The Union Public Service Commission is going to conduct the Civil Services Preliminary examination on 18th June 2017. The civil services Examination is considered as one of the most perplexing examinations in India. Lots of aspirants appear for the Civil Services Examination every year and hardly 1000 candidates crack the examination. This clearly indicates the hard competition and tough nature of the examination.
Syllabus for Civil Services Preliminary Examination
General studies paper I
- Current events of national and international importance.
- History of India and Indian National Movement.
- Indian and World Geography – Physical, Social, Economic Geography of India and the World.
- Indian Polity and Governance – Constitution, Political System, Panchayati Raj, Public Policy, Rights Issues, etc.
- Economic and Social Development – Sustainable Development, Poverty, Inclusion, Demographics, Social Sector initiatives, etc.
- General issues on Environmental Ecology, Bio-diversity and Climate Change – that do not require subject specialization General Science
General Studies Paper II
- Comprehension
- Interpersonal skills including communication skills;
- Logical reasoning and analytical ability
- Decision-making and problem solving
- General mental ability
- Basic numeracy (numbers and their relations, orders of magnitude, etc.) (Class X level), Data interpretation (charts, graphs, tables, data sufficiency etc. – Class X level)
UPSC Civil Services Exam Question Paper trends of past 4 years (2013 to 2016)
The table shows the past 4 year’s trend. The questions from UPSC Civil Services preliminary examination 2013- 2016 is blended with current affairs. The questions from each topic were not asked directly. They all had the flavor of current affairs. In the first sight, the nature of the question seems like current affairs. But if you dissect it intelligently you can find the elements of core concepts. UPSC never asks a question without reason. In this point, solving previous paper becomes significant. By solving previous years question the paper candidate can generate the idea about the questions asked by UPSC for civil services preliminary examination.
Year | Polity | Economy | Geography, Agriculture& Environment | History & Culture | Science | Defense and others |
2013 | 18 | 18 | 36 | 15 | 13 | 0 |
2014 | 11 | 10 | 46 | 20 | 9 | 4 |
2015 | 12 | 21 | 37 | 14 | 9 | 7 |
2016 | 6 | 29 | 30 | 17 | 10 | 7 |
Important topics to cover for IAS Prelims 2017
To crack this examination the aspirants need right assistance and a meticulously designed study plan. It will enhance your self-confidence and helps you stay focused till you achieve your dream. When you are under the right guidance, the hard work you put will absolutely yield results. Here we are giving you right assistance. Based on previous year question paper, we are providing the important topics for each subject to crack civil services preliminary 2017.
POLITY
Polity is an essential area in the UPSC civil service examination. It has a very vital role in all the three phases of exam-Preliminary, Mains and Interview. The importance of the subject is carried further, even when one gets into the service. The candidate should have a basic idea of the constitution, articles, and important amendments. They should give more importance to the current events related to the topics like the recent changes in the constitution, amendments, and bills, new schemes initiated by government and relevant Supreme Court verdicts. Apart from that, the candidates should give more focus on these areas.
- Distribution of Powers between Union and States
- Directive Principles and Fundamental Duties
- Panchayati Raj and PESA 1996
- Passing of Bills (Ordinary and Money)
- Forest Rights ACT 2006
- Judiciary
- Non–Proliferation Treaty and MTCR
- Indian Membership in Regional Establishments
- Parliament and State Legislature
- Different parliamentary proceedings
- Different Committees of Parliament
- NITI Aayog
- President, Prime Minister, Council of Ministers, Speaker, Governor, CAG and attorney general
The previous questions prelims question from this is given below. It is highly recommended to solve the previous year question paper to enhance your preparation.
- Which of the following statements is/ are correct?
- A bill pending in the Lok Sabha lapses on its prorogation.
- A Bill pending in the Rajya Sabha, which has not been passed by the Lok Sabha, shall not lapse on dissolution of the Lok Sabha
Select the correct answer using the code below
- 1 only
- 2 only
- Both 1 and 2
- Neither 1 nor 2
Ans. B
ECONOMICS
- The economics is a very dynamic topic. The facts and figures change on regular basis. Most essentially the candidates should ensure that they are thorough with the basic concepts of economics. Conceptual clarity is what matters the most in Economics. Along with the basic concepts, they have to focus on the current events of past one year. There are lots of economic changes happened in the year of 2016. So it is very vital to focus on current affairs as well as the core theories. Apart from that, the candidates should focus on these areas.
- Basic terms like Growth Rate, National income- GDP, GVA etc.
- Inflation rates
- Depreciation and appreciation
- Taxes and reforms
- Demonetization, Banking Systems and Based III
- Convertibility of Rupee
- Monetary Policy and its Measures (CRR / SLR)
- Fiscal deficit and upcoming budget
- FDI, FII and recent changes in these field
- National Schemes and Programmes
- Finance Commission and recent recommendations
- Unemployment and Poverty in India
- Demographic Transition
- Supply and Demand of Money
- Question based on Economic Survey
Here we are giving a previous year prelims question from asked from economy
1. There has been a persistent deficit budget year after year. Which action/actions of the following can be taken by the government to reduce the deficit?
- Reducing Revenue Expenditure
- Introducing new welfare scheme
- Rationalizing subsidies
- Reducing import duties
Select the correct answer using the code below
- 1 only
- 2 and 3 only
- 1 and 3 only
- 1,2,3 and 4
Answer. C
HISTORY
From 2009 to 2016, the trend number of the questions asked from history portion is decreasing slightly. Average figure of questions asked in the last 5 years is 7 and all questions are answerable with decent knowledge and logic. History still it plays a prominent role in the UPSC preliminary examination. Most of the questions asked from repeated topics. The candidates should focus on modern Indian history (Indian freedom struggle), culture and medieval periods.
- Freedom Struggle and important movements
- Rock-cut monuments
- Important dynasties in medieval India
- Medieval dictionary
- occupational caste, tribe and nomad
- Ancient times taxation and administration
- Land reforms and revenue system
- Governor generals and viceroys
Let’s checkout a question from UPSC 2016 IAS exam
Banjaras during the medieval period of Indian history were
- Agriculture
- Warriors
- Weavers
- Traders
Answer. D
GEOGRAPHY AND ENVIRONMENT
The geography consists of both world and Indian geography. It is overlapping subjects like Environment, agriculture, and Economics. The candidates should have a basic idea about the earth, the universe, natural phenomena, its reason etc. Along with the core concepts on has to update his or her traditional knowledge with recent updates.
- Location of Countries between seas
- Climatic conditions in Different Regions
- Floods, Earthquakes and Cyclones
- Atmosphere
- Westerlies
- La Nina and El Nino
- Ocean Currents
- Temperature and precipitation
- Geographical region and regions
- Natural vegetation, Flora and fauna
- National Parks, Wetlands, Wildlife Sanctuaries and Biosphere Reserves
- Different types of Soil, their Conservation Methods
- National Green Tribunal
- National Highways and other infrastructure
- Rivers in India and their protection
Previous year question from geography
- Which one of the following pairs is correctly matched?
Geographical Feature Region
- Abyssinian Plateau Arabia
- Atlas Mountains North-Western Africa
- Guiana Highlands South-Western Africa
- Okavango Basin Patagonia
Answer: B
ENVIRONMENT AND AGRICULTURE
The preliminary examination of civil services examination and Indian forest services are combined. In this scenario, UPSC asks a significant amount of questions from agriculture and environment. The candidates should familiar with the fundamental concepts of the environment. Globally many initiatives are going on for the conservation, preservation and protection of the environment in this scenario UPSC may ask questions from these areas
- International treaties, organization and meeting on environment
- Agriculture, crops, drainage and irrigation
- Recent government reports on environment
- National schemes for agriculture, irrigation
- Eco- friendly technologies
- International reports and list
Previous year UPSC question
1. The “Red Data Books” published by the International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources (IUCN) contain lists of: (UPSC civil services Prelims exam 2011)
- Endemic plant and animal species present in the biodiversity hotspots,
- Threatened plant and animal species.
- Protected sites for conservation of nature and natural resources in various countries.
Select the correct answer using the codes given below:
- 1 and 3
- 2 only
- 2 and 3
- 3 only
Answer: B
SCIENCE
General science is a vital part of the preliminary examination. According to weightage and pattern wise, there is not much variation between 2015 and 2016 papers. The candidate should focus on the current events happening in the science world. Reading “The Hindu” newspaper will help you to polish your knowledge in science
- Food and chemical
- Bt – Crops
- Medicine and Public Health
- Government schemes and initiative related to public health
- Diseases and causes
- Plant and Animal Classification
- Work and Energy
- ICT
- Nuclear Energy
- Gravitation
- Light and Matter
- Genetics (DNA Stem Cells)
- Missiles, space crafts and Satellites
- Nanotechnology
- Communication Technology
- Renewable sources of energy and eco-friendly technology.
Previous year question on science:
Which of the following is/are the example/examples of chemical change? (UPSC civil services Prelims exam 2014)
- Crystallization of sodium chloride
- Melting of ice
- Souring of milk
Select the correct answer using the code given below.
- 1 and 2 only
- 3 only
- 1, 2 and 3
- None
Answer: B
Last minute preparation tips for UPSC Preliminary
The last minute wish of gathering the things that you have not been able to master is a normal reaction. It is good to keep that desire aside. Concentrate on what you have prepared till the moment. Revise the same and remains confident.
Candidate should stop worrying about the pattern and nature of the question. Before worrying about the question paper and wasting time, realize the fact that UPSC is always unpredictable. The paper would only change slightly in real terms. A few variations here and there could be predictable. But the core is not likely to change.
Time management is very crucial in Civil Services Preliminary Examination. Since you have to attempt a question per minute, it is essential to swiftly move away from time-consuming questions. It is difficult to maximize your scores unless you have read all the questions.
Smart and hard work along with some intelligent strategies can help you to crack the UPSC civil services examination 2017.
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