All India civil services are the most prestigious services of union and the state governments. These services offer the highest positions and attractive pay scales. In addition to security, they provide status and power and above all tremendous opportunities to serve the people. The examinations held by the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) and the Maharashtra Public Service Commission (MPSC) are highly competitive, and they require sustained efforts and systematic preparation.
The results of the past examinations show that intelligent and hardworking candidates have a good chance to succeed, though the performance in previous examinations has no co-relation as such with the success or failure in civil services examinations. Thousands of candidates appear for these examinations from all over India, and it is, therefore, absolutely necessary to face them with thorough preparedness. One must strike for excellent results and its groundwork should begin right at the college level. The nature of civil services examinations is quite different from university examinations. The questions asked in the past examinations are not generally repeated. Naturally, selective studies of certain topics or a casual approach to subjects do not help in such examination. The objective type of examination requires pinpointed and exact/accurate knowledge and correct understanding.
The system of examination
A combined examination for civil services ( for recruitment of IAS and other group services) is held once a year in two parts: Preliminary and Main Examinations. In Maharashtra, it is held in Mumbai, Nagpur, and Aurangabad. An interview is part of the Main Examination. Preliminary, Main Examination, and Personality Test (Interview) are the three stages of the entire examination process. The notification for Prelims is published on the UPSC website (www.upsc.gov.in), generally in the month of January / February. Forms are to be filled online.
Structure of the examination
here are two papers GS and CSAT of multiple choice type. In the CSAT paper, there are multiple-choice type questions and your method of thinking such as your comprehension skills, interpersonal skills, communication skills, logical and analytical reasoning, data interpretation, problem-solving and decision making, mental ability, English language skills (for some of these questions there is no Hindi translation provides). For General Studies all-inclusive and broad base of studies is required.
