2013/08/l-21-government-budgeting.pdf
Budget highlights
Major crops cropping patterns in various parts of the country, different
types of irrigation and irrigation systems storage, transport and marketing
of agricultural produce and issues and related constraints; e-technology in
the aid of farmers

The Hindu’s annual survey on agriculture

NCERTs ( particularly Resource and development ) very helpful
in understanding the concepts
A very helpful PDF :
http://discuss.forumias.com/uploads/FileUpload/9f/997caac798f102058dd6c63
http://insightsonindia.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/irrigation-
methods.pdf
Read Kurushetra magazine regularly . It will help you cover many
portions of GS 3 paper
An article regarding e-tech in agriculture :
https://docs.google.com/file/d/0B-
m6MnjBklfAenZrQ19yNkpVTG8/view
Issues related to direct and indirect farm subsidies and minimum support
prices; Public Distribution System objectives, functioning, limitations,
revamping; issues of buffer stocks and food security; Technology missions;
economics of animal-rearing.

Very dynamic topic . So read newspaper editorial regularly

IGNOU notes PDS system are easily available on internet.
The Hindu’s annual survey on agriculture
Animal rearing topic :
http://pib.nic.in/archieve/others/2012/mar/d2012031308.pdf
http://insightsonindia.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/role-of-
livestock-in-indian-economy.pdf
Food processing and related industries in India- scope and significance,
location, upstream and downstream requirements, supply chain
management.

The Kurushetra magazine

Food processing industry :
http://pib.nic.in/archieve/eec/2011/Food.pdf
mrunal.org articles are excellent
Land reforms in India.

The Kurushetra magazine

The Yojana editions on land reforms
IGNOU : http://insightsonindia.com/wp-
content/uploads/2013/08/land-reforms-1.pdf and
http://insightsonindia.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/land-
reforms-2.pdf
Effects of liberalization on the economy, changes in industrial policy and
their effects on industrial growth.

Indian Economy for Civil Services Examinations – Ramesh Singh

Infrastructure: Energy, Ports, Roads, Airports, Railways etc

Economic survey
India year book chapter onEnergy and transport
Investment models.

Vision ias notes ( available on internet)

T-11: Science and Technology- developments and their applications and
effects in everyday life Achievements of Indians in science & technology;
indigenization of technology and developing new technology.
T-12: indigenization of technology and developing new technology.
T-13: Awareness in the fields of IT, Space, Computers, robotics, nano-
technology, bio-technology and issues relating to intellectual property
rights

Science reporter magazine

Spectrum book on latest developments in science and technology
The Hindu sci and tech page every Thursday for non – science
graduates, a reading of NCERT Class VI to X Science Texts is
advised
Conservation, environmental pollution and degradation, environmental
impact assessment

Shankar’s Environmental studies

Or Ecology and environment by PD Sharma

Annual Report of environmental ministry

NCERTs
Mrunal.org
The Hindu Environmental Survey
Disaster and disaster management

Yojana edition on Disaster management

http://yojana.gov.in/cms/(S(w4nemfesytvobw45spxrfvfc))/pdf/Yojana/English/2012
2012.pdf

Do selective reading of this report : http://ndmindia.nic.in/UNDP-

020811.pdf
T-16: Linkages between development and spread of extremism.
T-17: Role of external state and non-state actors in creating challenges to
internal security.
 T-18: Challenges to internal security through communication networks,
role of media and social networking sites in internal security challenges,
basics of cyber security; money-laundering and its prevention
T-19: Security challenges and their management in border areas; linkages
of organized crime with terrorism
T-20: Various Security forces and agencies and their mandate

Challenges to internal security of India by Ashok Kumar

General studies 4:
Though it is a recent addition to the syllabus , if handled well this paper can
be very scoring . However this section requires brainstorming and flexible
mindset.
Half of the paper is based on case studies and real life scenarios/situations.
The good news is that no answer is wrong or completely right in this paper as
the moral approach which candidate applies is tested by the examiner. So
again I reiterate that if you follow right approach this paper is highly scoring.
T-1: Ethics and Human Interface: Essence, determinants and consequences
of Ethics in human actions; dimensions of ethics; ethics in private and
public relationships.
T-2: Human Values - lessons from the lives and teachings of great leaders,
reformers and administrators; role of family, society and educational
institutions in inculcating values.

2nd ARC REPORT (Ethics in Governance , Refurbishing of

Personnel Administration )
IGNOU : MPA-011 ( Ch : Ethical Concerns in Public
Administration)
Ethics , Integrity and aptitude by G Subba Rao (IAS)
Videos of Michael Sanders : www.justiceharvard.o rg/watch/
Human values chapter of IGNOU : http://insightsonindia.com/wp-
 content/uploads/2013/09/human-values.pdf
T-3: Attitude: content, structure, function; its influence and relation with
thought and behaviour; moral and political attitudes; social influence and
persuasion.
T-4: Aptitude and foundational values for Civil Service , integrity,
impartiality and non-partisanship, objectivity, dedication to public service,
empathy, tolerance and compassion towards the weaker-sections.
T-5: Emotional intelligence-concepts, and their utilities and application in
administration and governance.
T-6: Contributions of moral thinkers and philosophers from India and
world.
T-7: Public/Civil service values and Ethics in Public administration: Status
and problems; ethical concerns and dilemmas in government and private
institutions; laws, rules, regulations and conscience as sources of ethical
guidance; accountability and ethical governance; strengthening of ethical
and moral values in governance; ethical issues in international relations and
funding; corporate governance.
T-8: Probity in Governance: Concept of public service; Philosophical basis
of governance and probity; Information sharing and transparency in
government, Right to Information, Codes of Ethics, Codes of Conduct,
Citizen's
T-9: Charters, Work culture, Quality of service delivery, Utilization of
public funds, challenges of corruption.

2 nd ARC REPORT (Right to Information,, Citizen Centric

Administration )
Emotional Intelligence by Daniel Goleman
Ethics , Integrity and aptitude by G Subba Rao (IAS) : a very good
source
Case Studies on above issues

Ethics , Integrity and aptitude by G Subba Rao (IAS) : a very good

source
Lot of case studies from test series of reputed institutes are
availale on internet ( forumias.com)

GENERAL OBSERVATIONS AND TIPS ON GENERAL STUDIES

Now we know what to read the question arises that how should one retain so
much information. I would give some general suggestion:

Do not read too many books. It is better to read 1 or 2 books 10

times than reading 10 books one time
Avoid too much research on a single topic. Do not master any
topic but understand the concepts and basics involved.
Making small notes is a good way of grasping what you are
reading and writing
Revise-Revise-Revise : It is most important part in preparation.
You make it a habit and you will surely get interview call
You don’t have to read all sources mentioned above completely.
These sources cover each and every part of syllabus. During
course of preparation your mind will become smart enough to read
selectively from these sources
The more mock tests you write , more perfect you would become.
Eat well , exercise well and sleep well. You remember childhood
adage that ‘ health is wealth’
 Make it a habit of watching RSTV debates regularly. You would
remember well by listening to the experts opinions over various
issues

STRATEGY FOR ESSAY

Essay is crucial in determining your final selection. The mark in essay paper
varies from as low as 30 to as high as 160 out of 250. So it can make or break
you.
There is no syllabus for essay nor any single source. Your GS preparation
should suffice to write a good essay. What you need to remember is Practice
Practise Practise.Abstract topics can also be asked in this examination.
It is said that essay reflects one’s personality in terms of ideas , presentation ,
values , attitude ,assessment and analysis . So the emphasis should be as to
how to present your ideas rather than merely throwing factual knowledge or
information.
General trend in essay is that there are two sections A and B .Out of each
section you have to choose one essay to write.
What constitutes a good essay ?

Simple , short and lucid sentences. Clarity of expression is more

important
Integrity of essay : Define the subject clearly and avoid writing
unnecessary details . Whatever you write should be directly
associated with the topic
Order : It should not be written in ad-hoc fashion. There should be
proper structure and it should be written in seamless / continuous
manner . There should be some degree of unity in essay.
Don’t hesitate in giving your views
Avoid grammatical and spelling errors
Quality of content is more important than Word limit
What should be the plan for writing a good essay ?

Take around six to ten minutes in selecting the topic. Eliminate the
topics you are not comfortable with .Select the topic you think you
can do justice.
Use last two to three pages for rough work
Once the topic is chosen you should now draw a basic framework
of your essay. This should contain headings , sub-headings , points
you would include in each paragraph . Take good amount of time
to think of catchy introduction and conclusion. Think of making
your essay multi-dimensional. Add various perspectives ( eg social
, political , economic , historical etc ) to your essay.
An introduction can be some catchy saying or an adage , an
anecdote , recent happening etc to make first impression on mind
of the examiner.
You should take around 20-25 minutes in drawing the whole
framework of your essay . Around 40-45 minutes are sufficient to
do mechanical work of writing
Now while you are writing final essay start elaborating your points
which you have drafted in rough work
You can underline important points , headings and sub-headings .
You can add flow-charts and some diagrams as well
Body of Essay

Introduction
It is opening of your essay
Explain the central theme / idea
Put before examiner as to what you
want to convey in your essay
It can be an anecdote , recent
happening , or some quote

Main content
Here you elaborate your ideas
Discuss essay from as many
dimensions as possible
 Make a link between subsequent
paragraphs

Conclusion
It should be a sort of climax
You can always leave a question in
mind of examiner to think in
conclusion
You can add suggestions also

IMPORTANT WEBLINKS

Website Useful for

www.Mrunal .org Economy

Environment
Geography

www.Insightsonindia.com Answer writing

Current affairs
Motivation

www.downtoearth.org Environment

Forumias.com General discussions

with other aspirants

www.mea.gov.in International Relations

 www.prslegislative.org Laws , bills analysis

www.egyankosh.ac.in IGNOU material

www.gktoday.in MCQs
Current affairs

ENGLISH AND INDIAN LANGUAGES

There is nothing special with regard to these papers. The objective of these
papers is to test candidate’s ability to read and understand discoursive prose
and express his/her ideas clearly in English or one Indian language. The
standard of these papers is of matriculation.
Compulsory papers are merely qualifying exams. But if ignored and you do
not pass these first , your other mains papers will not be evaluated.
English Paper:
Syllabus Tips

Reading comprehension It is better to read question

(RCs) first and then search for
answers
Write answers in your own
words
 Precis writing You will be given a
comprehension and will
have to write in exactly 1/3rd
words
Write in own language
Do not elaborate any
point/idea
Examples, illustrations etc
need not be included

Short essay Give stress on English rather

than content

Grammar Common sense will work

here
No need to study any
separate book

Indian Language :

Just functional knowledge of any Indian language is enough.

Translate some keep English words into Indian language you have
opted . Maintain your personal dictionary and revise them
Try to complete full paper
You can refer to any 10th standard Indian language guide for
grammar preparation
 HOW TO CHOOSE RIGHT OPTIONAL

Choosing a right Optional subject is a crucial step in your preparation for

the UPSC civil services exam. A wrong decision can be very disastrous.
In the new pattern for Mains, you can opt for only one Optional subject (in
old pattern it was two) which will have two papers of 250 Marks each. So,
one Optional subject carries 500 Marks in Mains.
Criteria to choose an optional subject :

Go through list of all optionals. Try to recall which subjects

fascinated you the most during school days
Also note which kind of news fascinates you
Try to prune down the list to 4-5 ( or even less) preferable
optional subjects
Now go through the syllabus of each of the optional you have
narrowed down. Also see some previous year papers. This
practise is suggested in order to gauge yourself the level of
interest you have or knowledge you possess to answer each
question. It’s just to know yourself how comfortable you are
with a subject.
Availability of material and coaching also matters a lot here.
Non technical subjects can be prepared by own but for some
technical subjects coaching becomes important.
Your background matters a lot. You may opt for subject related
to your field . eg Medical students may opt for Medical
Science, Zoology or Anthropology as these subjects are related
to their field.
Do not merely choose optional on basis of its past success ratio.
What matters is how much you love the subject. Only your
passion will provide you desire to complete the whole syllabus
without any feeling of burden and boredom.
By now you will have holistic view as to how to zero on the
final optional you want to choose from remaining list.
 FAQs

Q1) Can civil services be cleared through only multiple attempts ?

Ans: With proper planning and smart work anyone can clear civil services
in first attempt itself.
Q2) Do we need to study everything under the sun ?
Ans: It is true that one has to read a lot but not everything . Stick to the
sources mentioned in this document.
Q3) How many hours one need to study ?
Ans : It is about how effectively you are utilizing your time rather than
how much time is devoted in studies. Study with full concentration and
only limited sources to effectively use your time. Be consistent in your
studies . Consistency is the key.
Q4) Is making notes mandatory ?
Ans: Make notes if you are comfortable. Notes are important for quick
revision . If one can do this itself with the original sources , then you may
not require notes.
Q5) From when should I do current affairs ?
Ans: At least one year before your target Prelims.
Q6) In mains examination should I adhere to word limit ?
Ans: Yes you should definitely stick to it as the students are being tested
for their ability to provide all information within the number of words
specified.
Q7) Does a candidate who speaks good Hindi but is poor in English stand
a chance to loose in civil services ?
Ans: It is a big misconception . There are number of candidates from
Hindi and even other Indian languages background who also qualify in
large numbers every year.
Q8) Does age factor matters for exam ?
Ans: No age does not matter significantly but if earlier you enter civil
services , higher the ladder you can climb up as promotions are seniority
based.
Q9) Are the toppers highly skilled in language ?
Ans: The difference is that they don’t make many mistakes. They do not
use wrong words at wrong places. Very high and complicated vocabulary
is not at all necessary for this examination. Simple language too can create
magic.
Q10 ) I do not have job security right now. Civil service exam is full of
uncertainties . How do I gather courage ?
Ans: Many aspirants have this kind of feelings and emotions. If you are
highly motivated and have self confidence you can surely crack it. Give
this examination both time and concentration.
Q11) Can a candidate write civil services mains exam in English and give
interview in Hindi or any other Indian language ?
Ans: Yes you can do so.
Q12) I am from poor family . Is it disadvantageous ?
Ans: No need to regret. Being poor is disadvantageous only from financial
aspects. Everyone has similar chances for succeeding in this exam. Now
lot of guidance is available online for free.
Q13) How to remember so much stuff ?
Ans: Revise- Revise- Revise. Write-write-write.
Q14) Can a candidate who has completed his education from open
school/university appy for this exam ?
Ans: Yes provided it is recognized university.