Thursday, December 30, 2010

Myths and Facts about the Indian Civil Service Exam

Myths and Facts About Indian Civil Services  


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 questions is optional ‘X’ are difficult and confusing. Hence it is better to opt for optional ‘Y’.
Reality: Once again, let us reiterate the obvious. This is a competitive examination. If the questions are difficult, every aspirant will score less and automatically the cut-off mark will be lower.

Myth: In previous years, the cut-off mark for optional ‘Y’ was low and hence it is better to opt for optional ‘Y’.
Reality: The UPSC does not declare any cut-off mark. Therefore, it is impossible to establish any cut-off in any year for any subject.

Myth: The General Studies paper accounts for only 150 marks whereas the optional paper amounts to 300. Therefore too much attention need not be given to General Studies.


Reality: While it is true that more attention has to be given to the optional, preparation for General Studies cannot be neglected. Remember, every mark counts and a single mark can make the difference between success and failure.

Myth: One need not choose the same subject for the Prelims and Mains.


Reality: While there is no stipulation that the same optional be chosen for the prelim and the mains, it is advisable to stick to one subject. To be able to answer the preliminary will, one has to do a through study of the subject-matter. This comes in handy if one opts for the same optional in the mains. If different optional are taken it would lead to a tragic waste of time.

Myth: When the same optional is chosen for the Prelim and the Mains one need not prepare separately for the Preliminary. Preparation for the Mains is sufficient.


Reality: At least 90% of the preliminary syllabus is included in the mains. However, there is a difference in approach. The Preliminary demands a micro approach requiring close acquaintance with details whereas the mains require a broad perspective. Hence different methods of preparation are called for.


Myth: In order to be successful at the Civil Services Examination an aspirant has to work for at least 16 hours a day.
Reality: While people claim long hours of study, yet it is doubtful whether 16 hours of intensive study is humanly possible. Remember, “it is not the number of hours that is important but the work that you put in those hours that is important”. Each one of us has a ”span of attention” and the preparation should be tailored accordingly. There is no need to obsessed with the number of hours.


Myth: The preliminary examination is a ‘gamble’. Whatever the level of preparation, one can never be sure of successful till the results are announced. Hence, it is better to commence preparation for the Mains, only after the Prelims.
Reality: Every competitive examination has a ‘chance’ factor. The Civil Services examination is no different. While, there is an element of chance it can be reduced to a large extent by well-directed effort. A student, who has prepared in the right direction, has 90% percent of chance of being successful. Moreover, the Mains exam is conducted 90 days after the declaration of the preliminary result. 90 days is ‘just not’ sufficient to prepare for two optionals, a General Studies paper and an Essay.


Myth: The provisions of reservation are not applied at the preliminary Examination


Reality:


The provisions of reservations are applied at each stage of the examination, Otherwise; a proportional representation to the next stage is not possible.

Myth:


Some optionals are paying at the Preliminary examination and are not paying at the Main examinination. Therefore, it is better to change optionals at the Main examination.


Reality: As mentioned in our previous article there is nothing like a ‘paying ’ and a ‘non paying ’ optional. This myth has been in circulation as some students who have done well at the Prelims with an option have failed to score high marks at the Main examination. This can be attributed to two reasons,


(a).Having thoroughly prepared for the optionals at the Preliminary level, the aspirant becomes complacent as he feels he knows the subject only ‘too well’ and can tackle the Mains with ease.


(b).The aspirant lacks the required writing skills. The Preliminary examination being a multiple-choice type, required a thorough familiarity with the subject. Language skills are not required at this stage. The Mains examinations, especially in the social sciences is dependent upon the adequate writing skills (which are based on one’s command over the language) along with knowledge of the subject. If an aspirant does not have the writing skills he will obviously not score well.


Myth: An aspirant has to have a deep insight into the optional in which he is appearing at.


Reality: Experience of successfull candidates has disproved this largely accepted fact. Aspirants who have not had adequate time to grasp the nuances of the subject have also scored high. Perhaps this is because of good writing skills and a proper approach to the subject. The trend of scores in the previous examinations indicates that the UPSC expects a general level of knowledge in any optional rather than a scholarly attitude.


Myth: The general essay paper does not require any special prepartion.


Reality: This was the case till a few years back. Candidates with a Social Science background especially those with Sociology or Public Administration had a distinct advantage at the essay paper. Out of the 8 topics mentioned in the question paper at least two topics had a significant overlap with Public Administration or Sociology. The 1998 paper was different. All the topics were of a general nature and no candidate had an advantage. If the same trend continues, preparation is imperative.

Myth: The general essay paper has been introduced to the disadvantage of a student with a 'pure' science background.
Reality: The general essay paper has been introduced to check the competence of the student in drafting skills. The marks scored by the aspirants, in the previous examinations clearly indicates that it is not necessary to have flowery or bombastic language to score high. The general essay is GENERAL as the name indicates. Good command over the language and good writing skills are definitely assets, but need not be regarded as necessities. Clear and Cogent expression is rewarded and even a student of pure sciences can score high. Hence none has an unfair advantage.


Myth: The compulsory language papers are only qualifying and do not require any preparation.


Reality: The compulsory papers viz., a modern Indian language and English are only qualifying i.e., an aspirant has to score the minimum pass marks in these subjects. However one cannot take it for granted. For example, a student appearing at the examination from AndhraPradesh tends to choose his mother tongue i.e., Telugu as his modern Indian language. Usually, a student has been educated in English medium looses touch with writing skills in Telugu after his Xth standard and while we could be very fluent in speaking the language, writing is an entirely different skill.


Instances are not lacking where aspirants who were categorised as the 'most probable' have failed to qualify in the language papers. Moreover, the questions are becoming tougher year by year. Thus, it is safe to prepare for qualifying paper. The qualifying paper in English need not be prepared for if one has been educated in English medium.


Courtesy: UPSC Portal

Monday, December 27, 2010

The Women's Reservation Bill

DO YOU KNOW ?: THE WOMEN’S RESERVATION BILL
It was a momentous development when the Women's Reservation Bill was passed by the Rajya Sabha on the 9th of March, 2010. For more than ten years now, the Bill has led to heated debates in the Parliament, with supporters saying that it will pave the way for an active participation of women in politics, and detractors saying that it will benefit only a narrow spectrum of privileged women. Let us take a look at what the Bill has to offer, and what the controversy is all about.
What does the Women's Reservation Bill provide?
  • The Women's Reservation Bill is a proposed legislation to reserve 33.3 per cent of seats in Parliament and State legislatures for women. This would mean reserving 181 of the 543 seats in the Lok Sabha and 1,370 out of a total of 4,109 seats in the 28 State Assemblies for women. In case of seats reserved for SC-ST candidates, 33.3 percent would have to be reserved for women. The reservation of seats is proposed to be on rotation basis, which means that the 33.3 % seats reserved in one election would cease to be reserved in the next election. In its place, another set of seats totaling 33.3 % would get reserved. The provision for reservation is proposed to be in place for 15 years.
  • The Bill is an extension of the 33.3 % reservation of seats for women in the Panchayats to the State Legislatures and the Pm-ti1Gllent. Reservation for women in Panchayats has resulted in probably one of the largest mobilization of women in public life in the world.
How did the Bill originate?
  • The proposed legislation was first introduced in the Lok Sabha on September 12, 1996 by the United Front government as the 81 st Constitutional Amendment Bill. In 1998 it was re-introduced in the 12th Lok Sabha as the 84th Constitutional Amendment Bill by the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) government. It was reintroduced again in 1999, 2002, 2003. In 2004 it was included in the Common Minimum Program of the UPA government. All these years the Bill could not be passed because of lack of political consensus. It was again tabled in the Rajya Sabha in 2008, and has now been passed by the Rajya Sabha in 2010.
What is the objective of the Bill?
  • The Bill is aimed at fostering gender equality in Parliament, which in turn would lead to the empowerment of women as a whole. It is expected that increased political participation will help Indian women fight against the age old discrimination and deprivation they have been subjected to, and the inequality they suffer from. The Bill, it is felt, would create a level playing field for the women to enhance their presence and status in politics initially and in society eventually.
What are the apprehensions regarding the Bill?
  • Some political parties are apprehensive that the reservation for women would rob the chances of many of their male leaders to fight elections. Coupled with the reservation that already exists for the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes, a further reservation for women would be discriminatory for other sections of people. Others say that the reservation would benefit only elite women, causing further discrimination and under representation to the poor and backward classes. They are opposed to the bill in its present form and want a quota within quota for women from backward classes. It is also felt that rotation of seats being reserved may reduce the commitment of the elected MPs to their constituencies as their chances of getting reelected would be very little.
What is the status of the Bill now?
  • The Bill, which is also the Constitution (108thAmendment) Bill, was passed by the Rajya Sabha on 9th March 2010. It will now be tabled in Lok Sabha. Once approved by both houses, it will be sent for Presidential consent and then become a law, giving 33% reservation to women in Parliament and State Assemblies. The reservation will remain in place for 15 years and then be extended, if necessary.
 Courtesy: UPSC Portal

The Truth about Indian coins


Indian coins are mainly produced in 4 cities 

1. Delhi
 
2. Mumbai
 
3. Hyderabad
 
4. Kolkata
 

The production in city puts an identification mark under the year of issue. Coins produced in:
 

1. Delhi - have a dot
 
2. Mumbai - have a diamond
 
3. Hyderabad - have a star
 
4. Kolkata - Nothing beneath the year
 

Isn’t it amazing?
 

Most of us don’t know this........Now put your hand inside your pocket/ wallet/ purse and check out!!!!
 


Thursday, December 23, 2010

The Right to Education

The Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education Act, 2009 (RTE) has been notified in India after approval from both Houses of Parliament and the President of India. The Act ensures that all children between the ages of 6 and 14 years have access to quality primary education. Children who have missed out on schooling will also have the right to access primary education in an age appropriate manner.

Every elementary school in the country has to provide the facilities to make their school child-friendly. The RTE Act explains the role of stakeholders and what they need to do to make RTE a reality. Being an Awaaz Do Champion ensures you can play a role in supporting the implementation of the RTE. You can participate by volunteering at your local government school to help that school meet the requirements of the RTE. Schools need to have:
▪   Availability of separate toilets for boys and girls.
▪   Availability of drinking water and hand washing facilities.
▪   A playground for sports and play.
▪   A school library for the use of children and teachers.
▪   Mid-day meals for children with handwashing occurring before the meals.

A more detailed checklist is available at www.rtemonitoringcell.info, a website hosted by
National Commission for Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR). NCPCR is mandated with the responsibility for monitoring RTE. Feedback about whether or not the schools are implementing the RTE should be given to them. 

In the interest of 8 million children who are out of school today, let us take a step forward and help the local government to achieve the norms and make RTE a reality. 

Awaaz Do!

Courtesy: UNICEF INDIA

Sunday, December 19, 2010

Best Actor - Movie Review

Best Actor – Movie Review
Director- Martin Prakat
Producer- Naushad
Cinematography – Ajayan Vincent
Music – Bijilal
Cast- Mammooty, Lal, Nedumudi Venu, Sreenivasan, Salim Kumar, Shruthi Krishnan, Biju Kuttan, Ranjith, Lal Jose.
            Debutant Martin Prakat’s ‘Best Actor’ starring Mammootty hit the theatres last week. On seeing the movie’s name we feel that it is the story of a superstar, but in fact ‘Best Actor’ is the story of ‘Mohan’, an ordinary school teacher who aspires to be an actor.
            The movie starts with the ordinary life of Mohan who is shown visiting directors begging for roles in their upcoming projects. Directors Lal Jose and Ranjith play short-roles as themselves.
            After an incident that led to Mohan being insulted in front of his own villagers, he leaves the village for Kochi. There he joins a group of ‘goondas’  (Lal, Nedumudi Venu, Salim Kumar) to learn about their ways of living and improve his acting skills.
            The first half of ‘Best Actor’ is quite ordinary. We feel as if the scriptwriters (Martin Prakat & Bipin Chandran) are desperately trying to make us laugh, but as is evident, they didn’t succeed immensely.
            ‘Best Actor’ takes a sudden turn in the second half when the ordinary school teacher suddenly turns into the filmy action hero. The ‘Om Shanthi Om’ dialogue “picture abhi baaki hae mere dosth” is used to signify the change in the hero’s character. But on many occasions there was this feeling that the second character of the hero was actually a mimic of several ‘famous’ characters including SRK’s ‘Om Prakash Makhija’ in OSO. But, perhaps that is what the director wants us to feel.
            The character of Biju Kuttan barely made anyone laugh. The few hilarious moments were from the characters of Salim Kumar, Nedumudi Venu and Lal. Sreenivasan plays a small but important role. Another highlight is the ‘dual climax’ which must be watched rather than said.
            The heroine Shruthi Krishnan is a positive that Malayalam cinema can take out of the movie. She, though not a Malayali, has got the perfect Keralite look and was aptly cast for the role.
            Bijilal’s music is commendable and the title song is interesting. Cinematography is handled pretty well by Ajayan Vincent.
            Martin Prakat has proven his ability as a director with his first film itself but could have handled the script better.
            Overall, ‘Best Actor’ is a decent movie but one that could have been even better with a proper script.

Rating: 3.5/5