[UPSC] CSAT / IFoS 2014 notification out: 1291 vacancies, minimum passing marks for language paper in mains, everything else unchanged

1. UPSC notification PDF download
2. SBI PO Written exam call-letter/hallticket download
3. Uttar Pradesh PSC uploaded cutoff and prelim marks
4. Vacancies have increased
5. Where to apply?
6. RE-apply: PEACE OF MIND?
7. How much fees?
8. Failed payment?
9. Age Attempt relaxation
10. Age DOUBTs?
11. Attempt Doubts: CSE vs IFoS
12. Attempt doubts: absence in prelims?
13. My distance education degree valid or not?
14. I’m in last year / last semester of college?
15. @OBC candidates make no mistake
16. JAT OBC Candidates?
17. Have not received the hallticket?
18. Exam Scheme
    1. #A: Preliminary exam
    2. #B: Mains exam: system and syllabus
    3. Essay paper to have 2 or more Essays
    4. Minimum passing marks in language paper
19. Mains Medium related doubts:
20. Medical checkup/Eyesight for IPS/IFoS
21. Calculators allowed?
22. Physical disabled: which jobs eligible?
23. How to prepare for the prelims?

UPSC notification PDF download

Click following link to download PDF files

• Civil Services Examination (CSE) 2014
• Indian Forest Service Examination (IFoS) 2014

Alternative links in case of server jam:

• Google docs
• https://files.secureserver.net/0fdXB5xAAiPgaY

As such there is no change in system / syllabus (Except minimum passing marks in mains-language papers and that Essay paper may get two or more essays.) but still, anyone want to cross check with previous notification – I’ve uploaded 2013’s notification here click me.

SBI PO exam Call letters/ hallticket/admitcard

Download call letter/hallticket/admitcard: click me

Information booklet: Hindi / English

Uttar Pradesh PSC uploaded cutoff and prelim marks

क्योकि कुछ लोग परीक्षा देकर भूल जाते है:

• To check your prelim marks: http://uppsc.up.nic.in/Results.aspx
• Cutoff details: http://uppsc.up.nic.in/PDFFILE/CUTOFMARKS.pdf
• Mains forms filling dates from 29 may.

anyways moving back to Union Public service commission (UPSC)

Vacancies have increased

	as per notification of given year
Job	2013	2014
Civil service	1000	1291 (increased matlab acche din aa gaye hai.)
Forest service	85	85 (same matlab bure din nahi aaye hai)

UPSC will passout 12-13 times the vacancies for mains exam. Meaning ~16783 seats for mains exam.

Where to apply?

Only online application
http://www.upsconline.nic.in/mainmenu2.php

• Link will start working from 31st May
• payment must be made before 29th June 2014 @11:59PM
• last date to apply: 30th June till 11:59 PM (one minute before midnight)
• Prelim exam to be held on 24 August Sunday.

WARNING: DONOT make haste in filling the application form. Study the notification and rules thoroughly. Silly mistakes in name, photo-signature jpg quality, age, category (particularly OBC creamy layer vs Non creamy) etc. will cost your dearly. Also read the rules carefully. For example Only BLACK Pen allowed for ticking MCQs.. Also read following webpages before filling online form:

1. Acceptable photos / Acceptable Signatures 
2. Non Acceptable photos / Non-acceptable signatures

RE-apply: PEACE OF MIND?

Every year after notification, people flood inbox with queries like

• “I sent this photo/signature, will UPSC reject it on quality ground?”
• “I made xyz mistake in filling up name/age/education qualification. should I reapply?
• My answer to all such panic souls is this: “Apply again. Because peace of mind most important for exam-preparation. Otherwise you’ll remain in stress until hallticket is uploaded in August.”
• You can apply multiple times. Only the higher registration id (RID) will be counted. (use that higher registration number will downloading the hall ticket, when UPSC uploads the hallticket, few weeks before the preliminary exam in August)

For more read Rule 5(b) on page 3 of the notification.

How much fees?

Only following people need to pay fees of Rs.100 (Netbanking or via SBI branch)

• general category males
• OBC category males. (both creamy layer and non-creamy layer have to pay)

Everyone else- women, SC, ST, PH = no fees.

Failed payment?

In case of failed payment, UPSC will notify you two weeks after last date. you can send proof that time, and your case will be solved. For more refer page #3 of notification.

Age Attempt relaxation

• Same age and attempt relaxation for both CSE and IFoS.
• Age counted on 1^st August 2014 for both CSE and IFoS

Maximum	upper age	attempt*
General	32	6
OBC (non-creamy layer)	35	9
SC/ST	37	until upper age reached
PH General	42	9
PH OBC	45	9
PH SC/ST	47	until upper age reached

• J&K residents, Ex-serviceman etc refer to page 2-3 of the notification.

• *whichever is first. e.g. if general category Youngman starts giving attempt from 21 years, and 26^th year he makes his 6^th attempt then game over. He cannot again appear on 27^th year claiming he is still under “32 upper age”.
• Similarly 32 years old general category candidate giving first attempt on 2014, cannot get second attempt in 2015 claiming he still has five attempts left.

Age DOUBTs?

To all those people asking “my Date of birth is XYZ and I’m from XYZ category, am I eligible or not?”

Simply apply, because their online form will have automatic algorithm to give error if you’re not eligible for xyz category and xyz date of birth.  That way you can automatically find out whether you’re eligible or not. Otherwise, read and interpret page 2-3 of the notification yourself.

Attempt Doubts: CSE vs IFoS

Your attempt for Civil service exam (CSE) and Forest exam (IFoS) are counted separately. They are two ‘separate’ recruitments. Only prelim is common. Even the application form will have the columns accordingly. So don’t worry and make no mistakes.

Q. last time I cleared prelims but did not appear for IFoS mains. I only appeared in Civil service mains. Does my attempt count?

In that case your’ve exhausted one attempt for CSE, and one attempt for IFoS. The moment you sign attendance sheet of prelim (CSEAT) exam, you exhaust one attempt.

Attempt doubts: absence in prelims?

Q. Last time I had applied but did not appear in prelims. Does that count as an attempt?

NO

Q. last time I had applied, even downloaded the hall ticket but remained absent in the exam. does that count as an attempt?

NO

Q. last time I had applied, even went to the exam center but did not enter the exam hall. Does that counter as attempt?

NO

Q. last time I failed in prelims OR mains OR interview. Does that count as attempt?

Of Couse YES.

In short, attempt counts ONLY IF you enter exam hall and sign attendance sheet for even a single paper.

My distance education degree valid or not?

Explained here click me

I’m in last year / last semester of college?

• You can apply ONLY IF you’re getting the graduate Marksheets/ provision certificate by September/ October 2014.
• Prelim (CSAT) form only requires photo and signature. they don’t ask your category certificate or marksheet. But when you clear prelims, you’ll have to fill a new form for the mains exam. at that stage, you’ll have to submit photocopies of all documents.

@OBC candidates make no mistake

• OBC Creamy layer = General category for UPSC. They are not eligible for age-attempt relaxation.
• Only non-creamy layer OBC candidates eligible for age-attempt relaxation.

To claim OBC reservation benefit in UPSC, you need TWO certificates:

1. OBC caste certificate
2. Non-creamy layer certificate.
   1. Non creamy layer status depends on your parents’ income and property.
   2. It doesn’t depend on your income/property
   3. It doesn’t depend on your husband/wife’s income/property.
   4. If your mom/dad is government employee then INCOME criteria doesn’t apply. (e.g. if dad is class3 employee, then it doesn’t matter whether he gets 6 lakhs or 7 lakhs. You’re still non-cream layer. For more, read this PDF file click me)

JAT OBC Candidates?

• Again same procedure you need OBC certificate + non-creamy layer certificate
• Delhi government began issuing OBC certificate to JATs from May 2014 onwards. Ref. Indianexpress.
• But that is only for permanent residents of Delhi. If you’re originally from Punjab/Haryana and temporarily migrated to Delhi for Coaching, then you cannot get OBC certificate from Delhi. you have to apply to college/SDM Office in your home state.
• Bottom line: if you cannot get OBC certi. By last date apply as general…..then, WHEN you get OBC certificate from collector/tehsildar’s office- THEN write to UPSC, they’ll change your category to OBC. For more clarification, Read rule number 9, page 4 of the notification PDF.

Have not received the hallticket?

• UPSC will upload e-halltickets on its website just three weeks before exam. that time you’ll have to download it by entering your registration id, dob.
• if you don’t get hallticket at that time, then contact UPSC along with your registration id etc. (Read page 4 of PDF)

Exam Scheme

#A: Preliminary exam

You’ll find syllabus and scheme on page 5 of the notification PDF. No changes from previous notification of 2013.

General Studies	100 Qs x 200 marks
Aptitude	80 Qs x 200 marks.
Total	400 marks
Sectional Cutoff	no
Negative Marking	Yes. -33% of the marks allotted to correct answer.

#B: Mains exam: system and syllabus

You’ll find all details from Page 6 onwards of the notification PDF file. I’m not pasting the syllabus here else it’ll run five mile long.
There is no change in syllabus of general studies, ethics OR optional subjects. BUT do memorize the syllabus of general studies mains. So whenever you read newspaper, you can immediately see whether it’s important for exam, and for which GS paper- then make notes accordingly.
there are two changes updates on essay and language papers though:

Essay paper may have 2 or more topics

2013 notification said: candidate will be required to write essay on a specific topic
2014 notification page 6 says: Candidates may be required to write essays on multiple topics.

Minimum passing marks in language paper

This is new development. UPSC now told the minimum passing marks for compulsory English and regional paper during the mains exam:

compulsory regional Indian language paper	30%
compulsory English paper	25%

If you don’t even score ^this much, then your remaining papers will not be checked.

Mains Medium related doubts:

Q.can I write General studies paper in X language and Optional paper in Y language?

NO. Both have to be same.

Q.can I write Essay paper in X language and GS in Y language?

NO. Both have to be same.

Q.can I write Essay paper in X language and Optional paper in Y language?

NO. Both have to be same.

Q. I graduated from X medium. Can I write in Y medium?

YES.

Q. In the mains exam, If I chose to write answers in non-English medium, can I use English terms?

Yes. Only in bracket. And don’t misuse this provision else marks will be cut. refer page 5 of notification.

Medical checkup/Eyesight for IPS

“my height / chest / eyesight is xyz. Am I eligible for IPS?”

All those querries read following

1. https://mrunal.org/2012/07/med-gazette-upsc.html
2. https://mrunal.org/2013/04/some-insight-on-medical-test-checkup-for-upsc-iasips-civil-service-exam.html

What about IFoS (forest service medical standards?
for detailed information on IFoS medical standards, read from page 22 onwards, in the following PDF file
https://files.secureserver.net/0sEdlbW1MOEkca

Calculators allowed?

• No for prelims. Yes for mains exam.
• Scientific calculators allowed yes. But make sure they’re not “programmable” i.e. store formulas/functions/text in the memory.

Physical disabled: which jobs eligible?

• Out of 1291 jobs, 26 jobs reserved for PH candidates. Out of that 2 for blind, 12 for hearing and 12 for ortho.
• You’ll find the list of jobs which you’re eligible- on Page 1 of the pdf file.
• You’ll find the abbreviation codes on page 4 of the PDF file.

• Blindness criteria given on page 5 of the notification.  Their scribe criteria also bit different.

ya, but most importantly,

How to prepare for the prelims?

• CSAT paper II (aptitude) strategy will be the next article.
• CSAT paper I (general studies) strategy already given in five parts. on the top menu, hit “studyplan” =>UPSC. But requires some fine-tuning in the lights of 2013’s exam. Will upload that soon. But in the meantime, basics remain the same- NCERT, Laxmikanth, Hindu etc.but do read class11-12 Tamilnadu textbooks IF you don’t have old NCERT. (everything uploaded under Mrunal.org/download)

How to prepare optional subjects / ethics paper / GS Mains paper?

Wait for the topper interviews after result of CSE-2013 is declared. I’ll be asking them what strategy, books they used.