Indian Administrative Services Exam is considered as one of the most sort after competitive exams in India among its graduate youths. IAS exam’s importance lies in the fact that graduate of any stream or course whether it is Arts, Engineering, Science, Medicine, and even Management etc. have an equal opportunity to compete in this exam. IAS aspirants from prestigious IIT’s or IIM’s will have an equal chance of cracking IAS’s as it will be to an MBBS from AFMC or AIIMs etc. IAS exam provide equal opportunity to all, to reach the apex of the Indian administrative system.
Young graduates who want to prove themselves and who wants to be a part of the Government machinery in a real sense has to crack IAS exam. Also known as Civil Services exam before the independence of India IAS exam is conducted by central body Union Public Service Commission every year in the month of May to select approximately 400 candidates to serve on the top notch positions in the Central Government and its various departments.
Candidates applying for the IAS Exam have to fulfill all the eligibility condition for appearing in examination.
Educational Qualifications:
the most basic IAS exam eligibility is that the aspiring candidate should be at least a Graduate in any discipline from a recognized university. Candidates having professional and technical qualifications recognized by the government are also eligible. Those who have appeared in the final year but do not have the result can also apply but they would have to produce proof of passing the exam with their application for the Main Exam.
Candidates who have passed the final year of MBBS or any Medical degree Examination but are yet to complete the internship can also appear for the Main Examination. However, they must submit along with their Main Examination application, a certificate from the concerned authority of the University / Institution that they have passed the final professional medical examination. At the time of Interview, they are supposed to produce a certificate from a competent authority that they have completed (including internship) all the requirements for the award of the Medical Degree.
Note: There is no minimum percentage of marks in the qualifying examination is (Pass only) required to be eligible for taking IAS Exam.
Nationality:
For the Indian Administrative Service and the Indian Police Service, a candidate must be a citizen of India For other services, a candidate must be either:
Age Limits:
Candidate must have attained the age of 21 years and must not have attained the age of 30 years on the 1st August of the year in which examination is being held.
The upper age limit may be relaxed in respect of the SC/ST and other backward classes.
Number of attempts:
Maximum number of attempts permissible to different categories of aspirants, who are otherwise eligible, will be as given below:-
This exam is normally held in three parts:
Preliminary Exam taken by nearly 2,50,000-3,00,000 candidates every year
Mains exam taken nearly 10,000 selected candidates at preliminary level
Interview, the last part of the exam is taken by number of candidates nearly three times of the vacant seats.
IAS Preliminary Examination 2014 would consist of two papers- Paper I and Paper II. The syllabus and pattern of the Preliminary Examination would be as under :
Paper 1 (200 marks) – Duration : Two hrs.
Current events of national and international importance
History of India and Indian national movement
Indian and World Geography- physical, social, economic geography of India and the world
Indian Polity and governance – constitution, political system, panchayati raj, public policy, Rights issues, etc.
IEconomic and social development – sustainable development, poverty, inclusion, demographics, social sector initiatives etc.
General issues on environmental ecology, bio-diversity and climate change-that donot require subject specialization.
General science.
Paper 2 (200 marks) – Duration : Two hrs.
Comprehension
Interpersonal skills including communication skills
Logical reasoning and analytical ability
Decision making and problem solving
Basic numeracy (numbers and their relations, orders of ma gnitude etc. (Class X level), Data interpretation (charts, graphs, tables, data sufficiency etc. –Class X level)
English language comprehension skills (Class X level)
IAS Main Examination taken to assess the overall intellectual qualities and depth of understanding of candidates rather than merely the range of their information and memory. It will consist of a written examination and an interview test.
The written examination will consist of 9 papers of conventional essay type in the selected subjects for main examination. Each paper is of 3 hours duration.
IAS exam is normally held in the month of August.
Civil Services Posts that are filled through IAS Exam
Major Civil Services posts that are filled through Indian Administrative Services Exam are:
Indian Administrative Service IAS Officer India Foreign Service IFS Officer Indian Police Service IPS Officer Group – AIndian P & T Accounts & Finance Service
Indian Audit and Accounts Service
Indian Customs and Central Excise Service
Indian Defence Accounts Service
Indian Revenue Service
Indian Ordnance Factories Service (Assistant Works Manager, non-technical)
Indian Postal Service
Indian Civil Accounts Service
Indian Railway Traffic Service
Indian Railway Accounts Service
Indian Railway Personnel Service
Posts of Assistant Security Officer in Railway Protection Force (RPF)
Indian Defence Estates Service
Indian Information Service (Junior Grade)
Group – B
Railway Board Secretariat Service (Section Officer’s Grade)
Armed Forces Headquarters Civil Service (Section Officer’s Grade)
Customs Appraisers’ Service
Delhi, Andaman & Nicobar Islands, Lakshadweep, Daman & Diu and Dadra & Nagar Haveli Civil Service and Police Service
Pondicherry Civil Service
A candidate can buy an application form with information brochure from the General Post-office by paying Rs.100 (No fee for women candidates).The duly filled in application form and the acknowledgment card should then be mailed in the special envelope supplied with the Information Brochure to Secretary, Union Public Service Commission, Dholpur House, Shahjahan Road, New Delhi-110
The aspirants must apply in the Common Application Form devised by UPSC for its examinations, which can be purchased from the Head Post Offices throughout the country on payment of Rs.30 only. Each such form can be used only for one examination once only. In case of non-availability of the form from the designated PO immediately contact UPSC ”Form Supply Monitoring Cell” over Phone No. 011-23389366.
Address for receipt of the IAS Exam Application form
Secretary
Union Public Service Commission
Dholpur House
Shahjahan Road
New Delhi-110069
IAS Exam Test Centres
IAS exam is conducted in all major cities in the country and in leading cities abroad.
For details regarding the Syllabus and Scheme of the Examination, Centre of Examination, Guidelines of filling up the application form etc. visit website :upsc.gov.in