PERSONALITY TEST...the Game Changer!!

The last stage of the examination is the personality test...( to be noted..it is not called an interview by UPSC!!)..This is the time when the board assesses the overall personality of the candidate..and to be very precise it is not to check the knowledge of the candidate..( Prelims and Mains are more than enough for that purpose)..So the people sitting out there know that the interviewee has enough of knowledge..because coming in a list of around 3003 candidates all over India is in itself enough to prove that the candidate does have a good knowledge base:)..

In the words of UPSC itself..

1. The candidate will be interviewed by a Board who will have before them a record of his/her career. He/she will be asked  questions on matters of general interest. The object of the interview is to assess the personal suitability of the candidate for  a career in public service by a Board of competent and unbiased observers. The test is intended to judge the mental calibre  of a candidate. In broad terms this is really an assessment of not only his/her intellectual qualities but also social traits and  his/her interest in current affairs. Some of the qualities to be judged are mental alertness, critical powers of assimilation,  clear and logical exposition, balance of judgement, variety and depth of interest, ability for social cohesion and leadership,  intellectual and moral integrity.

2. The technique of the interview is not that of a strict cross-examination but of a natural, though directed and purposive  conversation which is intended to reveal the mental qualities of the candidate.

3. The interview test is not intended to be a test either of the specialised or general knowledge of the candidates which has  been already tested through their written papers. Candidates are expected to have taken an intelligent interest not only in  their special subjects of academic study but also in the events which are happening around them both within and outside  their own state or country as well as in modern currents of thought and in new discoveries which should rouse the curiosity  of well educated youth.

Here, the key words are:

Mental alertness

Critical powers of assimilation

Clear and logical exposition

 Balance of judgement

Variety and depth of interest

Ability for social cohesion and leadership

 Intellectual and moral integrity

Interest in current events

Personal suitability

The board tries to assess your personality by asking you general questions which are intended to test above mentioned traits. Every word you utter should be honest and should reflect  the traits mentioned above.

Some important things to be kept in mind....

1. The most important thing in the personality test is to look calm, relaxed and happy..They like candidates who smile and look cheerful..One should maintain this throughout the test..As in enter happily and leave the room happily..no matter what the answers you gave were like!!

2.Maintain your originality..never try and put up a fake image of yourself..the people there are experienced and they do know when you are trying to deceive them..Put up your own ideas and views but in a humble manner..humility along with originality will surely turn things in your favour!!

3.Whenever a question is put up..listen to it properly..take a few minutes before you start answering..don't be in a hurry to answer even if you know the answer well..this makes the board feel that you have a thought process and you possess the power of assimilation..So take some time to think..comprehend the question well before answering!

4.Speak clearly and in a right pitch..Be loud enough so that the board can hear you properly...speak slowly and with clarity..take a pause whenever needed!..There is no need of using flowery language..use simple english just like having a normal conversation..

5.In the course of answering questions try and maintain a balanced view about everything..as in until really needed..do not give answers in white or black..i.e give a balanced answer..That shows that the candidate is flexible and is not rigid about a particular issue..

Giving my own example..I was asked a question on Reservation for women in Parliament..The question was like " Do you favour it or not?"..

The answer which i thought would be the most apt went something like this..

"As a short term measure , the idea is a good one..because it would give women a better opportunity to represent themselves on the political front..but the long term solution should be to educate and empower them so that they do not need any reservation in future and they themselves can come up and have their say in the legislature..and then the policy could be phased out slowly.."..so this can be one way of giving a balanced answer...

6. Never argue with the board or fall into controversies..even if you disagree on something..put your views in a very humble manner..Listen to their views also ..this shows you to be a flexible and an adaptable person..

There was this moment in my personality test when one of the members told me that the answer i gave was wrong..and I was 200% sure that what i was saying was right..but perceiving his body language and tone..i preferred keeping quiet..at that moment i thought that was the best to do..so as per the situation..try and avoid falling into arguments with the board!..

7.Try and avoid criticising the government..even if you talk of the problems or shortcomings of the government..always end the answer on a positive note..as in let them know..that if you become a part of the government..you would take steps to make things better!!

8.Try and turn the interview towards your area of interest and strength..this can be done by explicitly mentioning certain words or ideas which they may take up for discussion..this makes your work easy.

9.Through your answers try to potray some of your qualities like moral integrity , leadership and flexibility..The panel prefers candidates who possess these traits..!

Finally, in the end all that matters to the board is your personality and its suitability to the job.

Let them know that you are suitable. It should be done humbly but assertively, in a simple manner but confidently and honestly.

The whole interview depends on one factor – whether the board LIKES you or not. If it likes you, you will come out cheerfully.


In essence..Be confident and feel good about yourself..that will ensure a good performance in the personality test..Those 30 - 40 minutes can make a difference ..Just make sure the difference made makes you smile when you come out of the interview room!..

GOODLUCK!!!

Strategy for Public Administration

CHOOSING THE OPTIONAL SUBJECT...

Choosing the optional subject has always been a major concern of all the civil services aspirants.It is actually a situation of dilemma wherein one is confused regarding the choice , whether as to choose a subject of interest or a subject which is considered to be easy or scoring, me being no exception..Coming from an engineering background i was totally confused what to opt for..After a bit of research work regarding various subjects and their contents..Public Administration was one subject which i thought i could connect with...

If i share my experience with all those people who have or are thinking to opt for this subject.when i started preparing for the subject..the civil services results 2012 were out..and apparently this subject had not been high scoring and as people said..the question paper was tough!!..A lot of my friends and seniors advised me to drop the subject and think of some other option..But then again i listened to my heart..I was already reading the subject and had developed ample interest in it.., especially the Paper 2 which covers Indian Administration , i thought would give me a good insight of the entire system..the basics on which our administration functions..Keeping all the odd thoughts and ideas aside..i continued with the subject and trust me.the only reason i could perform well in this subject was the interest and liking i had developed for this subject..My only request to all of you out there is ..whatever subject you choose..make sure you like it..that is all that matters..No subject is easy or high scoring..It is your preparation and hardwork that makes you do well in the examination:)

HOW TO PREPARE...

The optional paper requires a very detailed and focussed study. Public administration requires a very good understanding of the basic concepts in both the papers..A thorough reading of the books ( which i would subsequently mention) is needed..Considering the dynasim which UPSC is emphasing on ..it is very important to have an integrated approach wherein one needs to supplement book reading with newspapers , articles, reports...Here i would emphasize the importance of the SECOND ARC REPORTS  which have to be studied very well keeping in view the kind of questions which are been asked lately.

The next most important thing is the answer writing technique.The answers need to be focussed and to the point.It is advisable to write the answers in a proper format which makes the answer presentable . And this can come only with practice..The more you write, the faster you write..the better you will perform..Understanding the question and then putting your views in a concise manner effectively is important..For this the only way out is to practise writing answers and getting them evaluated...For this joining a test series in not mandatory ..Questions from the past years or other online sources can be taken up, written down, discussed with friends and evaluated..The only thing needed is the dedication to do so..:)

www.insightsonindia.com is an effective site which has daily answer writing challenges ...this may be of good help!..

SYLLABUS, BOOKS AND REFERENCES..

PAPER 1

Administrative Theory

1. Introduction:

Meaning, scope and significance of Public Administration; Wilson’s vision of Public Administration; Evolution of the discipline and its present status; New Public Administration; Public Choice approach; Challenges of liberalization, Privatisation , Globalisation; Good Governance: concept and application; New Public Management.

2. Administrative Thought:

Scientific Management and Scientific Management movement; Classical Theory; Weber’s bureaucratic model – its critique and post-Weberian Developments; Dynamic Administration (Mary Parker Follett); Human Relations School (Elton Mayo and others); Functions of the Executive (C.I. Barnard); Simon’s decision-making theory; Participative Management (R. Likert, C. Argyris, D. McGregor).

3. Administrative Behaviour:

Process and techniques of decision-making; Communication; Morale; Motivation Theories – content, process and contemporary; Theories of Leadership: Traditional and Modern.

4. Organisations:

Theories – systems, contingency; Structure and forms: Ministries and Departments, Corporations, Companies, Boards and Commissions; Ad hoc and advisory bodies; Headquarters and Field relationships; Regulatory Authorities; Public - Private Partnerships.

5. Accountability and control:Concepts of accountability and control;

Legislative, Executive and Judicial control over administration; Citizen and Administration; Role of media, interest groups, voluntary organizations ; Civil society; Citizen’s Charters; Right to Information; Social audit.

6. Administrative Law:

Meaning, scope and significance; Dicey on Administrative law; Delegated legislation; Administrative Tribunals.

7. Comparative Public Administration:

Historical and sociological factors affecting administrative systems; Administration and politics in different countries; Current status of Comparative Public Administration; Ecology and administration; Riggsian models and their critique.

8. Development Dynamics:

Concept of development; Changing profile of development administration; ‘Antidevelopment thesis’; Bureaucracy and development; Strong state versus the market debate; Impact of liberalisation on administration in developing countries; Women and development - the self-help group movement.

9. Personnel Administration:

Importance of human resource development; Recruitment, training, career advancement, position classification, discipline, performance appraisal, promotion, pay and service conditions; employer-employee relations, grievance redressal mechanism; Code of conduct; Administrative ethics.

10. Public Policy:

Models of policy-making and their critique; Processes of conceptualisation, planning, implementation, monitoring, evaluation and review and their limitations; State theories and public policy formulation.

11. Techniques of Administrative Improvement:

Organisation and methods, Work study and work management; e-governance and information technology; Management aid tools like network analysis, MIS, PERT, CPM.

12. Financial Administration:

Monetary and fiscal policies; Public borrowings and public debt Budgets - types and forms; Budgetary process; Financial accountability; Accounts and audit.

BOOKS AND SOURCES

I) Public administration by Awasthi Maheshwari

II) New horizons of public administration by Mohit Bhattacharya

III) Administrative Behaviour by Prasad and Prasad

IV) Classnotes of Mr Sanjay Singh ( IAS STUDY CIRCLE, RANCHI)

V) Second ARC Reports for the relevant chapters 

PAPER 2

Indian Administration

1. Evolution of Indian Administration:

Kautilya’s Arthashastra; Mughal administration; Legacy of British rule in politics and administration - Indianization of public services, revenue administration, district administration, local self-government.

2. Philosophical and Constitutional framework of government:

Salient features and value premises; Constitutionalism; Political culture; Bureaucracy and democracy; Bureaucracy and development.

3. Public Sector Undertakings:

Public sector in modern India; Forms of Public Sector Undertakings; Problems of autonomy, accountability and control; Impact of liberalization and privatization.

4. Union Government and Administration:

Executive, Parliament, Judiciary - structure, functions, work processes; Recent trends; Intragovernmental relations; Cabinet Secretariat; Prime Minister’s Office; Central Secretariat; Ministries and Departments; Boards; Commissions; Attached offices; Field organizations.

5. Plans and Priorities:

Machinery of planning; Role, composition and functions of the Planning Commission and the National Development Council; ‘Indicative’ planning; Process of plan formulation at Union and State levels; Constitutional Amendments (1992) and decentralized planning for economic development and social justice.

6. State Government and Administration:

Union-State administrative, legislative and financial relations; Role of the Finance Commission; Governor; Chief Minister; Council of Ministers; Chief Secretary; State Secretariat; Directorates.

7. District Administration since Independence:

Changing role of the Collector; Unionstate-local relations; Imperatives of development management and law and order administration; District administration and democratic decentralization.

8. Civil Services:

Constitutional position; Structure, recruitment, training and capacity-building; Good governance initiatives; Code of conduct and discipline; Staff associations; Political rights; Grievance redressal mechanism; Civil service neutrality; Civil service activism.

9. Financial Management:

Budget as a political instrument; Parliamentary control of public expenditure; Role of finance ministry in monetary and fiscal area; Accounting techniques; Audit; Role of Controller General of Accounts and Comptroller and Auditor General of India.

10. Administrative Reforms since Independence:

Major concerns; Important Committees and Commissions; Reforms in financial management and human resource development; Problems of implementation.

11. Rural Development:

Institutions and agencies since independence; Rural development programmes: foci and strategies; Decentralization and Panchayati Raj;73rd Constitutional amendment.

12. Urban Local Government:

Municipal governance: main features, structures, finance and problem areas; 74th Constitutional Amendment; Globallocal debate; New localism; Development dynamics, politics and administration with special reference to city management.

13. Law and Order Administration:

British legacy; National Police Commission; Investigative agencies; Role of central and state agencies including paramilitary forces in maintenance of law and order and countering insurgency and terrorism; Criminalisation of politics and administration; Police-public relations; Reforms in Police.

14. Significant issues in Indian Administration:

Values in public service; Regulatory Commissions; National Human Rights Commission; Problems of administration in coalition regimes; Citizen-administration interface; Corruption and administration; Disaster management.

BOOKS AND SOURCES

I) Indian Administration by Ramesh Arora and Rajni Goyal

II) M Laxmikant for polity topics

III) M V Pylee for polity topics

IV) Second ARC reports for relevant chapters

V) Reports of IIPA( Indian Institute of Public Administration)

VI) Classnotes of Mr Sanjay Singh( IAS STUDY CIRCLE, RANCHI)

P.S.-Newspapers and magazines( Chronicle) need to be referred always for the relevant topics  

  I guess this would suffice for an effective preparation of the subject. The only thing to be kept in mind is that the subject needs a basic understanding of all the concepts.Developing interest in the subject is important.Once that is developed..half the work is done:)..And then again as per my last post , just be confident and trust yourself. 

All the very best to all of you!!! :)

Today I stand by my window looking at the stars. They appear brighter and more beautiful tonight. Sometimes things and situations around you make you feel "Is this for real?" And that is exactly how I feel today. A mix of varied feelings. A wave of emotions running down me. But it’s true. The biggest truth of my life. AIR 36 Civil Services Examination :))

Even before I could let the feeling sink in, there were questions, queries and doubts from other IAS aspirants as to how to crack the toughest exam of the country that too in the very first attempt :) I am actually enthralled at the enthusiasm of these many people who really wish to do something for the common and greater good. In fact today I am here to realise my dream of bringing about a change. A change for the betterment of the lives of those who have been unheard till date. Through this blog my only aim is to help all those people who have similar intentions in life and I would be really happy if this helps them to get a step further in this noble endeavour :)

Before talking about the strategies, books and tips there is something I want to tell all of you which is in fact the most important thing all of us need to realise in life. Before we all take up any challenge in life be it this exam or any other challenge in life I believe there are three things which are the pillars of any successful life and once we all possess these no task in this world would appear difficult.

The foremost thing is to feel good about yourself. Some call it self confidence others call it trusting your capabilities. All mean the same. This is the key to all the happiness in life.

Secondly, be humble. Humility is the most prized possession anybody can have. The right attitude towards life and people is the opening door to success in life. All other qualities like honesty, integrity, sincerity, etc emanate from humility itself.

And the third thing is commitment and dedication towards the goal of your life. A never give up attitude and the desire to reach your goal against all odds is a major factor behind any successful person :)

Now, coming to the examination. The very fact that it is a long procedure demanding an equally long preparation time. As in what I personally felt is if one devotes an year of dedicated preparation, it's enough to get through this examination (as per my personal experience).

Strategy for the Preliminary Examination:-

This paper consists of two papers.

Paper 1

• Current events of national and international importance.
• History of India and Indian National Movement.
• Indian and World Geography-Physical, Social, Economic.
• Geography of India and the World.
• Indian Polity and Governance-Constitution, Political.
• System, Panchayati Raj, Public Policy, Rights Issues, etc.
• Economic and Social Development-Sustainable.
• Development, Poverty, Inclusion, Demographics, Social.
• Sector Initiatives, etc.
• General issues on Environmental ecology, Bio-diversity and Climate Change - that do not require subject specialization and Climate Change - that do not require subject specialization.

Paper 2

• Interpersonal skills including communication skills;
• Logical reasoning and analytical ability
• Decision making and problem solving
• General mental ability
• Basic numeracy (numbers and their relations, orders of magnitude, etc.) (Class X level), Data interpretation (charts, graphs, tables, data sufficiency etc. - Class X level)

Books, references and sources for paper 1

i)     M Laxmikant for polity

ii)    NCERT of class 11 and 12 for Indian history, geography, political science and economics

iii)   Indian economy by Ramesh Singh

iv)   Vajiram and Ravi notes and yellow books for environment and development schemes and        policies

v)    India's struggle for independence by Bipin Chandra

vi)   Certificate of physical geography by G Cheong

vii)  The Hindu newspaper

viii) Chronicle magazine

ix)   Yojna 

x)    Facets of Indian Culture( spectrum)

Paper 2

No special book as such needed for this paper. The best strategy is to practise test papers preferably Vajiram and career launcher test papers. In fact doing a test paper every alternate day from July in a fixed period of 2 hours would suffice.

Strategy for mains examination

The General studies papers 1 to 4 need a detailed and focussed study.

Paper 1- 

General Studies-I 250 Marks (Indian Heritage and Culture, History and Geography of the World and Society)

Indian culture will cover the salient aspects of Art Forms, Literature and Architecture from ancient to modern times.

Modern Indian history from about the middle of the eighteenth century until the present- significant events, personalities, issues

The Freedom Struggle - its various stages and important contributors /contributions from different parts of the country.

Post-independence consolidation and reorganization within the country.

History of the world will include events from 18^th century such as industrial revolution, world wars, redrawal of national boundaries, colonization, decolonization, political philosophies like communism, capitalism, socialism etc.- their forms and effect on the society.

Salient features of Indian Society, Diversity of India.

Role of women and women's organization, population and associated issues, poverty and developmental issues, urbanization, their problems and their remedies.

Effects of globalization on Indian society

Social empowerment, communalism, regionalism & secularism.

Salient features of world's physical geography.

Distribution of key natural resources across the world (including South Asia and the Indian sub-continent); factors responsible for the location of primary, secondary, and tertiary sector industries in various parts of the world (including India)

Important Geophysical phenomena such as earthquakes, Tsunami, Volcanic activity, cyclone etc., geographical features and their location- changes in critical geographical features (including water-bodies and ice-caps) and in flora and fauna and the effects of such changes.

Sources- The books would remain common for Indian history, geography and culture..apart from that the books to be referred are-

i) India after Independence ( bipin chandra)

ii)ncert books of 11 and 12 on sociology

iii) ncert books on world history of class 9 and 10

iv) newspapers for general topics

Paper 2

General Studies -II: 250 Marks (Governance, Constitution, Polity, Social Justice and International relations)

Indian Constitution- historical underpinnings, evolution, features, amendments, significant provisions and basic structure.

Functions and responsibilities of the Union and the States, issues and challenges pertaining to the federal structure, devolution of powers and finances up to local levels and challenges therein.

Separation of powers between various organs dispute redressal mechanisms and institutions.

Comparison of the Indian constitutional scheme with that of other countries

Parliament and State Legislatures - structure, functioning, conduct of business, powers & privileges and issues arising out of these.

Structure, organization and functioning of the Executive and the Judiciary Ministries and Departments of the

Government; pressure groups and formal/informal associations and their role in the Polity.

Salient features of the Representation of People's Act.

Appointment to various Constitutional posts, powers, functions and responsibilities of various Constitutional

Bodies.

Statutory, regulatory and various quasi-judicial bodies

Government policies and interventions for development in various sectors and issues arising out of their design and implementation.

Development processes and the development industry the role of NGOs, SHGs, various groups and associations, donors, charities, institutional and other stakeholders

Welfare schemes for vulnerable sections of the population by the Centre and States and the performance of these schemes; mechanisms, laws, institutions and

Bodies constituted for the protection and betterment of these vulnerable sections.

Issues relating to development and management of Social Sector/Services relating to Health, Education, Human Resources.

Issues relating to poverty and hunger.

Important aspects of governance, transparency and accountability, e-governance- applications, models, successes, limitations, and potential; citizens charters, transparency & accountability and institutional and other measures.

Role of civil services in a democracy.

India and its neighborhood- relations.

Bilateral, regional and global groupings and agreements involving India and/or affecting India's interests

Effect of policies and politics of developed and developing countries on India's interests, Indian diaspora.

Important International institutions, agencies and fora, their structure, mandate.

Sources-  For polity Laxmikant and DD basu can be referred..for development schemes sites can be referred such as the site of Press information bureau..www.pib.nic.in..

For International relations the classnotes of vajiram are pretty effective ..also newspapers and magazines would be helpful for this topic..

Other general topics to be studied from the internet, newspapers and magazines..

Paper 3

General Studies -III 250 Marks (Technology, Economic Development, Bio-diversity, Environment, Security and Disaster Management)

Development, Bio diversity, Environment, Security and Disaster Management.

Indian Economy and issues relating to planning, mobilization of resources, growth, development and

employment.

Inclusive growth and issues arising from it.

Government Budgeting.

Major crops cropping patterns in various parts of the country, different types of irrigation and irrigation systems storage, transport and marketing of agricultural produce and issues and related constraints; e-technology in the aid of farmers

Issues related to direct and indirect farm subsidies and minimum support prices; Public Distribution System objectives, functioning, limitations, revamping; issues of buffer stocks and food security; Technology missions;

economics of animal-rearing.

Food processing and related industries in India- scope and significance, location, upstream and downstream requirements, supply chain management.

Land reforms in India.

Effects of liberalization on the economy, changes in industrial policy and their effects on industrial growth.

Infrastructure: Energy, Ports, Roads, Airports, Railways etc.

Investment models.

Science and Technology- developments and their applications and effects in everyday life

Achievements of Indians in science & technology;

indigenization of technology and developing new technology.

Awareness in the fields of IT, Space, Computers, robotics, nano-technology, bio-technology and issues relating to intellectual property rights.

Conservation, environmental pollution and degradation, environmental impact assessment

Disaster and disaster management.

Linkages between development and spread of extremism.

Role of external state and non-state actors in creating challenges to internal security.

Challenges to internal security through communication networks, role of media and social networking sites in internal security challenges, basics of cyber security; money-laundering and its prevention

Security challenges and their management in border areas; linkages of organized crime with terrorism

Various Security forces and agencies and their mandate

Sources- For science and technology, magazines like chronicle and Science reporter would suffice..apart from than than yellow books of vajiram are helpful too..the thursday special on science and technology in the Hindu..Environmental and related topics to be done from internet ..disaster management can be referred from ndmindia.nic.in...security issues and challenges , agencies to be done from internet and yellow books of vajiram.

Paper 4

General Studies -IV 250 Marks (Ethics, Integrity and Aptitude)

This paper will include questions to test the candidates' attitude and approach to issues relating to integrity, probity in public life and his problem solving approach to various issues and conflicts faced by him in dealing with society. Questions may utilise the case study approach to determine these aspects. The following broad areas will be covered.

Ethics and Human Interface: Essence, determinants and consequences of Ethics in human actions; dimensions of ethics; ethics in private and public relationships.

Human Values - lessons from the lives and teachings of great leaders, reformers and administrators; role of family, society and educational institutions in inculcating values.

Attitude: content, structure, function; its influence and relation with thought and behaviour; moral and political attitudes; social influence and persuasion.

Aptitude and foundational values for Civil Service , integrity, impartiality and non-partisanship, objectivity, dedication to public service, empathy, tolerance and compassion towards the weaker-sections.

Emotional intelligence-concepts, and their utilities and application in administration and governance.

Contributions of moral thinkers and philosophers from India and world.

Public/Civil service values and Ethics in Public administration: Status and problems; ethical concerns and dilemmas in government and private institutions; laws, rules, regulations and conscience as sources of ethical guidance; accountability and ethical governance; strengthening of ethical and moral values in governance;

ethical issues in international relations and funding; corporate governance.

Probity in Governance: Concept of public service; Philosophical basis of governance and probity; Information

sharing and transparency in government, Right to Information, Codes of Ethics, Codes of Conduct, Citizen's

Charters, Work culture, Quality of service delivery, Utilization of public funds, challenges of corruption.

Case Studies on above issues.

Sources- This paper does not require any book reading as such...the special issues of chronicle on these topics are enough..also for thinkers magazines and internet are helpful..for case studies..practice of answer writing is needed..apart from that this paper needs original thoughts and innovative thinking.

General studies papers need writing practice..since one needs to write around 5000 words in a span of 3 hours..one should develop the habit of writing fast and to the point. It is important to practise test papers in order to get into the habit of writing fast and presenting effective answers. Understanding the question and answering it in a consolidated manner is what goes in favour of certain candidates.And since the weightage of GS has increased now..it becomes all the more important.

Interview preparation

This is a personality test wherein the board accesses the overall personality of the candidate. Knowledge is not important here. What they really check here is the approach of the candidate towards any question. It’s absolutely alright to say "Sorry I do not know" to any question instead of faking or making wild guesses. All that they want is confidence, humility, honesty and integrity in a candidate. They appreciate originality and innovative thoughts. A candidate needs to be well aware and alert of all the things going around him. And as per me the most important thing is to smile and look pleasant. They prefer candidates who look happy, calm and relaxed J.

Interview preparation needs nothing more than developing the confidence to speak. To present one's ideas in an effective manner and to make them believe that he or she is a suitable candidate for the post. It’s all about how relaxed and confident you appear to them. And this can’t be done in a month’s time. So start now, talk to people, be aware of things around you, get into the habit of putting your views in front of people but with humility J

  I guess this is all I need to tell all you people out there who aspire to become civil servants in future because I am no specialist but have tried my best to share all that has helped me to achieve my goal. Just remember “the zeal to get into services and the passion of serving your nation is the single biggest motivating factor one can have to crack this examination” and as the title says

Follow your dreams...they know the way!!!