Indian Civil Services Examination Handbook

About the examination
The Civil Services Examination is conducted by Union Public Service Commission of India for recruitment to various posts and services such as:
 * 1) Indian Administrative Service.
 * 2) Indian Foreign Service.
 * 3) Indian Police Service
 * 4) Indian P & T Accounts & Finance Service, Group ‘A’.
 * 5) Indian Audit and Accounts Service, Group ‘A’.
 * 6) Indian Revenue Service (Customs and Central Excise), Group ‘A’.
 * 7) Indian Defence Accounts Service, Group ‘A’.
 * 8) Indian Revenue Service (I.T.), Group ‘A’.
 * 9) Indian Postal Service, Group ‘A’.
 * 10) Indian Civil Accounts Service, Group ‘A’.
 * 11) Indian Railway Traffic Service, Group ‘A’.
 * 12) Indian Railway Accounts Service, Group 'A'.
 * 13) Indian Railway Personnel Service, Group ‘A’.
 * 14) Post of Assistant Security Commissioner in Railway Protection Force, Group ‘A’
 * 15) Indian Defence Estates Service, Group ‘A’.
 * 16) Indian Information Service (Junior Grade), Group ‘A’.
 * 17) Indian Trade Service, Group 'A' (Gr. III).
 * 18) Indian Corporate Law Service, Group "A".
 * 19) Armed Forces Headquarters Civil Service, Group ‘B’ (Section Officer’s Grade).
 * 20) Delhi, Andaman & Nicobar Islands, Lakshadweep, Daman & Diu and Dadra & Nagar Haveli Civil Service, Group 'B'.
 * 21) Delhi, Andaman & Nicobar Islands, Lakshadweep, Daman & Diu and Dadra & Nagar Haveli Police Service, Group 'B'.
 * 22) Pondicherry Civil Service, Group 'B'.
 * 23) Pondicherry Police Service, Group 'B'.

Examination scheme
The Civil Services Examination will consist of two successive stages
 * 1) Civil Services Preliminary Examination (Objective type) for the selection of candidates for the Main Examination; and
 * 2) Civil Services Main Examination (Written and Interview) for the selection of candidates for the various Services and posts noted above.

The Preliminary Examination will consist of two papers of Objective type (multiple choice questions) and carry a maximum of 400 marks. This examination is meant to serve as a screening test only; the marks obtained in the Preliminary Examination by the candidates who are declared qualified for admission to the Main Examination will not be counted for determining their final order of merit. The number of candidates to be admitted to the Main Examination will be about twelve to thirteen times the total approximate number of vacancies to be filled in the year in the various Services and Posts.

Candidates who obtain such minimum qualifying marks in the written part of the Main Examination as may be fixed by the Commission at their discretion, shall be summoned by them for interview for a Personality Test. The number of candidates to be summoned for interview will be about twice the number of vacancies to be filled. Marks thus obtained by the candidates in the Main Examination (written part as well as interview) would determine their final ranking. Candidates will be allotted to the various Services keeping inview their ranks in the examination and the preferences expressed by them for the various Services and Posts.

Preliminary Examination
The Examination shall comprise two compulsory papers of 200 marks each. Both the question papers will be of the objective type (multiple choice questions). The question papers will be set both in Hindi and English. However, questions relating to English Language Comprehension skills of Class X level will be tested through passages from English Language only without providing Hindi translation thereof in the question paper. Each paper will be of two hours duration.

There will be negative marking for incorrect answers (as detailed below) for all questions except some of the questions where the negative marking will be inbuilt  in  the  form  of  different  marks  being awarded  to  the  most  appropriate  and  not  so appropriate answer for such questions. There are four alternatives for the answers to every question. For each question for which a wrong answer has been given by the candidate, one‐third (0.33) of the marks assigned to that question will be deducted as penalty. If a candidate gives more than one answer, it will be treated as a wrong answer even if one of the given answers happen to be correct and there will be same penalty as above for that question. If a question is left blank, i.e. no answer is given by the candidate;  there  will  be  no  penalty  for  that question.

The Commission will draw a list of candidates to be  qualified  for  Civil  Service  (Main)  Examination based  on  the  total  qualifying  marks  as  may  be determined by the Commission, of the two papers put together.

Main Examination
Qualifying Papers:
 * Paper‐ A - One of  the  Indian  Language  to  be  selected  by  the candidate from the Languages included in the Eighth Schedule to the Constitution.
 * Paper‐ B - English

Papers A and B are of 300 marks each. The papers  on  Indian  Languages  and  English (Paper  A  and  Paper  B)  will  be  of  Matriculation  or equivalent standard and will be of qualifying nature. The marks  obtained  in  these  papers  will  not  be counted for ranking. The paper  A  on  Indian  Language  will  not, however, be compulsory for candidates hailing from the States of Arunachal Pradesh, Manipur, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Nagaland and Sikkim.

Papers to be counted for merit:
 * Paper‐I Essay
 * Paper‐II General Studies–I - Indian Heritage and Culture, History and Geography of the World and Society
 * Paper‐III General Studies –II - Governance, Constitution,  Polity,  Social  Justice  and International relations
 * Paper‐IV General Studies –III - Technology, Economic Development, Bio‐diversity, Environment, Security and Disaster Management
 * Paper‐V General Studies –IV - Ethics, Integrity and Aptitude
 * Paper‐VI Optional Subject – Paper 1
 * Paper‐VII Optional Subject – Paper 2

Papers I to VII are of 250 marks each.

Evaluation of  the  papers,  namely,  ‘Essay’, ‘General  Studies’  and  Optional  Subject  of  all  the candidates would be done simultaneously along with evaluation  of  their  qualifying  papers  on  ‘Indian Languages’  and  ‘English’  but  the  papers  on  ‘Essay’, General  Studies  and  Optional  Subject  of  only  such candidates will be taken cognizance of who attain such minimum standard as may be fixed by Commission at their  discretion  for  the  qualifying  papers  on  ‘Indian Language’ and ‘English’.

Marks obtained  by  the  candidates  for  the Paper  I‐VII  only  will  be  counted  for  merit  ranking. However, the Commission will have the discretion to fix qualifying marks in any or all of these papers.

The question papers for the examination will be of conventional (essay) type. Each paper will be of three hours duration. Candidates will have the option to answer all the question papers, except the Qualifying Language papers Paper‐A and Paper‐B, in any of the languages included in the Eighth Schedule to the Constitution of India or in English. Candidates exercising  the  option  to  answer Papers in any one of the languages mentioned above may,  if  they  so  desire,  give  English  version  within brackets of only the description of the technical terms, if any, in addition to the version in the language opted by  them. Candidates should,  however,  note  that  if they misuse the above rule, a deduction will be made on this account from the total marks otherwise accruing to  them  and  in  extreme  cases;  their script(s)  will not be valued for being in an unauthorized medium.

The question  papers  (other  than  the  literature  of language papers) will be set in Hindi and English only.

Interview test
The interview  will  carry  275  marks  (with  no minimum qualifying marks).

The candidate will be interviewed by a Board who will have before them a record of his/her career. He/she will be asked questions on matters of general interest. The object of the interview is to assess the personal suitability of the candidate for a career in public service by a Board of competent and unbiased observers. The test is intended to judge the mental calibre of a candidate. In broad terms this is really an assessment of not only his/her intellectual qualities but also social traits and his/her interest in current affairs. Some of the qualities to be judged are mental alertness, critical powers of assimilation, clear and logical exposition, balance of judgement, variety and depth of interest, ability for social cohesion and leadership, intellectual and moral integrity.

The technique of the interview is not that of a strict cross-examination but of a natural, though directed and purposive conversation which is intended to reveal the mental qualities of the candidate.

The interview test is not intended to be a test either of the specialised or general knowledge of the candidates which has been already tested through their written papers. Candidates are expected to have taken an intelligent interest not only in their special subjects of academic study but also in the events which are happening around them both within and outside their own state or country as well as in modern currents of thought and in new discoveries which should rouse the curiosity of well educated youth.

Paper I

 * 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.
 * Economic and Social Development‐Sustainable Development, Poverty, Inclusion, Demographics, Social Sector Initiatives, etc.
 * General issues on Environmental ecology, Bio‐diversity and Climate Change‐ that do not require subject specialization
 * General Science.

Paper II

 * Comprehension
 * Interpersonal skills including communication skills;
 * Logical reasoning and analytical ability
 * Decision making and problem solving
 * General mental ability
 * Basic numeracy (numbers and their relations, orders of magnitude, etc.) (Class X level), Data interpretation (charts, graphs, tables, data sufficiency etc. — Class X level)
 * English Language Comprehension skills (Class X level).
 * Questions relating  to  English  Language Comprehension  skills of  Class X  level (last item in  the Syllabus  of  Paper‐II)  will  be  tested  through  passages from  English  language  only  without  providing  Hindi translation thereof in the question paper.

Main examination
The main examination is  intended to  assess  the overall intellectual  traits  and  depth  of  understanding  of candidates  rather  than  merely  the  range  of  their information and memory.

The nature and standard of questions in the General Studies papers  (Paper  II  to  Paper  V)  will be such that a  well‐educated person will be  able  to  answer them  without  any  specialized  study. The questions will  be  such  as  to  test  a  candidate’s  general awareness  of  a  variety  of  subjects,  which  will  have relevance for a career  in Civil Services. The questions are likely to test the candidate’s basic  understanding of all  relevant issues, and ability to analyze, and take a view on conflicting socio‐ economic goals, objectives and  demands. The candidates  must  give  relevant, meaningful and succinct answers.

Qualifying papers on Indian languages and English
The aim of the paper is to test the candidates’s ability to read and understand serious discursive prose, and to express his ideas clearly and correctly, in English and Indian Language concerned. The pattern of questions would be broadly as follows:‐ Indian Languages:‐ The Papers on Indian Languages and English will be of Matriculation or equivalent standard and will be  of  qualifying  nature  only. The marks obtained in these  papers will  not  be  counted for ranking.
 * Comprehension of given passages
 * Precis Writing
 * Usage and Vocabulary
 * Short Essay.
 * Comprehension of given passages.
 * Precis Writing
 * Usage and Vocabulary.
 * Short Essay
 * Translation from English to the Indian language and vice‐versa.

Paper-I / Essay
Candidates will be required to write an essay on a specific  topic. The choice of subjects  will be given. They will be expected to keep closely to the subject of the essay to arrange their ideas in orderly fashion, and to  write  concisely. Credit will  be  given  for effective and exact expression.

Paper‐II / General Studies‐ I / Indian Heritage  and  Culture,  History and Geography of the World and Society

 * Indian culture will cover the salient aspects of Art Forms, Literature and Architecture from ancient to modern times.
 * Modern Indian history from  about  the  middle  of  the eighteenth  century  until  the  present‐  significant  events, personalities, issues
 * The Freedom Struggle ‐ its various stages and important contributors /contributions  from  different  parts  of  the country.
 * Post‐independence consolidation and  reorganization within the country.
 * History of the world will include events from 18th century such as  industrial  revolution,  world  wars,  redrawal  of national  boundaries,  colonization,  decolonization,  political philosophies like communism, capitalism, socialism etc.‐ their forms and effect on the society.
 * Salient features of Indian Society, Diversity of India.
 * Role of  women  and  women’s  organization,   population and associated issues,  poverty and developmental issues,  urbanization, their problems and their remedies.
 * Effects of globalization on Indian society
 * Social empowerment,   communalism,   regionalism  &  secularism.
 * Salient features of world’s physical geography.
 * Distribution of  key natural resources across  the  world (including South Asia and the Indian sub‐continent); factors responsible  for  the   location  of  primary,  secondary,  and tertiary  sector  industries  in  various  parts  of  the  world (including India)
 * Important Geophysical phenomena such as earthquakes, Tsunami,  Volcanic  activity,  cyclone  etc.,   geographical features and their location‐ changes in critical geographical features (including water‐bodies and ice‐caps) and in flora and fauna and the effects of such changes.

Paper-III / General Studies‐ II / Governance, Constitution, Polity, Social Justice and International relations

 * Indian Constitution‐ historical underpinnings, evolution, features, amendments,  significant  provisions  and  basic structure.
 * Functions and responsibilities of the Union and the States, issues and challenges pertaining to the federal structure, devolution of powers and finances up to local levels and challenges therein.
 * Separation of  powers  between  various  organs  dispute redressal mechanisms and institutions.
 * Comparison of the Indian constitutional scheme with that of other countries
 * Parliament and State Legislatures ‐ structure, functioning, conduct of business, powers & privileges and issues arising out of these.
 * Structure, organization and functioning of the Executive and the  Judiciary  Ministries  and  Departments  of  the Government;  pressure  groups  and  formal/informal associations and their role in the Polity.
 * Salient features of the Representation of People’s Act.
 * Appointment to  various  Constitutional  posts,  powers, functions  and  responsibilities  of  various  Constitutional Bodies.
 * Statutory, regulatory and various quasi‐judicial  bodies
 * Government policies and interventions for development in various sectors and issues arising out of their design and implementation.
 * Development processes and the development industry‐ the role of NGOs, SHGs, various groups and associations, donors, charities, institutional and other stakeholders
 * Welfare schemes  for  vulnerable  sections  of  the population by the Centre and States and the performance of these schemes; mechanisms, laws, institutions and Bodies constituted  for  the  protection  and  betterment  of  these vulnerable sections.
 * Issues relating to development and management of Social Sector/Services relating  to  Health,  Education,  Human Resources.
 * Issues relating to poverty and hunger.
 * Important aspects  of  governance,  transparency  and accountability,  e‐governance‐  applications,  models, successes,  limitations,  and  potential;  citizens  charters, transparency & accountability and institutional and other measures.
 * Role of civil services in a democracy.
 * India and its neighborhood‐ relations.
 * Bilateral, regional and global groupings and agreements involving India and/or affecting India’s interests
 * Effect of policies and politics of developed and developing countries on India’s interests, Indian diaspora.
 * Important International  institutions,  agencies  and  fora‐their structure, mandate.

Paper-IV / General Studies-III / Technology, Economic Development, Bio diversity, Environment, Security and Disaster Management

 * Indian Economy  and  issues  relating  to  planning, mobilization  of  resources,  growth,  development  and employment.
 * Inclusive growth and issues arising from it.
 * Government Budgeting.
 * Major crops cropping patterns in various parts of the country, different types of irrigation and irrigation systems, storage,  transport  and  marketing  of  agricultural  produce and issues and related constraints; e‐technology in the aid of farmers
 * Issues related to direct and indirect farm subsidies and minimum support  prices;  Public  Distribution  System‐ objectives,  functioning,  limitations,  revamping;  issues  of buffer  stocks  and  food  security;  Technology  missions;  economics of animal‐rearing.
 * Food processing  and  related  industries  in  India‐ scope and  significance,  location,  upstream  and  downstream requirements, supply chain management.
 * Land reforms in India.
 * Effects of  liberalization  on  the  economy,  changes  in industrial policy and their effects on industrial growth.
 * Infrastructure: Energy,  Ports,  Roads,  Airports,  Railways etc.
 * Investment models.
 * Science and  Technology‐  developments  and  their applications and effects in everyday life
 * Achievements of  Indians  in  science  &  technology; indigenization  of  technology  and  developing  new technology.
 * Awareness in the fields of IT, Space, Computers, robotics, nano‐technology, bio‐technology  and  issues  relating  to intellectual property rights.
 * Conservation, environmental pollution and degradation, environmental impact assessment
 * Disaster and disaster management.
 * Linkages between development and spread of extremism.
 * Role of  external  state  and  non‐state  actors  in  creating challenges to internal security.
 * Challenges to  internal  security  through  communication networks,  role  of  media  and  social  networking  sites  in internal security challenges, basics of cyber security; money‐laundering and its prevention
 * Security challenges  and  their  management  in  border areas; linkages of organized crime with terrorism
 * Various Security forces and agencies and their mandate

Paper-V / General Studies‐ IV / Ethics, Integrity, and Aptitude
This paper  will  include  questions  to  test  the  candidates’ attitude and approach to issues relating to integrity, probity in public life and his problem solving approach to various issues and conflicts faced by him in dealing with society. Questions may utilise the case study approach to determine these aspects. The following broad areas will be covered.
 * Ethics and Human Interface: Essence, determinants and consequences of Ethics in  human actions; dimensions of ethics; ethics   in private and public relationships.
 * Human Values –  lessons  from  the  lives  and  teachings  of  great leaders,  reformers  and  administrators;  role  of  family, society and educational institutions in inculcating   values.
 * Attitude: content, structure, function; its influence and relation with  thought  and  behaviour;  moral  and  political attitudes; social influence and persuasion.
 * Aptitude and  foundational  values  for  Civil  Service,  integrity,  impartiality  and  non‐partisanship,  objectivity, dedication  to  public  service,  empathy,  tolerance  and compassion towards the weaker‐sections.
 * Emotional intelligence ‐ concepts,  and  their  utilities  and application in administration and governance.
 * Contributions of moral thinkers and philosophers from India and world.
 * Public/Civil service  values  and  Ethics  in  Public administration: Status and problems; ethical concerns and dilemmas  in  government  and  private  institutions;  laws, rules,  regulations  and  conscience  as  sources  of  ethical guidance;  accountability  and  ethical  governance; strengthening of ethical and moral values in governance; ethical  issues  in  international  relations  and  funding; corporate governance.
 * Probity in  Governance:  Concept  of  public  service; Philosophical basis of governance and probity; Information sharing  and  transparency  in  government,  Right  to Information,  Codes  of Ethics,  Codes  of  Conduct,  Citizen’s Charters,  Work  culture,  Quality  of  service  delivery, Utilization of public funds, challenges of corruption.
 * Case Studies on above issues.

Paper‐VI & Paper-VII / Optional Subject Papers I & II
The scope of the syllabus for optional subject papers for the examination is broadly of the honours degree level i.e. a level higher than the bachelors’ degree  and  lower  than  the  masters’ degree. In the  case  of  Engineering,  Medical Science  and  law,  the  level  corresponds  to  the bachelors’ degree.

Candidate may choose any optional subject from amongst the following list of Optional Subjects:
 * Agriculture
 * Animal Husbandry and Veterinary Science
 * Anthropology
 * Botany
 * Chemistry
 * Civil Engineering
 * Commerce and Accountancy
 * Economics
 * Electrical Engineering
 * Geography
 * Geology
 * History
 * Law
 * Management
 * Mathematics
 * Mechanical Engineering
 * Medical Science
 * Philosophy
 * Physics
 * Political Science and International Relations
 * Psychology
 * Public Administration
 * Sociology
 * Statistics
 * Zoology
 * Literature of any one of the following languages: Assamese, Bengali, Bodo, Dogri, Gujarati, Hindi, Kannada, Kashmiri, Konkani, Maithili, Malayalam, Meitei (Manipuri), Marathi, Nepali, Oriya, Punjabi, Sanskrit, Santhali, Sindhi, Tamil, Telugu, Urdu, English.