Civil Services Examination (CSE) conducted by UPSC is a journey of courage, and a journey of awareness! Courage to explore the varied concepts and dimensions related to humanity and ecology, thus leading to gaining holistic awareness. And, this awareness is for a lifetime and getting selected into Civil Services is just an offshoot of this awareness.
But, before embarking on this journey, an aspirant should also know about- What UPSC actually wants and tests? UPSC as job fitness wants in a candidate a thinking and analytical mind; comprehensive yet logical approach; interdisciplinary outlook; effective communication skills; and problem-solving attitude.
And, UPSC tests all these in every stage of the process up till selection, right from decoding the syllabus itself, and then through an intelligently designed examination pattern:
Prelims- through objective papers UPSC checks the response of a candidate and his/her attention to detail on the basis of his/her logical analysis or deduction in choosing the right option from available options;
Mains- through descriptive papers, UPSC checks the personality of a candidate by analysing his/her capability of logical presentation, analysis and solution of an issue/ or ability to write a synopsis from piles of information.
Personality Test– through oral communication, UPSC checks the interpersonal skills, problem-solving approach of a candidate in real time, keenness and alertness of mind, job fitness, etc.
Citing above requirements, the task for an aspirant begins by- Unlearning old habits (like rot learning/mugging every line, relying on notes only, and preparing at last moment); and Learning new ways (aim at conceptual understanding over rote learning, developing keen interest in understanding the context of issues, focusing on minimum yet standard sources, practise writing daily and learning from it to improve logical skills and skills of time management). Because, this examination is not about intelligence but everything about awareness, those who succeed, only do things differently.
Considering the above, this journey of conceptual development can be undertaken by a candidate through:
– Reading basic NCERT books which are helpful in building the background for gaining clarity in handling the syllabus,
– Linking current affairs for understanding the present scenario (in totality) and also for decoding the components of the syllabus, and then
– Testing the concepts developed through regular writing practice for upgrading communication skills (required for logical analysis and summation).
Here, the faculty plays an important role. There has to be engagement in the classroom for the students to gain perspective. Teachers must have the ability to connecting the dots. The approach they should follow must also be interdisciplinary. They must have the knack to connect theory to the practicality and use such examples to broaden students understanding.
We, at Rau’s IAS, ensure that the teachers are accountable for whatever they teach in class. There is a proper plan in place for the teachers to follow and it is explained to the students why a certain topic is important or is being taught in a particular way. Feedback is collected from students to gauge class progress, execution of teachers’ deliverables and development of students’ ability in tackling previous years’ questions. This acts as a learning process for the teachers themselves.
Our focus is enabling students to think and perform themselves rather than spoon feed them which is meaningless. In a nutshell, for mastering this journey focus on understanding all the dimensions of an issue, question yourself if you have understood the implications of an issue in totality, revisit the issue to gain more perspective, write it down to logically bring out its context, read minimum number of but reliable sources and maximise them for maximum impact. Also, remember that UPSC wants generalists and not specialists.