Beat the Board exam blues

Beat the Board exam blues

Keep stress at bay. Here’s what you can do to stay calm and be prepared for the challenge.

What is your outlook towards the Board exams, barely a month away? Are you confident or unsure? Well-prepared or iffy? Exhausted or energetic? It is probably a bit of all these. At this stage, uncertainties about your level of preparation are as normal as those odd doubts in the tougher lessons. It is fine as long as you are not “terrified.”

There are various ways to quieten those butterflies fluttering in your stomach. Change the way you approach the Board exams, said Prime Minister Narendra Modi in his Mann ki Baat on January 29. Why not think of exam months as a time of celebration? As pleasure, instead of pressure? Prepare with expectations of joy, he said, as you would a festival!

Prepare well: Stick to a timetable. Learn all the lessons and plan last-minute revision according to the exam dates. While studying, take notes of points for quick reference on the exam day. Make flow-charts of topics/sub-topics/points, draw mind-maps, list major information on charts and display them on the wall. Read them constantly.

Go through Q&As as many times as possible — this helps in matching questions to answers. If you have to memorize something, understand it thoroughly. Find out what every letter of the formula stands for.

Give enough time to each subject. Practice diagrams, tables and graphs. Solve previous years’ exam papers to understand question patterns. Write down formula/theorems/definitions on flash-cards. Read them as you move around. Do you know how much time you take to write an answer? Find out. Practice proof-reading for spelling and grammar.

Relax: Your preparation is thorough. Great. But sometimes, you could forget a word/phrase/formula as you write the answer. Once outside, it comes rushing back to you because you are free of exam tension. Stay relaxed, tension-free, and you’ll remember what you studied.

Attitude: Always ask — “Will I do better than what I did in the previous exam?” Your competition is with yourself, not others. This is healthy, and it helps you improve without feeling low or depressed. Do not have unreal expectations of yourself. Accept your weak areas and work on them. “Accepting shortcomings opens solutions; expectations put hurdles in the way.”

Avoid television, films, chatting, long phone-calls and online messaging unless absolutely necessary. These will tire your brain. Speak less, allow your brain to spend time with yourself and absorb what you learn.

Stay healthy: We can not say this often enough: Get enough sleep. Stop studying at a particular hour, lie down, allow your mind to relax and ease into sleep gradually. If you are studying all night, your bio-rhythm needs to change to adjust to the exam schedule — you don’t want to fall asleep over the answer-sheet. So, two weeks before exams start, shift to the normal sleeping hours at night and stay awake during the day.

Stay stress-free: This is easy to say, difficult to follow. But it needs to be done. After two-three hours of study, take a five-minute break. Get up, stretch, take a short walk, drink water (big de-stresser), rest your eyes and breathe deeply. Exchange jokes, laugh and talk about happy incidents in school. Energy comes from within — how did Federer pull off that incredible Australian Open victory?

Writing: Read the questions carefully. Have you understood them? Form answers in your mind before putting them on paper. If you are stuck for an answer, move on. After completing the answers you know, return to take a second look. Write without distraction, at an even pace, and try to finish five minutes before the bell. Proofread the answers, label the diagrams and underline the important points. Exam over!

The last lap: D-Day! Reach the exam hall early. It will give you time to check your admit card, supplies like pen, pencil and instrument-box. Talk to friends, listen to discussions. Once inside, settle down and arrange your things on the desk. Take deep breaths, stay calm and composed.

Geeta Padmanabhan 

Thnks to : THE HINDU,  FEBRUARY 05, 2017

It’s not the end of the world

It’s not the end of the world

If your CAT results weren’t as expected, worry not. Better preparation will do it next time. And there are always other options.

There are over 25,000 candidates who were not able to score a “good grade” in the recent CAT exams. They were not able to obtain the minimum sectional percentile score in CAT 2016, despite scoring a decent overall percentile. According to the experts, the competition will only get tougher. However, the students who have not been able to get admission into IIMs should not lose hope because there always is another way and another day to achieve your dreams. Not getting into IIMs is not the end of the world.

Firstly, learn to accept what happened. It is important to accept your failure just the way you accept your victory. Failures are always painful but that does not mean that you should stop trying because you are too afraid to bear the pain. This surely was not the first attempt for many students, but do not ever make it your last attempt. “The first thing to do is feel all the emotions that you go through when things don’t come through. If you expected a great result but don't have one, experience the pain first and end up with the optimistic thought: I can pick up from where I left off,” says Shobhit Bhatnagar, co-founder and CEO, Gradeup.

Work on your weak areas

The next attempt is not very far away. So, students should analyse their weak areas and start working on those areas from this very morning. If you are not able to do well in one section as compared to the other sections, do not think that it is not your cup of tea. Practise harder for that section and you will be able to perform better. “Those who scored well in English section or quantitative section did not do it because they were born to calculate faster or to read complex languages. It is because of their history (which can be by accident or by choice or by a combination of both); they have worked hard on those aspects,” says Shobhit. So, one needs to figure out their weak areas and destroy the mind-block which is holding them back. Signing up for coaching classes would help you work on these areas. Value this time and work harder on these areas.

Talk to professionals

Another good option to consider before appearing for the CAT this time, would be talking to professionals. Talking to people who work in this industry is a very good option for the candidates who are looking for some experienced advice. Candidates should also try and talk to students in B-Schools to identify areas for improvement that will help you during your MBA too. This will also help the students decide if they really want to pursue MBA or not.

It is very important to move past the mindset that IIMs are the only good places for MBA education. IIMs do have a good reputation, which is very well earned. However, we need to remember that IIMs are not the only institutes in the world which give good education. There are select good B-schools, both in India and abroad, that emphasise world-class education. “The deciding criteria that aspiring students should rely upon to pick their choice of B-school includes consistent top rankings, global exposure, strong institute-industry interface, corporate events, and impeccable placement records,” says Sandeep Pachpande, chairman, Audyogik Shikshan Mandal.

While some choose to prepare an additional year for the CAT, many others opt out of the race. Those who fall in the latter category should not be disheartened as there are several options one can explore. One could look at career choices in banking and government.

“There has been a surge in the number of students applying for banking and government jobs as seen on our portal, which is for government and banking exams. Increasingly, graduates, including engineers, are opting for a career in government,” said Abhishek Patil, CEO, Oliveboard. While many people prefer government jobs due to the added advantage of job security, pension, fixed working hours, housing facility, health care, vacations, social security, and so on, banking sector provides an opportunity for a well-defined career progression.

Develop your personality

Most importantly, if you're not pursuing an MBA this year, put your time to good use. Developing your personality is a very important aspect of your life that will not only help you in personal interviews but will also be an advantage throughout your life. “Improve your communication skills, give your time to a cause you care about, learn a musical instrument if you have always planned to learn one, get fit and healthy, spend time with your family, and read as much as possible, as this is the most important habit that'll help you during your MBA, and also throughout life,” says Shobhit.

Deeksha Teri, UPDATED: FEBRUARY 04, 2017 

Thanks to : THE HINDU

Registration Begins for AIIMS MBBS Exam 2017

Registration Begins for AIIMS MBBS Exam 2017  

Apply Now! 

There are 100 seats available for Indian Nationals and 7 seats for Foreign Nationals are available for admission of candidates into the AIIMS MBBS course

MBBS aspirants who are looking to attend the AIIMS MBBS Exam 2017 can now start applying as the hosting body opened its online registration process on Tuesday. The applications will be available on AIMS MBBS official website http://mbbs.aiimsexams.org/.

The medical course is five and a half years long. It comprises degree of Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery (MBBS) of the All India Institute of Medical Sciences. It also includes one year's mandatory internship.

There are 100 seats available for Indian Nationals and 7 seats for Foreign Nationals are available for admission of candidates into the AIIMS MBBS course this year. The reservation in these available seats include 15 seats for the Scheduled Castes, 8 for the Scheduled Tribes, 27 for Other Backward Classes and 50 for General Category for Indian Nationals.

The deadline for the online registration of applications is 23rd February 2017 and it closes at at 5:00 pm. The registration status of the candidates including rejection/deficiencies in the application can be verified on AIIMS website on Tuesday, 7th March 2017.

Dates to Note Entrance Examination

28th May 2017 (Sunday)

Result Notification 14th June 2017 (Wednesday)

1st Counselling 03rd, 04th, 05th and 06th July 2017(Monday-Thursday)

 2nd Counselling 3rd August 2017 (Thursday)

3rd Counselling 5th September 2017 (Tuesday)

Open Counselling [If required] 26th September 2017 (Tuesday)

Registration Confirmation 

Candidates will receive a confirmation with regard to successful online registration that would be forwarded to registered e-mail ID of the applicants. However, the status of Admit Card will be available on AIIMS, New Delhi website www.aiimsexams.org from 1st May 2017.

Note 

The candidates must take a print out of the admit card and carry it to the exam hall along with a valid photo identity proof. The admit card will not be sent through Postal System. The candidates will not be admitted to the examination unless he/she holds a valid admit card.

Posted by: Malavikka

Thanks to : CAREER INDIA, 25.01.2017

Busting some UPSC exam myths

Busting some UPSC exam myths

Some mistakes, ‘hacks’ and ‘shortcuts’ to avoid while preparing for the civil services exam.

The challenging Civil Services Examination (CSE) conducted by the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) is spread over an entire year, divided into three extremely competitive stages, in which anything can go wrong at any stage leading to one’s failure.

This must sound scary to over seven lakh aspirants who will be sitting for the exam. While beginning their preparation, many students have partial knowledge about the exam, its nitty-gritties and preparation strategy. Confused by half knowledge and filled with fear, many of the students start believing in myths floating around. Here are some things aspirants should avoid.

Myth: IAS officers/aspirants should know everything about every topic/subject under the sun.

Reality: No, they do not. But since this is a generalist exam, they are supposed to be generally well read, with a balanced outlook towards issues. Moreover, the syllabus of the exam is huge, covering many subjects. So, an IAS aspirant is generally much more aware than others. What is required is a general understanding of the topic and conceptual clarity. The exam does not require one to be an expert in a topic, rather, aspirants should have general awareness and analytical skills.

Myth: I need to remember a lot of facts to clear CSE.

Reality: No, the exam does not test factual knowledge at all. It tests your understanding, conceptual clarity and analytical skills. However, some facts are considered to be the basis of building perspective, which are important to know. So, you should know a few basic facts such as size of the GDP, demographic data, and so on, but it will be easier to remember them once you understand their significance.

Myth: You need to be a topper throughout to clear the exam.

Reality: Although being a topper helps, it does not guarantee you success in this exam. What is required is general awareness, logical reasoning and good writing skills. If you can develop those, you can clear this exam even if you had a second division in Class X or XII. Yes, you might have to explain in the interview as to why you scored less, but it is not held against you if you have a valid reason.

Myth: You cannot clear the exam without the help of a coaching institute.

Reality: Wrong. In the new era, one can make use of various great resources, such as mobile apps and websites. Coaching centres do have a study plan that they enforce on you, but it cannot guarantee success and they charge an astronomical fee, which many aspirants cannot afford. It is important to first understand where you stand and how much you need to improve. Once you know your study objectives, you can decide between self-study or joining a coaching institute.

Myth: Writing skills cannot be improved, so one should read now and directly write in the exam hall.

Reality: This is one of the biggest mistakes one can make. Writing at home and writing in the exam hall are two entirely different scenarios. There is so much pressure in the exam hall that you can find it hard to think about new points. So, if you do not practice, you would not be able to finish the paper on time. Writing skills improve slowly, hence, it is more important that you practice regularly. Consistent writing practice helps in honing articulation which leads to better expression, and, ultimately, better marks.

Myth: You must attempt more than 90 questions to clear prelims.

Reality: This is not true. Another myth that has been made popular by some of the ‘hacks’ and ‘shortcuts’ floating in the market is that if you attempt more questions it is easier to get more marks. It doesn’t work like that. To attempt more number of questions correctly, one needs to have a certain level of “intuition”. And that level of intuition comes from years of reading and internalising information which helps in creating links between topics.While a well-read person may attempt a disproportionately large number of questions and still manage to get them correct, not everyone can do it. So, one should attempt only those questions one is reasonably sure of, and not because someone gave you a hack. You need to practice and figure out a strategy that works well for you.

Myth: One needs to study 16 hours a day to clear.

Reality: Let’s face it. No one can study for 16 hours per day for an extended period and not crash. Moreover, it is not the hours that matter, rather the quality. So, you have people who clear by studying for four to five hours a day alongside a job, and people who have studied for 12 hours per day continuously for months. You must find your balance.

Myth: You need to read many books on a single topic to gain absolute “mastery” over the subject.

Reality: First, “mastery” over any subject is a super ambitious target, in case of UPSC exam. Second, it is always better to understand a single book in great depth rather than reading multiple books to understand a topic. Also, even though you have read and understood something, it takes time to get internalised as you are going to study many new topics. If you don’t make notes and revise, you might not be able to retain them effectively. If you genuinely understand a topic and want to expand your knowledge and/or build more perspective, reading more books can certainly help.

Myth: One must read standard books from cover to cover and make notes on every topic in the syllabus.

Reality: Absolutely not. Apart from NCERTs and some books, nothing is required to be read cover to cover. Though reading and acquiring knowledge is almost always helpful, it is far better to adopt a topic-wise approach. Break down the syllabus in keywords and try to cover them from relevant sources and books. Also, making notes is important. But they shouldn’t become an end-in-themselves. They should aid in your understanding and help in effective revision. Making a mind map is far better, and so is scribbling on the margins, than making traditional notes.

To sum up, we know you face a daunting task. But we hope that you’ll enjoy the learning experience instead of becoming anxious and burning out. Focus on the mantra of “Read, Revise, Internalise.” It is also important not to blindly follow any advice that is doled out to you, including this one.

The writer is head, UPSC exam preparation community, Gradeup.

*******************************************************Atul Roy

Thanks to : The Hindu , 22.01.2017

Are you ready for GATE?

Are you ready for GATE?

Follow these expert tips for your last-minute preparation.

With less than a month left for the Graduate Aptitude Test in Engineering (GATE), it is worthwhile to look into your preparations for one of the toughest examinations for engineering students pursuing post graduation.

The exam, scheduled for February 4, 5, 11 and 12, is expected to see an attendance of eight to eleven lakh students. GATE contains Multiple Choice Questions (MCQ) and numerical answer questions. It is an online examination of three hours, with 65 questions, carrying a total of 100 marks.

There a couple of similarities in the CAT and GATE examination patterns. First, GATE has a 15 per cent weightage of marks for General Aptitude which is similar to the overall syllabus for CAT. Preparation for CAT will be helpful in preparation for the General Aptitude section of GATE,” says Mr. M.V. Reddy, course director, GATE, T.I.M.E. Students who have prepared for CAT will understand the importance of test-taking strategies like time management, stress management, attempting of right questions, and so on. The same will be useful for GATE.

“In terms of attacking the exam paper strategically and keeping your cool during the exam, taking a high pressure exam like CAT could be helpful,” says Mallesham Devasane, head of GATE community, Gradeup.

At the last stages of preparation, stress takes over and kills confidence. To fight that, here are some quick tips for test-takers.

Sketching the schedule

“With GATE less than a month away, the focus should be more on revision and practising with online tests instead of picking fresh subjects,” said Mr. Devasane. Considering that students are either working or completing college, they should devote six to eight hours for GATE preparation on weekdays and 10-14 hours on weekends.

Previous-year papers

This is the time when students should solve a lot of previous years’ papers and mock papers. One should try and solve the papers which have answer keys easily available so that no time is wasted in re-checking the answers.

Previous-year question papers will also help students in figuring out the weightage that certain sections carry. At this point, students should aim to solve four to five sample papers every day.

Time management

While solving the mock exams, students should aim to complete in two hours 45 minutes, instead of three hours. Try reducing the time limit with every passing day. Always remember that you will be able to score well only if you plan right.

No new concepts

The time for learning and understanding new concepts is over. With just two weeks left for the final exam, students should concentrate on the topics that they know well and brush up their skills. This way, they will be able to score well on the basis of the concepts that they are good at, instead of worrying about the difficult ones.

Make revision notes

At this stage of preparation, it is impossible to go through all the books again. Revision notes come in handy at this stage. Make sure that you mention only the key points in the revision notes.

Read the questions

Since the questions asked in GATE test the depth of understanding of concepts, it is important to spend more time on understanding the questions rather than rushing to finish the paper.

Personal health

Don’t fully involve yourself in the preparations. Being calm and staying healthy is as important as scoring good grades. “One should not lose focus from the overall development of oneself. Not only does doing so directly improve your academic performance, it has multiple long lasting benefits.

Many reputed public sector undertakings that hire through GATE and colleges that admit through GATE have a group discussion/personal interview process besides consideration of GATE score. Candidates, who have worked on their overall communication and personality will see the benefits of their efforts in these processes,” says Mr. Devasane.

Keep your documents ready

In order to avoid any last-minute rush, keep all the required documents filed with you in advance. This will help you to stay focused on your studies near the exam date. Visit your centre before appearing for your exam so that you do not get lost on the big day.

“First, students should ensure that they revise their concepts, especially for their subjects of strength. Second, students should practice a lot of questions to test their understanding. Third, students should write mock GATE exams to ensure that they’re in the right groove to maximise their performance in GATE,” says Mr. Reddy.

**********************************************Deeksha Teri*******

Thanks to  : The Hindu , 22.01.2017

CBSE Class X, XII exams from March 9

CBSE Class X, XII exams from March 9

The Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) 2017 examination for Class X and XII will begin on March 9.

The examinations, which are normally held in the first week of March, have been delayed this year by a week in view of the Assembly elections in five States — Punjab, Goa, Manipur, Uttarakhand and Uttar Pradesh, a statement released by the CBSE said.

While a total of 16.67 lakh candidates from across 16,354 schools will appear for the Class X examinations, around 10.98 lakh candidates from 10,677 schools across the country will appear for the Class XII examinations. While the Class X exams will end on April 10, the Class XII exams will end on April 29.

The release from the CBSE also stated that the Board has made all possible efforts to maintain reasonable time gap between the major papers. It also said that the results would be declared on time as the Board has adopted several Information Technology (IT) initiatives which will aid in faster result processing.

by Tanu Kulkarni, 

The Hindu - 09.01.2017

What is Indian Forest Service (IFS) Exam?

What is Indian Forest Service (IFS) Exam?

 The Indian Forest Service (IFS) is the Civil Services Examination or a competitive exam in India conducted by Union Public Service Commission for the recruitment to various Civil Services of the Government of India. 

IFS one of the three All India Services. The exam is conducted for recruitment to forestry services of India.   

About IFS: 

Indian Forest Service is one of the Civil Services of India and belongs to the apex All India Services group. IFS services are placed under various State cadres and joint cadres  though they have the mandate to serve both under the State and Central Governments. 

The main mandate of IFS service is the implementation of the National Forest Policy which aims to ensure environmental stability and maintenance of ecological balance.

 An IFS officer is largely independent of district administration and exercises administrative, judicial and financial powers in their own domain. All top positions in state forest department are held by IFS officers.

Eligibility Criteria 

1) Nationality:  

A candidate must be 

(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, Sri Lanka, East African countries like Kenya, Uganda, the United Republic of Tanzania, Zambia, Malawi, Zaire, Ethiopia, and Vietnam with the intention of permanently settling in India. 

Candidate belonging to categories (b), (c), (d) and (e) should produce a certificate of eligibility, which has been issued by the Government of India 

2) Educational Qualification: 

Candidate should hold a Bachelor’s degree with at least one of the subjects namely, Animal Husbandry & Veterinary Science, Botany, Chemistry, Geology, Mathematics, Physics, Statistics and Zoology or a Bachelor’s degree in Agriculture or Forestry or Engineering of a recognised university or equivalent. 

Candidates appearing at their degree examination (with prescribed subjects) can also compete. If they qualify on the result of the written part of the examination, they will have to submit the proof of passing the required examination alongwith their detailed application form to be filled in at that stage.

3) Age Limit : 

Age of a candidate should be minimum 21 years and maximum 30 years on 1st July of the year of examination. While the upper age limit will be relaxable in the following cases: 

• For Scheduled Caste/ Scheduled Tribe (SC /ST) : Upto 5 years 

• Other Backward Classes (OBC): Upto 3 years 

• State of Jammu & Kashmir (Domiciled during the period from the 1st January 1980 to 31st December 1989: Upto 5 years. 

• Defence Services personnel: Upto 5 years 

• Ex-servicemen including Commissioned officers and ECOs/SSCOs who have rendered at least 5 years 

• Military Service as on and have been released: Upto 5 years 

• ECOs/SSCOs : Upto a maximum of five years. 

(Ministry of Defence issues a certificate that they can apply for civil employment and that they will be released on three month's notice on selection from the date of receipt of offer of appointment) 

Blind, deaf-mute and Orthopaedically handicapped persons: Upto 10 years.

Cumulative Age relaxation: 

SC, ST and the OBC who are also covered under other clauses mentioned above will be eligible to grant cumulative age-relaxation under both the categories. 

4) Number of attempts: 

The maximum number of attempts restricted for candidates are as follows:  

• General Candidates: 6 attempts 

• Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribe Candidates: 

• No restriction Other Backward Classes: 9 attempts 

Appearing for one or more papers of examination will be counted as an attempt at the examination even if the candidate failed to qualify for the selection.

Thanks to CAREER INDIA

About Joint Entrance Examination

About Joint Entrance Examination

What is JEE Main Exam? 

Introduction : 

The Ministry of Human Resource Development, Government of India and Central Board of Secondary education (CBSE), New Delhi introduced the national level common entrance exam called Joint Entrance Examination (JEE). 

JEE will be conducted by the JEE Apex Board for admission to Undergraduate Engineering Programmes in NITs, IIITs and other Centrally Funded Technical Institutions. The Joint Entrance Exam will be conducted in two parts, JEE Mains and JEE Advanced. JEE (Main) replaces the AIEEE entrance exam and JEE (Advanced) replaced the IIT-JEE entrance exam from 2013. 

The aim of the common entrance test has been mooted to reduce stress on students., who have to appear for multiple entrance examinations and to give greater relevance to the school education, especially the class 12 board examinations.

What is JEE Main?

The JEE Main entrance exam is conducted for admission to engineering courses across the country in NITs, IIITs, Deemed Universities and Other centrally Funded technical Institutions. 

The JEE Main entrance exam will be conducted in two modes, viz offline and online (Computer Based Test). The JEE (Main) test pattern contains three papers. 

Paper I of earlier AIEEE, will have one objective type question paper. The paper will consist of Physics, Chemistry and Mathematics. The duration of the paper will be 3 (Three) Hours. 

The Paper II for admissions to B.Arch/B.Planning courses at NITs, IIITs, DTU, Delhi and other CFTIs will have one Question Paper consisting of Mathematics, Aptitude Test and Drawing Test as per past practice of AIEEE  

The duration of the paper will be 3 (Three) Hours. The Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE), New Delhi conducts Joint Entrance Exam (JEE) Main in Pen & Paper Based and Computer Based examination.

CAREER INDIA

About Indian Foreign Service

About Indian Foreign Service 

What is IFS Exam? 

The Indian  Foreign Service is the administrative diplomatic civil service under Group A and Group B. It is one of the Central Civil Services of the executive branch of the Government of India. 

The members of the IFS represent the country in the international territory. The IFS is unlike other civil services as it deals with the country's external affairs like diplomacy, trade and cultural relations. 

The IFS is responsible for framing the Government's foreign policies and management of Indian missions abroad. 

Eligibility Criteria 

1) Nationality: 

Nationality of a candidate must be either of the following: 

• Citizen of India 

• Subject of Nepal 

• Subject of Bhutan 

• A Tibetan refugee who came to India before January 1, 1962 for permanent settlement in India.

•  Migrant from any of the following countries for permanently settling in India: Pakistan, Burma, Sri Lanka, East African countries of Kenya, Uganda, the United Republic of Tanzania, Zambia, Malawi, Zaire, Ethiopia and Vietnam 

2) Educational Qualification: 

Candidate should hold a degree from any of the recognized universities or must have an equivalent qualification 

3) Age Limit : 

• Minimum age 21 years 

• Maximum age 30 years as on 1st of August in the year of examination. 

Relax able age limit is as follows: 

• Up to max. 5 years for SC/ST candidates. 

• Up to max. 3 years for OBC candidates. 

• Up to max. 5 years for candidate from the State of Jammu & Kashmir 

• Up to max. 5 years for Defense Services personnel 

• Up to max. 5 years for Ex-servicemen including Commissioned officers and ECOs/SSCOs who have rendered at least 5 years Military Service and have been released. 

• Up to max. 5 years for ECOs/SSCOs who have completed an initial period of assignment of 5 years of Military Service. 

• Up to max. 10 years for Blind, deaf-mute and Orthopedic ally handicapped persons 

4) Number of attempts: 

The maximum number of attempts is as follows: 

• General Category Candidates: 4 attempts 

• Scheduled Caste/Scheduled Tribe (SC/ST) candidates: No restriction 

• Other Backward Class candidates: 7 attempts

About IPS exam

About IPS exam

What is IPS Exam? 

The Indian Police Service or IPS is one of the 3 All India Services of the Government of India. The IPS was formed in the year 1948. The cadre controlling authority for the IPS is the Ministry of Home Affairs. 

The Indian Police Service examination is a part of the Civil Services Examination which is conducted by the Union Public Service Commission each year.

 An IPS (Indian Police Service) officer carries out his/her responsibilities by safeguarding public. The IPS gives more importance to law and order, which, at the district level, is a collective responsibility of IPS and IAS officers; detecting and preventing crime; and traffic control and accident prevention and management.

In order to fulfill these functions efficiently, responsibly and systematically, the IPS service is divided into various functional departments such as Crime Branch, Criminal Investigation Department (CID), Home Guards, Traffic Bureau.

Eligibility Criteria 

1. Physical Criteria

The physical criteria for eligibility of the IPS officer is as follows: 

Minimum Height - Men - 165cm                   Women - 150cm

Relaxable minimum height is 160cm (men) and 145cm (women)

for candidates belonging to ST and races such as Gorkhas, Garhwalias, Assamese, Kumaonis, Nagaland Tribals, etc. 

Minimum Chest Girth - Men/Women: 84cm 79cm

Myopia (including cylinder) should not exceed minus 4.00D 

Hypermyopia (including cylinder) should not exceed plus 4.00D 

* The presence of Squint is a disqualification 

* Spectacles are permitted 

* Distant vision for better eye(Corrected Vision) should be 6/6 or 6/9 

* Distant vision for the worse eye(Uncorrected Vision) should be 6/12 or 6/9 

* Near vision should be J1 and J2 respectively

* High grade color vision is required and Binocular vision is needed 

2. Nationality:

 Nationality of a candidate must be either of the following: 

* Citizen of India 

* Subject of Nepal 

* Subject of Bhutan

 * A Tibetan refugee who came to India before January 1, 1962 for permanent settlement in India. 

* Migrant from any of the following countries for permanently settling in India: 

Pakistan, Burma, Sri Lanka, East African countries of Kenya, Uganda, the United Republic of Tanzania, Zambia, Malawi, Zaire, Ethiopia and Vietnam

3. Educational Qualification:

 A candidate must hold a Bachelor's degree from any of the universities recognised by the UGC or possess an equivalent qualification. 

4. Age Limit : 

Candidate should fulfill the age limits mentioned below: 

* Minimum age 21 years 

* Maximum age 30 years as on 1st of August in the year of examination. 

Relax able age limit is as follows: 

* Up to max. 5 years for SC/ST candidates. 

* Up to max. 3 years for OBC candidates. 

* Up to max. 5 years for candidate from the State of Jammu & Kashmir 

* Up to max. 5 years for Defense Services personnel 

* Up to max. 5 years for Ex-servicemen including Commissioned officers and ECOs/SSCOs who have rendered at least 5 years 

Military Service and have been released. 

* Up to max. 5 years for ECOs/SSCOs who have completed an initial period of assignment of 5 years of Military Service. 

* Up to max. 10 years for Blind, deaf-mute and Orthographically handicapped persons 

5. Number of attempts: 

The number of attempts restriction to appear for the exam is as follows: 

* For General category candidates: 4 attempts 

* For SC/ST candidates:  No restriction 

* For OBC candidates: 7 attempts 

Roles and Responsibilities 

* To fulfill duties based on border responsibilities, in the areas of maintenance of public peace and order, crime prevention, investigation, and finding, collecting of intelligence reports, taking care of VIP security, counter-terrorism, border paroling, railway policing, working towards preventing smuggling, drug trafficking, economic offences, corruption, playing a key role in disaster management, enforcement of socio-economic legislation, bio-diversity and defending of environmental laws etc. 

* Exchanging information with the Indian Intelligence Agencies like R&AW, IB, CID, CBI 

* Leading the Central Armed Police Force (CRPF) and being in touch with them on a regular basis

* Interact and coordinate with the Indian Revenue services (IRS), Indian Armed forces, primarily with the Indian Army 

* Serve the people of the country with full integrity, honesty and whole hearted dedication Select Other Exam

About I.A.S. Exam

What is IAS Exam? 

Indian Administrative Service (IAS) is the Civil Services Examination or a competitive exam in India conducted by Union Public Service Commission for the recruitment to various Civil Services of the Government of India. 

About IAS: 

The Indian Administrative Service is the premier administrative civil service of the Government of India. IAS is the highest administrative post among the 24 services like IPS, IFS etc.

 IAS is the permanent bureaucracy in India and forms a part of the executive branch. IAS is one of the three All India Services—its cadre can be employed by both the Union Government and the States. IAS officer is given administrative command of an entire district as a District Collector.  IAS officers also represent Government of India at international level in bilateral and multilateral negotiations.

Eligibility Criteria 

1. Nationality: Candidate must be a citizen of India. 

2. Educational Qualification: Candidate applying for civil service exams is required to fulfill the following criteria:

*Candidate must hold a Bachelor's Degree from any of the recognized universities 

*Candidates who have appeared for the qualifying examination and are awaiting results or those who are yet to appear for the qualifying examination are also eligible for the Preliminary Examination. Such candidates have to produce proof of passing the said examination along with the application for the Main Examination.

* Candidates with professional and technical qualifications recognized by the Government or its equivalent are also eligible to apply 

*Candidates who have passed the final year of MBBS or any Medical Examination but are yet to complete the internship can also appear for the Main Examination. However, they must submit a certificate from the concerned University that they have passed the final professional medical examination. 

3. Age Limit : 

* A candidate should be minimum 21 years and maximum 32 years old as on  August 01, 2016. 

*The upper age limit prescribed above is releasable for the following candidates:

* 5 years - Scheduled Caste/ Scheduled Tribe (SC/ST) 

* 3 years - Other Backward Classes (OBC) 

* 5 years - if a candidate had ordinarily been domiciled in the State of Jammu & Kashmir during the period from the 1st January, 1980 to the 31st December, 1989. 

* 3 years - Defense Services personnel 

* 5 years - ex-servicemen including Commissioned Officers and ECOs/SSCOs who have rendered at least 5 years Military Service as on 1st August, 2015 

* 5 years in the case of ECOs/SSCOs 

*10 years - Blind, deaf-mute and orthopedically handicapped persons 

4. Number of attempts:

Restriction on the maximum number of attempts is effective since 1984: 

* For General Candidates: 6 attempts. 

* Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribe Candidates (SC/ST): No Limits. 

* Other Backward Classes (OBC): 9 attempts. 

Roles and Responsibilities 

* Handling affairs of government that involves framing and implementation of policy in consultation with the concerned Minister 

* Implementing policies through supervision and also traveling to the places where the approved policies will be implemented 

* Implementing policies comprises disbursement of funds through personal supervision 

*Answerable to the Parliament and State Legislatures for any violation of rules while on duty.

Functions and responsibilities differ at different levels of career 

* Initially, IAS officers join the state administration at the sub-divisional level, resuming their services as sub-divisional magistrates, and look after law and order, general administration and development work in the area assigned to them. 

* The post of the District Officer also known as District Magistrate, district Collector or Deputy Commissioner is the highly respected and responsible post the IAS officers enjoy 

*At the district level, an IAS officer deals with district affairs, including implementation of developmental programs 

* The officers may also be appointed in the State Secretariat or they may serve as Heads of Departments or in Public Sector Undertakings 

* They may serve in different positions from the State to the Centre and vice versa. This happens through deputation. 

* At the Centre, IAS officers serve at the highest position as the Cabinet Secretaries, Secretaries/Additional Secretaries, Joint Secretaries, Directors, Deputy Secretaries and Under Secretaries. They are appointed to these posts based on seniority.

* At the Centre, the IAS officers play key role in formulation and implementation of policies related to a particular area; for instane, finance, commerce, etc. 

* During formulation of a policy and decision making, IAS officers serving at different levels i.e. joint secretary, deputy secretary give their valuable inputs 

*The policy takes its final shape through a final decision the minister concerned or the cabinet, depending on the seriousness of the situation