To those readers with Public Administration/ Management as their optional subject in UPSC/RAS/PPSC/KAS etc. here is a good opportunity: CSIR Administrative Officer Gr-I

  1. Scheme of exam
  2. CSIR CASE Paper I
    1. Reasoning (20 Qs)
    2. Maths (20 Qs)
    3. Constitution of India (20 Qs)
    4. General Awareness
  3. Paper II: CCS+HR+Management+PubAD
    1. Topic #1: Central Civil Service (CCS)
    2. Topic #2: HRM (40qs)
    3. Topic#3: Management
    4. Topic #4: PubAd
  4. Unwanted Tips
  5. Appendix: Free CSIR/CASE Study Material (Download Links)
    1. General Awareness: NCERTs/NIOS
    2. Download Material: CCS, HRM, PubAD
  6. Previous papers and Cut offs

Scheme of exam

  1. Any graduate can apply Click me for Age limit-Syllabus
  2. Last date of application: 15 January 2013: Click ME to apply
  3. Negative marking=Yes (Minus 0.25 marks per wrong question)
  4. Descriptive paper or Essay =No.
CSIR CASE EXam Structure

Notification says, CSIR *may* fix separate minimum cut-off marks for each paper. Anyways let’s check the topicwise booklist, strategy

CSIR CASE Paper I

Reasoning (20 Qs)

verbal
  1. Do minimum 15 sums for all chapters from RS Agarwal’s book on “A Modern Approach to Verbal and Non Verbal Reasoning
  2. Practice is essential because this paper will have 150 question and 150 minutes.
  3. That means 1 minute for each question.
  4. However many questions related to sitting-arrangement, blood-relations, data-interpretation etc can take almost 15 to 20 minutes if you have not practiced them at home.

Maths (20 Qs)
  1. First of all, read the art of aptitude CLICK ME
  2. Second, learn how to solve maths without mugging up formulas. For that, go to Mrunal.org/aptitude, read my earlier articles to understand the tricks and concepts related to Time-Speed-Distance-work, percentage, profit loss, boats, pipes, stream, trains, permutation, combination  and probability.
  3. Third practice maximum questions from RS Agarwal’s book on Quantitative Aptitude OR Quantam CAT by Sarvesh Kumar Verma(upto level 1) OR Fasttrack to Objective arithmetic (use any one book).

You may also consult NCERT Class 7 to 10 Mathematics textbooks for clearing basic concepts. They can be downloaded for free, using http://www.ncert.nic.in/

Constitution of India (20 Qs)

Medium Book
English Indian Polity  by M.Laxmikanth
Hindi Bharat Ki Rajyavyavastha by M.Laxmikanth

Two reasons why you should religiously mugup M.Laxmikanth:

Pol_E
  1. CSIR notification explicitely mentions that 20 questions will come from Constitution of INDIA (in Paper I)
  2. The Paper II, Topic #6 again has ‘Public Administration’ and many of its topics ( Executive, parliament, judiciary, PRI etc) have to be prepared from Indian Polity by M.Laxmikanth.

How to efficiently read this book, has been explained here in a separate article: CLICK ME

After you’ve done reading Laxmikanth, solve all the MCQ questions given at the end of that book.

General Awareness (40 Qs)

Subtopic Source
General Science NCERT Science Textbook Class 7 to 10
Scientific Research
  1. Convention science-tech: Mrunal.org/snt
  2. environment related: Mrunal.org/enb
  3. Newspaper, magazine.
Geography
  1. NCERT Social Science Class 7 to 10
  2. NCERT Geography Class 11, 12
Economics
  1. NIOS PDF files
  2. Mrunal.org/economy
General Polity Lolz again mentioned. Anyways same Indian Polity by M.Laxmikanth
Current Events Newspaper. (Hindu or Indian Express).Monthly Current Affairs from Competitionmaster.com (Start from Jan 2012)

Please note:

  1. The CSIR notification doesn’t explicitly mention “History”. However just to be safe, also prepare History from NCERT Textbook because indirectly it is General Awareness.
  2. Download links for NCERT and NIOS material given @bottom of this article.
  3. Newspaper= The Hindu OR IndianExpress (use any one). Don’t waste time in Dainik Bhaskar, Times of India etc. How to use newspaper for current affairs preparation =explained in separate article click me.
  4. Newspaper = long term investment (for profile and opinion based questions in interview in all exams be it Bank or MBA.) So don’t think that newspaper reading is meant for IAS exam only.

Paper I: Part B English (50Qs)

Subtopic Source
Comprehension Practice. Download old papers of IBPS, UGC etc.
Active, passive direct indirect etc
  • The English chapter of Any IBPS manual.
  • OR Compulsory English for Civil and Judicial Services by AP Bhardwaj
  • Synonym-antonym etc search google for lists.
  • OR don’t prepare at all (if you’re good at it).
Preposition, fill in the blanks
Synonym, antonyms
Sentence correction
Punctuation, idioms, phrases

Also follow the discussions on Pagalguy forum’s verbal section: http://www.pagalguy.com/forums/verbal-ability/

Paper II: CCS+Mgmt+HR + PubAD+CCS

This paper has 150 marks, 150 Qs, 150 minutes.

Overview:

topic No. of Qs Source
Central Civil Service (CCS) Rules, Manuals etc. 60
  • PDF compilation given @bottom.
Human Resource  Management (HR) related 40
  • IGNOU BA, MA PDF files. Download given @bottom
 Management (MBA) related 25
  • IGNOU MBA coursebook, but download not given @bottom.
Public Administration 25
  • Indian Polity by M.Laxmikanth
  • Selective Study of IGNOU BA (Public Administraion): Download links given at bottom.
Total 150

Now let’s check the topicwise approach

Topic #1: Central Civil Service (CCS)

This topic is related with actual / real-life working of an officer in Central Civil Services.I’ve compiled the topicwise PDF files (links @bottom).

Fundamental Rules (FRs) and Supplementary Rules (SRs)

  • These topics are related with “personnel matters”  e.g. leave, promotion, disciplinary action etc matter applicable to officers in Central Service.
  • You’ve to do selective reading of only those topics/information that can be asked from Multi-Choice Question format. For example: The leave travel concession (LTC) is admissible to the Central Govt. employees while on study leave.
  • But No need to mugup minute details, dates, names, numbers.

General Financial Rules

  • Given in CCS ZIP file @bottom.
  • This deals with budget and Expenditure related matters in ministries and departments.
  • From that PDF file, prepare Chapter 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 and 8.
  • Again no need to go in minute details. Most of the content given in that PDF file is not ‘exam-worhty’.
  • Just prepare stuff that can be asked in MCQ format. for example what items go in Capital account, what items go in Revenue account and so on.
  • Also prepare Budget formulation topic from IGNOU Public Administration material (given @bottom).

Manual of Office Procedure (15 Qs)

  • Given in CCS ZIP file @bottom.
  • This topic deals with how to actually work in a Government office=how to draft letters, what to do with “daks”, record-keeping, filing, inspection etc.
  • Same principle: Just get brief overview of Exam-worthy information. No need to do Ph.D For example
Important
  1. e-Office MMP is aimed at introducing the concept of e-file in the government offices leading to ‘less paper offices’
  2. Initial drafting will be done in black or blue ink. Modifications in the draft at the subsequent levels may be made in green or red ink by the officers so as to distinguish the corrections  made.
Useless
  1. Volume II of the 13th Edition of the CSMOP is the ‘Guidelines of Government of India Websites’, which was brought out by the Department of Administrative Reforms & Public Grievances in January, 2009.

Donot take this lightly, because CSIR notification explicitly mentions that 15 questions will come from this topic. This concludes how to approach CCS.

Topic #2: HRM (40qs)

This topic is to be prepared from selective study of IGNOU BA and MA Public Administration booklet codes EPA-01, MPA 013, 014 etc. I’ve compiled the IGNOU PDF files those selective topics. Download link given @bottom (HRM_CSIR.zip file). Only 2 topics missing

  1. Collaboration, Team Working & Networking;
  2. Facilities & Infrastructure Management
 (Seems ^They would be in MBA booklets but not explicitly available on egyankosh.ac.in)

How to approach HRM for CISR?

  • HRM topic might feel daunting and boring. Because they talk about lot of abstract stuff.
  • BUT the concepts and principles related to motivation, communication, leadership, recruitment and promotion = very easy to frame MCQs from them.
  • So prepare them thoroughly from the given PDF files. (without getting bogged down by the abstract and philosophical stuff).
  • When you search HRM on egyankosh.ac.in, it throws up truckload of results. They’ve special courses of PG diploma in HRM etc. But those booklets go in way too much detail.
  • On the other hand MA Public Administration (MPA-014) has covered HRM in very condensed form, therefore I’ve compiled the PDFs mostly from MPA-014 (and not the PGDHRM course).
  • But if you’ve time (and mood) you may download PGDHRM booklets manually from egyankosh.ac.in

Management/ IT related (25 Qs)

The best way to approach = via selective reading of IGNOU’s MBA booklets. Goto this link: School of Management Studies (http://www.egyankosh.ac.in/handle/123456789/9

Search and download the respective PDF files according to the syllabus.

Management/ IT topiclist from official CSIR notification:

ERP Application & Operations’ Management,Business Process Reengineering, Functional architecture of ERP, What are the ERP packages being used now? Compiling functional requirements, UML Diagrams, ERP Solution architecture, Enterprise application implementation projects: Rationale for ERP, Process Flow Diagrams, Decision making, Analytics, Record keeping, Integrating Business Rules, Electronic Workflows, Management reporting, Business intelligence, Performance Metrics, GUI, Web services, Collaboration  &  networking,  Integration  interoperability configuration management, Cloud Computing, Software Reuse, management of risks, software Security, Recovery and failsafe management, Knowledge management, User Engagement, Change Management, Life cycle approaches, Software Audit, Reliability, manageability, availability, TQM, Business application areas of an organization including accounting and finance, HR, logistics & supply chain, client & stakeholder relationship management

^Some of these topics may not to explicitly mentioned in IGNOU coursebooklet titles so even if you search, you won’t find it. (because egyankosh seach engine is not optimized to scan PDF content.) So better consult some friends from MBA and Computer (BCA/MCA) course then search and/or borrow their books for selective study.

Public Administration including R.T.I Act (25 Qs)

Essential booklist

  1. Selective topics from IGNOU (free download link given @bottom.)
  2. + Indian Polity by M.Laxmikanth

How to approach?

There is lot of overlapping and synergy between Constitution of India topic from paper I (20 Qs) and Public Administration topic from Paper II (25Qs). Besides, nature of this topic= very easy to grasp the concepts and tick answers accurately (if you revise often).

Topic Preparation source
Executive, Parliament, Judiciary – structure, functions, work processes Relevant topics from Laxmikanth’s Polity book.
Cabinet Secretariat, Prime Minister’s Office, Central Secretariat IGNOU zip file given @bottom
Ministries and Departments, Machinery of Planning
Planning Commission and the National Development Council Chapter 44, 45 Laxmikanth’s Polity Book.IGNOU zip file given @bottom
Union-State Administrative, legislative and financial relations Chapter 13 Laxmikanth’s Polity Book.
Role of the Finance Commission, Chapter 37 Laxmikanth’s Polity Book.
Governor, Chief Minister, Council of Ministers, Chapter 24, 25 and 26 Laxmikanth’s Polity Book.
Chief Secretary, State Secretariat, Directorates IGNOU zip file given @bottom
Parliament control of public expenditure, Chapter 22 Laxmikanth’s Polity book
Role of Finance Ministry IGNOU zip file given @bottom
Panchayati Raj, Urban Local Government, Chapter 30 and 31 Laxmikanth’s Polity book
Values in Public Service, Lolz. Ethics, participation etc. either use egyankosh or just skip the damn topic.
Ministries and Departments, Laxmikanth’s PubAd Book
Corporations, Companies, Boards IGNOU @bottom + this articlehttps://mrunal.org/2012/04/economy-different-types-of-companies.html
Executive, Legislature and Judicial control over administration Scattered around in IGNOU + Laxmikanth.
Citizen’s Charters, Right to Information, Social Audit,
  1. R.T.I from IGNOU zipfile.
  2. And for Citizen’s charters, Social audit, wait for a few days, I’ll write article.
Delegated legislation
  1. Wait for a few days, I’ll write an article on that.
Administrative Tribunals
  1. Chapter 54 Laxmikanth’s Polity Book
  2. IGNOU zip file given @bottom

Side Note

Those CSIR aspirants, who’re simultaneously preparing for UPSC /State PSC (RAS, Punjab etc) with Public Administration optional subject:

Some unwanted advice, warnings etc.

  • When we talk of IAS, CAT, IBPS= these exams are held at regular interval, hence there is lot of information, experience-sharing and material from reputed book publisher (Tata Macgrawhill, Pearson, Arihant, S.Chand etc).
  • But Exams like RBI, APFC, CSIR = Diwali time for some moneyminded people. They just assemble topics from here and there, come out with some “Readymade guidebook/Material” for Rs.2000, 5000 or 6000/– (depending on how rare the exam is and how desperate the public is.) don’t waste your precious money on such things. Always prefer authentic sources and standard reference books. If you believe there is some single magical guidebook to crack CSIR exam then you’re living in a fairyworld.
  • Better prepare your own notes from CCS. (we are talking about 60 marks here: That means 40% of Paper II is made up of CCS topic.)
  • for NCERT and M.Laxmikanth: no need to maintain notes as such, just revise them often.
  • You may use Mrunal’s Autonotemaker to quickly prepare notes out of PDF Files (provided that you’ve Microsoft XP Operating System).
  • HR, MBA topics don’t stay in long term memory= frequent revision necessary.
  • Current affairs preparation beyond a level= diminishing rate of returns.
  • And most importantly, don’t push your luck by ticking doubtful questions, just to cross some imaginary cutoffs, else you’ll lose in negative marking.

Appendix: Free CSIR/CASE Study Material (Download Links)

General Awareness: NCERTs/NIOS
All of them available under Mrunal.org/download
Download Links: CCS, HRM, PubAD (english Medium)

Name of the Topic Server (use any one) Zip FileSize
Server#1: Google Drive Server #2: Dropbox
  1. CCS
 CLICK ME Click ME ~3MB
  1. Human Resource
 CLICK ME ~40MB
  1. Public Administration
 CLICK ME ~30MB

Technical details

How to use Google Drive

  1. These are zip files and they contain PDF files inside them
  2. If you’re having trouble downloading zip files, then use a free software called 7-zip (click me)
  3. If you cannot open PDF files, use a free software called FOXIT PDF reader (click me)
  4. If Dropbox download links don’t work, that means your office/hostel’s firewall is blocking it. Use www.hidemyass.com and copypaste download links in it.

Previous papers and Cut offs

(although I’m filing R.T.I to get previous papers and cutoffs but) there are three reasons why they won’t be of much help:

  1. In 2009’s recruitment round, they did not have negative marking system.
  2. In 2009’s recruitment round, they did not have HR and MBA topics, only Public Administration and in that too, the Public Administration syllabus was very broad -almost identical to the erstwhile Civil Service (preliminary) Public Administration paper.
  3. In 2009, They had descriptive paper on letter writing and comprehension.