CSE Interview: IAS Topper Mutyalaraja

Interview took place on 17th april in New Delhi for 35 mins
Raju: May I come in Sir? Chairman: Yes, please. Raju: Good morning, Sir. Good morning, Madam. Good morning, Sirs. Chairman: You are Mr... Raju: (Still in standing position), Matyalaraju Revu Sir. (Chairman is writing something. Other members are keenly watching the candidate.) Member 2: Please take your seat. Raju: Thank you, sir. Chairman: Mr. Revu, You did B.Tech from REC Warangal, ME from IISc, Bangalore. But why did you do diploma? Raju: Sir, After completion of my 10th class, based on my financial background, my father joined me in polytechnic. After completion of polytechnic, we do get jobs. Also, since I will get scholarship, the amount of money spent on me is less. Chairman: That means you will get job after diploma. Raju: Yes Sir, I got a private job. Company is Cain energy limited. Chairman: Then, why did you join B.Tech? Raju: Sir, After completion of my diploma, I wrote ECET and I got state 1st rank. So I convinced my father that I will join REC which is a premier Engineering institute in our state. Chairman: Then, you joined ME because your father insisted on that? Raju: No Sir, It is based on my project guide ճ suggestion.
Sir, infact there are two streams to enter into B.Tech. One through EAMCET after Intermediate and other is through ECET. After ECET...
Chairman: What question I have asked? Raju: Sorry Sir, you have asked me why I joined ME after B.Tech. Chairman: OK. Then stick on to the question. Raju: Sir, I am explaining it. Chairman: Be specific. Raju: OK sir, during my final year I got all India rank 3 in Gate. My guide on knowing this result suggested me to join IISc. He further told that this is the golden opportunity for me. ԉf you miss it you will not get it again! ՠ he told sir. Then, I informed about my career option as civil services. He then convinced me by saying that I can write civil services after M.E. also.
Chairman: That means you are preparing for civil services while you are in IISc? Raju: I beg to differ with you sir. I started my preparation only after completion of M.E. Chairman: You have written that you joined Railways in September 2004. That is of which exam? Raju: Sir, This is based on IES-2003. Chairman: That means you are in IISc. Raju: Sir, I completed my second semester at that time. Chairman: That means you have prepared for IES in IISc. Raju: Sir, I have given IES in my own background i.e., Electrical Engineering. Hence I need not prepare much for this exam. I just gave the exam. Chairman: For how many years you are in Railways? Raju: Sir, I joined Railways on September 2004. Then I took leave for 1 year, i.e., leave on loss of pay. Chairman: What did you do in that year? Raju: Sir, I have prepared for this exam. Chairman: How many months you are in Railways? Raju: Sir, roughly 5 months. Chairman: That means you are in Railways till February. Raju: Sir, I am in Railways till the result of civil services exam 2005 was out. I was given leave for interview preparation in March. Chairman: Then what did you do after the declaration of the result? Raju: Sir, Once the result of out, I came to know that I will get IPS. So, I convinced my director for leave to appear civil services again. My director gave me leave. Chairman: When did you join IPS? Raju: Sir, I joined IPS on December 18, 2006. Chairman: Which part of training you missed? Raju: Sir, I missed foundation training in Mussorie. At SVPNPA, training started on December 18, 2006. So, I haven մ missed any training at Hyderabad. Chairman: How many days you have taken leave for interview? Raju: Sir, 4 days.
Member 2: How was your IPS training? Raju: Sir, training is good and we are enjoying every aspect of training. member 2: What are you learning in training? Raju: Sir, our training is divided into two parts. Indoor and outdoor. In indoor, we have subjects like police in modern India, criminology and law subjects like IE Act, CrPC, IPC and other subjects. Member 2: You are in IPS for 4 months. So I can ask some questions. Raju: Yes, sir. Member 2: Do you aware that the confession admitted to police is not allowed as witness. Why? Raju: Yes sir. Confession admitted to police is not allowed as witness. Since there is always a possibility of getting the confession in the way the police like, law doesn մ allow it. Member 2: What is Res gestae? Raju: Sir, All the circumstances leading to the same transaction are allowable as evidence. Member 2: You are on the line. Could you explain more? Raju: (after 2-3 seconds), If some people wanted to commit dacoity and in the process if they theft a vehicle, eventhough theft of vehicle is not connected with dacoity but it is admissible as it forms the circumstance leading to dacoity. Member 2: Could you tell me the section which deals with Res gestae? Raju: Sorry sir, I could not remember the exact section. Member 2: Then how sections you were taught in IE Act? Raju: Sir, In our academy our sirs are not teaching according to sections. They are teaching the sections which are more useful for the police at first. Member 2: Do you aware of RTI? Raju: Yes. Sir. It is Right to Information Act. Member 2: What are the provisions in RTI? Raju: Sir, According to provisions of RTI, every government department has to nominate one officer as information commissioner to give information about duties, responsibilities and functions of various officers working in those departments... Member 2: Then what is the benefit to common man? Raju: Sir, Common man can know the functions, duties & responsibilities of various officers. They can know the status of their applications. This also increases transparency and accountability of officers. Hence reduces corruption. Member 2: How can you say that people will get required information? Raju: Sir, There is a provision in RTI that any one who refuses to give information or delays 30 days for giving information, they are liable for cut in salary. Member 2: How much salary cut? Raju: Sir, I think it is 250 Rs./ day. Member 2: It is not cut from salary. It is separately cut. Raju: Thank you Sir. Member 2: Can you tell me what is the maximum limit? Raju: Sorry sir, I don մ know.
Chairman: Your hobbies are meditation, motivating others and Indian Mythology. Don մ you think that all are inward looking? Raju: Sir, Whenever possible I play cricket in addition my hobbies, which is a team game.
Member 2: Tell me which countries will reach final in the present world cup? Raju: Sir, I think Australia and Srilanka. Member 2: Already two countries reached semifinals i.e., Sri Lanka & Newzealand. What do you think about other two? Raju: Sir, I beg to differ with you. Actually three countries i.e., Srilanka, New Zealand and Australia reached semifinals. 4th team depends on the outcome of the today ճ match between England & South Africa. Member 2: Do you know about fly ash? Raju: Sir, Thermal power stations produce fly ash while generating electrical power. Member 2: Which state is using it more? Definitely it is not Haryana, My own state. Raju: Sorry Sir, I don մ know.
Member 3 : (X-A) (X-B) has highest X power of 2. Do you agree? Raju: Yes, Sir. Member 3: (X-A) (X-B) (X-C) has highest X power... Raju: 3, Sir. Member 3: Then, tell me. What is the answer for (X-A) (X-B).... (X-Z). Raju: (after 3-4 seconds), It must be Zero. Sir, because of the presence of the term (X-X). Member 3: Whom do you think a greatest mathematician of all times? Raju: Sir, Srinivasa Ramanujan, because even though he lived for only 33 years, he contributed more to mathematics in the areas like Numerical methods, Solution of algebraic equations, number theory like prime numbers etc.
Member 3: Can you tell me the formula for prime numbers? Raju: Sir, exactly I don մ know but recently IIT, Kanpur professor along with his students wrote a software program which gives whether a number is prime or not within less time. Member 3: You are an electrical engineer. Tell me where prime numbers are used? Raju: Sir, they are used in coding. Member 3: I am asking a question in your engineering only. Tell me how prime numbers are used in coding? Raju: Sir, exactly I don մ know. But to the best of my knowledge, if the code length is prime, decoding and encoding are easy. Member 3: You are on the line, but not exact answer. Member 1: Your hobbies are meditation, motivating others and Indian Mythology. What you do in motivation? Raju: Madam, many of classmates and Juniors came to me for clearing their doubts in subjects as I am the toper of my class. I usually listen to their problems regarding their understanding of concepts as many have problems either in one or many subjects. I tell them that every subject is easy if knew the concepts clear and we should like the subject what we are studying... Madam: Do your response same for all? Raju: Madam, I usually spend more time with those who are very much lagging. I take classes to clear their doubts. Madam: Then do you call it motivation or strategic learning? Raju: Madam, strategic learning may be the correct term. Madam: What is the difference between these two? Raju: Madam, motivation is a general term which includes not only academic motivation but also others like psychological, etc., Madam, I don մ know exactly the meaning of strategic learning.
Madam: Which books you read in Indian Mythology? Raju: Madam, I read Ramayana and Mahabharata.
Madam: Since your hobbies are motivating others and Indian Mythology, tell me how Krishna motivated Arjuna? Raju: Madam, When Arjuna refused to fight with friends, teachers, Krishna told him that it is the duty of the king to protect Dharma and fight wars for protecting it. We should not move away from our duty. Since soul is immortal and of which is born, death is certain, of which death happened, birth is certain. Hence you should not think that you are committing crime. Also he motivated him by saying that we should do our work only. We should not think about the results of our actions. Otherwise, attachment to the results will occur which is a major reason for unhappiness.
Madam: Do you practise it? Raju: Madam, It is very difficult to practise.
Madam: Why? Raju: Madam, for example, if we are about to play a cricket match, we will think about the winning of the match which is actually the result of the playing that match.
Madam: One last question. What kind of training our team got during our last year world cup? Raju: Madam, exactly I am not able to recollect it. But it is like ҷe can do it this time Ӽ /span> Madam: Sorry, It is not last year world cup but it is 2003 world cup. The team was given psychological training. Raju: Yes, Madam Member 4: You studied your B.Tech. from REC Warangal and M.E. from IISc Bangalore. Do you proud of your institutions like IISc? Raju: Sir, I am proud that I have studied in a great institution like IISc, which according UNESCO survey conducted in 1997 was in 18th place among world universities. Recently a Chinese university conducted a survey in which IISc was placed at around 250th position. Member 4: Do you think that 250th position is a good position? Raju: Sir, even though it is not a good position, the position depended on the parameters they have taken into consideration like no. of nobel laureates present, no. of research papers presented, etc. Member 4: Who are nobel laureate present in IISc? Raju: Sir, now there is no nobel laureate in IISc. Earlier Sir C.V.Raman worked in IISc. Now, there are two internationally reputed professors working there. Member 4: Last year government proposed to stop B.Tech entry into IITs. Do you support that? Raju: Sir, I support it. Sir, due to hectic schedule, the professors of IITs are not able to concentrate much on research. Once the B.Tech entry is stopped, they will get more time for research and quality of research will increase. Member 4: Don մ you think the quality of B.Tech students will reduce as IITs are known for better professors? Raju: Sir, those students who are earlier eligible for entry into IITs, they will join NITs. Since they are the core students I don մ think the quality will reduce. But the professors in other institutes should get sufficient training to reach the level of IIT professors. Member 4: You agree to that proposal. But the government has withdrawn the proposal due to very good argument against it. Can you tell me? Raju: Sorry sir, I don մ know. Member 4: What do you think is responsible for reduction in research? Raju: Sir, IISc is not able to retain those students who completed M.E. and other courses there. One reason is brain drain, Sir. Second one is that research is not attractive in India, Sir. For example, in our batch out of 230 students who completed M.E. only 2 joined for Ph.D. in IISc. At the end of our M.E. we got campus placements. The minimum salary is around 6 lakhs/ annum. It is attracting most of us. Those who are really interested in research, they are going abroad as they will get more money and research is attractive there. Here, a Ph.D. student gets 12,000 - 15,000 Rs per month. Also material considerations have risen these days, sir. We have to include some compulsory courses in morale & ethics to stop this. Member 4: Instead of choosing job or research, why did you choose services as career option? Raju: Sir, The incident that took place in my village in November 2000, when I am in 3rd year of B.Tech, has changed my career options. Nearby Engineering college students came to our village for picnic as our village has excellent beach. 7 of them drowned in the Bay of Bengal and all of them has taken sand into their lungs in addition to water. Since our village is an island, there are no transportation, medical & meagre educational facilities, it took 2 hours to reach nearest town which is 16 Km away from my village. By that time, 6 out 7 were died, Sir.
Chairman: You are telling about an incident in your village. In that case who will respond first? Raju: (3-4 seconds silence) Chairman: Whether it is Block development officer, Doctor, or Police. Raju: Sir, It is the police to respond first. Chairman: Then, you are in IPS. Why did you come? Raju: Sir, even for police it took 2 hours to reach that place as there is not enough transportation facilities. Chairman: Thank you. Raju: Thank you, Sir. Thank you, Madam. Thank you, Sirs.

Interview Experience: Remya J. CSE-2006 17th Rank

Panel: Dr.Bhure Lal
Here is a rough transcript of iview
Lasted 35 minutes….
C’Person: Welcome, Remya, Sit Down.
Me: Thank You Sir
C’person: So you are an MBA?
Me:Yes, Sir
C’person: Are you working now?
Me: No, sir I am self-employed.
CP: I see, what do you do?
Me: I run an online business.
CP: Oh, do tell me about it
Me: (Explained the details)
CP: I really need to learn about these online things. Can I join you? (Laughs)
Me: definitely Sir.
CP: So, Remya, your Optional is Public Administration, tell me about the 73rd and 74th amendment acts.
Me: I explain
CP: You say you write on womens issues as a free lance journalist. What are the provisions in these acts for women?
CP:Speaking of reservation for women, what is your stand on the issue?
Me: I am personally against it(explained my reasons)
CP:do not let the ladies hear you(laughs)
CP:So ,if not reservation, then what else can empower women, how would you go about it?
I explained a three-pronged systematic approach for the same.
CP: What are the three categories of the ration system?
Me: APL, BPL and I do not recollect the 3rd, sir
CP: It is antyodaya…do you know what antyodaya means?
Me: The poorest of the poor
CP:explains the term in detail.So what in your view can be done is a state like Punjab which is very different from a place like yours(kerala) .
Me: I explained the low sex ratio in Punjab, causes of the same and ways to tackle it.
CP:Is kerala self-sufficient in food grains?
Me: No, kerala is a consumerist state, food grains are grown only on a small scale.The main crops of kerala are cash crops like cashew, rubber,pepper etc.
M1:Who is the president of India?
How is the president elected?
What value do the votes of the MP’s/MLA’s of different states have in the presidential election?
Does the value of the vote of an MLA from UP and Kerala have the same weightage?
How can the president be impeached?
How is the vice-president elected?
M2: Kerala is so forward on most indices of human development, but there are temples where women are not allowed,why?
I spoke about the problems at sabarimala, where recently a controversy erupted on the issue.
What kind of music does Mr.Yesudas sing?classical or Hindustani?
Why do Christians in kerala have a grudge against him?
M3: name 3 women leaders of the world.
I named ellen Johnson sirleaf, Portia simpson miller and Helen Clarke
M3: what about women in our neighbourhood?
I names Khaleda Zia
M3:the developing world has had so many women leaders.why is it that a powerhouse such as the USA doesn’t have a president yet?sociological reasons?
M3:there is a view that prostitution must be legalized.what is your view?
I mentioned that I had written many articles in the media regarding the topic and I was against legalization.i mentioned the failure of the experiment in Sweden and reasons for the same.
M3:What is the reason for high unemployment is kerala? How would you tacke it as a govt official?
M4: What are the indiced of underdevelopment? What is HDI?components of HDI? He explained the additional aspects of underdevelopment to me.
M4:What are the qualities you would look for in your subordinate as an officer?
I mentioned two qualities:sensitivity to needs of beneficiary and efficiency
M4: suppose you have two subordinates: one efficient and corrupt, other inefficient and honest, wich one would you keep and why?If you had to deal with both, then how would you do it?
CM: ok, Remya.I hope you are not planning to become a politician…
Me: Not at the moment, sir..
Everybody laughs..
CM: You will make a very good leader…
Me: Thank You sir…
They also quizzed me on the technical details of Kyoto protocol, global warming and about commonwealth games when it is to be held and whether I took the view that sporting events such as this are a waste of public money for countries like India
Do write in with all your opinions
ThanksRemya J

Success story of K.Nandkumar CSE-2006

The 2006 competitive examinations for India's civil services is notable for the number of young people from non privileged backgrounds who feature in the merit list. Again, for the first time, none from India's elite metros appeared in the top ten.Topping the Union Public Services Commission examination is Revu Muthyala Raju, a farmer's son and a member of the so-called Other Backward Classes, whose amazing story we will chronicle later in this special series. No less incredible are the stories of the other toppers. Like K Nandakumar, a lorry driver's son, whose success story we chronicle today.There is, prima facie, something condescending about such headlines; an unstated presumption, almost, that a lorry driver's son topping a competitive exam is a freak show of sorts.K Nandakumar's parents don't think so; they see their son not as some freak of nature, but as a young man who knew what he wanted, and went after it, surmounting obstacles as chance, and circumstance, threw them in his path."He was always a serious student," mother K Lakshmi says. "During school days he never used to go out to play. He used to go for tuitions from six to eight in the morning and again from five to eight in the evening. During exams, he studied till midnight and beyond. And in between, he was in school -- so there really was no time to play."Amusement, as we know it, was limited to a weekend game of cricket, of the limited variety -- limited, in this case, not by the number of overs, but the amount of time Nandakumar could spare for such frivolity: exactly an hour a week.Nandakumar's academic curve is typical of the no-pain, no-gain formulation that increasingly defines the Indian student. Up until the 12th standard, he studied in the Namakkal Government South School, an institution where the medium of instruction was Tamil.With 1,018 marks out of a possible 1,200 in his Higher Secondary exams, he went to the Pollachi Mahalingam College for an engineering degree.Economic constraints, and the feeling that he needed to pitch in to help his father run the household, led to a six-month stint with a private company in Coimbatore. During this period, he attempted to work days, then study nights -- but when work, and the resultant fatigue, began impacting on his studies, he quit to focus on the Indian Administrative Service exams.

The first time he sat for the UPSC exams, he failed. On his second go-round, he ranked 350th -- a result that parlayed into a job with the Indian Railways.Though his sights were set on the IAS, it wasn't easy spurning the job that had come his way -- his background just did not give him such luxuries.Father M Karuppannan, of Mamarthapetti village in Tamil Nadu's Namakkal district, had stopped his own education at the SSC level, and went to work in the paddy fields of his native village.That proved a dead end, so Karuppannan had joined a local lorry service, as a 'cleaner'. During that stint, which lasted two years, he learnt to drive and got his license; he then parlayed that into a job as a driver, and with a relatively steady job in hand, married Lakshmi. The couple had two children: Nandakumar, now 26 and Aravindkumar, now 20.The household ran on Karuppannan's income; as the two boys moved up the academic rungs, expenses escalated and the family finances were stretched impossibly thin.Given this, Nandakumar could not ignore the bird in hand that was the Railways job, while dreaming of the IAS job he hoped to land some day.So he joined the Railways, and began the required training. Nights, he shrugged off the fatigue, and studied for yet another attempt at the big one.This year marked his third -- and, to his mind, final, attempt. When the results came in, his first reaction was relief; that of his parents, pride.He had ranked 30th all India; in his native Tamil Nadu, where he had taken the exam in his mother tongue, he topped the charts.Lakshmi, seated in her home in Tiruchirappalli, where the family moved from Namakkal three years ago, now anticipates her son's homecoming. He has not, she says, managed to get leave for a trip home, after the results were announced; hopefully he will come sometime in June, and the family will celebrate.

She is used to Nandakumar being away from home. When he was studying for his engineering degree, she says, he stayed in the hostel and only came home during holidays.The mother paints a picture of a son focused, to the exclusion of all else, on studies, on the relentless march to his self-appointed goal of becoming an IAS officer. Even when he was in hostel, she says, all he did was study. He didn't like movies; he only had a small circle of friends.Lakshmi is most happy for her husband. "He grew up facing great difficulties and I too come from a poor background. Thus we know the value of money and have always saved. We never waste money. All our life, we have saved to educate our sons."Even now, the grind that she has been witness to, part of, for 27 years is far from ending: Karuppannan continues to drive his lorry, going wherever the load takes him, returning whenever he is done with his deliveries. There is, Lakshmi points out, the younger son still to worry about.Aravindkumar is currently in his second year, working towards his own engineering degree. One year's worth of education costs Rs one lakh (Rs 100,000), she says -- and that is about all her husband can earn.To put food on the table, Lakshmi invested in a sewing machine, and works from home. "I make about one hundred rupees a day, and that takes care of the household expenses," she says, with the smile of a woman who is proud of pulling her freight in the partnership she has with her husband.They have a small two-room house -- but, she points out, it is their own. "My husband will continue to drive his lorry till our second son finishes college," she says.

The mother meanwhile is busy planning how to "settle down" her elder son. "We will find a good girl for him; we don't want dowry or anything, just that she must be a good girl, a good wife for my son."He will agree to an arranged marriage," she says, almost as an afterthought. For her, it is inconceivable that her son, who in all his 26 years has shown no thought for anything other than his academic goal, would have a mind of his own on this subject.She still cannot get over the day she heard the news. "He always used to say he would become famous -- but when he called me (on May 14) and told me the news, my first reaction was to tell him he was lying."Once she realised that her son had found the pot of gold at the end of his particular rainbow, she and her husband rushed to share the news with their relatives, friends.The first real intimation of what Nandakumar had achieved came when Ashish Vachchani, Tiruchi's District Collector, visited their home to felicitate the couple on their son's success.Close on his heels came Murthy, an IAS officer who had previously served in Tiruchi and who was now in neighbouring Karur district.To Karuppannan and Lakshmi, for whom a 'Collector' is only a remove or two from celestial beings and just as unapproachable, to have two such persons visit their humble home was exhilarating; those visits brought home to them, in graphical fashion, the fact that her son was now the equal of these exalted beings.Aravindkumar, happy though he is for his elder brother, has no intention of following in those footsteps; his ambition is to graduate, then find work as an engineer.

His elder sibling, Aravind says, is a "jolly fellow" who would help with studies, who taught him chess and yoga. Nandakumar's success has, he says, given him cachet with his own friends in college, some of whom plan to write the UPSC exam."I have given them my brother's number, so they can ask him for tips," Aravind says, with more than a hint of pride.For both Aravind and Nandakumar, their parents are "our gods". "We are proud of our father," Aravind says. "He is very hardworking and very thrifty."At the centre of all the attention, Nandakumar is a bit bewildered by it all -- especially his sudden, unlooked for fame.There is no secret to success, he says, seemingly puzzled that someone would even ask. "It was hard work and nothing else," he says. "It was a group effort. We are five friends who studied together."The friends went together to trawl through the market, looking for books relating to the civil services; they then pored over their finds. Newspapers were devoured cover to back page, with meticulous care."For current affairs, they usually ask questions about the last one year, so you have to read a lot of newspapers," Nandakumar points out.Like his younger brother, Nandakumar too believes that if there is a "secret" to his "success", it is his father."I am lucky to have a very friendly father," Nandakumar says. "He is very understanding. I can discuss anything with him. More than a father, he is a friend.""He always allowed me to express my thoughts freely. Because of his job, he has had exposure to people and places all over India; maybe that is why he has given me so much freedom to express myself."Down time with his father is a rare commodity since he is always behind the wheel of his lorry, travelling to wherever work takes him."My father doesn't even have a mobile; when he gets somewhere, he calls, and that is how we stay in touch." Nandakumar recalls how, when he passed the UPSC and got a job with the Railways, it was over a month before he could share the news with his father.


Courtesy: Rediff.com

IAS Geography Mains-2000

Time Allowed : Three Hours Maximum Marks : 300
INSTRUCTIONSEach question is printed both in Hindi and in English.Answers must be written in the medium specified in the Admission Certificate issued to you, which must be stated clearly on the cover of the answer-book in the space provided for the purpose. No mark will be given for the answers written in a medium other than that specified in the Admission Certificate.Candidates should attempt questions 1 and 5 which are compulsory, and any THREE of the remaining questions selecting at least ONE question from each Section. All questions carry equal marks.Illustrate your answers with suitable sketch-maps and diagrams.
SECTION 'A'
Q. 1. On the supplied outline map of the world mark any TEN of the following and also write in your answer script the most significant aspect of each of them in not more than TEN words :-
(a) Addis Ababa
(b) Vladivostok
(c) Mt. Cotopaxi
(d) Mt. Gunnbjorn
(e) Pidurutalagala
(f) Amu Darya
(g) Long Island
(h) Nubian Desert
(i) Karkloof Waterfall
(j) Yellow Sea
(k) Great Bear Lake
(l) Welland Canal.
Q. 2. With reference to the theory of Plate Tectonics, explain the origin and growth of the young Fold Mountain Systems of the world.
Q. 3. Give an account of the types and distribution of precipitation on the surface of the earth.
Q.4. Discuss the causes and consequences of environmental degradataion and highlight the related conservation measures.
SECTION `B'
Q. 5. Write short notes on any THREE of the following (each answer should be in about 200 words) :
(a) T-S diagram
(b) Soil Profile
(c) Rank-Size Rule
(d) The limits to growth.
Q. 6. Discuss the causes and consequences of population migration in the world.
Q. 7. Explain the basis and applicability of Christallar's Central Place Theory. Bring out the recent modifications.
Q. 8. What is a region ? Discuss the types of regions and-the methods of regionalization.

Geography - 2000 (Main) (Paper - II)
Time Allowed : Three Hours Maximum Marks : 300
INSTRUCTIONSEach question is printed both in Hindi and in English.Answers must be written in the medium specified in the Admission Certificate issued to you, which must be stated clearly on the cover of the answer-book in the space provided for the purpose. No mark will be given for the answers written in a medium other than that specified in the Admission Certificate.Candidates should attempt questions 1 and 5 which are compulsory, and any THREE of the remaining questions selecting at least ONE question from each Section. All questions carry equal marks.Illustrate your answers with suitable sketch-maps and diagrams.
SECTION 'A'
Q. 1. Draw an outline map of India covering the major portion of a page of your answer-book and mark on it ten of the following entries :
(i) Cauvery
(ii) Narmada river
(iii) Chilka lake
(iv) Nagarjunsagar
(v) Agra
(vi) Cochin
(vii) Satpura range
(viii) Aravalli hills
(ix) Bombay High
(x) Kaziranga National Park
(xi) Kargil region
(iiu) National Highway No. 7
Q. 2. Describe the structure and relief features of Peninsular India.
Q. 3. Analyse the distribution of population in India in the perspective of natural resources and identify the over-populated and under-populated regions in the country.
Q. 4. Discuss the growth, location and distribution of Iron and Steel Industry in India.
SECTION `B'
Q. 5. Answer any three of the following in about 200 words each :
(a) Explain the concept of multi-level planning in India.
(b) Analyse the recent trends in Indian International Trade.
(c) Examine the National Forest Policy of India.
(d) Discuss the environmental impact of the growth of slums in Indian cities.
Q. 6. Describe the salient characteristics of the morphology of Indian cities.
Q. 7. Analyse the role of India in the geo-politics of the Indian Ocean Region.
Q. 8. Give a reasoned account of either flood hazards or drought hazards occurring in India, and also suggest measures for controlling them

Highlights of First Quarter Review of RBI's Annual Policy Statement for 2007-08

Bank Rate kept unchanged. Reverse Repo Rate and Repo Rate under LAF kept unchanged. Withdrawal of the ceiling of Rs. 3,000 crore on daily reverse repo under the LAF with effect from Monday, August 6, 2007. The Reserve Bank, however, retains the discretion to re-impose a ceiling as appropriate. The second LAF, conducted between 3.00 p.m. and 3.45 p.m. on a daily basis, is withdrawn with effect from Monday, August 6, 2007. Cash Reserve Ratio to be increased by 50 basis points to 7.0 per cent with effect from the fortnight beginning August 4, 2007. GDP growth projection for 2007-08 retained at around 8.5 per cent, barring domestic or external shocks. Holding inflation within 5.0 per cent in 2007-08 assumes priority in the policy hierarchy, while reinforcing the medium-term objective to condition policy and perceptions to reduce inflation to 4.0-4.5 per cent on a sustained basis. While non-food credit growth has decelerated, the acceleration in money supply and reserve money warrants an appropriate response. Recent financial market developments in India and potential uncertainties in global markets warrant a higher priority in the policy hierarchy for managing appropriate liquidity conditions at the current juncture. Barring the emergence of any adverse and unexpected developments in various sectors of the economy and keeping in view the current assessment of the economy including the outlook for inflation, the overall stance of monetary policy in the period ahead will broadly continue to be: To reinforce the emphasis on price stability and well-anchored inflation expectations while ensuring a monetary and interest rate environment that supports export and investment demand in the economy so as to enable continuation of the growth momentum. To re-emphasise credit quality and orderly conditions in financial markets for securing macroeconomic and, in particular, financial stability while simultaneously pursuing greater credit penetration and financial inclusion. To respond swiftly with all possible measures as appropriate to the evolving global and domestic situation impinging on inflation expectations, financial stability and the growth momentum.

External Commercial Borrowings (ECB) Policy - August 2007

The External Commercial Borrowing (ECB) policy is constantly reviewed by the Government in consultation with Reserve Bank of India (RBI) to keep it in tune with the evolving macroeconomic situation, changing market conditions, sectoral requirements, the external sector and the lessons of experience. Based on such review, government has decided on 7th August 2007 to modulate the capital inflows through ECB by modifying some aspects of the policyas indicted below: (i) Henceforth, ECB more than USD 20 million per borrowing company would be permitted only for foreign currency expenditure for permissible end-uses of ECB. Accordingly, borrowers raising ECB more than USD 20 million shall park the ECB proceeds overseas for use as foreign currency expenditure for permissible end-uses. The above modifications would be applicable to ECB exceeding USD 20 million per financial year both under the Automatic Route and under the Approval Route. (ii) ECB up to USD 20 million per borrowing company would be permitted for foreign currency expenditure for permissible end-uses under the Automatic Route and these funds shall be parked overseas and not remitted to India. Borrowers proposing to avail ECB up to USD 20 million for rupee expenditure for permissible end-uses would require prior approval of the Reserve Bank under the Approval Route. However, such funds shall be continued to be parked overseas until actual requirement in India. (iii) All other aspects of ECB policy such as USD 500 million limit per company per year under the Automatic Route, eligible borrower, recognised lender, average maturity period, all-in-cost-ceiling, prepayment, refinancing of existing ECB and reporting arrangements remain unchanged. (iv) These conditions will not apply to borrowers who have already entered into loan agreement and obtained loan registration numbers from the Reserve Bank. Borrowers who have taken verifiable and effective steps wherein the loan agreement has been entered into to avail of ECB in the previous dispensation, and not obtained the loan registration number, may apply to the Reserve Bank through their Authorised Dealer. (v) The above amendment in ECB policy will come into force with immediate effect

IAS GS(Mains) 2004

Paper-I Marks:300
1. Answer anyone of the following (in about 250 words): 30
(a) Discuss the major regulations enacted by the British rulers to
curb the freedom of Press in India.
(b) Form a critical assessment of the Non-Cooperation Movement.
2. Answer any two of the following (in about 150 words each) :
2 x15 = 30
(a) What led to the partition of Bengal in 1905 ?
(b) Write a note on· the Theosophical Society.
(c) Discuss the main findings of the Hartog Committee (1929).
3. Write about the following (not exceeding 20 words each) :
15 x 2 = 30
(i) Upanishads (ii) Vajrayana
(iii) Kumarsambhav (iv) Razmnama
(v) Mirza Haidar (vi) Muhammad Barkatullah
(vii) Sohan Singh Bhakna (viii) Alluri Sitaramaraju (ix)
Canjeevaram Natrajan Annadurai
. (x) Jadong (xi) Jadunath Sarkar
(xii) Nazir Hasan (xiii) Subhash Gupte
(xiv) Acharya Nirmalya (xv) Jyotirao Phule
4. Answer any two of the following (in about 125 words each) :
2 x 10 = 20
(a) Examine the distribution of oil refineries in India.
(b) Why are the Aravallis called a divide between Mewar
and Marwar ?
(c) What is Golden Quadrilateral? How will it help in the
economic development of the country?
5. Write short notes on the following (in about 20 words each) :
5 x 2 = 10
(a) EI Nino, La Nina and monsoon rains
(b) The Sambhar lake
(c) The Sundarbans
(d) Bombay High
(e) Sabarkantha & Banaskantha
6. Answer anyone of the following (in about 250 words) : 30
(a) What is the significance of a preamble to a constitution? Bring
out the philosophy of the Indian polity as enshrined in the
Preamble of the Indian Constitution.
(b). Discuss the meaning of "breakdown of constitutional
machinery". What are its effects?
7. Answer anyone of the following (in about 250 words): 30
(a) Discuss how the Constitution of India provides equal rights.
(b) How does the Indian Constitution seek to maintain
independence of the Public Service Commission?
8. Answer any two of the following (in about 150 words each) : 2 x
15 = 30
(a) Define Money-bill. Discuss how it is passed in the Parliament.
(b) What is a Finance Commission? Discuss the main functions of
the State Finance Commission .
(c) Discuss how state governments can exercise control over
panchayats.
9. Answer the following (in about 20 words each) : 5 x 2 = 10
(a) What is Habeas Corpus?
(b) What are the constitutional restrictions imposed upon the power
of borrowing of the state governments?
(c) What is the special facility provided to the linguistic minorities
under Article 350 A ?
(d) How can a judge of the Supreme Court be removed?
(e) How is the Election Commission of India constituted?
10. Write on anyone of the following (in about 250 words): 30
(a) The Inter-State river water dispute has once again
assumed centre-stage after the Punjab Assembly's Bill terminating all
previous accords on river waters. Discuss.
(b) What is PURA ? Discuss its major objectives.
11.Write on any two of the following (in about 125 words each) 2 x 10=20
(a) Explain UNDP Report on human development in India.
(b) What is WTO ? What are India's objections to its overall functioning ?
(c) Discuss the utility of e-governance in the Indian context.
12. Write notes on any two of the following (in about 125 words
each) : 2 x 10 = 20
(a) Housing for all by 2010 is the goal set by the National Habitat Policy.
How far is it achievable?
(b) "Is greater spending on education linked to higher literacy?" Discuss.
(c) What is Enterprise Resource Planning ?
13. Write about the following (in about 20 words each):
5 x 2 = 10
(a) ISRO (b) Central Vigilance Commission
(c) NDDB (d) Hiren Mukherjee
(e) Pareechu Lake

IAS GS(Mains) 2005

Paper-I Marks:300
1. Answer anyone of the following questions (in about 250
words) : 30
(a) What in your opinion were the positive steps taken by the
British to modernise India?
(b) Examine the policy of Subordinate Union towards
Princely States. Account for the shift from the policy of
Subordinate Isolation.
2. Answer any two of the following questions (in about 150
words each) : 15 x 2 = 30
(a) "In the Montagu-Chelmsford Report communal
representation and reservations were not only retained but
considerably extended." Comment.
(b) Evaluate Subhas Chandra Bose's contribution to India's
freedom.
(c) Why and how did the Congress come to accept the
partition of the country?
3. Write about the following (not exceeding 20 words
each) : 2x 15 = 30
(a) Yajnavalkya Smriti (b) Sutta Pitaka
(c) Bhagawati Sutra (d) Gangaikonda-ChoJapuram
(e) Nizamuddin Auliya (f) Raidas
(g) Calcutta tvladrasa (h) Jagat Seth
(i) Bhawani Mandir (j) Baba Ram Chandra
(k) Pandita Ramabai (I) Sir Thomas Roe
(m) Moplah Rebellion (n) Tavernier
(0)Darul-Uloom
4. Answer any two of the following (in about 125 words
each) : 10 x 2 = 20
(a) What are the resource bases available for the economic
development of the newly created States of Jharkhand and
(wUbat)t taEerrlau hncacidhrvaaetle?s tt ihneg fianc Itnodrsia c, obnottrhib ruutrianlg a tnod t huerb garno.w ing need for
(c) "Political boundaries and regional boundaries need to be
co-terminus.:" Do you agree?
5. Write notes on the following (in about 20 words each):
2 x 5 = 10
(a) Regurs (b) Karewas
(c) Negative impacts of shifting cultivation
(d) Causes of droughts in India
(e) Significance of Lake Chilka
6. Answer anyone of the following (in about 250 words each) : 30
(a) Comment on the financial relations between the Union
and the States in India. Has post-1991 liberalization in any
way affected it?
(b) Is it possible to distinguish between judicial review and
judicial activism in India? Does the recent behavior of the
Indian judiciary partake more of judicial activism? Argue with
suitable examples.
7. Answer anyone of the following (in about 250 words): 30
(a) Would you say that the implementation of the Panchayati
System in the last ten years has led to a real restructuring of
the Indian polity?
(b) Give your views on the right to freedom of religion as
enshrined in the Indian Constitution. Do they make India a
secular State?
8. Answer any two of the following (in about 150 words each):
15 x 2 = 30
(a) What are the constitutional limitations on the free
movements of Indians throughout the country?
(b) How has the Indian State tackled the trade-off between
environment and development?
(c) What are the steps that the Election Commission may
take if a recalcitrant State Government wants to put off
Assembly Elections?
9. Answer the following questions (in about 20 words each)
2 x 5 = 10
(a) What is meant by 'double jeopardy'?
(b) What are the protections afforded to Scheduled Tribes in
the Fifth Schedule of the Indian Constitution?
(c) In what ways can the President of India ascertain the
views of the Supreme Court on a particular bill?
(d) What is the common point between Articles 14 and 226 of
the Indian Constitution?
(e) Who and what does the Indian Parliament consist of?
10. Answer anyone of the following questions (in about 250
words) : 30
(a) Discuss the impact of globalization on higher education in
India.
(b) What is disaster management? Discuss the steps
required to tackle natural disasters.
11.Answer any two of the following questions (in about 125
words each) : 10 x 2 = 20
(a) Explain th,e implications of the recent Supreme Court
verdict on reservations in private and minority educational
institutions.
(b) What is the energy independence? Discuss how India can
be transformed into an 'Energyindependent Nation.'
(c) What is eco-tourism? How could it be promoted in India?
12. Write notes on any two of the following (in about 125
words each) : 10 x 2 = 20
(a) Sethusamudram Project
(b) Causes of soil erosion and its control in India
(c) Use of Information Technology in health management in
India
13. Write short notes on the following (in about 20 words
Each): 2 x 5 = 10
(a) Equal rights for women in parental property
(b) National knowledge Commission
(e) Genetically modified seeds
(d) Ban on bar dancing
(e) Rehabilitation of street children in India

IAS GS(Mains)-2006

Paper-I Marks:300

1. Answer anyone of the following (in about 250 words): 30
a) Regardless of distance in time, there were lots of similarities
between Lord Curzon and Jawahar Lal Nehru. Discuss.
b) How did the Government of India Act, 1935 mark a point of no
return in the history of constitutional development in India?
2. Answer any two of the following (in about 150 words each):
2x15=30
a) What was the attitude of Indian industrialists towards the Indian
National Congress in the pre- independent era?
b) Critically assess Sir Tej Bahadur Sapru's views on Indian
Nationalism.
c) Characterise the main features of Indian Renaissance.
3. Write about the following (not exceeding 20 words each):
15x2=30
a) Kalhana
b) Panini
c) Yakshagana
d) Natyasastra
e) Tabaqat-i-Nasiri
t) Madhura Vijayam
g) Pandurang Mahatmya
h) Prithviraj Raso
q) "The Insider"
J) Ali Sardar J afri
k) Aruna Roy
l) Dr. J.C. Daniel
m) Balwant Gargi
n) Dr. JayantNarlikar
0) Shashi Tharoor
4. Answer any two of the following (in about 125 words each):
2x1O=20
a) Bring out the prospects of development of alternative energy
sources of India.
b) Blue Revolution has definite advantages in India but it is not
free from environmental impacts. Discuss.
c) Why do the rivers of west coast not form a delta?
5. Write notes on the following (in about 20 words each): 5x2=10
a) Mixed economy
b) Winter rains in India
c) New Moore Island
d) National Water Grid
e) Hussain Sagar
6. Answer anyone of the following (in about 250 words): 30
a) What is right to life and personal liberty?
How have the courts expanded its meaning in recent years?
b) On what grounds can a member be disqualified from either
House of Parliament?
7. Answer anyone of the following (in about 250 words): 30
a) What is the 'strategic partnership' between India and United
States of America? What are its implications for both the partners?
b) Discuss economic backwardness as a major challenge of
Indian democracy. Can democracy and development go together
smoothly?
8. Answer any two of the following questions (in about 150 words
each): 2x 15=30
a) How would you differentiate between the passage of a
Constitution Amendment Bill and of an Ordinary Legislative Bill?
b) How does the Inter-State Council establish co-ordination
between States?
c) Is the High Court's power to issue 'writs' wider than that of the
Supreme Court of India?
9. Answer the following questions (in about 20 words each): 5 x2= 1 0
a) Explain the following terms:
b) i) Dissolution of the House
ii) Prorogation of the House
iii)Adjournment of the business of the House
b) What is Consolidated Fund of India?
c) To what extent can the President withhold his assent to a Bill
already passed by the Parliament?
d) What is India's 'Look East' Policy?
e) What is meant by 'empowerment of women' in India?
10. Answer anyone of the following questions (in about 250
words): 30
a) What are the social and economic consequences of abolishing
child labor in India?
b) Explain the implications of the implementation of intellectual
Property Clauses in our patent law regime after joining the WTO.
11. Answer any two of the following questions (in about 125
words each): 2 x I 0=20
a) Explain full convertibility of Indian Rupee.
b) What are the linkages to be developed under the
Knowledge Revolution for Rural India Plan?
c) What do we understand by 'Doha Round' oft talks?
12. Answer any two of the following questions (in about 125
words each): 2x 10=20
a) Explain the social constraints in bringing about gender
equality in Indian society.
a) What are the problems related to the rehabilitation of the
mentally challenged persons in India?
a) Bring out the issues involved in implementing
compulsory primary education in India.
13. Write about the following (in about20 words each):
5x2=10
a) Business Process Outsourcing
b) Female foeticide
c) RCI
d) UNlDO
e) S. Chandrasekhar

About IAS:Eligibility,Subjects,Attempts etc.

The Civil Services Examination is conducted by UPSC (Union Public Service Commission) every year. The examination has three stages i.e., (1) Civil Services Preliminary Examinations (CSP) - normally conducted during the second half of May.(2) Civil Services (Main) Examinations conducted during the month of October/November. Here, those who are selected in the preliminary examination only are eligible to appear.(3) Those who are selected in the main examination will be eligible to appear before the Interview Board at New Delhi.
Preliminary Examination (CSP) CSP consists of two papers i.e., (1) optional subject to be selected from the listed subject for 300 marks. (2) General studies for 150 marks. Total of 450 marks. Each paper is of two hours duration. The course content of the syllabi for the optional subjects is at the degree level. Normally, there are about 3 lakh applications for the preliminary examination. From this, the UPSC selects 10 to 12 folds of vacancies for the main examinations. This is only for the selection and not to be taken into consideration in the main ranking.
Subjects for Preliminary Examination: The General Studies syllabus is same for all.
Subjects for Paper II (one subject to be selected): Agriculture, Animal Husbandry and Veterinary Science, Botany, Chemistry, Civil Engineering, Commerce, Economics, Electrical Engineering, Geography, Geology, Indian History, Law, Mathematics, Mechanical Engineering, Medical Science, Philosophy, Physics, Political Science, Psychology, Public Administration, Sociology, Statistics, Zoology.
(The question papers are in Hindi and English and each paper is of two hours duration. The course content of the syllabi is of degree level. Each paper is of two hours duration. Blind candidates are allowed an extra time of 20 minutes for each paper.)
Main Examination Only those who are declared by the Commission to have qualified in the Preliminary Examination in a year, are eligible for the Main examination of that year, provided they are otherwise eligible for the Main Examination.
Civil Services Main examination has two optional subjects (two papers each carries 300 marks), one General Studies (two papers each carries 300 marks), one essay (carries 200 marks) - total 2000 marks. Other than this, there are two language papers one in Indian language and one in General English at the level of 10th standard. This is to test the ability of the candidate's proficiency in his mother tongue / Indian language and English. Total nine papers. These two papers carry 300 marks each but it will not be considered for the ranking. It is must to clear these two papers. If a candidate fails to clear these papers, his other papers will not be evaluated.
The Main Examination is intended to assess the overall intellectual traits and the depth of understanding of the candidates, rather than merely the range of their information and memory. Sufficient choice of questions is allowed in the question papers.
Optional Subjects for the Main Examination: Optional subjects: Agriculture, Animal Husbandry and Veterinary Science, Botany, Chemistry, Civil Engineering, Commerce and Accountancy, Economics, Electrical Engineering, Geography, Geology, History, Law, Management, Mathematics, Mechanical Engineering, Medical Science, Philosophy, Physics, Political Science and International Relations, Psychology, Public Administration, Sociology, Statistics, Zoology. Each paper is of 3 hours duration.
Literatures: Arabic, Assamese, Bengali, Chinese, English, French, German, Gujarati, Hindi, Kannada, Kashmiri, Konkani, Marathi, Malayalam, Manipuri, Nepali, Oriya, Pali, Persian, Punjabi, Russian, Sanskrit, Sindhi, Tamil, Telugu, Urdu.The following combinations not allowed are: Political Science & International Relations and Public Administration Commerce and Management Anthropology and Sociology Maths and StatisticsAgriculture and Animal Husbandry and Veterinary Science Management and Public Administration Animal Husbandry & Veterinary Science and Medical Science Any two branches of engineering.Combination of two literatures in the above list.
Interview: At interview stage, two-fold vacancies are called to appear before the UPSC Board. Interview carries 300 marks. Interview calls are sent on the basis of minimum marks fixed by the UPSC at its discretion. The overall ranking is done based on the Mains performance (i.e., 2000 marks) and interview. Therefore, the total marks involved in the ranking are 2300. Candidates are allotted various services keeping in view their ranks in the examination and preferences given by them in their main application form. Note: If a person fails in either in mains or interview, he has to appear once again from the preliminary stage. Eligibility Conditions:(i) Nationality:(1) For the Indian Administrative Service and the Indian Police Service, a candidate must be a citizen of India.(2) For other services, a candidate must be either: (a) A citizen of India, or(b) a subject of Nepal, or(c) a subject of Bhutan, or(d) a Tibetan refugee who came over to India before 1st January, 1962 with the intention of permanently settling in India. or (e) a person of Indian origin who has migrated from Pakistan, Burma, Srilanka, East African countries of Kenya, Uganda, the United Republic of Tanzania, Zambia, Malawi, Zaire, Ethiopia and Vietnam with the intention of permanently settling in India.Provided that a candidate belonging to categories (b), (c), (d) and (e) shall be a person in whose favour a certificate of eligibility has been issued by the Government of India.Provided further that candidates belonging to categories (b), (c) and (d) above will not be eligible for appointment to the Indian Foreign Service.A candidate, in whose case a certificate of eligibility is necessary, may be admitted to the examination but the offer of appointment may be given only after the necessary eligibility certificate has been issued to him by the Government of India.
(ii) Minimum Educational Qualifications:The candidate must hold a degree of any of Universities incorporated by an Act of the Central or State Legislature in India or other educational institutions established by an Act of Parliament or declared to be deemed as a University Under Section 3 of the University Grants Commission Act, 1956, or possess an equivalent qualification.
Note I: Candidates who have appeared at an examination the passing of which would render them educationally qualified for the Commission's examination but have not been informed of the results as also the candidates who intend to appear at such a qualifying examination will also be eligible for admission to the Preliminary Examination. All candidates who are declared qualified by the Commission for taking the Civil Services (Main) Examination will be required to produce proof of passing the requisite examination with their application for the Main Examination failing which such candidates will not be admitted to the Main Examination.
Note II: In exceptional cases the Union Public Service Commission may treat a candidate who has not any of the foregoing qualifications as a qualified candidate provided that he has passed examination conducted by the other Institutions, the standard of which in the opinion of the Commission justifies his admission to the examination.
Note III: Candidates possessing professional and technical qualifications, which are recognised by Government, as equivalent to professional and technical degree would also be eligible for admission to the examination.
Note IV: Candidates who have passed the final professional M.B.B.S. or any other Medical Examination but have not completed their internship by the time of submission of their applications for the Civil Services (Main) Examination, will be provisionally admitted to the Examination provided they submit along with their application a copy of certificate from the concerned authority of the University/Institution that they had passed the requisite final professional medical examination. In such cases, the candidates will be required to produce at the time of their interview original Degree or a certificate from the concerned competent authority of the University/Institution that they had completed all requirements (including completion of internship) for the award of the Degree.
(iii) Age limit: 21 years must be completed on 1st August of the year, which a candidate is appearing. Maximum 30 for general category, 33 for OBCs and 35 for SCs/STs. Ex-servicemen will get 5 more years exemption from the prescribed age limit.
(The date of birth accepted by the Commission is that entered in the Matriculation or Secondary School Leaving Certificate or in a certificate recognised by an Indian University as equivalent to Matriculation or in an extract from a Register of Matriculates maintained by a University, which extract must be certified by the proper authority of the University or in the Higher Secondary or an equivalent examination certificate).
(iv) Number of Attempts: Four attempts for open, seven for OBCs and no limit for SCs/STs. If a person appears in the Preliminary Examination or even one paper is counted as an attempt.
(v) Restrictions on applying for the examination: A candidate who is appointed to the Indian Administrative Service or the Indian Foreign Service on the results of an earlier examination and continues to be a member of that service will not be eligible to compete at this examination.
How to Apply: (a) The UPSC have developed an application form common for all their examinations, which will be processed on computerised machines. This application form alongwith an Information Brochure containing general instructions for filling up the form, an acknowledgement card and an envelope for sending the application is obtainable from the designated Head Post Offices/Post Offices throughout the country as against cash payment of Rs. 20/- (Rupees twenty only). Form should be purchased from the designated Post Offices only and not from any other agency. This form can be used only once and for only one examination. Candidates must use the form supplied with the Information Brochure only and they should in no case use photocopy / reproduction / unauthorisedly printed copy of the Form. Since this form is electronically scannable, due care should be taken to fill up the application form, correctly. While filling up the application form, please refer to detailed instructions given in the Notice.

Tips for IAS Interview

Basics of Interview:
The interview is nowadays known as a Personality Test. The reason being that it is not a test of knowledge, but of the overall personality of the candidate/aspirant.
Interview is more of a psychological test that is just content-based. Along with good communicative skills and self-confidence, good knowledge base no doubt gives you an upper hand. However, it has to be borne in mind that nearly all the aspirants/candidates in the Personality Test start more or less as equals in the sphere of knowledge base.
The most important thing to know about an interview is that it is not always a question-answer session and that the Board members are looking for different aspects of one’s personality.
One is not expected to know everything under the sun. If you do not know the answer to a particular question, do not hesitate to say – I don’t know, Sir/Ma’m. However, even “I don’t know Sir/Ma’m” should be said confidently and with a reasonable amount of cheerfulness. Remember – your knowledge levels have been thoroughly checked during the earlier stages of the CSE – viz Prelims and Mains.
Always remember that the interview is not a cross examination, but a natural, purposeful conversation.
Personality is a life-long asset and a thing, which evolves and changes every day.
Preparation
Keep a photocopy of the form filled for the Mains examination handy. Most of the initial questions – viz the meaning of your name, educational background, professional experience, hobbies etc will be based on this form only. Try to prepare on your bio-data; roughly 70% questions are based on bio-data, 20% questions are based on your subject and 10% are based on current affairs.
Aspirants to CSE should take an intelligent interest not only in areas of their specialization, but also in what is happening around them – both within and outside the country.
Be well informed about your interests and hobbies as there will be a few questions probing your levels of knowledge as regards your hobbies and interests.
Prepare thoroughly about your hometown & home state. If you hail from a place of historical importance or tourist interest, prepare well on it.
Know yourself. Prepare brief answers to choice of your subjects, family background, meaning of your name. You should try to take the lead by answering questions based on your bio-data.
One of the secrets of success is to prepare for the Personality Test along with the written test.
If a person gives the impression of being a bookworm, the chances of his/her selection are reduced. The candidate must exhibit an all-round personality, which indicates that the aspirant possesses a complete personality. MOCK /PRACTICE
One should form a group of 4-5 people, as the preparation for Personality Test cannot be done in isolation. Try holding as many mock interviews as possible.
No training institute can develop/transform your personality in a few days. However, some of the tips may help in ironing out some weaknesses/grey areas and can provide an avenue for a well-planned preparation and group discussions.
Take mock interviews. In the mock interview, ask your friends to grill you so that you can face pressure from the Board easily.
Discuss a lot with your friends. This not only helps in you assimilating different points of view, but also enhances knowledge levels. DRESSING UP:
Dress sense is of crucial importance. The choice of dress should be according to the weather conditions. Try not to wear newly stitched clothes, as they might make you uneasy. Light colours should be preferred. White colour is a good choice.
Wear comfortable clothes. Men need to wear light coloured shirt and a dark trouser with a tie (if weather permits). Women appear best in a saree or salwar/kameez.
Pay attention to the details, ironed dress, polished shoes, hair accessories, trimmed nails etc. Polish your footwear meticulously. Use convenient footwear like black or brown leather shoes.
Women candidates should take care to avoid the hair falling over the face as it could annoy both – you and the interviewer.
Do not wear anything that connects you with a religious or political group.
Do not use heavy perfume/deodorants.
In case you have a running nose or have caught a cold, carry a handkerchief, or sufficient stock of tissue paper. Tissue paper is preferable.
Some candidates take medicine to relax on the previous night of the interview; this should be avoided as the effect of medicine may decrease your alertness during the interview.
What and how you eat is also important. Have a light meal on the day of the Personality Test. Do not go for the interview on an empty stomach. However, also avoid over-eating, or having a heavy meal.
First impression is often the best impression. So create a positive, good impression within the first few minutes of the interview. ENTRY:
Arrive 20-30 minutes early. Prepare a route map and arrive well in time. This will give you enough time to relax
While waiting for your turn in the waiting area, read a newspaper or a magazine and try to remain focused without thinking too much of what will happen in the interview. Try not to presuppose situations.
Do not get nervous when you are waiting for your turn for the Personality Test. When waiting for your turn, try relaxing with closed eyes and practice deep breathing. It really relaxes you. Do not try to pre-suppose situations in the Personality Test.
Take a final, deep breath before entering the boardroom.
Do not forget to knock at the door before entering, as it indicates basic courtesy.
On entering the room, greet all the members cordially and do not sit down on the seat without being asked to.
If there is a lady member in the interview board, greet her first.
Be conscious of your body language when you are seated.
Men should keep the feet flat on the floor during the interview, knees at waist level, and hands on your thighs and place your elbows on the armchair. Avoid locking hands.
Women, cross your ankles or legs, but keep the bottom leg straight down and do not swing it over the top leg and keep your elbows positioned on the arms of the chair.
When the Board members thank you at the end of the Personality test, do not forget to thank the members one last time and keep your body posture straight at the time of leaving the room.
Remember that interview is a two-way process.
Be cool. Be yourself during the Interview.
Your aim should be to make the board members feel comfortable in your presence.
Be truthful, transparent and Predictable.
The object of the interview is to assess the suitability of the aspirant/candidate for a career in public service.
Most of the questions posed in the Personality Test are opinion-based.
Don’t expect any expression on the faces of board members, even if your answer is very good. During Interview
In a personality test, what is of importance is how you say what you say. It is the style of presentation that matters.
Your personality is, on an average, assessed in 25-30 minutes, it is your responsibility to bring out your very best in front of the board.
Be attentive and listen to each question carefully. Try not to jump into an answer before the complete question has been posed as you will end up wasting time on answering a question that you were not actually asked. If you are not sure of what was asked, you can always politely seek a clarification.
Do not try to answer the question as soon as it is posed. Think over the question, take your time and organize the broad outline of the answer before airing it. Pause a while before answering, even if you know the answer.
At times, you will be given situations wherein you will be required to take a decision. In such situations, the board is testing your ability to comprehend issues and use reason and good judgment logically, precisely and arrive at a balanced decision.
Your replies should be crisp and to the point. Do not beat around the bush.
Maintain a gentle smile off and on during the Personality Test without overdoing it. It displays a sense of ease and confidence. Wherever possible use your sense of humour judiciously. General Do’s and Don’ts for the personality test:
The board members are usually very senior and learned people, so give utmost respect to the board.
Don’t go by any stories/rumours spread by others. Avoid unnecessary details.
Don’t ask the previous candidate about his/her interview.
The board has no biases towards anyone.
Never make any sweeping statements/generalized descriptions.
Accept your mistakes boldly.
Speak honestly, truthfully and modestly.
Do not give a hasty reply.
Answer in an orderly and logical fashion and always maintain eye contact with the Board members while answering.
Be polite and courteous.
Don’t try to be too argumentative.
Be consistent in your views. Don’t change your views just because the Board differs in its opinion from your opinion.
Never make an attempt to present a made-up appearance or politically correct answers.
If you are taking an extreme view, you should also be able to justify the same.
Take tea or coffee, if any member offers the same to you. This will show you are relaxed and it will also help in lightening and relaxing further proceedings and give them an informal touch.
Avoid chewing gums and other munching items as it gives a negative and a careless image.
Try holding mock interviews in front of a mirror. Look out for unwarranted actions/emotions and try to rectify any shortcomings. If possible record your own answers and play them again for finding out errors.
Don’t criticize any government policies or even individuals.
Take a good night’s sleep. A good, sound sleep will keep you refreshed, cheerful and relaxed. Otherwise you will have a fuzzy head and you will betray a confused personality. You will neither be able to grasp questions correctly, nor be able to think clearly.
Do not speak rapidly. Speak slowly and clearly so that the Board members grasp what you are saying and do not have to interrupt you or ask you to repeat your views.
The Board will check you for certain traits – such as honest and integrity, logical exposition, balance of opinion, leadership skills, mental alertness, variety and depth of interest, social cohesion, moral integrity, acumen, your response to a peculiar situation, your views on varied topics.
At times, the Board members might pile pressure upon you. Do not panic – it is a strategy aimed at gauging the point till which you can maintain your cool under pressure and can think originally even in pressure cooker situations. Try to resemble tealeaves – show your true colours when in hot waters.
Form your views on a subjects in a logical and rational manner supported by data whenever necessary.
To be in touch with the latest happenings/events – nationally and internationally, candidates should read magazines and newspapers (at least two for interview), watch current affairs-based television programmes.
Assume that all questions are asked with a good reason and answer them accordingly.
Keep a file/folder to keep your certificates and documents in an organized manner. They are verified before you enter the interview room. (You don’t have to carry file/folder inside board room

Essay Tips for IAS

One is required to write an essay for three hours duration. This length of duration is enough. There is no standard word limit for writing an essay.
Remember to divide an essay into three parts – (i) Introduction (ii) Main body and (iii) Conclusion.
The choice of topic on which the essay is to be written after careful thought. While selecting a topic, the knowledge base of the topic – i.e how much you know about the subject is of crucial importance. If you have data or statistics at your fingertips to back some statements, all the more better.
The introduction is of crucial importance. Remember – well begun is half done. This applies to an essay all the more. One could begin with a saying or a quotation. Quotations make the essay interesting to read.
If you cannot mentally arrange the points to be covered in the essay, jot down the points on a rough sheet of paper. Try to expand one point in its entirety in one paragraph and then move on to the next point. Do not keep returning back to one point after you have started another point. It makes the essay repetitive and boring to read. If possible, try to maintain a link between the points by a connecting sentence at the end of the paragraph covering a given point.
Keep your sentences short. Longer sentences not only lead to complex sentences, but also point to complexity in thought process. Use minimum number of conjunctions. Finish off a sentence as quickly as possible and start a new sentence.
In an essay, try to point out the problem areas and also suggest solutions to solve them.
Conclusion is as important as an introduction. It gives an insight into your analyzing powers. Try to give a brief overview in the form of a gist of the essay in the conclusion

Strategy for IAS Mains

INSTRUCTIONS GIVEN AT THE BEGINNING OF THE QUESTION PAPERS SHOULD BE READ CAREFULLY.
Preparations for Mains examination should be done intensively.
It always helps if the choice of the optionals for the Prelims examination is one of the subjects chosen for the Mains.

After analysis/taking the decision on the options, one should sort out the Main question papers according to the syllabus topics of the Mains examination. If one analyses these questions, after sometime the questions are repeated in one form or the other. This will give you time to prepare a standard answer to the question papers of the previous years. This will also make your task easy at the Mains examination.

Questions asked are of the Masters level examination. Sometimes the questions are ‘conceptual’ in nature, aimed at testing the comprehension levels of the basic concepts. So, if you don’t have a basic grounding in the basic concepts, it would be advisable to start from simple books.

The right choice of reading material is important and crucial. You should not read all types of books as told by others. Get a list of standard textbooks from the successful candidates, or other sources and also select proper notes for studying.

One should always target for Mains even while preparing for Preliminary examination. This is because there is much in common ground for study and there is little time for preparation for the Main examination after the results of the Prelims examination are announced.

While studying for the optional subjects, keep in mind that there is no scope for selective studies in CSE. The whole syllabus must be completely and thoroughly covered. Equal stress and weightage should be given to both the optionals. Remember – in the ultimate analysis both subjects carry exactly the same amount of maximum marks.

For subjects like Mathematics and Statistics and Geography maps etc, practice is very important. One should also practice other subjects and should not treat the same examination, as an “experience gathering” exercise to get a chance for writing mains is a great thing, which one may not get again. Hence, you should go through the unsolved papers of the previous papers and solve them to stimulate the atmosphere of the examination. Stick to the time frame (roughly 1 minute for 2 marks. Speed is the very essence of this examination. Hence, time management assumes crucial importance.

Writing skills (packaging) matter a lot in the Civil Services. Most of the candidates appearing for the Mains examination have a lot of knowledge, but lack writing skills. They are not able to present all the information/knowledge in a coherent and logical manner, as expected by the examiner. It is not only what you write, that is important, but also how you write what you write.
For developing the writing skills, one should keep writing model answers while preparing for the Mains examination. This would help the candidate to “get into the groove” of writing under time pressure in the Mains examination. The attitude should never be “I will directly write in the examination”.
Develop and follow your own style of writing. Try not to be repetitive and maintain a flow in the style of your writing. Never try to imitate others in the style of writing.
Sequential and systematic style of answering comes after a lot of practice and analysis of standard answers. Try to stimulate the actual examination hours to judge your performance and to plug any loopholes.
Strictly adhere to the word limit as prescribed at the end of the question to the extent possible. Try not to exceed the word limit, as far as possible. Sticking to the word limit that will save time. Besides, the number of marks you achieve are not going to increase even if you exceed the word limit.
Revision of subjects is very important because “anything you could not revise prior to the examination is as good as not having prepared at all”. The reason is that you have been preparing for months or years together. It is a human tendency to forget something after some time. Hence, revision is a must.

Write it legibly as it will simplify the evaluator’s task and he can read the answers easily.
Highlight/underline the important points, which you feel, are important.
If the write up is in essay form, write in paragraphs. A new point should start with a new paragraph.

If the question needs answer in point form, give it a bullet format.
Keep sufficient space between two lines.

Try to maintain uniformity in your write-ups throughout the paper. Some students write well in the initial papers. Under time pressure, the script goes from bad to worse in the later stages of the answer sheets and gets bad treatment. This may irritate the evaluator.

Don’t count words after every answer. If you have practiced well, you can count “how many words do you write in a line and how many lines in a single page and the total words per question”.
Give space and divide it by a dividing line between two questions.
One should target 1200-1250/2000 marks in the Mains. The main cut off also varies from year to year

How to Prepare GS for IAS

Read newspapers and magazines carefully, which will expand your knowledge base and give good command and writing skill.
Preparation for General studies should be done hand in hand while preparing for optional papers.
NCERT books should be studied carefully and newspapers like The Hindu and magazines such as Frontline.
Trend nowadays has shifted more towards current issues, hence a thorough awareness of recent events/happenings is mandatory.
In the Prelims, though the General Studies carries only 150 marks, all the candidates are required to solve the same questions, hence, this paper assumes enormous importance, as anyone spoiling this paper cannot have any chance of qualifying for the Mains stage of the examination.
Other than the syllabus given, questions on planning, budgeting, developmental programmes, latest issues of political and constitutional importance, Panchayati Raj, electoral reforms, natural resources, culture, growth of nationalism, committees, commissions etc can be expected almost every year.
Emphasis is normally placed on the general aspects of the subjects, which every educated person aspiring to join the civil services is expected to know.
The General Studies paper needs special and thorough preparations and does not need to be over-emphasised.
In General Studies, other than current affairs, each and every aspect is covered in our school syllabi. Whatever one has studied upto Class XII is only asked in General Studies. The only thing which is different is that it has an application but the basic is from our school textbook only. A good, bright student who understood the basic concepts during his/her school studies will definitely be strong in General Studies too.
Those who would like to appear for Civil Services should have a strong base, which will make them easy to follow the subjects.
Exhaustive study of each subject and every aspect of the General Studies is essential.
An important point is efficient time management and proper planning. The time available with the candidates for preparations is limited and hence has to be intelligently utilized.

Tips for sucess in civil services

With the number of vacancies dwindling each year and the competition getting tougher, with the number of aspirants increasing each year, one must consider all the pros and cons before jumping into the fray. One should preferably have an alternative job, which gives one the confidence and makes a wholehearted effort possible.Selection of Subject:
The first and foremost thing to decide while aspiring for Civil Services is the judicious choice of subjects for the Preliminary and the Mains examinations. The selection of subjects should be done most carefully, if it goes wrong, everything will go wrong.
Normally students have the advantage of selecting one of the optionals, which they are familiar with, or have at least studied till graduate level. If you are not comfortable with the subject, you should not select the subject as an optional. Example: One who studied Medicine in his/her graduation may have to refer many books for one topic. On such occasions it is better to take a subject of one's interest.
The aspirants should opt for a subject of their interest - technical subjects like engineering, medicine, veterinary sciences. Students from science background may find it difficult to understanding economics and vice-versa. Agriculture or Veterinary Sciences will be opted by the students who have studied it at their college level. Hence, the competition is among the people who have opted for the same subject. One should top in his/her subject to succeed in the examination.
One should analyse the syllabus of previous years and the question papers. The comfort levels with the subject opted for and the past trends should be analysed. While going through the questions of previous years, one can judge himself/herself about the knowledge base and comfort level with the subject. After a detailed analysis one should decide the subject for the first optional. One can get some feedback/advice from seniors and fellow students who are well versed in the subject. To avoid confusion at advanced stages of the examination, one should have some consultation with experienced/senior colleagues. They can guide you better than any coaching class.Preparation:
Preparation for General studies can be done hand in hand, along with the preparation for optional papers. Good mix of study hours for General Studies and the Optionals makes studies enjoyable and it becomes easy to sustain the momentum for longer hours, without boredom setting in and without losing interest and enthusiasm. The most important aspect for the preparation for GS (Prelims) is to identify the loopholes and plug them urgently. But remember one thing; never sacrifice the time of optional for General Studies. Because each question in optional carries 2.5 marks and in total it carries 300 marks. More importantly, input-output ratio in optional is much better than that in General Studies.
Always go in for a planned and systematic study. Work out your own study schedules in a manner suited to your style and stick to it.
One should read a leading daily regularly and also a magazine that will give an insight into the writing skills and observe how facts are presented clearly and succinctly. Also watch news & current affairs programmes on a good TV channel. The latest trend has been a shift towards the current issues; hence a thorough awareness of recent happenings is mandatory. In-depth knowledge of such events is most important, as the questions will test the knowledge of details of any given event/happening.
First one should cover the entire syllabus and then one month preceding the Mains, practice with the help of question papers of previous years. Sometimes students may end up studying topics, which are connected to the syllabus, but are practically irrelevant from your preparation point of view. For this, one should always keep a copy of the syllabus handy and keep referring to it time and again to reassess the direction of the preparation. One should also keep question papers of the previous years. Compare them and see what types of questions are repeated every year.
Try to attempt question papers of previous years and General studies papers. This will expose your weaknesses and give you an idea about the extent of your preparation, your knowledge base, your speed and accuracy.
General preparation can be broadly classified as long-term or short-term depending on the available time for preparation. Preparation for Mains examination should begin soon after the Prelims are over, without waiting for the result, as it involves wastage of time.
The generally accepted strategy for CSE is that one must have studied the entire syllabus for the Mains before the Prelims or at least before the result is out. After the Prelims results are announced, all three subjects - two optionals and General Studies should be divided equally in three quarters to revise the subjects. If the subject is not revised, it is as good as not read because preparation is a continuous process. One might have covered the syllabus long back, but memory detoriates with time
One should read/study daily 10-12 hours per day. Some people say that used to read 18-20 hours. However, don't go by the claims of other persons who say that have studied for more than 18 hours a day. It is humanly impossible. Each person knows one's own capacity, so one should prepare the timetable accordingly and follow the same for the whole period of preparation. The execution of the timetable is of crucial importance.
One should be dedicated and have faith in one's own capabilities and in the Almighty. Do not get depressed if you are unable to achieve the targets. Remember, it is your preparation; you are the one who will appear in the examination. You know yourself better than anyone else. Quality of hours put in is more important than quantity of hours. Your time and energies should be used in an efficient and effective manner.
During the entire period of the examination, take a light diet. One should maintain good health during the preparation and also maintain a hobby, which relaxes you during your preparation. Take adequate amount of sleep, as both - body and mind require it. It is always better to study when the body and mind are fresh. This helps in easy grasping of things as well as in retaining them.
To save time during revision, aspirants may mark/highlight important points during their first or second reading. The aim of the first reading is to reduce the study material to half by eliminating unnecessary points. The second reading is to make it more concise, so that you can revise the entire syllabus within two days before the examination.
Information from any source of relevance to your goal should be welcomed, as long as it is from a standard source. Discuss with your friends, talk to them and listen to their views. This will expand your knowledge base and also expose you to different views. (But while discussing be careful and don't waste time on unnecessary details). You should have a guided discussion. It is important to peak at the time of the examination. So, channelise your preparations in such a manner that you don't burn yourself out before the examination commences.
Those who still have two-three years of time left for becoming eligible to appear for Civil Services must begin the preparation for the examination in the right earnest - right now.
Once you decide that you wish to be a civil servant, as your career has to follow certain steps to be abreast with the latest trends and be ready in the first attempt itself.If you are schooling:
Read your school textbooks thoroughly. This is the building block of your general knowledge base.
Read one national newspaper regularly.
Watch one TV news regularly.
Follow discussions/debates on one TV channel regularly.
Read one national news magazine.
If possible, read one competitive examination magazine also.
Discuss news items with family members and friends that will confidence and different points of view.
Be alert to learn new things.
Keep an open mind to learn what is happening around you.
At college stage:
If you decide to make civil services a career at college stage, try to follow these things:
Learn your subject thoroughly.
Read NCERT books very carefully as they are little encyclopedias and also comprehend them carefully.
Study India yearbook published by Publication Division, Ministry of I&B. This will give you the base and a bird's eye view about India.
Read one national newspaper and a magazine thoroughly.
Watch TV news (one prime time bulletin which covers major national and international news every day). TV channels give an overall news/views scenario on their prime time slots.
Listening to morning news bulletins/analysis of All India Radio is a must. They provide invaluable background information and a balanced opinion on major issues. Evening news bulletins of AIR give an overview of the prominent news stories of the day.
Follow one competitive examination magazine regularly. That will give you the latest trends about civil services and other competitive examinations and also give you important information in capsule form.
Discussions on current affairs on standard TV channel should be followed by a student to learn "how the arguments take place and how arguments are built up".
Discuss things/news items with your friends and family members that will give confidence of taking a stand against any issue.
Once you enter 3rd year of your preparation, you can go through the question papers of the previous years of CSE. Students in the first year also can go through these papers, but it would be difficult for a person to understand all the questions because he/she might have not studied the entire syllabi.
Normally four questions from the syllabus are asked which are of PG level if the subject is from the Arts or Science stream. So one should go through the syllabus first, then decide about taking the questions for the test.
In the first step itself, if you take the question paper and if you don't know most of the questions, it will deject you. There is nothing to get dejected at this stage.
If you complete your one optional at the college level itself, it will be easy for you to crack the Civil Services in the first attempt itself. If you clear the exam before the age of 23 that will make you eligible to become Secretary to Government of India/ Chief Secretary of a State - and even go up to the rank of Cabinet Secretary.

Success Story Of a Small Town Boy-Son of a Rickshaw vendor

The 2006 competitive examinations for India's civil services is notable for the number of young people from non privileged backgrounds who feature in the merit list. For the first time, none from India's elite metros feature in the top ten.
We will bring you some amazing success stories in this special series. Today, meet a rickshaw vendor's son from Varanasi who is one of the IAS toppers this year.
Tears ran down Govind Jaiswal's face and refused to stop. Staring him in the face was the only thing he had ever wanted, and now that he had achieved it, he couldn't even reach out for the keys on his cellphone.
He waited till the tears dried up, till the news sunk in and made that one phone call on which depended the hopes of his entire family.
Govind, 24, the son of an uneducated rickshaw vendor in Varanasi, had grown up with cruel taunts like 'However much you study, you will still be a rickshawpuller.' He had studied with cotton stuffed in his ears to drown the noise of printing machines and generators below his window in a poor neighbourhood where small workshops existed cheek by jowl with tiny residential quarters.
He had given Math tuitions to supplement the paltry sum his father could afford to send him each month. His ailing father had sold a small plot of land to give Govind about Rs 40,000 so that he could move to Delhi which would provide him a better place to study.
Throughout his life, he had lived with only one dream -- to become an officer of the Indian Administrative Service. For him that was the only way. And when he broke the news to his family, that he was ranked 48 among 474 successful candidates in his first attempt at the exam -- it was the turn of his three sisters and father to weep with unbridled joy.
'Besides the Civil Services, I had no option'
Icould not afford to have any other career goal. My life would have been absolutely futile had I not made it into the civil services," says Govind, just back from his medicals in New Delhi, mandatory for the IAS.
"You must understand that my circumstances were such that besides the Civil Services, I had no option. I didn't have much of a chance with lower government jobs because they are mostly fixed, neither could I start a business because I had no money. The only thing I could do was work hard at my studies."
It was almost impossible for him to study in the one room he shared with his family. To add to his woes was the power cut that extended between 10 and 14 hours every day. The moment the lights went out, he had to shut the window to block out the deafening noise of generators in the many workshops around his home.
So in search for a quiet place to study, he briefly shared a friend's room at the Banaras Hindu University. Since that did not help him much, he did what many civil services aspirants in northern India do -- he moved to New Delhi.

His father sold his last plot of land for his son's dream
F or his son to make a fresh start in a city Govind had never visited before, Narayan Jaiswal, Govind's father, sold the only remaining plot of land he had saved after getting his three daughters married.
Working for ten years at the government ration shop, Narayan earned a living by weighing goods at the store. One day when the shop shut down, he bought one rickshaw and hired it out. He added three more and at one time was prosperous enough to own about 36 rickshaws.
That was a period of financial security and Narayan was prudent enough to buy three small plots of land. With three daughters to marry off, he knew he would need it in times to come. But bad times soon befell the family. His wife passed away when Govind was in school. For 10 years there was acute hardship. The rickshaws dwindled.
On his meager earnings, the uneducated rickshaw vendor with a hearing disability continued the education of his children. The girls were married after their graduation -- Narayan sold two pieces of land for the weddings, the last plot was sold to achieve his Govinda's dream.
Narayan gave his son Rs 40,000 to prepare for his Civil Services exam in New Delhi and pursue his childhood dream of becoming an IAS officer. For the next three years, he sent his son between Rs 2,500 and Rs 3,000 every month, sometimes foregoing the expense of treating the septic wound in his foot that continues to nag him till today.

Courier boys found his house with difficulty; now the fruitwallah will tell you where the 'IAS' house is'
Outside his narrow lane, opposite the Varanasi City railway station, where Narayan Jaiswal parks his rickshaws and spends most of his waking hours, he still walks barefooted with a bandage, one end hanging loose and scraping the dirty road.
"Beyond this year, my father could not have afforded to send Govind any more money. It was getting very tough for him. Govind was earning Rs 1,500 from tuitions, I don't know what he would have done if he didn't make it to the IAS this year. My father could not sleep for 10 days before the results came," says Govind's eldest sister Nirmala, whose son is almost the same age as her brother.
Now that he will earn Rs 8,000 as his starting salary during his two-year training period in Mussoorie, Govind says his first priority is getting good treatment for his father's wound.
"I want to look after him, I don't know if he will leave Varanasi but I will definitely move him out of this rented room that we have lived for 35 years."
If his son's new job dramatically changes things for the better, Narayan Jaiswal is quite unaffected by it. He is surprised by the scores of journalists and well wishers flocking to his house.
Until now, courier delivery boys found his house with great difficulty but now even the fruit cart-wallah, one-and-a-half kilometres away, will tell you where the 'IAS' house is.
"I like my work. I haven't decided about the future -- what could be a better place than Kashi? As long as my son looks after me, what else can one want?" he says, visibly uncomfortable with the media spotlight.
'My character will be put to the test, then I want to see what a real man I am'
Having lived his life in Varanasi, the holy city on the banks of the Ganga, Govind has given his home state Uttar Pradesh as his preferred region of posting. If he doesn't get UP, he is open to being sent to any state in India.
"Varanasi needs a tight administration. As for me, I want to be a good officer. We are the agents of change and I as an administrator would like to inform common people about their right to know, their right to information. The benefit should finally go to the people."
His hero is President A P J Abdul Kalam. Govind is reading the Hindi translation of the President's best-selling book On Wings of Fire and takes out a nicely thumbed copy from a plastic bag.
"After Gandhiji, President Kalam has given us a dream and the power to dream. His dream is of a developed India and he is a symbol of many common people's dreams."
In a time when the Indian bureaucracy has its drawbacks like a lack of accountability, corruption and perpetuating a system that was handed down by the British to rule a subordinate population Govind's thoughts are fired by the idealism of youth. He insists his idealism will not be watered down in future years, that he will not allow himself to be influenced.
"I am a product of my circumstances that has been wrought with hardships. When I go out as an officer my character will be put to the test, and then I want to see what a real man I am."
Courtesy: Rediff.com