Along civil lines

Ashutosh Pandey has a goal. It's been riding him hard for the last five years and he's already had two attempts at it — to no avail. But Pandey does not let these failures deter him, for he knows that the booty at the end of the rainbow will make all the heartache and hard work worthwhile. Pandey is now preparing for his third stab at the Civil Services Examination (CSE). 

 Every year, thousands of hopefuls sit for the CSE, conducted by the Union Public Services Commission (UPSC). With dreams starring power and prestige, these aspirants are willing to go to any lengths in order to get into the ‘elite’ services. Even if that means living in a cubby-hole, studying through the day, eschewing a social life and surviving on the money sent by parents. Pandey, who came to Delhi from Bihar in 1997, echoes the sentiments of most IAS aspirants when he confesses, “The money comes from home. I know I could have worked somewhere but I didn't want to compromise on my studies. I do, however, keep my expenses to the minimum.” Pranabjyoti Nath, a happier man now since he has got through the CSE, agrees, “Financially, survival was courtesy Baba's dhaba! Managing classes, coaching and studying for the Civils leaves no time to take up a job.”

Nath, who was doing his M.Phil. while studying for the CSE, admits that he came to Delhi from Guwahati to study for the Civils, as it provides better options vis-à-vis coaching and resources. In fact, if you go through the list of successful candidates, there is an interesting trend that's almost immediately apparent — students from Delhi University (DU) have consistently done well. And incidentally, for the last 10 years, the topper has always been from DU.

But why are the Civils so lucrative? What makes 1,38,240 candidates (according to the UPSC) sit for an exam that will qualify only 417 (in 2001)? Says Pandey, “It's undoubtedly the power and the prestige that attracts most people.” Adds Nath, “It's the only service that will allow me to live a good life, where I can command respect, do something for others, and have time to indulge my hobbies too. I think it's the best job in the country!”

A. K. Mishra, Director, Chanakya IAS Academy, corroborates, “It's the shortest route to the highest level of power.” Mishra should know. His Academy helps these IAS aspirants to study for the CSE along the lines of a military campaign! The funny thing is, for these hopefuls, studying for the CSE is no less than a campaign, where study sources are jealously guarded, coaching notes are daily devoured and subject selection is done only after detailed consideration. For instance, both Pandey and Nath took up a different PG subject from the ones they were pursuing in the undergraduate level, only with an eye on the Civils. Says Nath, “I had Economics at the graduation level but took up master's in Sociology for I had selected it as my optional subject.” Says Pandey, “While it's not mandatory that you have to take up your PG subject as the optional, it helps.”

Which brings us to the most burning topic doing the rounds: how do you crack the Civils? Says Anuj Agarwal, Director, Career Plus, “Before you start, you should have a strategy in mind. You need to start a year in advance. Do both the Mains and Prelims preparation simultaneously, as there is very little time to study between these two papers.” Advises Mishra, "Choose the optional subject very carefully. Since the optional paper carries more marks than the general studies paper, it’s important to give more weight to this paper. Go for an optional subject that is scoring, like Sociology, Geography or a technical subject.” Says Panday, “Doing well in the Prelims depends on many factors: concentration, focus, study pattern. But for the Mains, being good at the optional subjects is very important.” Pandey also warns aspirants from going to too many sources while they are studying for the Prelims.

When asked the secret for succeeding in the CSE, Nath reveals, “You have to be psychologically prepared, at least three-four years in advance. In actual study terms, start 8-12 months ahead. It's not important to mug up the facts but rather, understanding what you have learnt. The way you present your answers will determine your result. For instance, the Sociology syllabus was vast. So I focussed only on the UPSC syllabus, on the questions asked (especially in the Mains) and made very sure that my answers were to the point. This is because if you start off with a rambling introduction, the examiner thinks you are beating about the bush and don't have the answers.”

Nath also advises aspirants to write short sentences, as these “are less ambiguous and cannot be misinterpreted. Don't show off your knowledge, get marks!” He adds, “For the Mains, practise writing the answers as often as possible. Having information and being able to write it down in a cogent manner are entirely different things. The interview, on the other hand, is a totally different ball game. You get barely 15 days to prepare for it, which is obviously not enough. So start practising from the beginning, along with the Prelims preparation.” Nath, who is a music enthusiast, had a gruelling time at the Interview, where he was asked about his hobbies, current affairs, Vajpayee's new music album, even how music would help him in administration! Nath says, “Learn facts and figures about your home state and be up-to-date on current affairs, both national and international. Read the editorials as well as the column, ‘Letters to the Editor’. This helps you know the views of the masses. Don't lie or try to bluff your way through - it's better you confess your ignorance.”

So now that Nath has got through the CSE, he must be satisfied, right? “Not really” confesses Nath. “I want to sit for the Civils again next year and get a better rank. This year I didn't get IAS, which is what I want. The IAS is the king of all services,” says Nath. This craving for a good life, synonymous with the Civil Services, is evident in every aspirant's thoughts. Pandey, preparing for his third attempt, sums it up when he says, “I don't know what I will do if I don't make it — I try not to think about it. And while I am prepared for any eventuality, I have faith in God. I know I will get through.”