Deciding to write the UPSC exams for the coveted civil services is in itself a daunting task for various reasons. Every year roughly around 3-4 lakh aspirants apply for the exams all over the country.
Three years back the number of posts used to be around 350-400. But now we are seeing an increase in the number. This year, the number of posts has gone up to 965. Ultimately it means that one in 400 ultimately will make it into the services.. For an exam which is considered as "mother of all competitions", a thorough preparation is a must. And for that to happen, the optionals to be selected should be rewarding.
Optional 1
Selecting the first optional should be done keeping in mind the syllabus of that optional, interests, recent history and the most important is the usual number of candidates who take the optional. The more the candidates are taking that optional, the more is the representation of candidates of that optional. For this reason, the usual optionals had been Public administration, History, Geography etc.
Since UPSC has planned to do a total revamp of prelims by the year 2011, the optional pattern in preliminary might be done with and in its place the CSAT would be introduced. The official notification in this regard is expected by June end-July 2010. Till then nobody can ascertain the pattern of Prel 2011..
Optional 2
This is more troublesome for most of the candidates (including me) as the first optional itself had asked us to do some sacrifice with regard to our academic subjects. This is where a judicious assessment and advice of those who have already appeared comes to the rescue.
My Experience
When I appeared last year, I was a fresher, who had just finished MBBS and had virtually no idea about the exam. Even then I opted for Public administration as my first optional. After the prelims, I got casual as I had no hopes of clearing the preliminary stage itself. Although my score was coming close to 240(out of a total of 450), there were many who were claiming to get beyond 260-270. The results brought a welcome surprise and only then i started my preparation for mains.
Deciding about my 2nd optional was relatively easy for me as choosing anthropology meant that I'd have to study a few topics lesser(Genetics, physiology, embryology etc) and that plenty of material and guidance were available. But unfortunately guidance from Prof Muniratnam Reddy sir came only for social anthropology part of Paper 1. Second paper was not at all dealt with before the exams.
With just the half preparation in Anthro, i appeared and found that everyone had a bad experience due to the unexpected nature of the papers.. Saving grace had been physical anthropology for me but even there i had not covered the fossils properly due to which I had to make up the answers in most of the questions.Even then I managed to score well in the anthropology papers(P1 - 162, P2 - 144).
My advice to those who are thinking about taking up anthropology is that you can very well go about it provided you are well versed in either physical anthro or in social anthro. Even if you are an expert in social anthro, You'll have to face minimum 100 marks worth of questions of physical anthro..
Take Anthropology as your 2nd optional only and only if you can deal with physical anthropology comfortably..
UPSC has announced the result of civil service exam 2009 on 6th may 2010 , in which a kashmiri doctor Shah faesal has secured 1st rank. He opted for public administration and litt of urdu language as his optionals. I have secured 569th rank although i expected something better. Anyway for a first timer it is a decent achievement. I thank god, my parents, teachers, family and friends who all supported me and stood by me for this success.. But its a long way ahead as i plan to appear again this year.. Wishing all those who cleared congrats and those who didn't better luck for the next time..
I entered the UPSC premises and proceeded to the waiting hall where document verification was carried out. The wait began at that time. We were told that our panel was headed by Prof. Balagurusamy. It was a sigh of relief. There were four other members, one more from Karnataka and one each from Pune, Tamil Nadu and Kerala. Being fourth in the order, I was called in at 4:25 pm. I was led in.
Me: May I come in?
CP: Yes come inside
I entered and wished all (all male members) and was asked to be seated; I thanked and sat down.
CP: So you are a doctor cleared from Rajiv Gandhi University, which college?
Me: Yes sir, I studied at Vydehi institute of medical sciences
CP: Is it a govt. college?
Me: No sir, it is a pvt. College.
CP: So how much are they charging for a seat now?
Me: Sir now the fee is approximately Rs. 3.5 lakhs per annum
CP: In Tamil Nadu they charge 50 lakh as capitation fee
(they all talk among themselves and I was a silent spectator)
Me: Sir mine was a govt. seat in a pvt. medical college.
CP: Ok. What did you do since 2007 as you graduated then? You realize that if one is out of service you can’t be in tune with latest developments.
Me: (nodded) Sir, I finished my internship in May 2008. Then I appeared for state civil services in Sept. 2008. Subsequently I appeared for civil services 2009. In between I worked for two months at Cisco systems in a project to deal with health presence.
CP: So leaving your profession wasn’t opposed by your parents?
Me: Sir my parents allowed me to choose anything after graduation
CP: Anything? Then why didn’t you join govt. medical service
Me: My father is a doctor in govt. service and I have seen him go through all the troubles
CP: Oh so both are doctors. What is your mother?
Me: Sir she is a principal in a govt. college
CP: You have a very good family. Why don’t you people start a nursing home with your mother being an administrator?
Me: Sir it is better to reach poor and the masses while being in public sector
CP: You can reach poor if you are good. Charge rich and do free service to poor.
Me: Sir truth be told, I entered medicine mainly due to peer pressure and parent pressure and various other situations
CP: No financial pressure?
Me: Mine was a free seat sir
CP: Ok. So your preferences are IAS, IPS and then IFS.. All put IFS third. (proceeded to M1)
Me: Yes sir
M1: Have you read foreign policy of India
Me: I’m sorry sir, no.
M1: What all do you know about NAM?
Me: When world was divided into two power blocs, India and a few likeminded countries decided to maintain a good distance and ensure cooperation to safeguard their interests. This led to beginning of NAM
M1: Do you know about the first summit
Me: I’m sorry sir I don’t remember
M1: Do you think NAM is relevant now?
Me: Yes sir. Having two poles or three is insignificant but important is development among all countries which is the objective of NAM
M1: What do you think are the chances of India being in P5
Me: Sir given the present support from existing members and our close proximity with Washington may be it could be possible in future.
M1: What is the biggest advantage of being in p5
Me: A member of p5 has veto power
M1: Do you know where UN HQ is located
Me: Sir I’m sorry I cannot remember
M1: IMF and WB HQ
Me: I’m sorry sir
M1: Do you know about IMF and WB
Me: Sir they were created to assist and provide finance to developing and under developed countries to boost development
M1: Your hobbies are cricket-playing and watching. What position do you play?
Me: Sir I was in school cricket side till class IX but subsequently I had to concentrate on my studies. I’m a lower middle order batsman and occasionally I used to bowl
M1: Occasionally?
Me: Sir I was used as a spare bowler
M1: Do u think the present trend of IPL is commercialization or is it sports in reality as now the senior players are performing better than youth
Me: Sir there are pros and cons of t20 cricket. Cricket is reaching all those places where it did not exist earlier but at the same time it is leading to fall in consumerism due to commercialization. There are ads not just between overs but also between deliveries. (maybe I got deviated slightly)
M2: IPL.. Do you know the revenue generation to BCCI in season 3
Me: Sir the recent auctions of two teams have fetched approx 3200 crores
M2: In season 3
Me: Sir I’m not sure but around 1200 crore
M2:It is 4 billion
Me: Thank you sir
M2:Telecast rights? It was in paper today
Me: Sorry sir I didn’t read that.
M3: You optional is anthropology. What is the difference between old world and new world monkeys
Me: Sir old world monkeys were found in Africa and new world monkeys were found in Americas. But the new world monkeys were earlier in evolution
M3: Are you sure?
Me: Yes sir
M3: Sure?
Me: Yes sir
M3: What is the age difference between the two?
Me: Sir I’m not sure, but maybe around 500,000 years..
M3: Way off the mark. 25 million years. Do you know about the human genome project? People earlier thought there were thousands of genes. How many genes are there?
Me: Sir there are around 30000 genes
M3: Can you name a few genetic defects
Me: Sir, thalassemia
M3: Tell me about thalassemia
Me: Sir it is a genetic defect due to a defective gene in HLA region(I made a mistake. It was HBA region)
M3: HLA, are you sure? Or is it any other thing in blood.
Me: Sir it is coded by a defective gene in HLA region leading to an abnormal globin chain in hemoglobin.
M3: But HLA is present in leucocytes.
Me: Sir HLA genes are present in all cells in the genetic material.
M3: Do RBCs contain genetic material.
Me: Sir RBCs when immature have genetic material which also has HLA genes. When they mature the genetic material is lost.
M3: But do the RBCs contain HLA antigens.
Me: No sir. I’m sorry sir, this is what I know. I may be wrong sir.
M3: What about sickle cell anemia?
Me: Sir it is a genetic defect where one of the globin chain’s sixth amino acid is replaced from phenyl alanine to valine.
M3: What happens?
Me: Sir the oxygen carrying capacity of the red cells comes down.
M3: Any homozygotic and heterozygotic condition?
Me: Yes sir. In homozygotes, there is a full blown disease whereas in heterozygotes it is a mosaic pattern where a few cells are normal and others are defective.
M3: Ok.
M4 did not ask any question
I was asked to pick a card
“Globalization has reduced the gap between the rich and poor in India “
CP: Do you agree or disagree?
Me: I’m sorry sir I’d like to disagree here. The rich continue to be rich and poor continue to be poor.
CP: Do you think it has increased?
Me: I’m not sure of its increase sir but maybe it has remained the same
It has increased.
M2: In fact rich have become more richer and poor have remained where they were.
(chat amongst themselves about india being rich of billionaires and is at fourth position. Then M4 said janardhan reddy also is in the race. Stopping of mining was also mentioned. Him shaking karnataka CM over the issue of a lady minister. Asked me on the status)
Me: Sir, she was forced to resign.
CP: She was his wife?
Me: No sir she wasn’t married to him.
CP: Now SC has legalized it.
Your interview is over now. Do you have any question?
Me: Sir, do you blog?
CP: No, I don’t have time to blog although I’m an IT person. You should ask better questions.
Me: Sir I want to follow ppl of great repute.
CP: You don’t need to follow by examples. What one needs is sincerity and honesty.
M3: What is difference between blog and twitter?
Me: Sir twitter is also called micro blog where one can post using a mobile and reach to anyone following him
M3: There is a limit in characters
Me: Yes sir of 140 characters unlike a blog where there is no limit and blog needs internet access.
CP: Yes all the best
(gave me a chocolate and shook hands)
I thanked them all and started to leave. At the door I thanked again and left.
