Civil Services Aspirants are faced with many a dilemma. The tremendous prestige of the examination has created an aura about the examination and given rise to many half-baked truths, which heighten the sense of awe. In this article, an attempt is being made to dispel certain popular “myths” by confronting them with the corresponding “realities”.
Myth: The Indian Administrative Service (IAS) is the best service to which one can be selected through the Civil Service Examination (CSE). Hence, one should only aim for the IAS and no other service.
Reality: The IAS is undoubtedly among the best services. However, there are other services, which are equally important and satisfying. Hence, it is necessary to have some idea of career opportunities in other services.
Myth: There is too much political interference in the IAS and the IPS.
Reality: Both the IAS and the IPS are services in which one come in close contact with the people. Decisions taken directly or indirectly by IAS and IPS officers have considerable impact on the common man. Any position in which a lot of authority is vested is bound to have controls too. The more important the position the greater the control. This applies equally to private and public sectors. It is a fallacy to imagine that the private sector offers a great degree of independence. The top positions in the private sector are also subject to control or interference in some form or the other.
Myth: Only highly intelligent students with an excellent academic record are successful at the CSE.
Reality: How does one measure intelligence? Can we call someone highly intelligent just because he/she scores 100% in Mathematics or Physics at the 10th Class level? Or do we call a student who has consistently secured a first division intelligent? The fact is, the notion of intelligence is susceptible to varied definitions.
However that may be, a survey conducted a few years back indicated that most of the successful aspirants had secured only a second division in graduation. So while a high academic score is a definite asset, a second or a third division in no way hits your chances. You may yet prove yourself.
Myth: Certain optionals have better prospects at the Preliminary.
Reality: The UPSC offers 23 optionals at the Preliminary. All optionals offer equal chances of success. Usually the “proportionate method of representation” is followed. This method may be explained as follows:
Total no. candidates appearing at the examination with various optionals = 1,00,000
Total no. of candidates to be selected for the Main Examination = 10,000
Candidates taking History = 20,000
Minimum representation to be secured of candidates who have opted for History = 2,000.
Thus every optional is weighted proportionally.
Myth: A large number of candidates are opting for optional ‘X’. Hence it is better to take optional ‘Y’, which is chosen by very few candidates.
Reality: As explained, the number of candidates to be selected from a certain optional is directly proportional to the number of candidates who opt for it. If a large number of students opt for a particular discipline then the number of students taking it selected for the mains will be equally large. If a small number opt for a particular subject, the number selected will be correspondingly less.
Myth: Every optional has a ‘cut-off’ mark. Hence it is better to choose one with a low cut-off.
Reality: What do we mean by cut-off? Only 10,000 qualify at the preliminary. The marks scored by the last candidate mark the ‘cut-off’ Thus all candidates who score more than the cut-off will qualify and all those who don’t will not. You should remember that this is a competitive examination. There is no qualifying score. Whatever the marks, the first 10,000 candidates will qualify. Thus the cut-off point changes from year to year. If the questions are difficult the ‘cut-off’ mark automatically comes down.
Myth: The Indian Administrative Service (IAS) is the best service to which one can be selected through the Civil Service Examination (CSE). Hence, one should only aim for the IAS and no other service.
Reality: The IAS is undoubtedly among the best services. However, there are other services, which are equally important and satisfying. Hence, it is necessary to have some idea of career opportunities in other services.
Myth: There is too much political interference in the IAS and the IPS.
Reality: Both the IAS and the IPS are services in which one come in close contact with the people. Decisions taken directly or indirectly by IAS and IPS officers have considerable impact on the common man. Any position in which a lot of authority is vested is bound to have controls too. The more important the position the greater the control. This applies equally to private and public sectors. It is a fallacy to imagine that the private sector offers a great degree of independence. The top positions in the private sector are also subject to control or interference in some form or the other.
Myth: Only highly intelligent students with an excellent academic record are successful at the CSE.
Reality: How does one measure intelligence? Can we call someone highly intelligent just because he/she scores 100% in Mathematics or Physics at the 10th Class level? Or do we call a student who has consistently secured a first division intelligent? The fact is, the notion of intelligence is susceptible to varied definitions.
However that may be, a survey conducted a few years back indicated that most of the successful aspirants had secured only a second division in graduation. So while a high academic score is a definite asset, a second or a third division in no way hits your chances. You may yet prove yourself.
Myth: Certain optionals have better prospects at the Preliminary.
Reality: The UPSC offers 23 optionals at the Preliminary. All optionals offer equal chances of success. Usually the “proportionate method of representation” is followed. This method may be explained as follows:
Total no. candidates appearing at the examination with various optionals = 1,00,000
Total no. of candidates to be selected for the Main Examination = 10,000
Candidates taking History = 20,000
Minimum representation to be secured of candidates who have opted for History = 2,000.
Thus every optional is weighted proportionally.
Myth: A large number of candidates are opting for optional ‘X’. Hence it is better to take optional ‘Y’, which is chosen by very few candidates.
Reality: As explained, the number of candidates to be selected from a certain optional is directly proportional to the number of candidates who opt for it. If a large number of students opt for a particular discipline then the number of students taking it selected for the mains will be equally large. If a small number opt for a particular subject, the number selected will be correspondingly less.
Myth: Every optional has a ‘cut-off’ mark. Hence it is better to choose one with a low cut-off.
Reality: What do we mean by cut-off? Only 10,000 qualify at the preliminary. The marks scored by the last candidate mark the ‘cut-off’ Thus all candidates who score more than the cut-off will qualify and all those who don’t will not. You should remember that this is a competitive examination. There is no qualifying score. Whatever the marks, the first 10,000 candidates will qualify. Thus the cut-off point changes from year to year. If the questions are difficult the ‘cut-off’ mark automatically comes down.
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