Scaling the Summit

Cracking the highly competitive civil services exam is a daunting task. A structured and focussed approach will help you attain your goal.

The Civil Services Examination is conducted by Union Public Services Commission (UPSC) for recruitment to various Civil Services, including Indian Administrative Services (IAS), Indian Foreign Services (IFS), Indian Police Services (IPS), among others. The Indian Civil Servants serve as the backbone of the administration that runs the country. India is a country with the most diverse culture in the world, and the UPSC demands officers who understand this diversity and are sensitive to the various social needs.

It is a position that awards power and commands respect, but with it comes great responsibility. The examination process is structured in such a way that it handpicks those candidates who can apply their knowledge and understanding in carrying out these responsibilities in the most effective way.

Employing what is regarded as one of the toughest screening processes in the world, the UPSC selects the Civil Servants through a three stage process — the Preliminary examination, consisting of two objective-type papers (General Studies and Aptitude Test), and the Mains examination, consisting of nine papers of conventional (essay) type followed by the Personality Test (Interview).

The new pattern for Prelims was introduced in 2011 — a twin paper objective answer test on aptitude and awareness, which revolves around a vast array of topics. The new pattern is designed to understand a person’s analytical and reasoning skills rather than just testing his/her ability to memorise and replicate.

 

Prelims Paper-I

Prelims Paper I tests your General Awareness and how connected you are with the latest happenings around the world. Questions are usually related to:

History of India and Indian National Movement; Current events of National and international importance; Indian and World Geography - Physical, Social, Economic Geography of India and the World; Economic and Social Development — Sustainable development, Poverty, Inclusion, Demographics, Social Sector initiatives; General issues on Environmental Ecology, Bio-diversity and Climate Change; Indian Polity and Governance — Constitution, Political system, Panchayati raj, Public policy, Rights issues and General Science.

It is natural for a student to be overwhelmed by the syllabus of General Studies paper-I. But, it has to be noted that the UPSC is moving away from checking the rote capability of the students and instead has started checking the analytical skills of the student. For example: 2011 saw a wave of protests with many following Gandhian ideologies of Satyagraha. The 2012 Civil Services paper tried to test the candidates’ understanding of this issue and their opinion on the same by posing the quesiton: “How are Gandhian Ideals like Satyagraha, Swadhinata and Swaraj relevant to contemporary Indian Democracy?”

 

Prelims Paper-II

Prelims Paper II designed to test your skills in comprehension, interpersonal skills, communication, logical reasoning, analytical ability, decision making, problem solving, basic numeracy & data interpretation. Broadly, around half the questions in the last two years, were from Reading Comprehension and Verbal Ability. A good percentage of the remaining questions test Logical Reasoning, Basic Calculation, Quantitative Aptitude and Decision Making. Remember that an aptitude paper always tests your inherent common sense. Thus, performing well in this section is not contingent on the number of arcane formulae a student memorises, but on the application of the logic underlying each concept.

 

The Mains

Once you have cleared the Prelims, you become eligible for the ‘Mains’, which is a true test of your in-depth knowledge and writing skills. It consists of nine papers, two qualifying and seven ranking in nature. Out of the seven ranking papers, four papers are from two optional subjects that have to be selected from a pack of 26 subjects. There are proposals to do away with these two optional subjects but it has not been confirmed yet.

Candidates who pass the qualifying papers are screened according to marks and selected candidates are called for an interview. The Interview for the Civil Services is aimed at assessing whether a candidate is suitable to be a competent administrator or not. It is not an assessment of the specialised or general knowledge that has already been tested in the Prelims and Mains, but the mental ability of the candidate which is judged by the clarity of expression, appreciation of different points of view, balance of judgment and leadership qualities.

The general tip passed on through civil service success stories revolves around in-depth knowledge. Though there has been some paradigm shift in terms of scoring in Prelims, thanks to the aptitude section, the trend still continues with a traditional preparation for the general studies in Prelims done hand in hand with the Mains along with its optional. It therefore becomes easier to focus on the wide array of topics ranging from History to Geography to Economic and Social Development, Polity and Governance with current events and general science. This wide array clubbed with the comprehension, reasoning, mental ability for numeracy and the English language makes for a daunting task.

The exam has never been about remembering all topics but understanding concepts, and this has to be done smartly and swiftly.

Why you should drink orange juice

Drinking a glass of orange juice a day can keep your skin glowing and keep cold away. Orange juice is known to contain a high percentage ofVitamin C, which is helpful in boosting the immune system. 

So, you will be less likely to catch various illnesses, such as cold or flu. Also, medical studies show that orange juice may help lower both cholesterol and blood pressure levels. 

What's your squeeze? 

Don't mix sugar with orange juice. Always remember that you do not need to drink a whole lot of orange juice in order to get these healthy benefits. In fact, since orange juice is fairly high in calories, avoid drinking too much of the stuff. If you are drinking canned orange juice, then be sure to check the sugar content on the label when choosing orange juice if you really want to get the highest amount of health benefits from your orange juice and, ultimately, prevent weight gain (since high sugar levels can cause it). 

Pulp fiction 

It is often said that orange juice containing pulp tends to be healthier for the body, but it is an issue that is often debated. If you have a stomach condition, remember that orange juice is very acidic and for that reason, it may cause a stomach upset. Due to its acidity, orange juice can also cause tooth damage , if left uncared for.

Blend cooking oils to stay away from heart diseases

Avoid reheating oil; use combination of oils and read food labels to ensure that transfats do not creep into your diet

While plans maybe afoot to welcome the New Year with health conscious resolutions, one vital culinary component that is linked to non-communicable diseases is often neglected – cooking oils. While the debate on the healthiest oil continues through various studies and reports, most of them clearly frown upon sticking to one type of oil for cooking. The reiterated thumb rule is to use a combination of cooking oils to derive the maximum benefits from fatty acids contained in these oils. “Use a combination of two or three types of oil regularly or rotate types of oil for breakfast, lunch and dinner,” says M.V.Alli, assistant professor, department of nutrition and dietetics, Seethalakshmi Ramaswami College.

RISK OF HEART DISEASE

The choice of cooking oil is important as the risk of heart disease is linked to the usage of oil, says N.Senthilkumar, interventional cardiologist, Kauvery Hospitals. Cooking oils containing saturated fats can elevate bad cholesterol or LDL cholesterol levels which block arteries and increases risk of heart disease, insulin resistance, and obesity.

Cooking oils are of various types: saturated like ghee and coconut oil, and unsaturated oils are further classified into monounsaturated and polyunsaturated oil apart from transfats.

Transfats are found in hydrogenated oils or vanaspati or vegetable shortening which are present in pastry products, pizzas, burgers. In his book, ‘how to protect your heart’ Dr. Senthilkumar recommends avoiding transfats, minimal use of saturated fats, and striking a balance between monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats which are present in mustard oil, groundnut oil, olive, gingelly, sunflower, safflower and canola, to name a few. “We do not recommend the use of saturated oils like coconut oil or ghee, particularly for persons with cardiovascular disease, diabetes or obese people,” says Dr. Alli.

Reheating oil

At a health meet in the city this year, cancer specialist, V.Shanta, chairperson, Adyar Cancer Institute, said reusing of oil was a cause for worry as reheating oil has been linked with cancer. The practice is prevalent due to rise in prices of essential commodities like oil and cap on subsidised gas cylinders. Reheating oil multiple times is the primary reason why doctors and dieticians frown upon eating out in restaurants and buying deep-fried snacks at roadside eateries.

Apart from refraining from reheating oil used for deep frying, baking, boiling, using non-stick pans are options recommended to achieve optimum oil usage. Read food labels to ensure that transfats do not creep into your diet, Dr. Senthilkumar suggests.

Standards of higher education in the country should be improved: Pranab

Hon'ble President of India Shri Pranab Mukherjee delivers convocation address at SRM University

The standards of higher education in the country should be improved, President Pranab Mukherjee said here on Friday.

Delivering the convocation address at SRM University in Kattangulathur , Mr. Mukherjee said the country had universities such as Nalanda and Takshashila which had established themselves as international centres of educational excellence where students from all over the world came and studied. In contrast, many Indian students were now going abroad for higher studies.

Private sector’s role

Mr. Mukherjee said: “We need universities to provide quality education that meet international benchmarks. We must change the reality of our universities not figuring in the list of top universities of the world. Indian universities should aim at becoming top educational institutions in the world with global standards of research, teaching and learning. With unlimited demands and limited resources, it is important that the private sector also contributes its best to the provision of higher education in India. The private sector has played a key role in higher education in other countries across the world. Many top universities including Harvard, Yale and Stanford are the result of efforts of private sector. There is no reason why Indian private sector cannot achieve similar results.”

Value-based education

A huge responsibility lay with the educational institutions, said K. Rosiah, Tamil Nadu Governor. Mr. Rosiah said: “We need value-based education which synthesises the moral fabric of the individual and generates a culture of peace in society and makes one’s life in harmony with all existence. It should prepare the youth to face the challenges and responsibilities of the future.”

Honorary degree of Doctor of Science was conferred on V.K. Saraswat, Director-General, Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO), and P.R. Goyal, eminent physician.

GATE-2013 to get tougher

The increasing interest in higher education among the technical graduates in the country is a direct reflection of the growing number of aspirants for the Graduate Aptitude Test in Engineering (GATE). The aspirants have grown from a mere 1.8 lakh in 2008 to 7.7 lakh in 2012.

The GATE-2013 will see more numbers and certainly be tougher for two reasons. Due to sluggish recruitment in the IT industry more students are likely to appear while on other hand Public Sector Undertakings (PSUs) are recruiting in large numbers and GATE qualification is mandatory for most of those jobs.

Moreover, nearly 90 per cent of the applicants take the test unlike the Civil Services where about 50 per cent of applicants actually appear.

The GATE-2013 to be conducted by the IIT Bombay will also see several changes. Out of 21 papers in GATE 15 papers will be conducted in online mode this year. Last year only six papers were online while the previous year only four papers were in the online mode. However, this may not be a concern as GATE aspirants are used to online test like AIEEE or BITSAT.

Another change brought in for the exam includes exemption of application fee for female candidates to attract more number of girl students. The fee will be Rs. 1,200 for general and OBC candidates and Rs. 600 for SC, ST and Physically Challenged boys.

Till last year GATE score calculation used method of average and standard deviation of marks scored by all students. In the new formula to be applicable from this year, the average and standard deviation terms do not refer to the entire population, but to specific ability levels (qualification marks and top 0.1% of students). The score will be valid for two years.

The three-hour exam with 65 questions (30 one-mark questions and 35 two-mark questions) summing up to 100 marks will have questions from core subjects, engineering maths and general aptitude. “Questions from the core engineering subjects far outweigh the other two areas with 70 per cent weightage. But, General Aptitude and engineering maths with 15 marks each, play a vital role in maximising the score,” says Prudhvi Reddy, Course Director of GATE at TIME institute.

Mr. Reddy feels good performance in aptitude and Maths ensure the minimum qualification marks. “Offline mode will have only multiple choice questions. But, online mode exams will also have numerical answer type questions accounting for 15 marks.” Questions are likely to test the applicants’ grip on basic concepts and the ability to apply them in problems. The GATE notification issued gives an overview of the areas where applicants will be tested. These can be broadly categorised in to four types - recall, comprehension, application and Analysis and Synthesis. “Most of the recall based questions will be in the one mark category. Thorough knowledge of fundamentals and extensive practice are the only two factors that can bring success here,” Mr. Reddy says. The GATE trainers advice that candidates should plan their preparation strategically. Attempting previous papers and analysing the weightage given for various topics are crucial elements.

However, aspirants will face tough competition for six papers - CSE, ECE, EEE, ME, PI and IN that account for 90 per cent of the applicants. All these will be in the offline mode on second Sunday of February 2013.

On 09-11-2012, I got Doctorate in Management(Ph.D.)from Hon'ble Governor of Tamil Nadu, His Excellancy Dr. K Rosaiah.

New qualifying criteria dashes hopes of many NET aspirants

Candidates who failed may seek legal recourse

The high hopes with which a majority of candidates appeared for the UGC’s National Eligibility Test in June after a change in the question paper pattern have come crashing after the publication of results earlier this week.

For the first time, NET was conducted in objective mode for all three papers in two sessions. Till then, the third paper in descriptive format was not favoured by many. However, the relief over replacement of the descriptive format with multiple-choice questions has turned out to be short-lived.

The adoption of new qualifying criteria by the UGC has denied thousands of candidates an opportunity for lectureship in universities and colleges.

The candidates blame the UGC for coming out with a last minute specification that an aggregate of 65 per cent in three papers was necessary for qualification for general category candidates. The qualifying minimum was fixed at 60 and 55 per cent for OBC and SC/ST/visually challenged/physically challenged categories.

While the NET notification stated that the scores of only those candidates who score the minimum specified marks would be considered for the preparation of result, the UGC’s new criteria for qualification required candidates in general, OBC, and SC/ST/VC/PC categories to post minimum scores (out of 350 — 100 marks each for first and second paper, and 150 marks for third paper) of 227.5, 210, and 192.5 respectively.

So far, corresponding scores of 155, 138 and 130 were accepted as passing minimum for the three categories of candidates. The NET notification stated: “Only such candidates who obtain the minimum required marks in each paper separately, as mentioned above, will be considered for final preparation of result. However, the final qualifying criteria for Junior Research Fellowship (JRF) and Eligibility for Lectureship shall be decided by UGC before declaration of result.”

The candidates are shocked. “The result has caused depression. My efforts have gone in vain,” lamented Gajendran, an Assistant Professor, who felt confident about clearing NET this year, after many attempts over a decade.

His overall score of 188 did not measure up to UGC’s new criteria. Had the UGC struck to the pattern of passing minimum it had been following so far, the pass percentage would have increased manifold, said Vijayalakshmi, a professor in a private college.

While NET/SET is the minimum eligibility for recruitment and appointment of assistant professors in universities/ colleges/ institutions, candidates with Ph.D. in accordance with UGC Regulations 2009, are exempted from clearing this examination.

But, with Ph.D. turning out to be costly and time-consuming, candidates usually devote their attention to clearing NET first before pursuing Ph.D. Hence, their disappointment is only natural, according to S. Iyyampillai, Professor of Economics in Bharathidasan University, Tiruchi, who has vast experience in training candidates for NET/SET

Candidates across the country who have not passed the NET due to the “last minute” changes in the eligibility norms have planned to get their acts together for legal recourse, Ms. Vijayalakshmi said.