Civil Service Aptitude Test - The leviathan like kitten !

Its been 2 days since i have started teaching Sociology and CSAT at an IAS institute . It was appaling to learn that many students have problems with x and y's of algebra, factors and multiples of numbers , despite being graduates.

Students aren't to be blamed for this reality. The middle-high school education has systematically imbibed in them the fear that maths is a leviathan.The last time they met this 'demon' was in their 10th standard. Many had by-hearted the expected questions and corresponding answers to handle Maths and a ' significant minority' had the answers dictated in the examination hall !

CSAT is a part of the CIVIL SERVICE PRELIMINARY examination conducted under the aegis of UPSC. This was a definite killer for non-maths students and it made its 1st appearence in 2011. The Q paper had 80 questions out of which around 35-36 questions were drawn from mathematics.

The questions covered basic numeracy , logical reasoning, data interpretation (sounds complex but was about simple graphs) .

An above average 10th standard student could have solved atleast 30 questions without any assistance.

The voice is clear from the roofs of UPSC that the 'aptitude' they expect is definitely not more than what a good 10th standard student would have. For conceptual clarity , NCERT Maths from 6-10 th standard would more than suffice.

But given the way our students especially from the rural background have passed the math papers in their schools , it is necessary for them to relearn the high-school maths to get back into the game .

My sincere advise to you guys fighting the 'maths-terror' is to understand the basics (6-10 maths) again and keep solving the aptitude papers of

1. National Talent Search Exam (8th std) (guide/previous year q.papers of NTSE is available in bookstalls)

2.Bank PO/clerical (take up previous year papers)

3.Pratiyogita darpan (monthly magazine)

everyday.

Standard books for apti

R.S Agarwal (there are separate books for verbal and non-verbal too)

Arun Sharma (level 1 and level 2 problems in this book shall suffice )

For Kannada medium students,

Guide publication's book by Anjanappa

Sparda Chaitra publication's book by Ashok Kumar Rathode and Yellappa - "Samanya manassamarthya "

Solving mental ability questions for 1 hr everyday(the word 'everday' is seen everywhere but has enormous potential if realized! ) shall definitely make a non-math guy hit a 100% in the aptitude part of CSAT.

It needs certain conceptual clarity and practice.Once these are done the demarcation between a BA and BE would subside as far as CSAT is concerned.

Bottom line is that CSAT paper is not a ' leviathan ' rather it is a harmless kitten , u need not fear , play with it , 'everyday' without fail , it sees your boredom off too!!

All the Best.

PS: I am requested to teach high-school maths by a few , if there are enough requests i shall take up Basic Maths class for 15-20 days for non-maths students.

MUST READ FOR CIVIL SERVICES PRELIMS PAPER I

As requested by fellow students of HIMALAI Bangalore ,

These are the must read books for a civil service candidate who is appearing for Preliminary Test - CSAT 1 .

1) History - NCERT History XII class (if time permits spectrum publication's Modern History)

2) Geography - NCERT Geography class XI ,XII (4 books)

3) Economics - NCERT XI ,XII (Macroeconomics book), Budget's speech of that year (If time permits Important chapters of Economic survey)

4) Polity - NCERT XI Indian Constitution and Indian Polity by Laxmikanth

5) Current Affairs - Oct  to May  201X HINDU newspaper , supplemented by magazines(chronicle, wizard) of these months. Reading newspaper is like reading a book. You shouldn't forget a minute detail also.

6) India Year Book 2012 (chapters which coincide with syllabus of Paper I) Indian Year book hardly changes in content, so u can refer 2012 book for 2013 also.

7) Social sector initiatives from govt of india websites.

Item (6) and (7) are not mandatory , but might fetch you that additional edge.

Civil Services Examination - Optmistic Estimates (OE)

I am amazed as i put these words that the examination to the premier institution of bureaucracy in India ,the CIVIL SERVICES EXAMINATION attracts nearly 3 lakh youth (5.5 Lakh attended 2010 examination), who can be bracketed as the degree holders with above average concern towards nation building .

Of these 3 lakh students , atleast 1 lakh students dedicate their entire time for preparation i,e they are unemployed atleast for a year(optimistic estimates)! The preparation spans like 2 years for the luckiest !!

Now since these aspirants are above average students with dedication as their strength they are easily capable of getting a job which pays them a minimum of 2 lakh /annum.

The loss to the GDP is 2 L* 1 L = 2000 crores , meager in terms of percentage isnt it.

Now the preparation itself involves a minimum expenditure of 1 lakh on tutorials (this calculation is a function of inflation! but again being optimistic).So that comes to around 1000 crores.

Y do they need a tutorial , aren't the people who shall lead the country tomorrow be able to do it themselves ? Ideally the question is rational but thanks to the ever breeding coaching institutions and the high scoring optionals in the exam, spoon-feeding has become a necessary evil.

This innate problems in the recruitment system means that there is no "means" for a person from a 'not so good' background to enter the Indian Civil Services.So it remains Ameer Indian Civil Services except for the few extraordinary individuals . They are more of an exception than a rule.

But my opinion should not be taken in the ideology of communism but in the line of rethinking on the pattern change and framework which doesn't necessitate this cumbersome process.

The ARC recommendations proposes for 'catch them young' strategy to absorb the candidates at the earlier stage of pre-graduation i,e making it inline with NDA recruitments. This is a welcome move.

As the enrollment rate to Higher education is only 12 percent in India , this helps to increase the participatory base . This incepts the feeling of INDIA,both social and political much early for the budding citizens. This involves poor who can ill afford higher education, and Women from patriarchal families etc. However a complete shut down of present recruitment system would be disastrous as many would be unaware of the exam till they complete their graduation. So a simultaneous recruitment would be advisable.

If anything can minimize the loss of 1000 crores to the gdp(tutorials expenditure) ,which i mentioned earlier , is the change in the pattern. The pattern should seek primarily the common sense, awareness of day to day affairs at national and international arena, decision making at controversial levels , efficient problem solving ,analytical thinking , logically correct and rational mindset.

The present chairman of UPSC D.P.Agarwal has brought in several phenomenal changes to question pattern but the changes which the ARC proposes has far reaching benefits to wide range sectors of Indian society!

Its high time Ameer Indian Civil Services gets the Ameer off.