Brevity: Focus of Civils Mains

More than 14,900 aspirants across the country- including 450 from Andhra Pradesh- have been totally engrossed in preparing for the key all India test- the Civil Services Main examination- which is scheduled to be held from December 1 to 5.

According to observers, the dates may be slightly changed and may span between December 1and 8. The UPSC may come out with a final clarification in the next couple of days. The exams and the final results will be keenly watched as this is the first year that the candidates will be facing a new revised pattern. The UPSC has started implementing the Professor Arun Nigvekar Committee recommendations replacing the 30-year-old syllabi and pattern.

“One of the key papers this time will be on Ethics-Integrity Aptitude, which was introduced for the first time. The paper is for 250 marks and aspirants can score considerable number of marks in this paper if aspirants follow the current events in an in-depth manner. They should write only factual-based answers for the questions. The UPSC has already given model question papers on this subject,” Dr Gopala Krishna, Director of Brain Tree IAS Academy told The Hans India.

“Distinction between values and norms, values in Indian culture, Code of Ethics in US society, the purpose of government is to make it easy for people to do good and difficult to do evil". Do you think the Code of Conduct for Civil Servants in India facilitates the above maxim? etc could be some of the questions that are likely to be asked” he explained.

Strongly advising students to be very succinct, he reminded aspirants that the UPSC has for the first time introduced limited space for each question. “The introduction and ending should be only one sentence each. Don’t write unnecessary things in the space. Confine to subject in a pointed way” he suggested. “Ability to write fast is also equally important. Answer as many questions as possible,” he added.

The raging issue of Telangana statehood may be asked in a different tone and perspective, Dr Gopala Krishna opined. “What would be the advantages of smaller states, will political uncertainty lead to left wing extremism, What would be the constitutional obligations of the head of the state etc are some of the questions that may be asked,” Gopala Krishna felt.

“Other subjects that could confront the aspirants in current affairs are: Changes in Representation of People’s Act, failures in implementation, The Model Code of Conduct, Public Distribution System, the functioning of CBI, the Nirbhaya incident and the developments aftermath etc. A difference between capitalism and socialism is the topic that has been asked in different perspective over the years. On Geography, questions may be framed on ecology and disaster management with reference to Uttarakhand flash floods and the massive loss of human life in addition to failures of official machinery is one of the likely questions” he predicted.

Those who have sound background knowledge and present in a precise way will have fair chances to clear the Mains, he said.