Friday 31 October 2014

IAS first ranker Divyadharshini shares her success mantra!


IN her first attempt, this 24-year old law graduate from the School of Excellence in Law, Chennai couldn't clear the UPSC Civil Services Preliminary but in her second attempt, she emerged the first ranker! Daughter of V Shanmugam, a customs consultant and homemaker S. Padmavathy, Divyadharshini was working at SBI for the past six months. She shares her journey.


Name: Divyadharshini Shanmugam

Rank: 1

Exam: Civil Service Exam 2010


Q.How did you hear the good news?
A.I was in office when the results were declared, and a friend informed me of the results. It came as a shock! At first I did not believe but it but confirmed it through my brother. It took a while to realise that it was not a dream.
Q.Who is the inspiration behind your success?
A. My mentor Prabhakaran sir (Director of Prabhas IAS Academy) and my parents. All have given me ample confidence, motivation and have placed belief in me.
Q.How different was it in the second attempt? What made you crack it?
A.I think one year’s consistent preparation made the difference between the two attempts.
Q.What were your optional subjects and why did you choose them?
A.Prelims – I chose Public Administration due to easy availability of books and study materials, availability of guidance and above all my interest.
Mains - I chose Public Administration and law, as law was my graduation subject and I felt comfortable with the syllabus.


Study Materials:


Public administration
Books by Lakshmikanth and Maheshwari
Solved previous years question papers
Journals by Indian Institute of Public Administration on current topics like RTI and Civil Society
Law
Constitution by Jai Narayan Pandey and M P Jain
Contracts by Avatar Singh
Torts by Atchudhan Pillai
International Law by Kapoor and Agarwal
Indian Economy
Dutt & Sundaram, Economic & Politically Weekly, Yojna
Indian Polity
DDBasu, NCERT
Science & Technology
Spectrum, NCERT
Indian History
NCERT, Bipan Chandra
Geography
NCERT, Atlas
Current Affairs
The Hindu, Frontline, India Year Book


Q.How was the interview? Can you recall any questions from the board members?
The questions were based on my profile and were based on the RTI Act, Lokpal Bill etc.
Q.How good are coaching institutes and what to be cautious of if you choose one?
A.Coaching centres are a guiding light but it all ultimately comes down to your individual effort. Attending mock tests would help a lot to ascertain where we stand. Choosing the right centre would have to be made cautiously.
There are many money sucking institutes and we need to be careful not to get into their hands and waste our money and time
Q.Do you have any priority areas where you would like to see you making a difference in the administrative services?
A.IAS gives a wider scope to serve the society and make a difference. I think bridging the rural – urban developmental divide would help in the longer run.
Q.Your message to future CSE aspirants…
A.I would like to wish them all the very best for the exam. It’s a way to go forward with confidence and belief in yourself. It’s not too easy but neither too hard. Right amount of effort would pay good results
Q.What was your strategy for optionals, GS and Essay?
A.Optional - I covered the entire syllabus and prepared concrete points for each topic and always revised before exams. Notes are really helpful especially during exam times.
GS - In addition to prelims preparation, adding personal view and analysis of the questions
Essay- I think there is no need to special preparation for essay. Preparation for general studies help in writing the essay paper. Newspaper reading builds ideas which helps in essay.

A.The interview board was cordial. I answered to my satisfaction. There were one or two questions for which I didn’t know the answer but I was frank with the board and told them the truth that I did not know.

Monday 27 October 2014

Why is an IAS officer called collector in India?


Why is an IAS grade officer called a collector in India? How is the job and 'collector' connected?





Not all IAS officers are collectors. Administrative head of a district is a District Collector, who happens to be an IAS officer. During British Raj, the District Collector was in charge of collecting revenue from a district. That is how the name came to be and it was never modified though the role changed substantially.
                           Where there is commissionarate system in India head of district is known as district collector and where there is no such system enforced then head of a district is known as district magistrate and collector, DM are executive magistrate and have been given jurisdiction of certain matters upon which they act as judges.

Friday 24 October 2014

Give women their rights they can do best

Even though they make up half the population, women and girls have endured discrimination in most societies for thousands of years. In the past, women were treated as property of their husbands or fathers - they couldn't own land, they couldn't vote or go to school, and were subject to beatings and abuse and could do nothing about it. Over the last hundred years, much progress has been made to gain equal rights for women around the world, but many still live without the rights to which all people are entitled.


Also









Women top UPSC civil service examination



Women top civil services exams



Civil Services Examination: Improved performance by Women Candidates

CIVIL SERVICES EXAMINATION - GENERAL INSTRUCTIONS (PRELIMINARY AND MAIN EXAMINATION)

GENERAL INSTRUCTIONS:

Articles banned inside the examination hall
Unfair means strictly prohibited
Conduct in the examination hall
Instructions for Blind Candidates / Scribes

NOTE:
Candidates must write the papers in their own hand. In no circumstances, will they be allowed the help of a scribe to write the answers for them.
However, blind candidates will be allowed to write the examination with the help of a scribe.
If a candidate's handwriting is not easily legible, a deduction will be made on this account from the total marks otherwise accruing to him.
Marks will not be allotted for mere superficial knowledge.
Credit will be given for orderly, effective and exact expression combined with due economy of words in all subjects of the examination.
In the question papers, wherever required, SI units will be used.
Candidates should use only international form of Indian numerals (i.e. 1,2,3,4,5,6 etc.) while answering question papers.
The Commission have discretion to fix qualifying marks in any or all the subjects of the examination.










ARTICLES BANNED INSIDE THE EXAMINATION HALL

Candidates are not permitted to use calculators for answering objective type papers (Test Booklets), i.e. for the Preliminary examination. They should not therefore, bring the same inside the Examination Hall.
Candidates will be allowed the use of Scientific (Non-Programmable type) Calculators at the conventional (Essay) type examination of
UPSC, i.e. for the Main Examinmation.
Programmable type calculators will however not be allowed and the use of such calculators shall amount to resorting to unfair means by the candidates.
Loaning or interchanging of calculators in the Examination Hall is not permitted.
Mobile phones, pagers or any other communication devices are not allowed inside the premises where the examination is being conducted. Any infringement of these instructions should entail disciplinary action including ban from future examinations.
Candidates are advised in their own interest not to bring any of the banned item including mobile phones /pagers to the venue of the examination, as arrangements for safekeeping cannot be assured. The Commission will not be responsible for any loss in this regard.
UNFAIR MEANS STRICTLY PROHIBITED


No candidates shall copy from the papers of any other candidate, nor permit his papers to be copied, nor give, nor attempt to give, nor obtain, nor attempt to obtain irregular assistance of any description.
CONDUCT IN EXAMINATION HALLNo candidates should misbehave in any manner or create disorderly scene in the Examination Hall or harass the staff employed by the Commission for the conduct of the examination. Any such misconduct will be severelypenalised.
INSTRUCTIONS FOR BLIND CANDIDATES / SCRIBES
Candidates must write the papers in their own hand. In no circumstances, will they be allowed the help of a scribe to write the answers for them. However, blind candidates will be allowed to write the examination with the help of a scribe.
An extra time of twenty minutes per hour shall be permitted for the candidates with locomotor disability and cerebral palsy where dominant (writing) extremity is affected to the extent of slowing the performance of function (minimum of 40% impairment) in the Civil Services (Main) Examination only. However, no scribe shall be permitted to such candidates.
The eligibility conditions of a scribe, his/her conduct inside the examination hall and the manner in which and extent to which he/she can help the blind candidate in writing the Civil Services Examination shall be governed by the instructions issued by the
UPSC in this regard.
Violation of all or any of the said instructions shall entail the cancellation of the candidature of the blind candidate in addition to any other action that the
UPSC may take against the scribe.
For purpose of these rules, the candidate shall be deemed to be a blind candidate if the percentage of visual impairment is 40% or more.
For availing of the concession admissible to a blind candidate, the candidate concerned shall produce a certificate in the prescribed proforma from a Medical Board constituted by the Central / State Governments alongwith his application for the Main Examination.
The concession admissible to blind candidates shall not be admissible to those suffering from Myopia.



A physically handicapped candidates belonging to the general category shall be eligible for 7 attempts.

To become an IAS officer you need to appear in civil services exam conducted by UPSC.
The exam is held in 3 stages:
CSAT
mains exam
interview
The preparation for IAS exam should start in a focused manner. You should devote your full time for preparing for civil services exam. Hard work, determination & rigt strategy will help you to succeed in the exam.
Some of the books/magazines you can refer for CSAT are:
Unique Guide for gk
pratiyogita darpan magazine
Class 11th & 12th NCERT books of history, civic, geography & economics
India Year Book published by Government of India
Indian Economy by Rudra Dutt and Sundaram or Mishra & Puri
The Hindu or the Times of India newspaper

Thursday 23 October 2014

Latest Update

Blind IAS officer has vision for aspirants

AGARTALA: A young Indian Administrative Service (IAS) officer, posted as sub-divisional magistrate (SDM) in Dhalai district, Tripura, plans to launch a website for those without vision that will help them in their career. The officer, Ajit Kumar Yadav, a resident of Kheri village under Mahendranagar in south Haryana, is himself visually challenged.

Tripura chief secretary G Kameswar Rao said he is happy to get such an efficient, energetic and dedicated officer in the newly formed sub-division of the most backward district in the state. "He may not be blessed with eyesight, but his vision to run the administration is no less sharp than any one of us."

Yadav can use his mobile and laptop with the help of specially-developed software. The software enables him to identify the caller from his contact list. Similarly, this software-aided computer helps him to run the administration. The website will be based on this software.

Ajit lost his vision when he was just five. A bout of acute diarrhoea left him visionless for the rest of his life. But he went on to complete his studies from Springdale School in New Delhi and always came first in class.

"I was a topper in the Class X board exams. After completing my masters in political science from Ramjas College, Delhi University, I began teaching at a government school in Haryana. Thereafter I cleared the UGC NET-JRF and joined the Shyamlal College of Delhi University as assistant professor. But my career took off in 2005," recalled Yadav.

In 2005, when the then Prime Minister Manmohan Singh opened the doors of IAS to the visually impaired, Yadav was motivated to join the administration. He cleared the IAS in 2008. But the road to the administrative service was not smooth.

"After clearing the Civil Service Exam, I kept waiting for a letter of induction into the prestigious IAS. Instead, I was offered a post in the Indian Railways Personnel Service. I fought back and filed a case against the discrimination in the central administrative tribunal (CAT). CAT ruled in my favour in 2010. But still I did not get an appointment letter," said Yadav.

However, he didn't get disappointed and kept on fighting for justice and finally at the intervention of the National Platform for the Rights of the Disabled (NPRD), CPM MP Brinda Karat and the Prime Minister, seven of the nine visually impaired candidates received their appointment letters.

Yadav joined as joint secretary of industry in Tripura in 2012. Recently, he was posted in Ambassa with his consent as chief minister Manik Sarkar was concerned about his convenience. But he accepted the post gladly.

CAT to get more 'student-friendly' this year



The countdown for MBA aspirants has begun as the body conducting the Common Admission Test (CAT)-Indian Institute of Management, Indore (IIM-I)-on Saturday announced the dates for the test with some major changes in the examination pattern this year. IIM-Indore will be conducting the test for the second consecutive time.

Apparently, making the test CAT 2014 much more "aspirant friendly" this year, the IIM-Indore has increased the exam duration from existing 140 minutes to 170 minutes, discontinued purchase of offline vouchers, the questions in quantitative ability and data interpretation, verbal ability and logical reasoning have been increased to 50 in each section from the existing 30 questions. The tutorial, which was made available before the test started, will not be available this time. The CAT conducting body has advised Candidates have been advised to attempt the tutorials from the website well in advance. They will have to make the payment for registration fee through online modes only, including credit card, debit card or through internet banking. Another significant change that CAT aspirants will see this year will be flexibility for devoting more or less time to each section according to their ability.

Candidates will be able to switch from one section to another during the examination timing.

Unlike previous years, IIM-Indore has cut short the window period for holding examination. The test will be conducted only on two days- this year i.e. on November 16 and November 22-only in forenoon and afternoon sessions. The examination will be conducted in 99 cities comprising 354 test sites. Last year, there were only 45 test centres. Aspirants will be given an option to choose from three cities where the test will be conducted in the order of preference. "The candidates need not rush in the initial registration days for blocking their slots and sites. Candidates will be given their first preferred city across the four sessions on random basis as far as possible.

Candidates will have no option to prefer the dates as it will be allotted by the CAT Centre randomly," states the CAT notification.The registration for CAT will remain open for 56 days beginning from August 6 and closing on September 30. Students will be able to download admit card from October 16 till the exam date.

Alleging large-scale irregularities in the manner in which the test Common Admission Test (CAT) for admission to 13 Indian Institutes of Management (IIM) was conducted, a petition by eight candidates in the Madras high court had sought a stay on the entire admission process this year.

Alleged irregularities in the administration of the test had led to a legal battle. The contract of Prometric, which conducted CAT, has been cancelled. and has been to the Tata Consultancy Services Ltd willhas conducted exam.

IAS Latest Update


Jamia shapes IAS dreams in its free coaching academy

NEW DELHI: Thirty-four of its 300 students have cracked the civil services exam and, of the 12 who made it this year, two were ranked as high as 17 and 90. But this is not just another money-spinning coaching shop. It's the free Residential Coaching Academy of Jamia Millia Islamia. Funded by the University Grants Commission and ministry of minority affairs, it has scripted success stories for candidates from SC/ST category, women and minorities in the past three years.
While the genesis of this coaching academy dates back to 1983 when Jamia established Centre for Coaching and Career Planning, "it was in 2010 with a grant of Rs 15 crore the coaching academy was set up in project mode initially for three years. State-of-the-art infrastructure was created with a round-the-clock library and residential facility. All these are free of cost, aimed at mentoring bright candidates from among women, and SC/ST and minority communities. And the result is there for all to see", Prof. Anisur Rahman, honorary director of the academy, proudly says.
Of the 100 students of the 2013 batch, 12 got an entry to the elite civil service list and 51 others were selected for a variety of other services like Intelligence Bureau, Bank PO, Central Armed Paramilitary Forces and state administrative services.
The academy is now planning to increase the number of intake from 100 to 120 annually. The aspirants are selected on basis of an all-India written test followed by individual interviews. Last year, there were 2,800 applicants. But what make the academy interesting are the peer group and the academic environment it provides for intensive preparations.
It currently has representation from 10 states-Assam, Bihar, Delhi, Jammu & Kashmir, Karnataka, Maharashtra, Manipur, Nagaland, Sikkim, Tamil Nadu and Uttar Pradesh. Its latest success stories include those of a graduate from IIM Ahmedabad, a doctor doing his residency from AIIMS, and a graduate from Shivaji College, DU, and a hotel management graduate from Indian Institute of Hotel Management.
This year's shining star is Faiz Aq Ahmed Mumtaz. A hotel management graduate from Darjeeling, Mumtaz is the highest ranked student from the academy with an all-India position of 17 even while Sana Akhtar ranked 90.
Speaking to TOI, Mumtaz said he will opt for the Indian Administrative Service, though he is eligible for Foreign Service as well. "I want to work in the country and for the country. Through this service, I will get to know about my country and its people, and if I can do something good that will be a good reward," he says.
Speaking about the academy, Mumtaz says, "This is probably the best coaching centre in Delhi. The faculty is excellent and the environment is very conducive to study as you get to stay with your peer group and prepare for the same exam.I stayed here for two years."
The other 10 who made it to the list from the academy this year are Tejaswani Gautam, Afaq Ahmad Giri, Raunaq Jamil Ansari, Mohammad Saim, Dayama Harish Kumar, Satendra Singh Mehra, Avais Patwegar, Jyoti Virdi, Bhanu Prabha and Balram Meena.
Patwegar, who was with AIIMS, took admission enrolled in a private coaching centre and spent Rs 35,000. "I dropped out after a month because of quality issues. I was looking for a good library and Jamia has one. Added to that was the free residential and coaching facility. One will not get such an assembly of teachers anywhere other than Jamia. It made all the difference," he says.

Tuesday 21 October 2014


What's equivalent of IAS in United States

Is there much difference. Is their system somewhat better. Does we need to make any changes.




No, there is no such thing in USA. "Does" we need to make any changes? Yes. We need to stop aping them. We need to change our mindset that whatever they are doing is good for us too.

USA and India are different. What they are is because of their history, their geography, and demography. One cannot Copy and Paste that to their own country.

Having said that, let me answer the question. USA has a "spoils system". Whichever party is in power, it choses its own people for the higher offices. A banker may become treasury chief and vice-versa. There is no permanent civil service like IAS. President can chose anybody to head a department. He need not be from the government.

IAS exam consists of 3 stages::

1. Prelims- CSAT since 2011..- normally conducted during the second half of May.

2.Mains, conducted during the month of October/November. only those selected through mains appear.

3.Interview-Those who are selected in the main examination will be eligible to appear before the Interview Board at New Delhi.

CSAT-

Paper I - (200 marks) Duration: Two hours(GS kind of paper)

Paper II- (200 marks) Duration: Two hours(CAT like English,quant,DILR

MAINS::two optional subjects (two papers each carries 300 marks), one General Studies (two papers each carries 300 marks), one essay (carries 200 marks) - total 2000 marks. Other than this, there are two language papers one in Indian language and one in General English at the level of 10th standard

Language papers(1 and 2)) are of qualifying nature and wont be considered in ranking.

Paper-III -Essay 200 Marks

Papers IV & V General Studies (300 Marks for each paper= 600 Marks)

Papers VI, VII, VIII & IX Any two subjects (each having 2 papers) to be selected from the prescribed optional subjects (300 marks for each paper)

List of optionlas
List of Optional Subjects - IAS (Main)
- (Total 25)
Agriculture Management
Animal Husbandry & Vetinary Science Mathematics
Anthropology Mechanical Engineering
Botany Medical Science
Chemistry Philosophy
Civil Engineering Physics
Commerce & Accountancy
political Science & International Relations
Economics Psychology
Geography Sociology
Geology Statistics
Indian History Zoology
Four attempts for open, seven for OBCs and no limit for SCs/STs. If a person appears in the Preliminary Examination or even one paper is counted as an attempt.
See Previous Papers Or Model Papers

IAS officer !


ias officer
                                       
The Indian Administrative Service (भारतीय प्रशासनिक सेवा) (abbreviated as IAS) is the administrative civil service of the Government of India. Indian Administrative Service officers hold key positions in the Union Government, State governments and Public Sector Undertakings. The Administrative Service is one of the three All India Services.

The Constituent Assembly of India intended that the bureaucracy should be able to speak freely, without fear of persecution or financial insecurity as an essential element in unifying the nation. The IAS officers are recruited by the Union government on the recommendation of the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) and posted under various State governments.The officers carry high respect and stature in the society coupled with the significant task of administering public offices, making it one of the most desirable jobs in india. While the respective State Governments have control over them they can not censure or take disciplinary action against IAS and other All India Services officers without consulting the Union Government(Central) and the UPSC.




IAS officer is such a person which cannot get relaxed after getting the post infect he have to work diligently after attaining this position of high prestige and responsibility. To handle his work in the democratic setup where an IAS officers decision and their implementation effects the life of hundreds of people directly and indirectly on has to be full of stamina, alertness of mind, adaptability to follow difficult time schedules along with good team spirit. This is such a career in which you are supposed to work with people of different thoughts and mindsets so it is you who have to make your team to work hard for the society you have vowed to serve while joining this high profile career.



Functions of the civil servant
A civil servant is responsible for the law and order and general administration in the area under his work. Typically the functions of an IAS officer are as follows :
To handle the daily affairs of the government, including framing and implementation of policy in consultation with the minister-in-charge of the concerned ministry.
Implementation of policy requires supervision.
Implementation requires traveling to places where the policies are being implemented.
Implementation also includes expenditure of public funds which again requires personal supervision as the officers are answerable to the Parliament and State Legislature for any irregularities that may occur.
In the process of policy formulation and decision making, officers at various levels like joint secretary, deputy secretary make their contributions and the final shape to the policy is given or a final decision is taken with the concurrence of the minister concerned or the cabinet depending upon the gravity the issue.
Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel is remembered as the "Patron Saint" of India's civil servants for establishing modern all-India services. In an unprecedented and unrepeated gesture, on the day after his death more than 1,500 officers of India's civil and police services congregated to mourn at Patel's residence in Delhi and pledged "complete loyalty and unremitting zeal" in India's service.
Eligibility :
Educational Qualification



To be eligible for becoming an IAS officer the candidate must possess a degree from an Indian University or an equivalent qualification. Those in the final year of a degree course can also appear in the Preliminary Examination.


Age


The candidate must have attained the age of 21 years on 1st August the year of examination and must not have attained 30 years of age on that date.


The upper age limit will be relaxed by 3 years for OBC candidates and 5 years for SC/ST candidates.


The upper age limit is also relaxed in favor of certain categories of civil servants working under the Government of India and Defense Services Personnel.


Other Eligibility Conditions:


Since these services involves decision making at the upper end of Government hierarchy. So taking into account the sensitivity of the job the aspirants have to be eligible under certain specific conditions as given ahead.

For the IAS and the IPS, the candidate must be a citizen of India.
For the other services, a candidate must be either:
a citizen of India, or
a subject of Nepal, or
a subject of Bhutan, or
a Tibetan refugee who came over to India before January 1, 1962, with the intention of permanently settling in India, or
a person of Indian origin who has migrated from Pakistan, Burma, Sri Lanka, East African countries of Kenya, Uganda, the United Republic of Tanzania, Zambia, Malawi, Zaire, Ethiopia and Vietnam with the intention of permanently settling in India.
Process to become an IAS Officer

To be an IAS officer one has to follow the below given steps:-



Step 1




As a first step the aspirant has to procure the UPSC's Civil Services exam “Application Form” along with “Information Brochure” from any of the “Head Post Offices or Post Offices” spread throughout the country and sent the filled Application form to:


The Secretary,
Union Public Service Commission,
Dholpur House,
New Delhi - 110011.


Step 2




In the month of May or June the aspirants have to take the Indian Civil Services “Preliminary examinations” renamed as Civil Services Apptitue Test i.e CSAT Consisting of two papers. The papers are on:

Paper : Marks Time
1. General Knowledge 200 2 Hr.
2. Comprehension and logical reasoning 200 2 Hr.


Note: CSAT is just a qualifying exam for the Final exam and scores obtained in this exam are not added to make the final result.



Step 3



Those candidates who are declared qualified in the “Civil Services Apptitude Test" are supposed to take the final exam (normally held in the month of October) having following papers

Paper:
1 Essay type Indian Language Qualifying Paper Marks:
(300 marks)
1 English Qualifying Paper (300 marks)
1 General Essay type paper (200 marks)
2 General Studies papers (300 marks each)
4 Optional subjects papers (300 marks each)





Step 4



Once you are through the final stage is the interview. The aspirants are grilled in the interview to test their personality and mental ability. Then the final list of the successful candidates is prepared and the candidates who have secured very good rank out of 400-450(approx.) selected candidates are admitted to National Academy of Administration at Mussoorie (now renamed as Lal Bahadur Sastri National Academy Of Administration, LBSNAA) to impart training to IAS probationers. After completion of their training in various fields of administrative importance they are posted as per requirements of the Central and State Governments.


Being All India Services the new IAS incumbant's services are alloted to various state cadre under Cadre System. The Cadre system is alloted on a basis of lottery and the topper of each state may get a chance to get their home state if he had applied for one.
IAS Officer Salary


The IAS or the Indian Administrative Services officers are suppose to handles affairs of the government at the various level in its capacity. At the central level, this involves the framing and implementation of policy of the apex government. At the district level, it is concerned with affairs of the district concerned, including development functions. At the divisional level, the IAS officers look after law and order, general administration and development work of the division they are handling. Members of the Indian Administrative Service hold various administrative posts like District Collector, Heads of Departments, and Heads of Public Enterprises at the state level etc. They can also be posted on deputation to the Central Government to various posts.



Remunerations

The Government of India has fixed salary grades for Civil Servants. Although keep on changing with new pay commission presently the range of salaries various levels is as follows:
Junior Scale



Pay Band: Rs 15600-39100 Grade Pay Rs 5400
Once you start out as a new IAS recruit this is what your salary will be. Of course the pay mentioned here is just the basic pay. You can add relevant HRA, DA and other allowances to get a complete picture of the IAS renumeration. Usually IAS officers get very comfortable official accommodation for which they have to pay only a token rent. Imagine living in 5-6 bedroom house with gardens and paying just 500-600 rent!
Also as an IAS officer you will get official vehicles to move about that saves on transportation costs. And now the seemingly small basic IAS salary doesn't look so small after all. Does it?
Senior Scales


(i) Senior Time Scale
Pay Band: Rs 15600-39100 Grade Pay Rs 6600
An IAS Officer is promoted to the Senior Time Scale usually after 7-9 years of service.
(ii) Junior Administrative Grade
Pay Band: Rs 15600-39100 Grade Pay Rs 7600
At this level you're generally a Deputy Secretary in the State Secretariat or the Municipal Commissioner in the field.
(iii) Selection Grade
Pay Band: Rs 37400-67000 Grade Pay Rs 8700
As a Selection Grade IAS Officer you will be the Joint Secretary in the State Government or a Deputy Secretary in the Central Government. As the Joint Secretary you might be given independent charge of some Wing in a Department.
Super Time Scale
Pay Band: Rs 37400-67000 Grade Pay Rs 10000
The Super Time Scale is one of awe and power. At this level of the IAS hierarchy you will most probably be the Secretary of some state government department or you could be posted at the Centre in the position of Joint Secretary. For reference sake, it takes about 20 years to reach the Super Time Scale and become eligible for the above IAS salary.


Above Super Time Scale
There are three Pay Bands in this scale.
Rs 37400-67000. Grade Pay of Rs 12000.
The Apex Pay Scale of Rs 80000 (fixed). No Grade Pay.
Cabinet Secretary Grade of Rs 90000 (fixed). No Grade Pay.
Not all IAS officers are fortunate enough to enjoy this Pay Scale. The IAS officers in the Super Time Scale include Senior Secretaries, Chief Secretaries, Secretaries in the Central Government and the Cabinet Secretary, the highest position an IAS officer can aspire for in life.



Perks, Benefits and Facilities enjoyed by IAS Officers
Most of us are anxious to know what are the perks of being an IAS, right? So let's check them out.

Rent free accommodation
or accommodation at very low rent. Yes if you are the Collector in some district you will have a king-sized house to live in with gardens, house helps, maybe even fountains and more. You will enjoy all of these at very low rent of about Rs 1500-2000. Unbelievable, right?
Vehicles for official and personal use
Strictly speaking, you cannot use official vehicles for personal use but this rule is hardly observed by any IAS officer. Most of them use their official vehicles for personal use as well. After all there's no harm in going to the market or to your friend's place in your official car.
Free electricity
What's the electricity rate in your area? It's 5 Rs per unit in Delhi. Imagine living in a huge house with tens of electrical appliances and light bulbs running but having to pay nothing for electric bills. IAS officers enjoy this facility as well.
Perks of PSU's
IAS officers looking after the affairs of public sector companies enjoy all the benefits that regular PSU employees are entitled to in addition to benefits meant for IAS officers only. This is called having your cake and eating it too.

A Note About the IAS Salary
Any direct comparison between the IAS salaries and compensation offered in the Private sector will be unfair to say the least as IAS officers receive many perks, facilities and other benefits that are hard to quantify. For instance as already stated above IAS officers get rent free accommodotion or accommodation with only a token rent, official vehicle, house help, free electricity and other such facilities that drain the pockets of private executives.
Also as an IAS officer if you are heading some PSU then you are entitled to the same benefits as other employees of the PSU. This is an added bonus of the IAS.


Note:- The above scales only provide an idea of the pay scales. Different branches of the service have different scales of pay. Even personnel of same branches may have different pay according to their area of posting and responsibility they are holding at a particular time.



In addition to the salary civil servants receive various types of allowances such as Dearness Allowance, City compensatory Allowance, Leave Travel Allowance, Medical and subsidized housing.


Duties and Responsibilities of an IAS Officer


Being on the highest level of administrative services in both the State and Central Government the various level of IAS officers have almost similar duties with increasing responsibility as level increases from a Junior Officers to a much Senior of the level of Under Secretary, District Magistrates, Directors of public enterprises and Directors of government departments to the Secretary. Their duties involves

Planning in their district, making decisions on action to be taken.
Making plans on drawing board and modifying them as and when required.
It is the IAS Officer's responsibility to implement the policies made in best possible way and ensure rules and regulations are followed.
IAS Officers must also supervise the progress of projects in a wide range, from the public to the corporate sectors.
IAS officers is also responsible to monitor funds allocation and proper utilization for various projects, assuring that the funds are used for the intended purposes.
IAS officers must assess projects, make recommendations and provide relevant information about projects, especially to parliament as and when called for.
Besides all these routine responsibilities IAS Officers will represent the government of India via boards of public corporations or institutions at national or international forums.

IAS officer Career prospects




Hierarchy in the Indian Administrative Services at the Central level.



DesignationTime in Service
Under Secretary 4 years
Deputy Secretary 9 Years
Director 12 Years
Joint Secretary 20 Years
Additional Secretary 30 Years
Secretary 34 Years





Cabinet Secretary (TOP MOST POST)- This is the apex of the administrative setup in India.





Hierarchy of the Indian Administrative Services at the State level.

DesignationTime in the Service
Deputy Secretary/ Additional District Magistrate Entry Level of the Services
Joint Secretary/District Magistrate/Deputy Commissioner 6 Years
Special Secretary 9 Years
Secretary 16 years
Principal Secretary/ Financial Commissioners 24 years
Cheif Secretary(TOP MOST POST) 30 Year



Note:-
There is no equivalent post of Cabinet Secretary in the State Administration.
The time span given above is the time period to reach to the designation given against it. But surely this is not the only criteria to reach at a particular designation.
To reach at an equivalent position in the Central administration takes longer then in the State administration because there are lesser vacancies at the central level then at the state level.


Source : UPSC, wiki
Duties and Responsibilities of an IAS Officer :-


There are several levels of IAS Officers. The duties for each level are similar with increasing responsibility as level increases. These levels include: Junior Officers; Senior Scale (includes Under Secretary, District Magistrates, Directors of public enterprises and Directors of government departments); Selection Grade-Director; Senior Administrative Grade; and Secretary.
There are duties central to all levels of IAS Officer. IAS Officers are involved in planning in their district, making decisions on action to be taken. Setting plans down on paper and modifying and/or clarifying them. Policy making is another duty of an IAS Officer. Once those policies have been made and clarified, it is the IAS Officer's responsibility to implement them, assuring rules and regulations are followed. IAS Officers must also supervise the progress of projects in a wide range, from the public to the corporate sectors. IAS officers must also monitor funds for these projects, assuring that the funds are used for the intended purposes. Additionally, IAS officers must assess projects, make recommendations and provide relevant information about projects, especially to parliament. Finally, IAS Officers will represent the government of India via boards of public corporations or institutions at national or international forums.


Summary:- In the other way it can be :- IAS Officers are trained to handle government affairs. Their main work, especially at the center, involves formulation and implementation of policies pertaining to a particular area e.g. finance, commerce, etc. In the process of policy formulation and decision making officers at various levels like joint secretary, deputy secretary make their contributions and the final shape to the policy is given or a final decision is taken with the concurrence of the minister concerned or the cabinet depending upon the gravity the issue. At the district level, these officers are mainly concerned with district affairs, including implementation of developmental programs. At the beginning of his career an IAS joins the state administration at the divisional level, as a sub-magistrate, and looks after law and order, general administration and development work in the area under his charge.

IAS Preparation Strategies

General Strategy

Well formulated strategy along with optimum time management is the only two ladders for your dream goal. It's very important to formulate your own strategy as it pays to be yourself. However for the general guidance to tackle Civil Services examination, here are some of the guidelines which will help the aspirant to achieve success.
  1. Familiarity with the optional syllabi: Get yourself well informed about the content of the syllabi and the topics it covers. A thorough familiarity with your optional reduces your mental burden at the first sight itself.
  2. Thorough insight of the question papers: It is the most important part of your strategy as investing your time skillfully will reap rich dividends. Go through the question papers of past ten years to identify the pattern and select the topics which are asked very frequently. Simultaneously, identify those topics which are particularly useful for conventional essay type questions. Once you have clearly demarcated the topics for the conventional and the objective types, the rest will be an easier task. A thorough insight of the past papers will therefore solve two of your purposes. It would boost your confidence level initially as you come to know the standards of the question asked and secondly it guides constantly through your preparation.
  3. Selection of books: It is advisable not to go through a lot of books, instead go through one quality book on each topic which clarifies your basic concept. Standard books not only save your precious time but also guide you as a perfect teacher. So always rely on standard good books. Also it is advisable to collect various books on my topics in advance so as to save time for the last minute hassle.
  4. Prefer you own notes: It is always advisable to make notes of the related topics. A well crafted note solves two purposes. On the one hand the aspirant goes through the syllabus once and on the other hand it is of immense help on the eve of examination.
  5. A specific strategy for the general studies: General studies cover everything under the sun. But there is nothing to get panic, a glance over the last years question' paper will make things easier. Broadly we can categories this topic under the following heads.
  1. History: A huge stress is given to modern history and freedom movement. Also emphasis is given to Ancient India. A cursory glance over the medieval history would serve the purpose.
  2. Geography: A huge stress is to be given to physical geography and maps related questions. Get yourself well-acquainted with maps with the help of a good Atlas.
  3. General Science: It covers a major chunk, so be well-versed with the topics of general science from a standard guidebook.
  4. Current affairs: Going daily through a standard news paper thoroughly will suffice.
  5. General awareness: Any good guide book or year book will be suited for the purpose.
Some more important points:
  • As already said, always rely on yourself prepared notes. Go through your short notes rigorously.
  • Prepare out short notes of important topics with relevant points and just before the examination rely solely on it.
  • Always rely on revisions.
  • Take a good sleep on the eve of examination. It is most important for your brilliant performance.
  • Never go through any book on the eve of examination.
  • Don't read any new topic.
  • Don't get engaged with any confusing question or problem as your prior investment (with studies) will only bring dividends to you.
  • Do not loose your confidence.
  • General Studies
  • Essay
  • Agriculture
  • Animal Husbandry and Veterinary Science
  • Botany
  • Chemistry
  • Civil Engineering
  • Commerce
  • Economics
  • Electrical Engineering
  • Geography
  • Geology
  • Indian History
  • Law
  • Mathematics
  • Mechanical Engineering
  • Medical Science
  • Philosophy
  • Physics
  • Political Science
  • Psychology
  • Public Administration
  • Sociology
  • Statistics
  • Zoology
  • Anthropology
  • Management





  • Arabic
  • Assamese
  • Bengali
  • Chinese
  • English
  • French
  • German
  • Gujarati
  • Hindi
  • Kannada
  • Kashmiri
  • Konkani
  • Malayalam
  • Manipuri
  • Marathi
  • Nepali
  • Oriya
  • Pali
  • Persian
  • Punjabi
  • Russian
  • Sanskrit
  • Sindhi
  • Tamil
  • Telugu
  • Urdu
  • Download Civil Services (Preliminary) Exam, 2013 PDF Here :https://drive.google.com/folderview?id=0B2ww7T8L5K6WQmlaZXA5NEh3eVE&usp=sharing

    Monday 20 October 2014



    IAS Exam comprises of two successive stages:

    * Preliminary Examination: It is of objective type, which is a qualifying examination.
    * Main Examination: It consists of written examination and interview.




    IAS 2015 Exam Dates / Notification:-

    CIVIL SERVICES (PRELIMINARY) EXAM 2015:-

    Date of Notification:- 16.05.2015

    Last date for receipt of applications:- 12.06.2015 (FRIDAY)

    Date of commencement of Examination:- 23.08.2015 (SUNDAY)

    Duration of the Exam:- 1 DAY

    CIVIL SERVICES (MAIN) EXAM 2015:-

    Date of commencement of Examination:- 18.12.2015 (FRIDAY)

    Duration of the Exam:- 5 DAYS

    IAS 2014 Exam Dates / Notification:-




    CIVIL SERVICES (PRELIMINARY) EXAM, 2014

    DATE OF NOTIFICATION:- 31.05.2014

    LAST DATE FOR RECEIPT OF APPLICATIONS:- 30.06.2014

    DATE OF COMMENCEMENT OF EXAM:- 24.08.2014 (SUNDAY)

    DURATION OF EXAM:- 1 DAY




    CIVIL SERVICES (MAIN) EXAM., 2014

    DATE OF COMMENCEMENT OF EXAM:- 14.12.2014 (SUNDAY)

    LAST DATE FOR RECEIPT OF APPLICATIONS:- 5 DAYS




    Minimum academic qualifications prescribed:- A degree from a recognised university or equivalent

    Age Limits:- 21-30 years as on 1.8.2012

    Remarks:- Candidates appearing at the degree examination also eligible to compete subject to certain conditions.

    IAS Topper Ajay Prakash tells how to crack Prelims stage of Civil Services Examination



                     Ajay Prakash


    Ajay Prakash of Samastipur, Bihar, secured 9th rank in the UPSC exam 2010. He talks to Gulshan Sharma of jagranjosh.com and tips IAS aspirants on how to clear the Prelims stage of the IAS exam





    Q. It is very difficult to figure out the right strategy. What should be the first step once somebody decides to take Civil Services Exam?

    A. Proper guidance is the key to success. The nature of exam is such that you cannot afford to waste time for unimportant topics. Talk to candidates who have cleared this exam. Taking help of coaching institiutes is also not a bad idea. The exam becomes very easy if you adopt the right strategy. Coaching institutes can help you choose the right study material and also bring discipline to your study schedule. But it is not essential to join a coaching institute if you know what to study and maintain a proper study schedule. I was lucky to be a part of JNU. The atmosphere here and the help of fellow students helped me crack these exams.

    Also, it is important not to take too much pressure. Right frame of mind will help you crack the exam.

    Take help of internet. You will get a lot of information. But it is important to rely only on standard websites.Read newspapers and current affairs magazines.



    Q. What was your preparation strategy for Preliminary exam?

    A. I adopted an integrated approach as all stages of the civil services exam require both facts and opinions. From the very first day, look for facts, build your knowledge and form your opinion.



    Q. GS is a very vast section. How did you prepare for it? Any books that you read?

    A. One source that I would like to strongly recommend is The Hindu newspaper. It is important to go behind the news items. Also read other newspapers which will help you prepare for General Studies. I would also listen to All India Radio’s FM Gold. They discuss issue of the day every weekday from 9 pm to 10 pm.



    Q. What is your opinion on the changes made in the Prelims exam?

    A. I am very happy with the changes. Earlier knowledge was privileged. Now the emphasis is on decision making ability. Your honesty will be checked and capabilities tested. Your aptitude will be judged.

    NEW UPSC IAS MAINS EXAM PATTERN AND SYLLABUS

    UPSC Logo

    Union Public Service Commission

    UPSC Finally Released Corrigendum For The IAS Notification 2013, Which Has Clearly Mentioned New Pattern For IAS Exams 2013.

    Scheme And Subjects For The Preliminary And Main Examinations.

    Section‐I

    Plan Of Examination

    The competitive examination comprises two successive stages:
    1. Civil Services (Preliminary) Examinations (ObjectiveType) for the selection of candidates for Main Examination
    2. Civil Services (Main) Examination (Written and Interview) for the selection of candidates for the various services and posts.
    The preliminary Examination will consist of two papers of Objective type (multiple choice questions) and carry a maximum of 400 marks in the subjects set out in sub‐section (A) of Section II. This examination is
    meant to serve as a screening test only; the marks obtained in the Preliminary Examination by the candidates who are declared qualified for admission to the Main Examination will not be counted for determining their final order of merit. The number of Candidates to be admitted to the Main Examination will be about twelve to thirteen times the total approximate number of vacancies to be filled in the year through this examination. Only those candidates who are declared by the Commission to have qualified in the Preliminary Examination in the year will be eligible for admission to the Main Examination of that year provided they are otherwise eligible for admission, to the Main Examination.
    The Main Examination will consist of written examination and an interview test. The written examination will consist of 9 papers of conventional essay type in the subjects set out in sub‐section (B) of Section II out of which two papers will be of qualifying in nature. Also see Note (ii) under Para I of Section II (B). Marks obtained for all the compulsory papers (Paper–Ito Paper‐VII) and Marks obtained in Interview for Personality Test will be counted for ranking.
    Candidates who obtain such minimum qualifying marks in the written part of the Main Examination as may be fixed by the Commission at their discretion, shall be summoned by them for an interview for a Personality Test, vide sub‐section ‘C’ of Section II. The number of candidates to be summoned for interview will be about twice the number of vacancies to be filled. The interview will carry 275 marks (with no minimum qualifying marks).

    Section - II

    Scheme And Subjects For The Preliminary And Main Examination.

    A. Preliminary Examination

    The Examination shall comprise two compulsory papers of 200marks each.

    B. Main Examination

    The written examination will consist of the following papers:

    Qualifying Papers:

    Paper : A - (One of the Indian Language to be selected by the candidate from the Languages included in the Eighth Schedule to the Constitution). 300 Marks
    Paper : B English 300 Marks

    Papers To Be Counted For Merit

    PaperSubject NameMarks
    Paper-1Essay250
    Paper-2General Studies–I (Indian Heritage and Culture, History and Geography of the World and Society)250
    Paper-3General Studies –II (Governance, Constitution, Polity, Social Justice and International relations)250
    Paper-4General Studies –III  (Technology, Economic Development, Bio‐diversity, Environment, Security and Disaster Management)250
    Paper-5General Studies –IV (Ethics, Integrity and Aptitude)250
    Paper-6Optional Subject – Paper 1250
    Paper-7Optional Subject – Paper 2250
     Sub Total (Written test)1750
     Personality Test275
     Grand Total2025

    Candidates May Choose Any One Of The Optional Subjects From Amongst The List Of Subjects Given Below:

    Language   Script
    Assamese   Assamese
    Bengali   Bengali
    Gujarati   Gujarati
    Hindi    Devanagari
    Kannada   Kannada
    Kashmiri   Persian
    Konkani   Devanagari
    Malayalam   Malayalam
    Manipuri   Bengali
    Marathi   Devanagari
    Nepali    Devanagari
    Oriya    Oriya
    Punjabi   Gurumukhi
    Sanskrit   Devanagari
    Sindhi    Devanagari or Arabic
    Tamil    Tamil
    Telugu    Telugu
    Urdu    Persian
    Bodo    Devanagari
    Dogri    Devanagari
    Maithilli   Devanagari
    Santhali   Devanagari or Olchiki

    List Of Optional Subjects For Main Examination:

    1. Agriculture
    2. Animal Husbandry and Veterinary Science
    3. Anthropology
    4. Botany
    5. Chemistry
    6. Civil Engineering
    7. Commerce and Accountancy
    8. Economics
    9. Electrical Engineering
    10. Geography
    11. Geology
    12. History
    13. Law
    14. Management
    15. Mathematics
    16. Mechanical Engineering
    17. Medical Science
    18. Philosophy
    19. Physics
    20. Political Science and International Relations
    21. Psychology
    22. Public Administration
    23. Sociology
    24. Statistics
    25. Zoology
    26. Literature of any one of the following languages:
    Assamese, Bengali, Bodo, Dogri, Gujarati, Hindi, Kannada, Kashmiri, Konkani, Maithili, Malayalam, Manipuri, Marathi, Nepali, Oriya, Punjabi, Sanskrit, Santhali, Sindhi, Tamil, Telugu, Urdu and English.

    C. Interview Test

    • The candidate will be interviewed by a Board who will have before them a record of his career. He will be asked questions on matters of general interest. The object of the interview is to assess the personal suitability of the candidate for a career in public service by a Board of competent and unbiased observers. The test is intended to judge the mental calibre of a candidate. In broad terms this is really an assessment of not only his intellectual qualities but also social traits and his interest in current affairs. Some of the qualities to be judged are mental alertness, critical powers of assimilation, clear and logical exposition, balance of judgement, variety and depth of interest, ability for social cohesion and leadership, intellectual and moral integrity.
    • The technique of the interview is not that of a strict cross‐examination but of a natural, though directed and purposive conversation which is intended to reveal the mental qualities of the candidate.
    • The interview test is not intended to be a test either of the specialised or general knowledge of the candidates which has been already tested through their written papers. Candidates are expected to have taken an
      intelligent interest not only in their special subjects of academic study but also in the events which are happening around them both within and outside their own State or Country as well as in modern currents of thought and in new discoveries which should rouse the curiosity of well educated youth.
    • BEST OF LUCK.