How to study for ias civil service exams: What toppers don’t tell you?

The civil services exam is one of the most attended exams. Its called mother of exams by some people. Whether its called mother or father doesn't matter to a person who takes the exam. For him/her its important to clear the exam.

Here i include things which toppers don’t tell. What that comes in most interview magazines are incomplete or sometimes distorted. This was explained in her wonderful blog by the topper shubhra saxena. The majority of the aspirants take a jump to the civil service very lately. The familiarity with the environment and understanding the corridors of study is important. Or else the aspirant gets lost in the jungle of materials.

The toppers might say that they saw bbc, the ndtv and all news debates. After reading this line a newbie aspirant starts listening to all the news from the next day!. The thing is that the topper would have prioritized her time. This way she knows what to listen to and what not to. This she can skip and wasteful debate while attend a good one. On the other hand the newbie aspirant would start taking down notes of the most frivolous things and end up having some junk when nearing the exams.

Another question where the toppers are forced to lie is when they are asked about the optionals. Take the case of a person who has crossed the civil services exams due to strong marks in optional. But when asked the question: Do you think all optionals are equal in scope? , he would obviously say “yes”. Else it would show that his result is biased. So asking that question itself is useless. He would go on length that its the interest in subject that matters and not the luck. Would you expect him to say publicly that he got in because he was lucky to choose a particular subject as optional?

This series will continue in the part 2 which would be added soon. 

Soon to be added : A complete list of blogs by ias officers, toppers.