New IAS Syllabus from 2011 Prelims or CSAT
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IAS Preliminary Exam is all set to change from 2011 onwards as the new syllabus has been published and is available on my Civil Services blog. So what are the changes in the civil services prelims from 2011? Many.
1. No more optional papers. Optional paper in CIvil Services Prelims has been replaced by compulsory paper. So now there will be two compulsory papers common to all candidates.
2. Each paper will be of 200 marks and two hours duration each.
3. First paper is the same as present General Studies paper.
4. Second paper will comprise questions on mental ability, logical reasoning, English comprehension, decision making, interpersonal skills and communication skills, general comprehension.
What has not changed in the new IAS syllabus
Some things which many candidates for the IAS exam were fearing have fortunately remained untouched. Here is a short list.
- Age limit remains 30 yrs. Older candidates can heave a sigh of relief.
- Number of attempts have not been reduced. So those on the 3rd and 4th attempts can rejoice.
- IAS mains exam pattern has not been changed from 2011 but will be changed after a few years most probably.
- The name of the exam. This is the biggest joke. Everyone rooting for CSAT and all those who started web sites on this title might be cursing themselves now.
- General Studies paper or Paper 1 is more or less the same. Only thing is that mental ability has now been included in Paper 2 instead.
What would you like to know about the changed IAS prelims?
See results without votingBenefits to candidates from changes to IAS Syllabus
Candidates who were against UPSC's scaling system due to variable difficulty level of optional papers can feel happy now as optionals have been removed from 2011 IAS prelims. As both papers will be common to all, there will be fair play and equal opportunity to all candidates. From now on what you score is what you see in terms of final results (whether qualified or not for IAS mains). Candidates who could not mug up or rote will also cheer the changed IAS syllabus as now wide studies on different topics is required and second paper will focus on decision making, logical reasoning, mental ability, English comprehension. None of these can be mugged up but have to be practiced, understood, tackled using common sense and presence of mind but not mugging up. Finally, candidates who haven't taken coaching can also feel relieved as coaching will make less of a difference now than in the past where optionals could be cracked simply by mugging up the coaching class notes. Now paper 2 will require individual efforts rather than coaching notes.
Challenges from the changed syllabus for IAS exam
GS has always been a tough paper to clear and now candidates will have to clear two GS papers with more questions in less time (just two hours). So time management will be the most crucial factor in IAS prelims from now on. Also, the second paper will be tougher for those who ignored mental ability and were never too keen on data analysis and logical reasoning. These cannot be skipped any longer but will need to be attempted in order to clear the IAS prelims. Candidates from non-English background will face a tough challenge as there will be English comprehension passages and no translation will be provided for the same so they need to be read in English only. Questions on inter-personal skills and communication skills will test a candidate further and only those who are good at both can now answer questions confidently.
Additional books for IAS Prelims
Apart from the regular books for IAS prelims exams candidates will also need some additional books and materials to cover the new syllabus introduced from IAS 2011 exam. I have provided a short list here.
- CET notes for MBA entrance exams will do fine for tackling mental ability, logical reasoning and data interpretation questions in the new IAS preliminary exams. No need for CAT notes as mental ability will not be of such a level.
- For English comprehension pick up your Std. 10th English grammar text book as the level of the passages will be of similar level and is clearly mentioned in the new IAS syllabus.
- For decision making refer to some good books on this subject. Public Administration students might have a very slight edge here.
When should you focus on the prelims
Right now. There's not a moment to lose especially there's a new paper to be studied now. Also IAS candidates who used to conveniently ignore mental ability, data analysis can no longer hide from such questions and will have to face them head long. So start practicing such questions. Also non-English background students will need to improve their English passage reading skills whereas everyone will need to reflect on their communication skills in order to tackle tricky questions on the topic. So start preparing for the prelims right away and don't wait till March.
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Share your view on the changed syllabus for IAS examsLoading...
Yes now we cannot prepare for one optional before Pre as we used to earlier.
i dont know which books refferd
Hi balakrishna. I have added a link from where you can obtain information on books for Prelims/CSAT
Hi..in one of your blogs you have mentioned that prelims preparation can ne started from mid-Jan whereas in this blog you have asked to start prelims preparation immediately...what will be the right strategy...
Hi Reema, thanks for pointing out the discrepancy between my two statements. If you have some idea about GS like GK, current affairs then start from mid-Jan. The point is that nothing much will be gained even if you start a month early. Hopefully this clears the doubt :)
Fine ,happy...:)
hi friends i dunno were to download the e books..can u suggest me some website or if possible u can mail me te link to ma id raghuplm123@gmail.com
hi frends,for clearing ias xam is it necessary to be a topper throughtout ur studies. will it give a huge effect at the time of interview when we have cleared the paperof civil services.. pls tell me my mail ID is askrhythm@gmail.com
@ Nidhi...no it's not required to be a topper to clear the IAS exam..smart hardwork, persistence, and practice are what matter.
hello, i want clear my ias exam in 2013. now am dng my engineering 4th sem.please guide me .....how to start my preparation?? what al books should i refer to pass CSAT ?? pls do the needful......
Hi Ashley,
All your queries will be answered on my blog. I have provided the link above. Visit it and subscribe to the email updates!
hey plz do send me sugestions and criterions for IPS exams am a engineering graduate
hi,i want to become an officer in civil service commision..but im confused which type of books i read for general studies..so plz guide me n tell me on my e-mail: ratneshsingh4u@gmail.com.
kindly suggest me books for prelim..
Hey guys can you please tell which all need refer for IAS. As am BE graduated this year.. I wanna become an IAS officer. I impressed thoughts from THRILLER.. so buddy can you guide which all to refer.??? Am waiting for your reply..
HI I DON'T KNOW ABOUT NEW SYLLABUS ORIENTED BOOKS OF IAS PRELIMS PLEASE HELP ME
Hello sir,i m doin b.com(hns.) frm BHU..Nd i want 2 face IAS xam in 2013..sir plz give me guidance,being commere student hw can i start my preparation frm now..
i m in ty nw i m inteested in beoming ias offir but dont knw hw to prepare plz help me plz
hey frndz am i going 2 b an ias officer?
Pls everyone buy CSAT Paper2 by Maish Ranjan or Pearson CSAT Manual, these books are very useful for Paper I and II prespective.
i am doing graduation and also want to start preperation for civil services @for optional, so as the news comes in light is that mains syllabus will be change and optional will removed and pub. admn. is a compulsory one , and a tell you again i want to prepare ......but now in which direction , so please give me your useful direction/suggestionsetc ,thanx
pls send me the clear sllyabus for prelims n books to be refered
i want to about ias exams
I m Studying dgree 1st sem.i m influenced by 1 of our S.d.o mrgherita.so i choose my carreer as ias. Plz help me by sending me notes & guidence
Gud Evening i completed my Bsc Bioteshnology and now im working under Bluecross laboratories ltd,hyd as a Assistant Manager.but im more interested in IAS ,so plz i want proper guidence.
plz tll m about preperation book of i.a.s
please tell me book about to csat
please tell me about csat
i am completed graduation and preparation to ias exam, but no idea so plz help me
plz tell me abt the best books 4 csat
i want to see my pt csat 2011score card.roll no.121110
Hi please inform me what are the subjects including in IAS & KAS exam
please inform me for ias pre and quata for sc condidets
Hi friends im studying in third year IT .. which type of books are refer for I.A.S exam.please help me and send my mail(sgokilla@gmail.com)
hi friends m 4yr engineering student...i want to get coaching during my intrnship,its from 1 jan....does any coaching institute at chd provide it...
Hi,
i m vikas,
i preparing the UPSC exam.because devlopement of country and to fight the correption in india.
plze tell what is ias and hwo to prepar
i am in 10+1 and i want to know how can i prepare for ias.according to my class.plz reply.thanks
Hi every one i'm madhavan my childhood dream is became a ips officer i finish my b.a english next what can i do guide me my mail id is maddy_thinker@yahoo.com
please send me detail syllabus & detail of ias exam
Plz send me name of top ias coaching centrer
Hi.
I am a mechanical engg. working in pune.I have decided to go for CSE. Can you tell what books should one refer for various prelim and mains subjects.
please give me syllabus of irs
please send me detail syllabus & detail of ias exam.
my mail id:priyajinesh@yahoo.co.in
hi is it necessary to be a science student for appearing in both I.A.S. $ I.P.S Exams???pls help me.....
my e-mail address is - mohitlogging22@yahoo.com
my childwood drem is becoming ias officer but i don't no what kaind of books to reafer for prelims please guid me.
This is very helpful to clear exam..this is best rederence notes.I hope that more & more persons will get advantages of that..
What does this imply in the fourth paragraph of Paper-1 syllabus,as given in the brackets?.....Panchayati Raaj,Public Policy,(RIGHTS ISSUES) etc.Rights Issues mean fundamental Rights or Issues of Rights shares?This shows ambiguity in the syllabus content
i want to face IAS exam in 2013 then send mor information about it
Hi my name is anil.me doing 2yr of mbbs.i want to become ias officer in first attempt.i was 4 th in maharashtra in medical cet.plz give me guidance hw to prepare for upsc from now only so that i will be perfect till completing my mbbs graduation.my email id is dr.anild16@gmail.com
hiii.......frnds this is jay patel.....i would like to prepare 4 upsc exam....but i have no knowledge 4 dat....so pls giv me details for dat....thank u...
my childwood dream is becoming IAS officer but i don't no what kind of books to refer for prelims please guid me.
Currently I am preparing for IAS PT , Boundless syllabus but yes off course if u have already crack CAT OR MAT exam for your MBA , ur prep for CSAT is easy
amarjeet , delhi , amarjeet_rupak@yahoo.co.in
Am studing final yr. Plz guide me ias exam.
please send detail syllabus of CSAT prelims
M a normal bcom graduate from delhi university.iv done my graduation via correspondence.iv not been a topper throughout.but recently cleared some competitive xams like Ssc... I want to go for ias.m I eligible.
ha i m undergraduate student n i want to start preparing for it but i m not able to understand which book i should prefer for general studies n G.K so plz help me my email id is stanzinadol8@gmail.com
mai ias banna chanta tu please uske bare me mujhe jankari de pre. exam and main exam ke patten ke bare me.
address indra colony near hanuman murti moradabad up
mai ias banna chahata hu uske pre.and main exam ke patten ke bare me mujhe jankari meri EMAIL ID PER DIJIYE MERI EMAIL ID HAI pawendrasingh@gmail.com
address indra colony near hanuman murti moradabad 244001 [up]
i want to do ips
fine
the link isn't working for downloading ebook on ias preparation strategy.
is there any sessional cutoff in gs and csat...if i perform outstanding in csat but suppose my performance in gs will be very poor...but on an average i score more than 50 % then will i b selected?
I'm sandeep suhag.I Want to be clear the test of IPS.So, you tell me how m i prepare my ips exam test.you also tell me which books are best for test for ips.so you please help me and send best book name on my email idi my email idi is sandeepsuhag456@gmail.com
Respected Mam,
I have passed my diploma from Information Technology.
I want to be an IAS officer
My parents say you have to do b.tech, but i have no mood for btech,i want to do BA so i can do preparation for IAS
Mam suggest me what should i do..i m so much confused..plz reply to my email id aashu241@yahoo.com as soon as possible
dr.gopal 19 months ago
it is somewhat difficult to prepare for mains exam as earlier it was easy beacause of preparation of optional for pre.