Analysis – CSE Main 2018
GS 1

1. The Art and Culture questions were relatively easier compared to the previous years. The
   question regarding Chaitanya Mahaprabhu, although specific in nature, could have been
   answered using common points of all Bhakti saints. Such an approach would definitely fetch
   the candidate average marks. The question regarding ‘preservation of our art heritage’ was
   extremely generic in nature and marks would depend on how well the candidate has
   approached the question. The question regarding account of foreign travellers to India
   required specific knowledge regarding the various travellers and their accounts which are
   readily available in the NCERT books.
2. There were no questions from the Freedom Struggle, which has always been an area of
   interest for the UPSC. Questions from Indian history required a rudimentary understanding of
   Gandhian philosophy and basic knowledge of the plight of indentured labourers which is often
   mentioned in all books that cover the freedom struggle. There were no questions from World
   History.
3. Geography questions were relatively straightforward and tested the basic conceptual
   understanding of the candidates. Some of the questions were also dynamic in nature as they
   involved current affairs such as IRNSS, Industrial Corridors, depleting groundwater resources
   etc. Therefore conceptual knowledge coupled with general awareness of recent issues would
   have enabled the candidates to answer these questions.
4. Questions concerning Indian Society were quite challenging and would have immensely
   benefited those who have a Sociology background. However, a keen understanding of current
   events by a thorough reading of the newspaper, especially editorials, would have equipped
   candidates to deal with these questions to a certain extent.
5. Questions or certain themes have been repeated this year (eg- Indian secularism, India’s
   interest in the Arctic region, etc). Thus, going through previous years’ papers would have
   helped the candidates immensely.
   GS 2
6. Questions regarding Indian Constitution and Polity involved a good mix of static portion and
   also current events. While a bias towards current affairs was seen till the 2016 exam, this
   year’s paper struck a balance between the two
7. Current affairs based questions from Polity included some very straightforward questions
   such as the controversy regarding EVMs, the tussle between the Delhi CM and the LG, the
   controversy surrounding the ToR of the 15 th Finance Commission, etc. The static questions

from Polity also covered issues such as Financial Emergency, an area which is often neglected
by candidates while preparing for the Main examination. Therefore, the seemingly obscure or
unimportant topics from standard books like Laxmikanth must be covered by candidates for
the Mains exam was well.

1. The questions from the Governance section could have been answered by candidates who
   had gone through the report of the 2 nd Administrative Reforms Commission. The suggestion
   for the formation of an umbrella Human Rights Commission body, issues regarding Citizens
   Charters, financial capabilities of Panchayats etc are all comprehensively addressed in the
   specific reports of the 2 nd ARC.
2. The International Relations questions were on expected lines as they reflected the
   uncertainties in the global sphere such as the impact of the ‘trade wars’ and the withdrawal
   of the US from the Iran nuclear act. Candidates while reading about these challenges must
   assess the specific impacts that they have on India and think of possible solutions for the
   same as the questions were India centric and also called for solutions. The questions also
   covered new and emerging relations such as with Israel and Central Asia, whose importance
   can be easily gauged from the increasing number of editorials that appear in the newspapers.
   GS 3
3. Economy based questions included current issues such as rising protectionism and currency
   wars along with recent Budget measures. Thus, both 2017 and 2018 exams have seen an
   increased importance of the Budget.
4. The questions from the Agriculture and Food processing sections were quite generic in nature
   and required candidates to have a good grasp of the various issues and challenges and also
   good writing skills. However, there were also current affairs oriented questions such as
   organic farming (Sikkim was recently declared as an organic state), millets (2018 was
   declared as the International Year of the Millets). Therefore, a basic understanding of Indian
   agriculture, the cropping patterns and the challenges that the sector faces would have
   enabled the candidates to answer the questions.
5. Internal security questions did not evoke much of a surprise on the candidates as they
   covered trending topics such as LWE, drug trafficking (Golden Triangle and Golden Crescent)
   and the challenges posed by CPEC. Cyber security continues to be an area of focus for UPSC
   especially in the wake of the Justice Srikrishna Committee report which was discussed
   extensively in the media.
6. Environment related questions tested the candidates’ understanding of issues that have
   gained prominence in the recent years such as wetland conservation, solid waste
   management, bio diversity etc. Therefore, a thorough understanding of concepts that
   frequently appear in the newspapers is called for.
7. There were also some tough or challenging questions. While the Bose-Einstein question
   would have been answered only by a very few, questions regarding biopharma and
   comparison between Hyogo and Sendai frameworks (Disaster Management) were also very
   challenging.
   GS 4
8. The case studies were very straightforward and easier compared to the 2017 exam, so the
   key differential would be how candidates were able to answer the theoretical (Part A)
   questions
9. The Part A questions were public administration centric and required a very nuanced and in
   depth understanding of the various ethical issues and concerns. As the syllabus is limited and
   the paper has been in existence for around 5 years, candidates can continue to expect
   extremely challenging and analytical questions in the future as well. Only such an approach
   would enable them to answer questions that seek the difference between actual and potential
   conflicts of interest and also the difference between Code of Conduct and Code of Ethics.
   Reading of the reports of the 2 nd Administrative Reforms Commission would have be
   beneficial in this regard.
10. The other questions, especially the quote based questions were also analytical and
    challenging and would require candidates to have good writing skills, coherence and proper
    time management.

Analysis – CSE Main 2018
Public Administration- Paper I

1. In general, the paper was easier and more open ended compared to the previous year. Thus,
   it was quite similar to the 2016 paper which saw high scores in Public Administration.
2. The compulsory questions, barring a few, were relatively simple and straightforward. The
   questions covered relevant issues and topics such as NPM, Administrative Law, Weber’s
   bureaucracy, Simon’s approach etc which could all have been answered by any well prepared
   candidate.
3. While the optional questions in section B covered a myriad range of topics from Comparative
   Administration, Development Administration, Personnel Administration, etc, they could have
   been adequately addressed by a candidate who had practiced answer writing along with
   multiple revisions. The optional questions in Section A, however, were a bit more challenging.
   Here, the candidate’s understanding of concepts, his ability to inter link various disparate
   topics as well his general understanding of the basic subject matter were tested. The
   questions in this section also included relatively easy concepts such as MIS, Barnard’s
   Contribution Satisfaction Equilibrium etc.
4. All in all, thorough preparation along with a proper choice of questions to be answered is
   likely to fetch a candidate good/ very good marks in this paper
   Public Administration- Paper II
5. The questions were very generic and GS type. Therefore, the key would be to answer them
   from a Public Administration perspective and not to make the answers very GS oriented. (Eg-
   in the question pertaining to role of distract administration in mitigating climate change,
   knowledge of PM Krishi Sinchayee Yojana should be brought in with a focus on the
   preparation of District Irrigation Plans.) This would be the differential as some candidates are
   likely to be carried away.
6. The questions also covered dynamic issues such as the setting up of the NITI Aayog, the ToR
   of the 15 th Finance Commission, the position of the Governor, etc
7. Here again, the choice of questions made by the candidate is likely to be a deciding factor in
   the final scores. Those who have chosen to answer GS type questions such as the ones on
   TRAI and small and marginal farmers should have brought in adequate Public Administration.
   Similarly the ones who chose questions related to the Governor, 15 th Finance Commission etc
   should have comprehensively covered all the major points to ensure maximum marks as
   these questions are likely to be attempted to by a vast majority o the candidates.

“If we are born ordinary, it’s not our fault. But if we die ordinary, that’s solely our fault”
The Indian Civil Service Exam is perhaps one of a kind in the world because it offers a cheat code to life. It is an exam which opens up the highest seats of permanent power to one who manages to clear it. Thus, by merely cracking an exam, an aspirant irrespective of his background enters the corridors of power in India. While those in political sphere have to compete ever five years to maintain power, a Civil Servant enjoys the same till retirement, with a steady rise in position and reach.

Civil Service consists of three stages, the preliminary examination, popularly known as prelims, the mains examination and the personality test. The prelims consists of two papers, the CSAT I or the General Studies Paper which deals with the current affairs and other knowledge based questions and CSAT II or the aptitude paper which tests the mental ability of the aspirants through comprehension passages, simple mathematics and logical reasoning questions. The first paper decides the candidate’s fate in the prelims round. The second paper is qualifying in nature and requires one-third marks to clear. The mains papers are divided into nine, three-hour-long written papers. These include essay, general studies papers I-IV which includes an ethics paper, two papers on the optional subject opted by the aspirant and two qualifying papers, one in English and one in the regional language of our choice. Personality test endeavours to assess a candidate’s mental acumen as a civil service officer. As the candidate’s knowledge has been assessed in the previous two stages, this stage is not an assessment of the candidate’s knowledge but of his capacity to become a bureaucrat. There is a clear cut syllabus for the prelims and mains papers, but none for the personality test.

Even today, many see this exam as an impossible task, only to be attempted by the extra-ordinarily bright. Nothing could be farther from the truth. Only a negligible percentage of the total intake into civil service every year falls under the category of bright. The vast majority of aspirants who make it are regular people from regular backgrounds who have put in dedicated effort and thousands of hours of hard work. Intelligent hard work is what civil service finally boils down to. The ability to sit down and read, to practice hundreds of question papers, to undertake hours of writing practice, to shift through books, newspapers, web sites and coaching material on a daily basis, the ability to do this for an year or two, without losing patience or motivation. At the end of the day it’s a numbers game.

Civil service coaching used to be an expensive affair. People still associate civil service preparation with images of aspirants taking the first train to Delhi after graduation to attempt this impossible feat, spending lakhs in the process. Times have changed. Now quality coaching is available much closer to home. Thiruvananthapuram now house some of the best coaching centers in the country, so much so that even people from Bihar and UP can be found preparing for civils in our little heaven. While individual classes in Delhi usually hold up to three-hundred students, classes in Trivandrum usually keep a ceiling of fifty students. Thus classes here ensure that the students get personal attention and one-on-one care. Perhaps more important is the expense incurred. A single prelims class in a good institute costs over one and a half lakhs in Delhi. Living expense is astronomical. Closer to home, a prelims, mains and optional package costs less than a lakh while maintaining, if not surpassing the Delhi counterparts in quality. It begs the question, why go anywhere else?

Civil Service is, at the end of the day one of the best jobs that India has to offer. Successful candidates are inducted at a senior bureaucratic post which provides ample opportunity for affirmative action. This is the beauty of the job. A civil servant gets to lead from the front and make key policy decisions in her twenties. To be an active participant and contributor to nation building is no mean feat! And the power, status and privileges that accompany the job are second to none. This is utopia for someone who wants to serve the nation but also wishes for a stable life. And all that stands between you and this life is one exam. So the question you should be asking is
“If they can, why can’t I?”

June 3rd, 2018- The date most aspirants dread already is a week away and butterflies are in swarms inside your stomach. You may want to revise every subject on the planet, heart would be racing at 140 bpm.
If you are a person who missed out on last prelims the pressure intensifies.
What is the ideal preparation on the final week before the prelims exam?
DISCLAIMER: If you have not done proper preparation or is planning to give a casual attempt at civil services examination, STOP READING NOW and go back to the other pleasures of life.
For the rest of the people, lets take a look at the important To-Do’s a week before prelims

1. Do Maximum MCQs: Because Prelims is all about ABCDing Target around 100 questions per day minimum.
Identify how you attempt known and alien questions, accuracy of smart guesses. Feel free to experiment with number of attempts and find your own sweet spot.

2. Quick revision list – Ideally the revision list should be topics in which you are neither too strong nor too weak; the point being revising strong area is unnecessary while revising the unknown is no revision at all. Apart from that the following lists would come in handy
• International organizations and reports
• INC sessions(Freedom Struggle)
• Newspapers and publications (Freedom struggle),
• Govt schemes
• Diseases and vectors
• National parks
• Articles & provisions
• Timeline of Indian history (links to YouTube videos)

3. Revising what is already done

4.SNOOOZE!- A minimum of 7 hour sleep is said to boost memory retention and recall. Make sure you get your sleep cycle figured out.

5.Beat the stress – A healthy level of stress would increase your productivity by keeping you alert when it matters the most. However, it is natural for candidates to go over and freak out in those crucial hours. Find your inner peace – Be the Kung FU Panda. PS- Maybe Yoga and Exercise would help

6.Avoid daytime sleep especially during exam timings i.e. from 9-11 AM & 2-4PM. (If possible try out MCQs during the same time slots)

7. Breathe out!! You’d do well!!

ALL THE BEST!!!

In the present scheme of exam for Civil Services, optionals hold a position of paramount importance. Choosing the wrong optional could mean whether you become IAS, IPS or not even clear the mains.

So what are the parameters you should have in mind when you choose an optional? The usual parameters are possibility of getting high marks, overlapping with GS syllabus, availability of guidance and material, number of people in service and also your personal interest in the subject. Lets look at them one by one:

1.Possibility of scoring High Marks

The bottom line in Mains examination is the marks you score. Optionals which help you score high are in great demand as it usually increases the probability of you getting into the top services.

Analysis of past 10 years UPSC marks shows that subjects like Mathematics, Physics, Engineering subjects and the Literature of Regional Subjects are those which fetch the absolute premium marks.

However, except the Literature subjects every other subject also comes with the risk of “hit or miss”, i.e. subjects like Mathematics or Physics you may score really low as well.

Public Administration and Geography are two subjects which usually return high scores as well.

Both also have the same issue of “hit or miss” as certain years the paper is tough.

Political Science and International Relations, Anthropology have also been doing well in the past 2 or 3 years.

Economics died very well for a couple of years (2012 and 2013) but has been under the radar now mostly.

Sociology is one optional which may not always touch the real high marks but is always a stable subject.

2.Overlapping with GS Syllabus

Certain optionals have very high overlapping with GS syllabus which will help with the preparation for General Studies for prelims, mains and even interview. The overlapping can greatly reduce the overall load on the student during preparation.

Public Administration is the subject which overlaps maximum with GS syllabus. Starting with polity topics Public administration is present in all four GS papers and will definitely help with personality test/interview as well.

Political Science and International Relations has an overlap especially with General Studies Paper II in mains. It also covers polity topics which are important for prelims. It covers various topics which come for Personality Test as well.

Sociology has good linkages with mains and also is helpful for personality test or interview

Geography has overlap with Paper I and III of General Studies mainly and would be really helpful if you also want to try for Indian Forest Service exam.

History is another subject which would helpful in Paper I (and a bit of Paper II/III) and in personality test/interview.

Philosophy and Psychology would be a tiny bit helpful in General Studies Paper IV i.e. Ethics.

3.Availability of Guidance and Material

The major subjects like Public Administration, Geography, Sociology, History, Political Science etc. have tonnes of free material and guidance available in the internet. However, it is still advised that you go to a proper course for these topics in case you choose one of them.

Economics and science subjects are taken up at specialised institutes in Delhi only.

FortuneIAS offers Sociology, Public Administration, Political Science and International Relations, Geography, Anthropology, English Literature and has a tie up for Malayalam Literature.

4.Number of people who cleared with an optional

As per data from UPSC annual reports over the past 10 years, Public Administration is optional with maximum number of selections. . The annual average has been ranging between 15 pc to 35 pc in final selections

Geography comes second with an annual average ranging from 32 pc to 9 pc in final selections.

Political Science and International Relations is one optional which has had good number selections and also a very good conversion ratio of about 10 pc.

Sociology has a maintained a stable number in most years in final selections over the past 10 years.

Literature of Malayalam Language has had excellent results and conversion ratio.

5.YOUR INTEREST

This perhaps is the most determining factor in deciding the optional. Even the toughest optional for general public can be easy for certain people with aptitude for it.

If you are good in Physics or Maths you can take it and clear with it. There are people who take Agriculture and clear as well.

All these aspects in mind, you must do soul searching and decide on the topic after reading essential material, conversing with the people who have cleared with the optional and also looking up good institutes for the same.