IAS Exam Preparation

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How to prepare for the IAS Exam?

This lens gives you guidance on UPSC Civil Services Exam Preparation.

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

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

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

Eligibility criteria for IAS Exam 2009 

1. You must be an Indian citizen

2. You should be a graduate in any discipline from a recognised University

3. You should have attained the minimum age of 21 years and must not have attained the age of 30 years as on August 1, 2009. Due age relaxation is given to candidates belonging to Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes and Other Backward Classes.

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.

GS Prelims study material 

Answer writing tips 

IAS Exam 2009 Preparation Schedule 

Poll 1 - optionals 

Give your views on selecting a fresh optional

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Guestbook 

Lensmaster

Santhosh.N wrote

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

Reply Posted June 20, 2009

Lensmaster

Sharmistha wrote

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

Reply Posted June 08, 2009

Lensmaster

Narasimha wrote

in reply to archana Hi Archana, you cannot attend the exam unless u complete degree

Reply Posted June 04, 2009

Lensmaster

rajaprabhu wrote

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

Reply Posted June 03, 2009

Lensmaster

NIKHIL KULKARNI wrote

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

Reply Posted June 01, 2009

Lensmaster

yogendra singh wrote

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.

Reply Posted May 29, 2009

Lensmaster

Vidya Shree K S wrote

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

Reply Posted April 16, 2009

Lensmaster

jaydeep wrote

when will the IAS exam anounced next
please reply on my email id jaydeep.engg47@gmail.com

Reply Posted April 15, 2009

Lensmaster

ARPIT MISHRA wrote

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.

Reply Posted April 11, 2009

Lensmaster

vani b wrote

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

Reply Posted April 11, 2009

Lensmaster

RAJA YAQOOB FAROOQ wrote

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

Reply Posted April 10, 2009

Lensmaster

shwetha wrote

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.....?

Reply Posted April 10, 2009

Lensmaster

rajendradewagan wrote

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)

Reply Posted April 09, 2009

Lensmaster

archana wrote

sir.. 'm in third year of my engineering now.. do i hav the eligibility to appear for preliminary exam in 2009 or 2010??

Reply Posted April 09, 2009

Lensmaster

gulnaz khan wrote

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.......

Reply Posted April 08, 2009

Lensmaster

gulnaz khan wrote

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.......

Reply Posted April 08, 2009

Lensmaster

chaitanya wrote

Good Morning sir.Iam the student of B.SC Computers 3rd year i want to go through civil services i.e IAS.after me completing my graduation.I want to no the correct guidence to prepare for IAS exam. PLEASE INFORM ME ON MY EMAIL ID:chaithireddy05@yahoo.co.in.thank you sir.

Reply Posted April 03, 2009

Lensmaster

nisha wrote

best coching class in tamil nadu please guide me

Reply Posted March 30, 2009

Lensmaster

gopal kumar wrote

h!!!!!!!!!!!!
im a student of BE 3rd year student of EC branch.i want to be a ias officer bt i have no knowledge about it....
so plz tell me wht to do

Reply Posted March 21, 2009

Lensmaster

Vipul Patel wrote

i am completed my bechalar in electronics & tele.communication engg. i want to appear in the IAS exam,so please give me the guide line to select the subject and how can i statrt the preparation? my email id is aryan_vipul001@yahoo.co.in

Reply Posted March 15, 2009

 
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