IAS Exam

IAS is the acronym for Indian Administrative Services, a highly valued and much sought after civil service sector. Thousands of candidates appear for the competitive  entrance exam each year but only a select few make it through. Therefore, this requires a well thought out and carefully planned strategy to tackle this competitive exam. IAS comes under All India Services. A civil exam for recruitment in IAS is conducted by the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC).

IAS is one of the most highly reputed entrance exams, so one can expect a hard competition and thus, needs preparation accordingly.

The IAS entrance exam is broken down into two successive examinations:

1. Preliminary examination for selection of candidates for the main examination.
2. Main examination after which successful candidates are selected for civil services.

The preliminary examination comprises of General studies, a 2 hour test on general knowledge and another 2 hour test on an optional subject of the candidates choice. Optional subjects could be Agriculture, Animal Husbandry, Botany, Chemistry, History, Sociology etc.

The main examination consists of 9 papers and is designed to assess the intellectual depth and traits of candidates.

Eligibility for IAS entrance exam

Only Indian nationals who are above 21 years of age and under 30 years can apply for the IAS. Candidates must be graduates or must be undergoing the final year of graduation. Some of these eligibility criteria can be relaxed depending upon certain factors.

Preparation tips for IAS entrance exam

• The foremost thing you need to consider while looking for Civil Services like IAS is to make a wise selection of subjects for the Preliminary as well as for the Main Examinations. Often you will have choice of choosing the subjects you are familiar with. Make sure that you choose the subject you are comfortable with. 
• Always do an analytical study of previous years’ syllabus and question papers. Look for the pattern of the subject you have chosen. It is always better to seek advice from seniors and colleagues to keep confusion at bay at higher level of the exam.  
• The IAS exam preparation must be done in a perfect manner. Prepare for General Studies at the same time, while preparing for optional papers. You can adjust your timings for both; thus you will not be bored and be able to give more time to your studies. 
• Never, ever compromise with your optional subjects for General Studies as every question in optional subjects will get you 2.5 marks and the paper will be of 300 marks in total. Most importantly, the input and output ration is lots better in optional compared to General Studies.   
• The prominent thing in preparing for the IAS preliminary exams is to identify your weak points and work on them effectively. 
• Only way to be successful in the exam, in addition to rigorous hard work, is planned and systematic study. Prepare a schedule as per your convenience and stick to it.   
• It is essential to read newspapers and magazines regularly. Other than keeping you updated with current affairs, you will also get to know how facts are presented in a clear manner. Current issues are addressed in all Civil Services Exams, so it is a must that you are aware of recent happenings in not only India, but across the World. 
• Complete your entire syllabus at least a month prior to the main exam. Keep the syllabus handy so that you can tally it time and again to be sure that you are not wasting your precious time in studying topics which are not of much relevancy in the exam. 
• Consider the question papers of previous years and see the pattern of questions asked and point out which types of questions are often repeated. 
• It is best if you attempt previous years question papers. This will help you know your mistakes and weak points better. Additionally, it will help you in improving your speed and accuracy too.

In the end, no doubt, this is an important exam, but depression or nervousness will not take you anywhere. So have faith in yourself and keep on moving steadily. Remember, quality of time you put in your preparation is far important than the quantity of time.

Prospects

Successful candidates are then absorbed into the Indian Administrative Services and junior officers, which is the entry level designation for civil services. As a civil servant, one gets the opportunity in participating in the development process of a country and that is a very satisfying and gratifying experience indeed.