How to prepare for the IAS Exam?
This lens gives you guidance on UPSC Civil Services Exam Preparation.
Table of Contents
- Overview of the Examination
- Preliminary Examination
- Main Examination
- Negative Marking / Penalty for wrong answers
- GS Syllabus
- GS Prelims study material
- Previous year questions for GS paper
- Tips on IAS Coaching
- Answer writing tips
- Current Affairs for Exam
- Exam Strategy
- Useful links for GS Prelims
- Book Lists
- IAS Exam 2009 Preparation Schedule
- Poll 1 - optionals
- Poll 2 - coaching
- Guestbook
- IAS Exam Guide
- www.jatang.in
Overview of the Examination
The Examination comprises two succesive stages.
(i) Civil Services (Preliminary) Examinations (Objective Type) for the selection of candidates for Main Examination; and
(ii) Civil Services (Main) Examination (Written and Interview) for the selection of candidates for the various services and posts.
Services/posts to which recruitment is made through the UPSC Civil Services Examination
(i) Civil Services (Preliminary) Examinations (Objective Type) for the selection of candidates for Main Examination; and
(ii) Civil Services (Main) Examination (Written and Interview) for the selection of candidates for the various services and posts.
Services/posts to which recruitment is made through the UPSC Civil Services Examination
Preliminary Examination
The preliminary examination consists of two papers of objective type carrying a maximum of 450 marks. The optional paper has 300 marks and the general studies (GS) paper has 150 marks.
List of Optional Subjects for Prelims
The optional paper has to be studied extensively and one should aim at scoring 95-110 out of 120 questions. The GS paper has 150 questions and each question here has 1 mark compared to 2.5 for the optional. One should aim to score 90-110 out of the 150.
For more info iasguide.googlepages.com
List of Optional Subjects for Prelims
The optional paper has to be studied extensively and one should aim at scoring 95-110 out of 120 questions. The GS paper has 150 questions and each question here has 1 mark compared to 2.5 for the optional. One should aim to score 90-110 out of the 150.
For more info iasguide.googlepages.com
Main Examination
Scheme of the Main Examination.
Paper I: One of the Indian languages to be selected by the candidate from the Languages included in the Eighth Schedule to the Constitution. 300 marks
Paper II: English. 300 marks
Paper III: Essay. 200 marks
Papers IV and V: General Studies. 300 marks for each paper
Papers VI, VII, VIII and IX: Any two subjects to be selected from the list of the optional subjects. Each subject will have two papers. 300 marks for each paper
Interview test. 300 marks
Note: The Papers on Indian Languages and English will be of qualifying nature; the marks obtained in these papers will not be counted for ranking.
List of Optional subjects for the Main exam
Paper I: One of the Indian languages to be selected by the candidate from the Languages included in the Eighth Schedule to the Constitution. 300 marks
Paper II: English. 300 marks
Paper III: Essay. 200 marks
Papers IV and V: General Studies. 300 marks for each paper
Papers VI, VII, VIII and IX: Any two subjects to be selected from the list of the optional subjects. Each subject will have two papers. 300 marks for each paper
Interview test. 300 marks
Note: The Papers on Indian Languages and English will be of qualifying nature; the marks obtained in these papers will not be counted for ranking.
List of Optional subjects for the Main exam
Negative Marking / Penalty for wrong answers
As per the notification issued by UPSC on December 16, 2006, there will be penalty in the form of negative marking for wrong answers given by a candidate in the objective type question papers for the Civil Services (Prelim) Exam 2007 and onwards. As such, every question will have four alternatives for the answer and in case of each question, a wrong answer marked by the candidate will account for the deduction of one third (0.33) of the marks assigned to that question.
If a candidate gives more than one answer, it will be treated as a wrong answer even if one of the given answers happens to be correct and there will be same penalty as above for that question. However, if a question is left blank without any answer marked by the candidate, there will be no penalty for that question.
If a candidate gives more than one answer, it will be treated as a wrong answer even if one of the given answers happens to be correct and there will be same penalty as above for that question. However, if a question is left blank without any answer marked by the candidate, there will be no penalty for that question.
GS Syllabus
GS Prelims study material
Previous year questions for GS paper
Tips on IAS Coaching
Answer writing tips
Current Affairs for Exam
Exam Strategy
Useful links for GS Prelims
Book Lists
IAS Exam 2009 Preparation Schedule
Poll 1 - optionals
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Poll 2 - coaching
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Guestbook
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Reply
- Kavitha Ganesan Kavitha Ganesan Sep 11, 2009 @ 11:58 am
- Dear professionals,
I am Kavitha age 23),working as a Lecturer in Social Work Dept, completed MSW, M.Phil (currently pursuing in Part Time) under Bharathiyar University,Coimbatore, i want to start to prepare for IAS and i wnt to appear in 2010 exam,This is the first time for me, so i do know how to start,I need guidance from professionals,Kindly help me out
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- Bhuvnesh Chaturvedi Bhuvnesh Chaturvedi Aug 22, 2009 @ 5:35 am
- hi
i am bhuvnesh chaturvedi and i am in b.com final year. i am 18 year old.
i prepare for this exam and it will be held in 2012( i think)
i want to ask that can i join coaching institute in 2010?
if yes/no,
give me sajesation
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- balinder jeet balinder jeet Jul 24, 2009 @ 8:46 am
- hi, i have completed my m.a. in english by securing 58% marks from punjab uni. i want to become an ias officer . please help me to fulfill my amibition. i want to know about the indian language paper. i want to choose english. is it a good subject? my email id is balinderjitdhiman@yahoo.com.
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- Pandiyarajan L Pandiyarajan L Jul 21, 2009 @ 8:51 am
- Hi,
I want to be an IPS officer. So, Please let me know the top institution cum fee structure in Pune, Delhi and Gurgon.
Regards,
Pandiya
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Reply
- abeda dodamani abeda dodamani Jul 11, 2009 @ 4:34 am
- he dont be excited be cool and calm .
see start reading about our history , current affairs practise essay writing spend min 2-3hrs for IAS preparation
ok
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- Santhosh.N Santhosh.N Jun 20, 2009 @ 11:31 pm
- Respected sir/madam
i have done BBM from Bangalore university .. from child hood days i have dream of becoming IAS officer .. but i dont know where to apply for exam and when is this exam conducted can u please guide me my Email id is sany66music@yahoo.com
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- Sharmistha Sharmistha Jun 8, 2009 @ 11:26 am
- Hi I'm Sharmistha this is my dream to join the IAS.I score very poor marks in graduation.How can I prepare myself for the exam? Please reply me to sharmistha_2505@rediffmail.com
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- Narasimha Narasimha Jun 4, 2009 @ 1:40 am | in reply to archana
- Hi Archana, you cannot attend the exam unless u complete degree
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- rajaprabhu rajaprabhu Jun 3, 2009 @ 8:23 am
- Please guide me in preparing for I A S exams, i am doing my B.tech(it) 1st Year. My dream and childhood aim is to be an I A S Officer that is to score 1st Rank, so myself want to prepare for my aim from nowonwards please guide me in this regard and sugest the books which i have to start study from now . I work hard to acheive my goal. Please mail me to the adress raja.ias294@gmail.com
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- NIKHIL KULKARNI NIKHIL KULKARNI Jun 1, 2009 @ 12:41 pm
- I am working professional having qualification B. E. (PRODUCTION) I want to be IAS officer but i didn't have enough knowledge /information about it,Please guide me for the same.And also please tell me prspects for engineer in civil servises.Please do reply on below mail id
nikhilkulkarni2005@gmail.com
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- yogendra singh yogendra singh May 29, 2009 @ 6:47 am
- hi
my name is yogendra singh and i am working in central excise department but now i am serious about for ias exam preparation so what should i do for that. plz guide me.
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- Vidya Shree K S Vidya Shree K S Apr 16, 2009 @ 3:54 am
- Please guide me in preparing for I A S exams, i am doing my B.com., 1st Year. My dream and childhood aim is to be an I A S Officer that is to score 1st Rank, so myself want to prepare for my aim from nowonwards please guide me in this regard and sugest the books which i have to start study from now . I work hard to acheive my goal. Please mail me to the adress VIDYA3391@gmail.com
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- jaydeep jaydeep Apr 15, 2009 @ 6:35 am
- when will the IAS exam anounced next
please reply on my email id jaydeep.engg47@gmail.com
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- ARPIT MISHRA ARPIT MISHRA Apr 11, 2009 @ 12:28 pm
- i m a student,pursuing B.E. in electrical n electronics. i m in fourth yr. i want to prepare for IAS exam. but i don't have a wit of knowledge about IAS. can u plz help me out to understand about exam n suggest me gud start up sothat i can get through it.
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- vani b vani b Apr 11, 2009 @ 8:16 am
- sir iwant to write i. a. s exam .now i am doing my b.d.s how i should prepare?kindely replay in my email id vanilbindu@gmail.com
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- RAJA YAQOOB FAROOQ RAJA YAQOOB FAROOQ Apr 10, 2009 @ 10:37 pm
- sir im from civil engineering and i am interested in taking political science nand sociology as my subjects for IAS prepration and i am in second year of engineering can u guide me how to start the prepration
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- shwetha shwetha Apr 10, 2009 @ 2:19 am
- sir i want to start preparing for ias exam as i'm doing ma be 1st yr...wat kind of preprations helps me to persue in ias exam which i want to take after i complete my be.....?
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- rajendradewagan rajendradewagan Apr 9, 2009 @ 9:21 am
- hi,
i am
iam bsc and bams(am) student i want to become ias pizs give me advised i want to be an ias officer in future piz give me proper guidence of the praparation as wei as for the seiection of my subject my id sir (Rar.dewagan)
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- archana archana Apr 9, 2009 @ 9:02 am
- sir.. 'm in third year of my engineering now.. do i hav the eligibility to appear for preliminary exam in 2009 or 2010??
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- gulnaz khan gulnaz khan Apr 8, 2009 @ 3:15 am
- respected sir/ mam,
i am a graduate from delhi university and i wanna appear in the upsc exam to became an ias officer . could you please tell me that what percentage is require (12 and graduation) to appear in the examination. kindly reply me. i will be highly thankful to you.......
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