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Topics Covered: RBI Grade B Cut Off 2021 for Phase 1, Exam Analysis of Phase 1 and Phase 2, Preparation Strategy, Study Sequence, and Week-wise Study Plan

The RBI is India's apex economic and banking organization mandated with the task of keeping the nation's economy stable.

It does so by creating appropriate fiscal policies and banking regulations in order to manage price stability.

It also serves as the bank to the government of India and the only note-issuing agency to the government.

Impressive, isn't it?

Now, given the merit of the organization of RBI, I want you to think about the abilities of the people that make it possible.

Imagine how impressive they must be. Now, the people I am talking about here, the foremost among them are the RBI Grade B officers.

They are the crème de la crème from amongst the academic and economic elites of our nation.

That said, these officers are recruited annually through the RBI Grade B recruitment process.

Having said that, I will also emphasize the fact that if you follow a time-bound & disciplined study plan, analyze the papers of the past years and solve them, draw out an intensive strategy and cover the most important topics from the syllabus, then the exam will not take its toll on you, and you shall be able to clear it.

Well, if you do, I think you should thoroughly go over this article.

Table of Content - RBI Grade B Preparation, Exam Analysis & Cut Off

Basically, this article will be one of the most important things you will read in your quest to crack the RBI Grade B exam.

In it I have talked about all the preparation related topics like, what your study sequence should be, the important techniques to use while preparing for the RBI Grade B, how to approach mock tests, important dos and don'ts pertaining to your preparation, and day-wise study plan.

Apart from that, I have also listed down the detailed analysis of the RBI Grade B exams of 2021 and 2019 in this article.

So, without further ado let's begin with our first topic.

Preparation Strategy: RBI Grade B Phase 1 & 2

Anyway, let us start with the most important topics related to the RBI Grade B preparation:

Study Sequence

1. When you start with your preparation, take at least 3 mocks of both Phase 1 and 2 to identify your strong and weak areas. Scores < 50% shall be considered weak.

2. Categorize subjects falling under strong and weak categories, after carefully evaluating which of them you are strong in and which of them you are weak in. Be honest.

3. Next, you should Create a Study Timeline, I.e., Divide your preparation time into week-wise phases. Pick out 2 subjects at a time, one that you are strong at, and another you are weak at. You can also use the timetable given by me below. It is divided into morning and evening shifts.

4. Brush up on Current Affairs: You can make use of 'Spotlight', 'PIB Current Affairs', and 'Finance Current Affairs' to study current affairs. If you have limited time, start with current affairs when you are done with at-least 50% of your syllabus. Do not begin your preparation with the current affair.

5. Practice Writing: Attempt a test of Phase 2 FM or ESI and Essay every week to improve your writing skills.

At this point, I would suggest that you guys should be absolutely thorough with the updated RBI Grade B Syllabus.

Important Techniques

1. Have the schedule for your day prepared before leaving the bed in the morning and stick to it as steadfastly as you can.

2. Revise either daily or weekly, depending on your timetable. Working aspirants can follow weekly revision schedule and students can follow a daily revision schedule.

3. You should Analyze past year papers diligently. Doing so would help you to list the important static parts of the subjects and shed light on the shifting trends/Changing patterns.

4. Carry out a Self-Assessment every once in a while: Be sure to observe yourself, as you are the best guide of yourself. You must know where you lack and how much time you need to devote to a topic.

5. Don't devote too much time on reading newspaper. Current affairs magazines are more helpful before interview. Argumentation and opinions help in the interview stage more. You can rely on monthly magazines for phase 1 and phase 2.

6. Avoid last minute hustles for important tasks such as filling your application form, downloading your admit card, etc.

Know how to fill your online application to avoid silly mistakes.

Approach to mocks

1. Writing mocks every week is very important. Mocks can be sectional or comprehensive, depending on the stage of your preparation. You can start with sectional tests by using my RBI Phase 1 and Phase 2 sectional mock books. When the examination is 1 month away, you can begin comprehensive mocks.

2. Sectional as well as comprehensive tests help by improving time management skills of the aspirant.

3. Mock analysis is as important as mocks itself. You can analyse mocks by dividing your answers into 3 parts- correct, incorrect and not answered. You need to work on questions that got correct by fluke and the answers that got wrong due to silly mistakes. Try to minimize these two.

4. Work on elimination technique to score higher and also enhance your accuracy. Under elimination, you eliminate all options before finalizing your answer choice. It is certainly more time consuming but more accurate as well. (Elimination is not always successful in quant and reasoning. If you have arrived at the right answer by solving a question, no need to apply elimination)

Attempts free Mock Tests with detailed analytics here.

Do's and Don'ts

1. Cramming Wisely: Question papers have become a mix of concepts and facts - this needs a holistic approach wherein you are cramming and understanding concepts together.

2. Limited your Sources of study: Sources are like old friends that are always there to help you in the time of need. You do not need to read from new books, decide on a few and stick to them, besides you won't have the time to go through new books.

3. Practice on as many Aptitude tests as you can: Remember to practice Aptitude mock test as often as you can. GS paper will be evaluated only if you clear CSAT by getting 33% or 66 marks. Do not forget to cover aspects like mental ability, comprehension, and logical reasoning while taking aptitude tests.

4. Manage your time well: Make sure to not spend much of your time and energy on useless talks and discussions. Stay away from stressful people and Eat, Sleep, Study & Meditate for better results.

5. Stay away from things like Facebook, Instagram, or entertainment sources like Web series or other social media platform which can distract you.

6. Do not use your phone while studying. If you don't have a laptop, get an old laptop or desktop. Phones aren't meant to study. Keep your phone in another room or in a drawer while studying. This is rule 101.

Those were all the important points for you to keep in mind while preparing for the RBI Grade B exam.

Now let's look at the Day-wise study plan that I have made for you in the form of tables, but before that, let us go through some important points that will help you understand the study plan better.

Day-Wise Study Plan

1. The plan has been divided into 3 parts- Phase 1 Quant, Reasoning, and English; Phase 2 Economic and Social Issues; Phase 2 Finance & Management. Based on your priority, you can pick up any one of the 3 parts.

2. If you have more than 4 months in hand for your prep, it is advisable to start with the Phase 2 F&M plan, followed by Phase 2 ESI, and finally Phase 1 QRE. However, there isn't any hard and fast rule for it. You can also start with Phase 1 QRE if you feel that you are very weak in the same.

3. Pick up a maximum of 2 subjects in one day, as described in the study plan. Do not pick up more than 2 subjects at one point.

4. If you are a working aspirant, you need to divide your studies into 2 slots- morning and night. Get up before other aspirants and start your day with the morning targets provided in the below study plan. Try to leave your office by 6 PM, come back home and sleep for 1 hour straight. Start studying by 8 PM and give only 3 hours. You do not need to burn the proverbial midnight oil.

5. Repeat the cycle after you have completed your syllabus once. In the second reading, start with current affairs too. You need to cover Phase 1 and Phase 2 current affairs together. You can use Daily Current affairs by Neha Ma'am, PIB Current affairs by Manish sir, and Finance current affairs by Tanvi ma'am to cover current affairs daily (Available on YouTube).

6. Phase 1 current affairs are to be covered for 6 months before the exam. Phase 2 current affairs need coverage of 1 year prior to the exam.

Phase 1 - STUDY PLAN (Quant & Reasoning)

Phase 1 - STUDY PLAN (English)

Phase 2 - STUDY PLAN (F&M)

Phase 2 - STUDY PLAN (Finance Numericals )

Finance Numericals (Least Important)

Chapters

Days

Financial Management - TVM, PV and FV, NPV, IRR, COC,

Day 28 to Day 30

Bond Valuation

Day 31

Leverage Analysis

Day 32

CVP Analysis

Day 33

Accounting Ratios

Day 34 to Day 35

Phase 2 - STUDY PLAN (ESI)

Phase 2 - STUDY PLAN (Annual Survey & Indices & Report)

That brings us to the end of this section. Now I know that the tables given above are quite a handful and that you'd prefer to go through them in your own time.

For that reason, I have made these tables available for you in PDF format. You can download these with just a click of a button.

The button to download the RBI Grade B study plan PDF is given below:

Throughout this strategic approach, I would suggest that you stay updated with the exam dates for the upcoming RBI Grade B Exams. For your convenience, I have linked the respective section above.

Now since we are done with the preparation strategy or the study plan, whatever you call it, there's one more thing that you need to do if you want to maximise your chances of selection in the RBI Grade B Exam.

You must be wondering what I am talking about. Well, I'm talking about the RBI Grade B Exam Analysis. Exam Analysis holds a very important key to your selection because it helps you identify the areas from which questions are regularly framed and you also get to know the level of questions asked.

So, without wasting any time let's move on to the RBI Grade B Exam Analysis of the Previous year papers.

RBI Grade B Exam Analysis

As I have already mentioned before, to ensure victory in any battle or sport, just the preparation from your side is not enough.

You also need to gauge the abilities of your opponents and also the playing/battlefield where the clash is to take place by analyzing the past year's trends and records.

This is the formula you'd need to apply to ensure success in the upcoming RBI Grade B exam as well.

But, before we head to the exam analysis I am providing you the link to the blog where you would be able to access the previous years' papers (from 2010 to 2021) and download them.

So, let's begin with the RBI Grade B exam analysis of the year 2021.

RBI Grade B 2021 Exam Analysis for Phase 1

The RBI Grade B Exam involves 3 stages, Phase 1 or prelims, Phase 2 or Mains, and finally Phase 3 or the interview round.

The 2021 phase 1 exam was held on 6th March 2021.

Given below is the typical breakdown of the Phase 1 Exam :

Having said that, it should be noted that the Phase 1 exam was conducted in two shifts. The difficulty level of the 2 shifts is given below:

RBI Grade B 2021 Exam Analysis: Phase 1 (Both Shifts)

After analyzing the papers of both the shifts, it can be said that the overall level of the 2021 Phase 1 exam was moderately difficult as far as the difficulty level goes.

I have mentioned the section-wise RBI Grade B 2021 Phase 1 exam analysis below:

RBI Grade B 2021 Phase 1 Exam Analysis (Section-Wise)

Now, let's delve into the detailed exam analysis of the various sections of the RBI Grade B 2021 phase 1 exam.

RBI Grade B 2021 Exam Analysis for Phase 1: Section-wise

I have mentioned below the topics from which questions were asked corresponding to each of the sections of the RBI Grade B 2021 Phase 1 exam.

English Language

In the table that I have mentioned below, you'll get an idea about the approximate distribution of questions asked pertaining to different topics of the English Language Section in the 2 shifts of the Phase 1 paper:

The reading comprehensions were based on:

Increasing cases of Tuberculosis and its preventions

The role of smartwatches in detecting cardiac arrests

The overall level of this section was moderate.

Quantitative Aptitude

In the table that I have mentioned below, you'll get an idea about the approximate distribution of questions asked pertaining to different topics of the Quantitative Aptitude Section in the 2 shifts of the Phase 1 paper.

Quantitative Aptitude

Topic

Number of Questions

Data Interpretation

10-12

Number Series

5-6

Data Sufficiency

5-6

Quantity Comparison

3-4

Arithmetic Questions

4-5

Quadratic Equations

4-5

The questions that were asked on Data Interpretation were in the Caselets, and pie chart formats.

They were lengthy questions but were doable.

The problems asked for in the arithmetic section were based on Mensuration, Time and Work, Percentage, Age problems, etc.

The overall level of this section was between moderate and difficult.

Reasoning Ability

In the table that I have mentioned below, you'll get an idea about the approximate distribution of questions asked pertaining to different topics of the Reasoning Ability Section in the 2 shifts of the Phase 1 paper.

Reasoning Ability

Topic

Number of Questions

Reasoning Puzzles

25-30

Machine Input and Output

5

Logical Reasoning

5-10

Alphanumeric Series

2-3

Syllogism

2-3

Direction Test

3

Data Sufficiency

2-3

Coding-Decoding

1-3

Miscellaneous

8-10

I have mentioned below the types of puzzles and seating arrangement questions that were asked in this section:

Linear Seating Arrangement - 2 Rows

Blood Relations based puzzle

Tabulation based puzzle

Schedule based puzzle

2 Rows that are parallel with 6 people in each row

Floor based puzzle

Box based puzzle

The overall level of this section was between moderate and difficult.

General Awareness

I have mentioned below a few of the questions that were asked to test your memory in the General Awareness section, based on the 2 shifts combined.

First Novel of Amitav Ghosh

Question on Indian Innovation Index

When is the 'International Tea Day' observed?

Question on Sukanya Samriddhi Yojana

Pradhan Mantri Kushal Yojana

When is the 'Good Governance Day' observed?

Questions based on Union Budget 2021

Questions on RBI Financial Report

West Indies and Bangladesh Series

Apart from the questions that I have mentioned above, around 8 to 10 questions were based on Static GK, and in terms of difficulty level, this section was of moderate difficulty.

That brings us to the end of the analysis of phase 1, let's now analyze the phase 2 paper of the 2021 RBI Grade B exam.

RBI Grade B 2021 Exam Analysis for Phase 2

The RBI Grade B 2021 phase 2 exam was held on 1st April 2021 and consisted of 2 shifts. The morning shift comprised of paper 1, namely Economic & Social Issues, and paper 3, namely, Finance and Management.

The afternoon shift comprised of paper 2, namely English Writing Skills.

Given below is the typical breakdown of the RBI Grade B Phase 2 Exam :

Having said that, according to me the overall difficulty level of the exam was MODERATE.

Given below is the paper wise difficulty levels of the phase 2 exam:

I have mentioned the section-wise RBI Grade B 2021 phase 2 exam analysis below.

Let's glance through the Good Attempts for RBI Grade B Phase 2 Objective sections of papers 1 and 3:

Now let's analyse all the 3 papers, one by one, and in detail.

Economic and Social Issues (ESI) Paper Analysis:

The ESI paper had to be completed within a total time duration of 2 hours. Out of the 2 hours or 120 minutes, 90 minutes were allocated for the descriptive portion of the paper, and the remaining 30 minutes were allocated for the objective portion.

In the descriptive portion, you would have needed to write answers to 4 out of the 6 questions asked in the paper (2 out of 3 - 15 marks questions & 2 out of 3 - 10 marks questions). The word limit for the 15 marks questions was 600, and for the 10 marks questions, it was 400.

The objective portion consisted of 30 questions. 10 Questions of 1 Marks each & 20 Questions of 2 Marks each.

As I have already mentioned above, the overall difficulty level of the ESI paper was moderate to difficult. As far as the difficulty level of the objective and descriptive portions go, the descriptive part was tougher than the objective part.

Descriptive Questions asked in the ESI paper:
15 marks questions (word limit of 600):

How have the different aspects of Globalisation evolved since the 2008's Global Financial Crisis. Analyse its impact.

What is meant by the vertical & horizontal allocation of resources to states as per the 15th Finance Commission? How can this objective be achieved?

Describe the various Poverty Estimation Method in relation to the following?

Per Capita

Inflation & Consumption

Safety Net Program

10 marks questions (word limit of 400):

What is the influence of Demographic Transition on India's economic growth?

What are the 3 measures that are related to the Disinvestment of Strategic Sectors & Non-Strategic sectors in Union Budget 2021-22. Discuss.

Discuss India's commitment to climate change in light of its socio-economic, health & developmental projects.

Some of the objective questions asked in the ESI paper:

Question on PM KISAN Yojana.

Question on OECD.

India's GDP is Forecasted by which organization?

Odd One Out Based question on Govt Schemes.

Labour reforms-based comprehension question. (2 Marks)

Finance & Management (F&M) Paper Analysis:

The FM paper had to be completed within a total time duration of 2 hours. Out of the 2 hours or 120 minutes, 90 minutes were allocated for the descriptive portion of the paper, and the remaining 30 were allocated for the objective portion.

In the descriptive portion, you would have needed to write answers to 4 out of the 6 questions asked in the paper (2 out of 3 - 15 marks questions & 2 out of 3 - 10 marks questions). The word limit for the 15 marks questions was 600, and for the 10 marks questions, it was 400.

The objective portion consisted of 30 questions. 10 Questions of 1 Marks each & 20 Questions of 2 Marks each.

As I have already mentioned above, the overall difficulty level of the FM paper was moderate to difficult. As far as the difficulty level of the objective and descriptive portions go, the descriptive part was tougher than the objective part.

Descriptive Questions asked in the FM Paper:
15 marks questions (word limit of 600):

Function on the following Regulatory Bodies: SIDBI, EXIM, NABARD, NHB & RRBs

What are Basel Norms & what are the Pillars of Basel 3 Norms.

Question on Corporate Governance & its key Principles.

10 marks questions (word limit of 400):

What the major/key announcements of Union Budget 2021-22 (5 Announcements)

Question on the difference between Transformational and Transactional leadership.

Question on Behavioural Reinforcement. Explain Positive & Negative reinforcements.

Some of the objective questions asked in the F&M paper:

Question on Government Model for building National Highways for construction of roads in the country. (2 Questions)

Question related to Depository.

Question on Hybrid Annuity Model.

Question on Organisational Behaviour.

Question on NPCI.

Question on Shares, SEBI & ASBA.

Note: I will update this section as and when I receive more information regarding the above topics.

English Descriptive Paper Analysis:

The English descriptive paper is framed to test your writing skills, expression, and understanding of a topic.

There were 3 questions asked in the paper. The three were:

An essay writing question

A precis writing question

A comprehension

Since the paper was online, candidates had to type the answers via a keyboard.

The overall difficulty level of the English Descriptive paper was moderate.

I have mentioned the questions that were asked in the paper, below:

Precis writing question was based on Sand Mining (Related to Urbanisation & Soil Exploitation) - Words Limit of 140

Reading Comprehension Question was based on Counter Economy (Black Marketing): In this, there were 5 Questions asked based on the comprehension were of 6 marks each. The word limit for each answer was 50-60.

Essay Topics (300 Words) that were asked were:

An ounce of prevention is a pound worth of cure.

Future of BPO industries in India.

Importance of Creative thinking in business.

Pros & Cons of teaching Coding/ Computer Language to school Students.

That brings us to the end of the 2021 RBI Grade B exam analysis of both phases.

RBI Grade B 2019 Exam Analysis for Phase 1

In this section, I have given tables through which you can get an idea about the difficulty level of the questions asked in phase 1 of the 2019 RBI Grade B exam.

I have also provided for your benefit, the topics, and subjects that the questions belonged to.

RBI Grade B 2019 Exam Analysis for Phase 1: Section-wise

I have mentioned below the topics from which questions were asked corresponding to each of the sections of the RBI Grade B 2019 Phase 1 exam.

RBI Grade B 2019 Exam Analysis for Phase 2

Let us quickly go through the constitution of the RBI Grade B phase 2 exam.

Phase 2 is divided into 3 papers, which are Paper 1 or ESI, Paper 2 or F&M, and Paper 3 or English Descriptive.

In this section, I have provided an analysis of all the 3 phase 2 papers so that you can get an idea about the type of questions that are asked in the phase 2 exam.

RBI Grade B 2019 Exam Analysis for Phase 2: Paper 1 (ESI)

Here I have listed the topics from which questions were asked In the 2019 ESI or the Economics and Social Issues paper:

Pradhan Mantri  Ujjwala  Yojana

PM  Kisan  Samman Nidhi Yojana

Ayushman Bharat

Initiatives are taken by the HRD ministry

Robot Bank launched by which bank?

FDI (Advance Question)

SDG Index (Health)

SDG- Global Green Fund

UNCTAD or the UN conference on Trade and Development

GDP estimation according to Economic Survey

India's GDP forecast according to IMF

MSF/SLR - Definition

Amount of sanctioned issued to Maharashtra Government by ADB

Loan sanctioned to an Indian State by World Bank

Question related to Union Budget (scheme allocation)

Funds allocated in MNREGA

Amount of Capital Infused by the Union Government in Public Sector Banks

RBI Grade B 2019 Exam Analysis for Phase 2: Paper 2 (F&M)

Here I have listed the questions that were asked in the 2019 F&M (Finance and Management paper):

Finance:

FRBM Act

Motivation

Capital Market

A Bond with multiple maturities

Managerial Grid

ERG Theory

360-degree app

Risk Management

Commercial Paper

Management:

Corporate Governance

Communication

Leadership Style

Motivation Theories

Career Path, Development & Management

RBI Grade B 2019 Exam Analysis for Phase 2: Paper 3 (English Descriptive)

Here I have listed the questions that were asked in the 2019 English Descriptive paper:

Reading Comprehension: IMF & It's Functionality.
Precis: Capital & Current Account Convertibility
Essay Writing:  For the essays, these were the topics that were asked.

Higher Education

Stress among youth

NBFC Loan collection issues.

Importance of a Vote in Democracy

5G scope in India

That brings us to the end of the 2019 RBI Grade B exam analysis.

Now that you know the type of questions that were asked and their difficulty levels in the 2019 exams, do not make the mistake of assuming that these are the only types that are asked in every exam.

RBI Grade B Cut Off

The RBI Grade B Cut Off for the Phase 1 exam in 2021 was been released on 31st March 2021. We have updated it in the table below. Typically, it is released in about 2-3 weeks' time after the Phase 1 Exam.

Along with the RBI Grade B Phase 1 cut offs, the RBI Grade B mark sheet for the phase 1 paper has also been released.

To check your marks, you can go over to the official RBI website and punch in your date of birth and roll number. This will lead you to your mark sheet.

The cut off for the Phase 2 2021 Exam will be released once the selection process is complete.

RBI Grade B Cut Off 2021

The RBI Grade B Phase 1 exams were held on 6th March 2021. Having said that the cut offs for the same were declared on the 31st March 2021.

RBI Grade B Cut off 2021 ((DR)-General) - Phase 1

You can check the 2021 RBI Grade B Cut off for Phase 1 in the table below:

Now that you have gone through the cut off for Phase 1, you might be wondering about the phase 2 cut off, how to check it & want to look at and previous years' cut off marks as well. You may check these in the blog linked below.

Read more about the RBI Grade B Cut Offs and check past years' cut offs.

Conclusion:

To conclude, I want to say that this article is a very important one as far as RBI Grade B exams go. Everything that I have mentioned in this article would be of immense benefit to you provided you go through it with the utmost sincerity and earnestness.

Having said that, I just want you to know that I have absolute confidence in your ability to crack the RBI Grade B exam, and I wish you all the very best for the preparations that lie ahead.

Have a great day!

About Anuj Jindal

━━━━

Anuj Jindal, the founder, is an ex-manager from SBI, with an M.Com from Delhi School of Economics. He also has a JRF in Commerce & Management and NET in HRM, along with more than 5 years of experience in the field of Education.

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RBI Grade B Preparation, Exam Analysis and Cut Off

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Topics Covered: RBI Grade B Cut Off 2021 for Phase 1, Exam Analysis of Phase 1 and Phase 2, Preparation Strategy, Study Sequence, and Week-wise Study Plan The RBI is India's apex economic and banking organization mandated with the task of keeping the nation's economy stable.

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Get the latest IAS/IPS Syllabus for Civil Services Exam. Download the Revised UPSC Syllabus in PDF format for Prelims, Mains & Interview.

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Get complete info about SEBI Grade A 2022 Recruitment, Notification, Exam Dates & SEBI Grade A Officer Salary.

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Topics Covered: Recommended Book List (NCERT & other books) for UPSC IAS for General Studies, Prelims Exam & Mains Exam, Strategy of 'Work Smart Not Hard', Attempt Free Mock Tests, Benefits of Solving Mock Tests & Tips on Solving Mock Tests

If you wish to clear the UPSC IAS Exam you need to inscribe onto the innermost echelons of your heart, a remarkable quote by the great American academic, Charles William Eliot,
"Books are the quietest and most constant of friends; they are the most accessible and wisest of counselors, and the most patient of teachers."
That's because throughout the entire duration of your UPSC CSE preparation your books need to be your best friend.

So, getting to the benefits of reading from the various UPSC books. These books will render you with a superior perspective on life and the world.

That's a great reward in and of itself if you ask me, leaving aside the question of if that's enough to help you clear the IAS exam in your first attempt or not.

Long story short, going through all the books for UPSC will definitely help you become more confident and wiser as a person, and these traits are something that an IAS officer should certainly possess.

Having said that, I still remember the time I was preparing for the UPSC exams back in the day. I used to live and breathe UPSC books.

It was in the moments that I spent with the IAS books that I got to learn so much about our nation and the world, nature, science, history, politics, finance, and whatnot. Gosh! Such a transformative time it was for me.

However, I would also like to add that even though books are the greatest for the purpose of gaining knowledge, reading just from them to complete the UPSC syllabus will not be enough.

To clear the IAS exam, you'd also have to test your waters by putting all of your bookish knowledge to the test. To do so you'd have to solve as many UPSC mock tests as you can.

So, without further ado, let's begin.

Table of Content - UPSC Books and Mock tests for IAS/IPS Exam

UPSC Books

Right off the bat, I would like to point out that the IAS prelims 2021 have been postponed to take place on 10th October (earlier it was scheduled on 27th June 2021) this year.

Now. since there is not much time left for the Prelims paper, it's only logical that you pick from only the best UPSC books for your preparation.

Now, according to me as well as several toppers of previous IAS exams, the best way to start your preparation is by reading through the NCERT books for UPSC and then moving on to the other books for UPSC (the standard ones).

Also, you should be mindful about the type of IAS books that you choose for your preparation, given that the UPSC prelims and UPSC mains are very different from each other and would need 2 different sets of reading material for each.

The UPSC Prelims, being an entirely objective type of paper would need a separate set of book lists and the UPSC Mains, being entirely subjective in its nature would need its own.

To know more about the UPSC CSE exam pattern, you can go over to the blog I have written on the same.

Anyway, in this section of the blog, I have mentioned the names of all the important books according to the different phases and subjects of the UPSC CSEs.

A key point to note here, any good booklist should always be comprehensive enough to cover the entire syllabus of the exam.

For your reference, I am linking the blog on the UPSC IAS Syllabus for Prelims & Mains.

I have started with the NCERT books for UPSC. Here's the list:

Best NCERT books for UPSC

Listed below are the best NCERT books for UPSC according to the various subjects of the UPSC exam (of both Prelims and Mains Phases)

NCERT Books for UPSC- General Studies Paper 1

NCERT books for UPSC for History:

History: NCERT Class 6: Our Past

History: NCERT Class 7: Our Past - 1

History: NCERT Class 8: Our Past 2 and 3

History: NCERT Class 9: India and the Contemporary World - I

History: NCERT Class 9: India and the Contemporary World - II

History: NCERT Class 10: World History

History: NCERT Class 12: Indian History - 1

History: NCERT Class 12: Indian History - 2

History: NCERT Class 12: Indian History - 3

NCERT Books for UPSC about Indian Society:

Indian Society: NCERT Class 6: Social Science: Social & Political Life I

Indian Society: NCERT Class 7: Social Science: Social & Political Life II

Indian Society: NCERT Class 8: Social Science: Social & Political Life III

Indian Society: NCERT Class 11: Sociology: Understanding Society

Indian Society: NCERT Class 12: Indian Society

You can also refer to class 12th Sociology book.

NCERT Books for UPSC for Art and Culture:

Art & Culture: NCERT Class 11: An Introduction to Indian Art

Art & Culture: NCERT Class 11: Living Craft Traditions of India (Chapters IX & X)

NCERT Books for UPSC for Geography:

NCERT Class 6: The Earth Our Habitat

NCERT Class 7: Our Environment

NCERT Class 8: Resource and Development

NCERT Class 9: Contemporary India - I

NCERT Class 10: Contemporary India - II

NCERT Class 11: Fundamentals of Physical Geography

NCERT Class 11: India Physical Environment

NCERT Class 12: Fundamentals of Human Geography

NCERT Class 12: India People and Economy

NCERT Books for UPSC- General Studies Paper 2

NCERT IAS books for Polity

Polity: NCERT Class 9: Political Science - Democratic Politics Part - 1

Polity: NCERT Class 10: Political Science - Democratic Politics Part - 2

Polity: NCERT Class 11: Political Science - Indian Constitution at Work

Polity: NCERT Class 11: Political Science - Political Theory

Polity: NCERT Class 12: Political Science 1 - Contemporary World Politics

Polity: NCERT Class 12: Political Science 2 - Politics in India since Independence

NCERT Polity: you should read the Class 9 to class 12 polity IAS books in detail, with a special focus on the ones of the 11th and 12th class. (out of which cover the topic of World Politics, if time permits).

NCERT UPSC Books - General Studies Paper 3

NCERT UPSC Books on Economy

Economy: NCERT Class 9 Economics

Economy: NCERT Class 10: Understanding Economic Development

Economy: NCERT Class 11: Indian Economic Development

Economy: NCERT Class 12: Introductory Microeconomics

Economy: NCERT Class 12: Introductory Macroeconomics

NCERT UPSC Books for Science & Technology

Science: NCERT Class 6

Science: NCERT Class 7

Science: NCERT Class 8

Science: NCERT Class 9

Science: NCERT Class 10

Science: NCERT Class 11: Chemistry: Unit 14 and Biology: Units 4 & 5

Science: NCERT Class 12: Chemistry: Unit 16 and Biology: Units 8, 9 & 10

UPSC Books of NCERT for Environment & Ecology
Science: Class 12: Biology: last four Chapters (13 - 16)

For the subject of Economics, you can refer to the NCERT books of class 9 to 12 . However, if you are familiar with the basics of the subject already , reading from the economics books of class 11 and class 12 (m a cro & m i cro both ) would be sufficient.

For the subject of science, you should refer to the textbooks of class 9 and 10. That should be good enough for your IAS exam preparation.

NCERT UPSC Books - General Studies Paper 4

Subject of Ethics: NCERT Class 12: Psychology: This is not too significant from the exam perspective; however, you can go through this IAS book for the basics. However, remember to read selectively.

That wraps up the list of all the NCERT books for UPSC. Now let's take a look at the IAS according to the different phases of the UPSC exam.

Best UPSC Books for IAS Prelims

In the IAS prelims round there are 2 papers and both are objective type in nature. That means both have multiple-type questions with negative markings for each wrong answer.

I have mentioned below the list of the best IAS books for the Prelims round:

Subject

UPSC Books

History

1. India's Struggle for Independence - Bipan Chandra
2. Facets of Indian Culture - Spectrum
3. NCERT XI (Ancient & Medieval)
4. NCERT XII (Modern Indian History)

Geography

1. Certificate Physical Geography - G C Leong
2. NCERT VI - X (Old Syllabus)
3. NCERT XI, XII (New Syllabus)
4. World Atlas

Indian Polity

1. Indian Polity - M Laxmikanth
2. NCERT IX-XII

Economics

1. Indian Economy by Ramesh Singh
2. Economic Development and Policies in India: Jain & Ohri
3. NCERT XI

International Relations

1. NCERT XII (Contemporary World Politics)
2. Current Affairs

CSAT

1. Tata McGraw Hill CSAT Manual
2. CSAT II - Arihant
3. Verbal and Non-Verbal Reasoning: R S Aggarwal

Best UPSC Books for IAS Mains

If you are able to clear the Prelims stage of the IAS exam, then you'd have to appear for the Mains. In the IAS Mains, there are 9 subjective type papers out of which 2 are subjects that you can choose from.

So, accordingly, I have mentioned down below a list of the best books for your preparation for the Mains round of the IAS:

Subject

UPSC Books

History, Indian Heritage & Culture [GS Paper 1]

* An Intro to Indian Art Part 1-Textbook in Fine Arts for Class 11
* Bipan Chadra's India's Struggle for Independence
* Bipan Chandra's India after Independence
* Satish Chandra's History of Medieval India
* RS Sharma's Ancient India

Geography [GS Paper 1]

* Majid Husain's Geography of India
* Majid Husain's World Geography
* World Atlas
* GC Leong's Certificate Physical and Human Geography
* NCERT Class 11: Fundamentals of Physical Geography

Polity & International Relations [GS Paper 2]

* M. Laxmikanth's Indian Polity
* DD Basu's Introduction to the Constitution of India
* Rajiv Sikri's India's Foreign Policy

Economy [GS Paper 3]

* Ramesh Singh's Indian Economy

Ethics [GS Paper 4]

* Ethics, Integrity and Aptitude for Civil Services Main Examination by Subba Rao and P.N. Roy Chaudary

These are all the list of books that I have for you as far as the Prelims and the Mains rounds of the UPSC are concerned.

However, there are 2 optional subject papers in the Mains exam that would require you to read from the books pertaining to the particular subjects of your choice.

Let's now look at the other essential study material from which you'd have to read apart from all the books that I have already mentioned above:

Other Study Materials:

1. 2nd ARC Report

2. Economic Survey (Latest)

3. Budget (Latest)

4. Finance Commission Report (Latest)

5. Annual reports by central ministries

6. Niti Aayog Action Agenda

7. Current Affairs - The Hindu Newspaper, Yojana Magazine & PIB Releases

Remember, the suggested books should become your best friends in your preparation for the UPSC CSE. These books along with a devoted work ethic and a strong preparation strategy will hold you in good stead to become an IAS/IPS officer.

Do check out my suggested preparation strategy for UPSC CSE.

Now to mention some important points on the best approach.

Work Smart, Not Hard

It should be noted that the UPSC Syllabus is vast, and therefore, it takes a minimum duration of at least a year to read through comprehensively. Thus, make sure that you do not waste precious time reading from books that are not up to the mark or are below standard. By below standard, I mean books that might contain unauthenticated or incorrect information.

Make sure to take notes while reading from the IAS books that I have listed for you above.

There are some excellent books for UPSC preparation like Laxmikanth. Books such as these are tailor-made for the UPSC exams.
This is because a lot of questions related to the subject of polity are asked directly from this book. These are the kind of books that you should read as thoroughly as possible.

In addition to the points that I have written above, there are a lot of books that consist of information in a "notes"- like format. So, in a way, books like these already do provide you with the notes that you need to prepare for the exam. Therefore while reading such books do not waste your time making notes.

Lastly, you need to understand that even though there are books that are exceptionally well-written and informative, they might not be that useful. Therefore as far as preparing for the UPSC is concerned, make sure that you read from books that are relevant only from the UPSC preparation standpoint.

That brings us to the end of this section of the blog. Now, considering that you understand the value of reading from all the IAS books that I have mentioned above, it's time to understand why it's equally important to test your waters by attempting UPSC mock tests.

Benefits of  Solving   UPSC Mock Tests

The immediate benefit that you'd notice after solving the UPSC mock tests and previous years' papers is that you'd be able to commit the exam structure to your memory. That would in turn facilitate your understanding of things such as the sections to attempt first and the ones to leave out for later, based on your strengths and weaknesses.

More practice would mean better speed of comprehension and the ability to solve more in littler time.

With greater practice, you'd also be able to tell the questions that would be asked in the actual exam, from the ones that are not as likely to be asked.

You'd be able to easily decipher questions on the basis of their difficulty levels and the topics they encapsulate.

It would become easier for you to gauge your performances segment-wise, subject-wise, and level of difficulty-wise. You'd also get to clearly compartmentalize your strong and weak points according to the topics and segments.

Solving more and more UPSC mock tests and previous years' papers would make your moves more instinctive while marking the right answers while attempting the objective-type questions.

Now that you know the benefits of solving UPSC mock tests, it should be further noted that you should atleast attempt one UPSC mock test or a previous year's paper after you have already finished with your UPSC preparation. That way after solving the UPSC mock test you'd know which portions of the UPSC syllabus you still need to work on.

Access the previous years' UPSC question papers from 2015-2020.

Anyway, to elaborate on how to solve UPSC mock tests, you can go through the next section.

Tips on Solving UPSC Mock Tests

As I have mentioned above, one of the key advantages of solving mock tests is to be able to maintain your focus, accuracy, and speed for the duration of the exams, may it be the Prelims or the Mains.

I have mentioned some very effective tips and tricks that you can keep in mind while solving your UPSC mock test papers:

1. Take your Prelims mock papers sincerely, giving 2 hours each for the GS and CSAT papers. And also, while taking your mock mains papers, take the papers using the official time duration of 3 hours for each.

2. While solving the UPSC mocks make sure to solve your papers with a calm mind. The objective shouldn't be just to solve it in the given time. You should make sure that your answers are right, and also of good quality (in the case of the mains papers). Therefore, 15 minutes here and there above the given time limit can be considered okay, but remember to not take any more time than that.

3. Once you are done with a mock, do not consider your job done yet, you'd now have to analyze the questions in the mock thoroughly and also the answers you have written for each. That way you'll be able to identify the concepts that you are weak at.

4. After analyzing a mock answer sheet, do not move over to solving another one without first clearing your weak points.

5. After clearing your weak points, go over to solve another mock, and do the same again, that is identify your weak points again. For this, you can take help from a mentor as well. You do not have to do this alone.

6. Keep repeating this process till the very end.

7. Also, remember to not spend too much time on one question while solving the mocks. Move on to the next question if you are not sure about the answer to the question you are stuck at.

8. If you follow the process I have mentioned in the above points, you will start noticing improvement in your scores within a short span of time.

Remember, it is highly important to analyse any mock or previous year paper that you attempt. Go over the exam analysis of commerce and management optionals of 2017-2020 UPSC exams.

That concludes the segment of the UPSC mock tests.

Conclusion

That brings us to the end of this long, but I hope informative blog article. In this article, I have covered the topics of UPSC mock tests and UPSC books. With that, I bid you farewell for now and all the very best for the upcoming UPSC CSE.

Have a nice day!

About Anuj Jindal

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Anuj Jindal, the founder, is an ex-manager from SBI, with an M.Com from Delhi School of Economics. He also has a JRF in Commerce & Management and NET in HRM, along with more than 5 years of experience in the field of Education.

FAQs: UPSC Books and Mock Tests for IAS/IPS Exam

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UPSC Books and Mock Tests for IAS/IPS Exam

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Topics Covered: Recommended Book List (NCERT & other books) for UPSC IAS for General Studies, Prelims Exam & Mains Exam, Strategy of 'Work Smart Not Hard', Attempt Free Mock Tests, Benefits of Solving Mock Tests & Tips on Solving Mock Tests If you wish to clear the UPSC IAS Exam you need to inscribe onto the innermost echelons of your heart, a remarkable quote by the great American academic, Charles William Eliot, "Books are the quietest and most constant of friends; they are the most accessible and wisest of counselors, and the most patient of teachers."

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Preparing for the UPSC IAS exams is no joke. It takes consistent effort and a steely resolve to crack the exam.

I know this firsthand because I have seen my elder brother slog for an entire year preparing for the UPSC CSE, and eventually making it through the hallowed portals of the LBSNAA or the Lal Bahadur Shastri National Academy of Administration, Mussoorie.

I still remember the time when my brother was studying for the IAS exams, I used to come home from college and see him sitting at his study table engrossed in his preparation. In the evenings he used to go out to play some badminton.

That is how he used to freshen his mind up after 4 hours of continuous studies. During those moments I used to sneak up to his study table and look through the study materials that were neatly stacked one on top of the other.

Amidst the vast varieties of IAS books and study materials on the desk, I couldn't help but notice the fat bundles of sheets that were compiled together using spiral binding. These were the bundles that my brother would later give a lot of credit to for his success in the Exams.

These bundles contained the UPSC previous year question papers and the UPSC prelims question papers of the previous years.

Some years later I would go on to use the same bundles of UPSC previous year question papers to prepare for the UPSC IAS exams, myself.

Anyway, continuing with the story of my IAS brother's preparation days, I can clearly recall, him solving a large number of UPSC prelims question papers and mocks before appearing for his UPSC prelims exam, the very next day.

Oh! one other thing that my brother used to do was analyze the difficulty level of the IAS previous year papers by going through the various UPSC cut off lists of the previous years.

He used to do so by marking himself on all the IAS previous year papers he solved and match his marks with the cut offs of the corresponding year.

So, as I was saying. He went on to take his prelims paper the next day, and came back home really happy afterwards, apparently, he had aced it.

When I asked about how his exam had gone, he told me excitedly that a lot of the questions that were asked were similar to the ones he had solved in UPSC prelims question papers the day before, and that if I was to ever clear the UPSC exams in the future, solving UPSC previous year question papers would be absolutely essential.

Thus, in the coming few weeks, the UPSC prelims result was announced, and as expected my brother had cleared the prelims.

Then he took his Mains papers, aced that as well, and when the UPSC Mains result was declared, it turned out that he had cleared the Mains round as well.

After that there was no stopping him, the guy aced his interviews also. When the final UPSC result for the IAS exams was announced, my brother stood with an All-India Rank of 53 with his head held high. A real inspiration for me and a million others.

Anyway, the purpose of telling you this story was to, first, emphasize the importance of working hard, and second to highlight the role of solving UPSC previous year question papers and going through the UPSC cut offs in our UPSC preparations.

As you already might have guessed this blog shall be about the topics of UPSC Previous year question papers, UPSC results, and the UPSC cut offs.

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UPSC Previous Year Papers, Result & Cut Off

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Preparing for the UPSC IAS exams is no joke. It takes consistent effort and a steely resolve to crack the exam. I know this firsthand because I have seen my elder brother slog for an entire year preparing for the UPSC CSE, and eventually making it through the hallowed portals of the LBSNAA or the Lal Bahadur Shastri National Academy of Administration, Mussoorie.

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https://www.anujjindal.in/upsc-exam-pattern-apply-online-admit-card/

Basically, to ace the UPSC exams, knowing the UPSC exam pattern is of utmost importance.

Everything that you’ll ever learn and prepare for during your IAS preparations will have to ultimately be calibrated to the IAS exam pattern.

That’s how important the topic of the UPSC exam pattern is. So, to get to the real thing the UPSC exam is comprised of 3 stages.

The first stage as per the examination pattern is the Prelims round, which is essentially an elimination round designed to filter out a majority of unsuitable candidates.

Then comes the second phase as per the examination pattern or the Mains round, which is basically the core of the UPSC exams and the most important step of selection.

Lastly, comes the third stage as per the examination pattern, or the Personal interview round, which is designed to test your personality and your acumen as a bureaucrat.

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UPSC Exam Pattern, Apply Online, & Admit Card

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Know about the latest UPSC (IAS) Exam Pattern & Admit Card for Prelims, Mains & Interview. Fill Application Form & Apply Online for UPSC CSE.

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https://www.anujjindal.in/upsc-cse-notification-exam-date-and-ias-preparation/

In this section of the article, I am going to inform you about how to prepare for UPSC in detail.

So, the first thing that you need to know about UPSC preparation is that it is not possible to succeed by just being a bookworm.

Along with being a bookworm, you’d also need to be well-read, socially and politically aware, and also confident as a person. Along with all of that you’d also need to have an assertive yet pleasing personality.

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It's been almost an eon since the last time I appeared for the UPSC IAS exams, and yet even today I stand in awe whenever I sift through the questions asked in the exams.

Such is the quality and the level of it.

There is a reason why the UPSC CSE is considered the toughest when it comes to Govt. Job examinations.

The sheer depth and cleverness of it speak of the efficacy of the exam in selecting from the best of the best.

I remember the first time I had decided to appear for the IAS exams, I was really excited.

I was working as an SBI PO back then. It was one of my college buddies that had inspired me to apply for the IAS exams.

The UPSC exam dates and notification had just come out and the registrations had opened.

My SBI office was in Mumbai and... uh oh! Pardon me!!... It seems like I have unknowingly slipped into one of my story-telling sprees again.

For those of you who wouldn't like to read the story can directly go over to the table of content and know more about the UPSC notification 2021, UPSC exam dates, and how to prepare for UPSC. For the rest of you....

Yeah, so my SBI office was in Mumbai. It was evening and I was just about to leave for home after a hard day's work when suddenly this friend of mine called me up.

Said he was in town and wanted to meet up. I was a bit taken aback. You see, the strange thing about this particular call was that this fellow had been a ghost for the last 2 years.

Nobody had any clue as to where he was or what he was doing. And now he was here in Mumbai and was suddenly calling me. I had to go see him

So, after exiting the office, I went straight to the rendezvous point where he was waiting for me.

The meeting point was a Café facing the sea on Marine Drive. It was really nice.

When I entered, I saw my friend sitting at one of the corner tables there.

And so, I went up to him and asked him how he was doing and expressed my shock as to where he had disappeared for such a long time.

On being asked this question he laughed out loud and told me that he had been preparing for the UPSC CSEs and had cut off his links with his friends and peers to focus on his IAS preparations.

He also told me that he had cleared the exam, and was now well on his way to becoming an IAS officer, but before he did so, he wanted to meet with me and some of his other friends to douse our curiosity about his disappearance.

The answer was really perplexing for me at the time.

You see, at that point, even though I had was aware of what the responsibilities, IAS salaries, and power of an IAS officer were, I still didn't entirely know what the UPSC exams were all about.

I didn't actually know about the kind of effort one had to put in to crack the IAS exams.

Thus, It was during the next 3 - 4 hours of conversation with my friend in that café on Marine drive, that I finally understood the implications of, "preparing for the IAS".

He also informed me that the UPSC exam dates and notifications had recently come out for the year.

After a hearty conversation, we parted ways and I went back to my place; and by the time I had laid my head to rest on the pillow that night, I was already dreaming about preparing for the IAS exam myself.

So, yeah. That's my story about how I got inspired to appear for the UPSC exams.

Now, it's your turn to get inspired, my friend. The UPSC notification 2021 has come out and this blog will be about the same.

Along with the information about the UPSC notification 2021, I shall also write about the UPSC exam dates and how to prepare for IAS.

So, without further ado, let's begin.

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UPSC CSE Notification, Exam Date, & IAS/IPS Preparation

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It's been almost an eon since the last time I appeared for the UPSC IAS exams, and yet even today I stand in awe whenever I sift through the questions asked in the exams. Such is the quality and the level of it.

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https://www.anujjindal.in/upsc-exam-pattern-apply-online-admit-card/

UPSC Admit Card

Now, let’s look into the final section of this blog where I’ll explain how to download the UPSC admit card.

Before we continue any further, I would like to bring to your attention that the UPSC admit card for the 2021 Mains exam, which is going to be held from 7th January 2022 onwards, will be out on the UPSC’s official website.

The UPSC admit cards are electronic in nature. That means it will not be sent to you by post, rather you’d have to download it from the official website of the UPSC and take a printout of it.

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UPSC Exam Pattern, Apply Online, & Admit Card

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Know about the latest UPSC (IAS) Exam Pattern & Admit Card for Prelims, Mains & Interview. Fill Application Form & Apply Online for UPSC CSE.

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https://www.anujjindal.in/upsc-eligibility-criteria-for-ias-ips-exam/

Right of the bat, you must have a bachelor’s degree if you want to be eligible to take the IAS exams, and that is just one of the eligibility criteria.

There are other criteria of eligibility for UPSC as well that you definitely need to look into before applying for the IAS exam online.

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Topics Covered: UPSC Eligibility Criteria Overview, Exam Eligibility, Nationality, Age limit, Age Relaxations, Education Qualification, Number of Attempts, Restrictions on Applying, Medical & Physical Standards and Eligibility PDF Download

Hi guys, so before I start off with this article, I would mention that there are 2 ways you can choose to read this article. One way is to directly go to the table of content and click on the topic that you'd like to read. That's the way for you if you are the straightforward type.

The second way is more for the easy-breezy type of guys who like to go with the flow. If you are one such guy, make yourself a fresh cup of tea and come along as I slowly ease into the topic of UPSC Eligibility criteria. So, to start off, let me ask you a question.

Have you heard the story of King Arthur, the legendary king of Britain, and his sword, Excalibur?

I remember hearing the story when I was little. I am sure many of you might also have heard the story in some form or another.

Basically, the story speaks of an enchanted sword of power called Excalibur, which was stuck in stone. This sword could only be pulled out and wielded by the most upright and brave of men, one that was pure of heart and possessing unflinching moral integrity.

Many able-bodied men tried their luck, but all of them failed to pull the magical sword out of the stone. At last, it was King Arthur who was able to do it and consequently became the rightful King of the Britons.

Sounds similar to the Marvel Comics superhero Thor and his magical hammer Mjolnir, doesn't it?

If you look carefully, you'll find that these kinds of stories are all around us, in every culture and folk tradition, in one form or another. These stories always emphasize the importance of having an upright and selfless nature, being strong, abiding by the law, and defending the weak.

They also point out the fact that the seats of authority and power are always reserved for those that can prove their worth by displaying the aforementioned traits in the face of adversities.

I know what you might be wondering. You are thinking, "Why is Anuj sir going on about such fabled tales when the article is about the UPSC IAS exam?"

Well, I'll elaborate.

You see, in my childhood, I used to take these tales to be isolated pieces of lore that spoke of magic and adventure. However, as I grew older, I slowly realized the underlying wisdom that these stories were trying to get across; the wisdom that power and authority are only handed to those who are worthy of wielding it. Much like the powers that an IAS officer wields.

Having said that I want to ask you,

Would you like to wield massive powers as an IAS officer yourself?

Well, if your answer is yes, then you too would have to prove your worth. Like King Arthur, the superhero Thor, or the host of other folk heroes, you'd also need to go through your fair share of tests and challenges before you can finally become entitled to wield the powers that the posts of IAS/IPS offer.

These tests and challenges that I speak of will be laid in front of you in the form of the UPSC CSE exam.

Now, to appear for the UPSC CSE exam, you would need to fit certain UPSC Eligibility Criteria, like the right academic qualification, nationality, age, etc.

In this article, I have written about the UPSC IAS eligibility in much detail. So, without further ado, let's begin.

Table of Content - UPSC Eligibility Criteria for IAS/IPS Exam

UPSC IAS Eligibility Criteria 2021 Overview

IAS Exam Age Limit

21 to 32 years (must not have touched the 32nd year)

Age Relaxation

As per category (mentioned in section below)

Educational Qualification for IAS

Graduation

Nationality

Indian citizens only

UPSC Exam Eligibility

Right of the bat, you must have a bachelor's degree if you want to be eligible to take the IAS exams, and that is just one of the eligibility criteria.

There are other criteria of eligibility for UPSC as well that you definitely need to look into before applying for the IAS exam online .

So first and foremost, to be eligible to appear for the UPSC exam, you need to make sure that you meet the required educational qualifications.

The educational qualifications necessary to appear for the UPSC exams are not as steep as those required to appear for certain other exams like UGC NET and RBI Grade B.

By not steep I mean that the eligibility for UPSC does not require a minimum passing mark in your graduation certificate.

However, make no mistake. Do not let this fool you into thinking that the UPSC exam is in any way easier to crack than the others. The UPSC IAS exams are by far one of the toughest exams in India today. It would take a perfect IAS preparation strategy and a lot of hard work to make it through to be an IAS officer.

You'd also need the right IAS books to read and solve all IAS previous year question papers , both of which you can read about in the blogs I have written.

Anyway, tough or not, the very experience of attempting the IAS exams for the first time is something that is out of this world.

The sheer vastness of the IAS syllabus and the cleverness of the questions in the papers are sure to make you marvel at the scale of the exam.

Anyway, all talks aside, let me get straight to the topic at hand beginning with the UPSC exam eligibility of nationality.

UPSC IAS Exam Eligibility: Nationality

To appear for the UPSC IAS & IPS exams you need to be a citizen of India, for all other services, you must be either:

1. A citizen of India,

2. Or a subject of Nepal,

3. Or a subject of Bhutan,

4. Or a refugee from Tibet that came to India before the 1st of January 1962 with the intention of settling in India permanently.

5. Or an individual with Indian origin who has migrated from Burma, Sri Lanka, Pakistan, East African countries of Uganda, Zambia, Zaire, Kenya, the united republic of Tanzania, Malawi, Ethiopia, & Vietnam, with the purpose of settling permanently in India. If you belong to categories b), c), d), and e), then you'd need a certificate issued by the govt. of India to be eligible. Also belonging to the b), c), d), and e). Categories will bar you from being eligible to be appointed to the Indian Foreign Services.

Note: In the case that you are a candidate that needs to produce a certificate of eligibility from the government, you shall be allowed to appear for the exam, but your offer of appointment may only be given when you have submitted the aforenoted certificate of eligibility issued by the Indian Government.

UPSC IAS Eligibility Criteria: Age Limit
Long story short - Gen: should not have touched age of 32 years, OBC: should not have touched age of 35 years, SC/ST: should not have touched age of 37 years, PWD: should not have touched age of 42 years.
Compared to the criterion of educational qualification (which I shall be getting to in the next sections), the UPSC eligibility criteria of age limit, and nationality are things over which you, as a candidate, have no control.

The most you can do is be done with your minimum educational qualification as soon as possible.

That way you'll be able to save yourself the required number of attempts that you'd need to crack the UPSC exams.

However, there are certain variations to this rule as well, depending on a number of factors.

I will be enumerating each one in detail in the lines below.

I mention the issue of attempts here because it is common knowledge that very few candidates are able to crack the UPSC IAS exams in their first attempt itself.

Do you think you are one of them?

Well, if you do it's well and good, but my experience as an educator over the years and the statistics stack the odds against you. Let me explain.

Over the years, I have seen, from my own experience and also from the experiences of several of my students that cracking the UPSC exam in your first attempt is near impossible.

With that, I think I have said enough about the importance of starting way before you reach your upper IAS age limit, and subsequently saving the appropriate number of years for your UPSC attempts.

In the lines below I have mentioned the UPSC exam eligibility according to age limits and attempts for the various categories.

UPSC Age Limit & Age Relaxations

If you are a candidate of the general category, you must belong to the age bracket of 21 to 31 years (should not have touched your 32 nd year) on the 1st day of August of the year of examination.

The upper age limit for IAS and all the other services are relaxed for aspirants belonging to the categories of SC/ST/OBC/others.
IAS Age limit relaxation in UPSC for ST/SC/OBC

1. There is an age relaxation of up to a maximum of 5 years if you belong to a Scheduled Caste ( SC ) or a Scheduled Tribe ( ST ).

2. if you belong to one of the Other Backward Classes (OBC ) the age relaxation is up to a maximum of 3 years.

3. Age relaxation is up to a maximum of 5 years if you had been a domiciled resident in the state of Jammu & Kashmir from the period of 1st January of 1980 to the 31st December of 1989.

4. You'd be granted an age relaxation of up to a maximum of 3 years if you are a Defence Services personnel and got disabled while in combat with a hostile foreign country or in a disturbed area, and are released as a consequence thereof.

5. There is an age relaxation of up to a maximum of 5 years in case you are an ex-serviceman , Commissioned Officer, or SSCO/ECO, and have served a minimum of 5 years in the Military as of the 1st of August and have been released.

The aforementioned holds true in case of completion of service assignments, including the ones that are due to be completed within a year from the 1st of August, other than the way of discharge or dismissal on account of inefficiency or misconduct, or on account of being physically disabled due to military service, or on being invalid.

You'd be granted a relaxation of up to a maximum of 5 years in the case that you are an ECO/SSCO and have completed an initial assignment period of 5 years of military service as of the 1st of August, and your assignment has been extended beyond the 5 years period. In such a case the Ministry of Defence issues a certificate through which you can apply for civil employment. Through this certificate, you are eligible for release on a 3 months' notice period in the case that you are selected, from the date of receipt of the appointment offer.

6. Relaxation up to a maximum of 10 years in case you are a deaf-mute, or blind, or orthopedically handicapped person.

Cumulative Age-Relaxation on UPSC Age Limit

1. If you belong to any of the categories of ST/SC/OBC and also come under the category of ex-servicemen/domiciled in the state of J &K/blind/deaf-mute/orthopedically handicapped etc, you will be eligible for the grant of cumulative age relaxation under both the categories.

2. The term of ex-servicemen will be applicable to the persons that fit the definition of ex-servicemen as per the Ex-servicemen (Re-employment in Civil Services and Posts) Rules, 1979, which are also subject to amendments from time to time.

3. The age concession under the aforementioned points of, f. and g. would not be granted to the ex-servicemen and commissioned officers, and ECOs/SSCOs who are released on their own request.

4. As per the provision of age relaxation under the point g. written above, if you are physically disabled, you will be considered eligible only if you are found to satisfy the level of disability required for a person with a disability to be allocated under the category of physically disabled. This can be proved after you produce a certificate of disability issued by the government or a valid appointing authority.

To help you better assimilate all the above-written information, I have mentioned it all in the table below, check it out.

Table of IAS Age Limit Eligibility

Category

Maximum Age (should not have touched the age of:)

General

32

OBC

32+3=35

SC/ST

32+5=37

Physically disabled

32+10=42

(Blind, Deaf-mute, Orthopedically handicapped)

J&K domicile

General: 32+5=37

OBC: 32+5+3=40

SC/ST: 32+5+5=42

PH: 32+5+10=50

Ex-serviceman discharged from duty due to disability

General: 32+3=35

OBC: 32+3+3=38

SC/ST: 32+3+5=40

Ex-serviceman discharged after 5 years duty

General: 32+5=37

OBC: 32+5+3=40

SC/ST: 32+5+5=42

With that, comes to end the section of UPSC IAS Eligibility Criteria: Age Limit. Now it's time we shifted our focus to the Eligibility criteria of the minimum educational qualification.

UPSC IAS Eligibility Criteria : Minimum Educational Qualification

I have written the UPSC eligibility based on educational qualifications in detail below:

To appear for the UPSC IAS exam you must have proof that you are a graduate from a centrally or state-recognized university. This means that you should have a bachelor's degree certificate from any university incorporated by an Act of the State and Central Legislature of India, or any institute of education established by an Act of the Parliament of India, or one that is declared to be a deemed university under Section-2 of the University Grants Commission Act of 1956, or possess a qualification equivalent to that.
Some scenarios:

1. In case you are in your final year of college and have appeared for or are intending to appear for the final examination of your bachelor's degree course, or are awaiting the results of the same, you are eligible to apply for the prelims examination of the UPSC IAS exam.

2. In case you are able to clear the prelims round of the UPSC exam and are planning to appear for the Mains round of the UPSC exam, you'd need to produce the proof of your graduation by attaching your bachelor passing certificate to your application for the Mains exams.

3. In certain exceptional cases , the UPSC may allow you to appear for the IAS exams even if you do not have a graduation certificate from the universities/institutes written above but have passed your final graduation examination from any other institute , the standard of which in the perception of the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) justifies your eligibility to appear for the Civil Services exam, e.g., Oxford, Cambridge, Harvard, etc.

4. In the case that you possess a professional or technical bachelor's degree like BE or MBBS recognized by the govt, you'd be considered eligible to appear for the UPSC exam.

5. In case you have already passed the final examination of your MBBS course or any other medical course but are yet to complete your internship at the time of your application for the UPSC Mains exams, you will still be provisionally allowed to appear for it, provided that you submit along with your application a copy of the certificate from your university/institute that you have passed your final medical exam. In such a case, you would need to produce at the time of your interview, your original degree or a certificate from your university attesting that you have completed all that is needed (including the completion of internship) for the award of the degree.

Now, with the criteria of the minimum educational qualification out of the way, let's take a look at the number of attempts that candidates of the various categories is allowed to take in the UPSC IAS exam.

UPSC IAS Eligibility Criteria: Number of attempts

The UPSC had raised the number of attempts and of the upper age limit criteria for applicants of the Civil Services Exams in the year 2015. According to the amendment, the candidates belonging to the general category had been granted an upper age limit of 32 years (must not have reached) with a maximum of 6 attempts.

For the OBC candidates, the upper age limit is 35 years (must not have reached) with a maximum of 9 attempts. For the ST/SC candidates, the upper age limit is 37 years (must not have reached) with an unlimited number of attempts.

For physically handicapped candidates, the age limit is 42, 45, and 47 years (must not have reached) for the general, OBC, and ST/SC categories respectively.

However, the maximum number of attempts for the physically disabled general and OBC candidates is 9, whereas, for the ones from the ST/SC categories, it is unlimited.

To put things in a better perspective, I have mentioned all the information about the number of attempts in the table below. Do check it out.

Table of UPSC Number of Attempts

Category

No. of Attempts

General

6

OBC

9

SC/ST

As many as he/she can until upper age limit reached

Physically disabled

General: 9 attempts

(Blind, Deaf-mute, Orthopedically handicapped)

OBC: 9

SC/ST: As many as he/she can until upper age limit reached

J&K domicile

as per categories mentioned above, i.e., Gen, OBC, SC/ST, Disabled

Ex-serviceman discharged from duty due to disability

same as above

Ex-serviceman discharged after 5 years duty

same as above

I hope the table above helps you view all the exhaustive texts written before from a comprehensive and birds-eye point of view.

UPSC IAS Eligibility Criteria : Restrictions on applying for the examination

If you are already appointed to the Indian Administrative Services (IAS) or Indian Foreign Services (IFS) on the result sheets of an earlier examination and also continue to be a member of any of the 2 services, then you will not be eligible to appear in the exams that particular year. In case you are appointed to any of the two services after having sat for the year's Prelims and continue to be a member of any of the 2 services, you would then not be eligible to appear for the Mains exam for the year. Also if you are appointed to any of the 2 services before the results of the UPSC exams of the particular year comes out, and continue to be a member of any of the 2 services, in such a case you will not be considered for appointment to any post/service on the basis of the results of the examinations of that particular year.

If you are already appointed to the Indian Police Services (IPS) on the result sheets of an earlier examination and continue to be an IPS officer, then you will not be eligible to opt for the IPS in the exams for the particular year.

Medical and Physical Standards:

You must make sure that you are physically fit and capable for the job as tasking as that of an IAS officer. For that you'd need to match up to the physical standards for admission to Civil Services Examination, 2021. These standards are decided on as per the guidelines given in Appendix-III of Rules for Examination published in the Gazette of India Extraordinary dated 4th March, 2021.

UPSC IAS Exam Eligibility PDF Download

Having said all of the above, I can now say that we have covered almost everything related to the eligibility portion of UPSC IAS exams. However, I know there might be some of you who'd want to get to know about the details written above from the source itself, i.e., the UPSC 2021 notification.

If that is the case you can always go over to the UPSC 2021 notification (PDF) and check for yourself, all the information regarding the UPSC IAS exams. I'd recommend that you open the PDF file and download it, and then read it thoroughly.

Conclusion

That brings us to the end of this somewhat long and detailed article. I hope it has helped you clear all your doubts about the various UPSC eligibility criteria. Having said that I now bid farewell. Until next time.

Have a great day!

About Anuj Jindal

━━━━

Anuj Jindal, the founder, is an ex-manager from SBI, with an M.Com from Delhi School of Economics. He also has a JRF in Commerce & Management and NET in HRM, along with more than 5 years of experience in the field of Education.

UPSC Eligibility Criteria for IAS/IPS Exam

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UPSC Eligibility Criteria for IAS/IPS Exam

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Topics Covered: UPSC Eligibility Criteria Overview, Exam Eligibility, Nationality, Age limit, Age Relaxations, Education Qualification, Number of Attempts, Restrictions on Applying, Medical & Physical Standards and Eligibility PDF Download Hi guys, so before I start off with this article, I would mention that there are 2 ways you can choose to read this article.

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https://www.anujjindal.in/upsc-ias-officers-salary-allowances/

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Topics Covered: UPSC IAS Officer Salary, Salary Structure (7th Pay Commission), IAS Salary in India, Officer Allowances, Job Profile & Career Growth of an IAS Officer

As you might know, from the Spiderman movies, there's a common saying called, "With great powers, come great responsibilities."

Well, this is certainly the case for IAS officers, but I'd like to further add to the saying that in the case of an IAS officer, "With greater responsibilities, comes an even great salary package", and that these lucrative salary packages are one of the major reasons for why people want to become IAS officers so badly.

Now, an IAS officer does live a life of 24×7 service and toil, but the Government takes great care to keep these able-bodied administrators of our nation, in the highest of their morale. It does so by providing them with not only handsome in-hand salary packages but also a host of allowances.

With that said, it should also be mentioned that the salary and allowances of IAS officers increase with time, as they climb the administrative ladder to get promoted to the various high-ranking government posts.

However, it should be noted that the IAS officers are not paid so well just because they are IAS officers per se. Rather it's because they are able to do things that very few from the Indian workforce will be capable of doing.

I shall also talk about the job profile of an IAS officer and the prospects that await a newly commissioned IAS officer in terms of career growth.

So. without wasting any more of your time let us get to it.

Table of Content - UPSC IAS Officers' Salary & Allowances

Salary of IAS

In this section of the article, I have mentioned the topic of IAS officer salary in India in detail and also the salary structure/pay scale of IAS officers according to the 7th Pay Commission recommendation .

With that said let me get straight to the point. The basic monthly IAS salary in India starts from Rs. 56,100 (excluding DA, TA, and HRA). This value can go on to reach a monthly salary of Rs, 2,50,000, which is the salary of the post of Cabinet Secretary of India.

Talking about the Gross monthly salary of an IAS officer, it differs from state to state, district to district. That is because the gross monthly salary means includes things like the House rent allowances, and since the house rent allowances are different for different states, we cannot mention a standard Gross monthly salary for each of the IAS posts.

Now let us take a look at the pay scale of IAS officers according to the 7th Pay Commission.

IAS Officer Salary Structure - 7th Pay Commission

Here I have mentioned in a tabulated form the salaries of IAS officers according to the various posts that they acquire according to the number of years of service that they put in. Also note that these salaries are in accordance with the 7th Pay commission.

Basic Pay (INR)

Posts

State Secretariat

District Administration

Central Secretariat

What is mentioned above in the table is the IAS salary in India excluding the various allowances that the government offers to IAS officers like House rent Allowances, Dearness Allowances, Travel Allowances, Medical, etc.

This is also due to the reason that Allowances that IAS officers receive from the govt. differ according to the city of posting, and various other factors. Anyway, I have gathered some info about the topic of the "IAS officer: Allowances and perks". Let me share it with you.

IAS Officer Allowances

As I have already mentioned above, the salary structure above is devoid of the amount reserved for an IAS in the form of allowances. It is just a table with the basic pays of all the various IAS posts.

So let me clear it for you once and for all, the gross monthly salary or the total monthly salary of an IAS officer = Basic monthly pay + Allowances.

Allowances here are of 3 types, House Rent Allowance (HRA), Dearness Allowance (DA), and Travel Allowance (TA). Meaning that the toral monthly IAS salary = the Basic monthly pay + HRA +DA + TA.

HRA (House Rent Allowances)

An IAS officer is eligible to receive an HRA when he needs to live in a rented accommodation at the place of his posting. His HRA depends of the kind of posting he gets. To put things into perspective, here are some points:

The HRA of an IAS officer is 24% of the Basic Salary if he gets posted in one of the 8 metro cities in India, namely Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata, Chennai, Bangalore, Hyderabad, Ahmedabad, and Pune.

If the IAS officer gets posted into smaller cities with a population of above 5 lakhs, then he's eligible for an HRA of 16%

If the IAS officer gets posted into a rural setting, then he's eligible for an HRA of 8%

You should note though that if the IAS officer chooses to reside in an official accommodation, he doesn't receive an HRA.

DA (Dearness Allowances)

The DA is an allowance that the government pays to its employees to offset the effects of inflation and help them cope with the rising prices.

That said, the DA is not something like the HRA, as it depends on the rise and fall of inflation across the nation.

In short, the DA percentage is not static. It keeps changing with time.

TA (Travel Allowances)

The TA is credited by the government into the accounts of the IAS officers to help them meet their travel expenses.

Like the DA, the TA is also not something that is static. It changes from time to time, depending on the rise and fall of fuel prices.

However, you should note that, if an IAS officer is given a government vehicle, then he doesn't receive any TA.

That brings us to the end of the section of IAS salary, let's now get to know about the IAS officer job profile.

IAS Officer Job Profile

The IAS officer Job profile is something that varies from officer to officer depending on the type of assignments that they get. They can either be assigned a field job, or a job at a state secretariat, or a Public Sector Undertaking, or a job at the central secretariat.

Now, as far as the most challenging out of all the types of jobs that an IAS officer can be assigned to carry out, the most challenging is the one that he does in the field, like that of a district administrator.

The IAS officer Job profile as a district administrator would include things like:

Managing and distributing the various funds allocated by the central government to a particular district as per government schemes.

Handling government and administrative affairs , such as framing, implementing, and reviewing policies.

Working with elected representatives and other government departments to successfully implement a scheme or a policy on the ground.

Attending to the needs and grievances of citizens and responding to emergencies such as earthquakes, or other natural disasters, riots, or accidents in their jurisdiction.

That was the IAS officer Job profile for an officer working field assignments. However, after the officers reach the level of a District Magistrate, they are usually assigned jobs at the central or the state secretariats.

Then, as officers working at the secretariats, they get to apply the learnings that they got from their administrative fieldwork to assist elected representatives of the centre and the states to formulate policies and manage government processes.

Now it is time to know a bit about the prospects of career growth in the path of an IAS officer.

Career Growth for an IAS Officer

At first a newly recruited IAS trainee is sent to train at the Lal Bahadur Shastri National Academy of Administration (LBSNAA) at Mussoorie.

There the recruit is trained to handle the various facets of administrative work and the nitty-gritties of being an IAS officer.

Once the training is over, the trainee then formally takes charge as an IAS officer at the post of SDM or Sub-divisional Magistrate. Depending on his performance as an SDM, he's then given more responsibilities and further promoted to the higher posts.

In the table given below, I have mentioned the various posts that an IAS officer can be promoted to. Do check it out. As for the salaries for each post, I think you've already gone through that in a similar table given above.

Number of years required in service

Posts

State Secretariat

District Administration

Central Secretariat

Conclusion

With that said, I guess you now a have a clearer picture about what an IAS officer's job is all about, his salary and the career prospects that lie in his path.

Now, I think out of all that I have talked about, it's the IAS salary that has caught your eye the most, and if it is indeed the case, I'd advise you to be cautious.

That's because making the salary of IAS as the main motivation for appearing for the UPSC CSE exams is not going to help you clear it. Being an IAS officer is more than just the salary and allowances and power that it fetches.

It is more about the responsibility that rests on anyone filling in as an IAS officer. Therefore, someone that wants to become an IAS officer for money or power alone will never be able to make it through all the 3 rounds of the UPSC CSE selection process. Definitely not through the personal interview round.

If you want to know about the UPSC CSE selection process or the exam pattern, you'll find a blog pertaining to the same on my website itself.

That brings us to the end of this article. I hope it has helped you clear all your doubts about the UPSC topic of IAS salary in India. Having said that I now bid you farewell. Until next time.

Have a great day!

About Anuj Jindal

━━━━

Anuj Jindal, the founder, is an ex-manager from SBI, with an M.Com from Delhi School of Economics. He also has a JRF in Commerce & Management and NET in HRM, along with more than 5 years of experience in the field of Education.

UPSC IAS Officers' Salary & Allowances

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Topics Covered: UPSC IAS Officer Salary, Salary Structure (7th Pay Commission), IAS Salary in India, Officer Allowances, Job Profile & Career Growth of an IAS Officer As you might know, from the Spiderman movies, there's a common saying called, "With great powers, come great responsibilities."

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Knowing that you might have already gotten an idea about how important the UPSC prelims question papers of the past years and the previous year papers are to a sincere UPSC aspirant, I shall not be dwelling on the topic much.

In this section of the blog, I would like to categorically elaborate on the many benefits of solving the UPSC prelims question papers of the past years and the previous year papers and talk about how to use the previous year papers.

So basically, the best way to study for the IAS exam would be to first practice on a random previous year question paper. With that done, you’ll be able to gauge your strengths and weaknesses.

Then, according to those, you can begin covering the UPSC syllabus in a way where you’d first cover the topics that you are weak at, and then eventually go over to the ones you are strong at.

https://www.anujjindal.in/upsc-previous-year-papers-result-and-cut-off/

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Preparing for the UPSC IAS exams is no joke. It takes consistent effort and a steely resolve to crack the exam.

I know this firsthand because I have seen my elder brother slog for an entire year preparing for the UPSC CSE, and eventually making it through the hallowed portals of the LBSNAA or the Lal Bahadur Shastri National Academy of Administration, Mussoorie.

I still remember the time when my brother was studying for the IAS exams, I used to come home from college and see him sitting at his study table engrossed in his preparation. In the evenings he used to go out to play some badminton.

That is how he used to freshen his mind up after 4 hours of continuous studies. During those moments I used to sneak up to his study table and look through the study materials that were neatly stacked one on top of the other.

Amidst the vast varieties of IAS books and study materials on the desk, I couldn't help but notice the fat bundles of sheets that were compiled together using spiral binding. These were the bundles that my brother would later give a lot of credit to for his success in the Exams.

These bundles contained the UPSC previous year question papers and the UPSC prelims question papers of the previous years.

Some years later I would go on to use the same bundles of UPSC previous year question papers to prepare for the UPSC IAS exams, myself.

Anyway, continuing with the story of my IAS brother's preparation days, I can clearly recall, him solving a large number of UPSC prelims question papers and mocks before appearing for his UPSC prelims exam, the very next day.

Oh! one other thing that my brother used to do was analyze the difficulty level of the IAS previous year papers by going through the various UPSC cut off lists of the previous years.

He used to do so by marking himself on all the IAS previous year papers he solved and match his marks with the cut offs of the corresponding year.

So, as I was saying. He went on to take his prelims paper the next day, and came back home really happy afterwards, apparently, he had aced it.

When I asked about how his exam had gone, he told me excitedly that a lot of the questions that were asked were similar to the ones he had solved in UPSC prelims question papers the day before, and that if I was to ever clear the UPSC exams in the future, solving UPSC previous year question papers would be absolutely essential.

Thus, in the coming few weeks, the UPSC prelims result was announced, and as expected my brother had cleared the prelims.

Then he took his Mains papers, aced that as well, and when the UPSC Mains result was declared, it turned out that he had cleared the Mains round as well.

After that there was no stopping him, the guy aced his interviews also. When the final UPSC result for the IAS exams was announced, my brother stood with an All-India Rank of 53 with his head held high. A real inspiration for me and a million others.

Anyway, the purpose of telling you this story was to, first, emphasize the importance of working hard, and second to highlight the role of solving UPSC previous year question papers and going through the UPSC cut offs in our UPSC preparations.

As you already might have guessed this blog shall be about the topics of UPSC Previous year question papers, UPSC results, and the UPSC cut offs.

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UPSC Previous Year Papers, Result & Cut Off

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Preparing for the UPSC IAS exams is no joke. It takes consistent effort and a steely resolve to crack the exam. I know this firsthand because I have seen my elder brother slog for an entire year preparing for the UPSC CSE, and eventually making it through the hallowed portals of the LBSNAA or the Lal Bahadur Shastri National Academy of Administration, Mussoorie.