Civil Services Preliminary 2011 Exam, mystified

I should not start this in any other way except by saying that, by far the General Studies Preliminary 2011 (first paper) is one of the best papers ever set by the UPSC till date (though I have not seen all of the papers set by UPSC, I hope you can feel the gravity of the sentence). The ironical part comes next, by far the General Studies Preliminary 2011 (second paper), popular now as CSAT is one of the easiest papers I wrote (there are definite and compulsive reasons for UPSC in doing so, we will get to that).

So far, the Prelims used to be a tough affair, to prepare and to qualify. Many prefer to say that this is the tough of all the three levels (tough, not critical). Variety of questions from ‘anything under the sun’ (though I don’t like buy this idea) were asked with lot of mugging up required to solve them, People/places/institutes/sports/dates/summits/awards/organizations/articles etc, how many can you remember?

If an Indian wins a tennis title, (we have to suffer 😛 ) , we have to remember with whom he won it (doubles !), where and against whom, when and how that sports event occurs, when it first started and where, last two years winners and place of event and where it will be held next time, the list just doesn’t end. I am terrified about the Commonwealth games. How many can I read. I did that though (had to , isn’t it  ? )

This is time, there are not questions at all of this time. What a grace! All the questions are now reasoning oriented (which used to be there previously also, but to a lesser percentage). If I have to filter 15k persons from  4 lakhs, I should probably look for their reasoning and aptitude abilities than their memory abilities. Neither remembering all those stats does make any difference (except that you will now know more names and more information which you cannot do anything with). The number of questions were reduced and hence you can spend more time reasoning the answers. Though it needs more in-depth knowledge on each topic (which is generally not the criteria for UPSC! , we are supposed to be masters of none and jack of all), it is the way it should be. And a big blow to the money making coaching institutes which now ‘excel’ in collecting any info you want !

So guys, spend time on understanding. The optional paper is also not there and hence more time for this is also available. Economics, Polity Geo and History are to be understood and not mugged up. This will fantastically reduce the efforts for Mains as well.

So far , if you read for main, it used to help in prelims, but from now on, if you prepare for prelims, it will add to ur mains.

Coming to the second paper, this is the first paper after the change of pattern and hence, it is reasonably expected to be easy. They reduced the number of questions giving more time, and they had a set of questions with no negative marking too. So the rules have been relaxed for the “shock of change”. But the standard of questions is very low this time. The reason for doing this is to give a fair deal to the non-science and non-math background graduates, but it doesn’t in anyway mean to reduce the standards. You can filter 15k by asking alphabets and see who will the fastest (and taking the top fastest 15k ) or by asking some tough words and taking the top 15k again. So its a matter of choice. Making it too easy will only reduce the high standards set. Its another discussion whether the standards are to be maintained or not. I am not sure of the philosophy of making it easy, but I am disappointed.

An easy exam getting tough is a nightmare, but a tough exam getting easy is troubling. Not all might accept me saying it got easy, but sure it is, at least for this time.

After saying this all , I might not clear the exam (though i am confident i will), but it should not in anyway make me ineligible from analyzing something I know so well, something I have been learning to do well. Results should not be a measure to know how much you know. This leads me to remember something interesting that happened to me recently. I used to follow a site regularly since three years (actually, still following in greater detail), and I mentioned long back in various ways to them that they are doing a great job and should be commended. I even made a separete post on WorthvieW appreciating the efforts. There was no response. I do not expect anything more than ‘thank you’, unfortunately, I couldn’t get it. But then, a topper of the exam was also following this portal the same way I am, and this person sent a personal greetings mentioning that the portal helped in clearing the exam ! Now, this person became a  “pride of the portal“.  It doesn’t make a difference to me, i am still an avid follower of the portal , and its one of the best efforts by any in the Civil service domain , except that it just makes me feel disappointed. We are not a pride, but we do are thankful.

Anyways, hope most of you were able to do well. And all the very best for the coming exams.

WorthvieW

Kalyan

Love playing Tennis. Love Movies