'Civil services' as a career option

Ravindra Kumar Mishra

Former Chief Consultant, MHRD, GOI. Can be reached at rkmishrajee@gmail.com)

Central and State Civil Services are considered as one of the best career options and coveted dreams for many. Though there are numerous career options available, students are exploring career options that offer job satisfaction, the meaningful purpose of life social recognition and appreciable service conditions.

Civil services have always been considered the best career choice for the wide variety of jobs within its ambit and authority and power invested in it. The civil services offer incomparable opportunities to participate in nation-building, cause a change in people's lives, indulge in social welfare and satisfy personal ambitions. Civil Services are considered a paragon of great influence and respect.

Article 310 read with article 311 of the Constitution of India offers protective safeguards and an unfathomable sense of job security as a civil servant cannot be fired easily, which is an edge over other public or private sector jobs. Secondly, the 7th Pay Commission recommended salary to these officers at par with those in the corporate sector. This is besides excellent perks and subsidies available to civil servants. There is nothing better than this!

Grabbing the civil services requires knowing the examination process, which assesses the knowledge of an aspirant in three stages – Preliminary, Mains and Personality tests. Civil Services Examinations conducted by the Union and State Public Service Commissions are one of the toughest examinations, as approximately 1% of candidates come out with flying colours.

Those aspiring to get into civil services should learn to prepare for union and/or state public service examinations. They must realize that there is no shortcut to success, rather is a result of appropriate planning, determined hard work, and learning from failure.

The pre-requisite for aspirants is to know the syllabus which has been defined by the Union and State Public Service Commissions separately for preliminary and main examinations. Preliminary examination intends to filter serious candidates from the mass while the main examination tests the knowledge with sesquipedalian acuity in a subjective format. This needs time and lots of practice that cannot be acquired overnight.

Owing to the extensive syllabus and timeline of the examinations, which take about a year to complete the examinations, it is time-consuming! Hence aspirants must have enough reasons to keep themselves ebullient, motivated, and energetic throughout the preparation journey.

Aspirants! General awareness being fundamental, start reading newspapers such as "The Hindu", "The Economic Times", and "The Sentinel" which should be a must-read! It will help you in keeping a tab over the recent happenings and will also enhance your reading, writing, and comprehending skills. There is no substitute for reading newspapers, at least the editorial part! Monthly magazines like 'Kurukshetra', 'Yojna' and 'Down to Earth' must make a place in your reading list.

A reasonable grasp of concepts paves to start by attempting previous year papers in the actual time allowed in the examination. Honesty with oneself in evaluation is rewarding all the time. Attempt to accomplish the highest score is preferred to cut off marks, which is dicey and certain to uncertainty. Continuing this process till the highest score is surpassed unceasingly in good mock tests can bring the desired score.