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UPSC INDIAN RAILWAY ACCOUNTS SERVICE (IRAS) MAINS EXAM

The syllabus for UPSC Mains Examination is given below:

QUALIFYING PAPERS ON INDIAN LANGUAGES AND ENGLISH

The aim of the paper is to test the candidates' ability to read and understand serious discursive prose, and to express ideas clearly and correctly, in English and Indian language concerned. The pattern of questions would be broadly as follows:

NOTE 1. The papers on Indian Languages and English will be of Matriculation or equivalent standard and will be of qualifying nature only. The marks obtained in these papers will not be counted for ranking.

NOTE 2. The candidates will have to answer the English and Indian Languages papers in English and the respective Indian language (except where the translation is involved).

PAPER I ESSAY

PAPER II GENERAL STUDIES I

PAPER III GENERAL STUDIES II

UPSC INDIAN RAILWAY ACCOUNTS SERVICE (IRAS) MAINS EXAM

The syllabus for UPSC Mains Examination is given below:

QUALIFYING PAPERS ON INDIAN LANGUAGES AND ENGLISH

The aim of the paper is to test the candidates' ability to read and understand serious discursive prose, and to express ideas clearly and correctly, in English and Indian language concerned. The pattern of questions would be broadly as follows:

NOTE 1. The papers on Indian Languages and English will be of Matriculation or equivalent standard and will be of qualifying nature only. The marks obtained in these papers will not be counted for ranking.

NOTE 2. The candidates will have to answer the English and Indian Languages papers in English and the respective Indian language (except where the translation is involved).

PAPER I ESSAY

PAPER II GENERAL STUDIES I

PAPER III GENERAL STUDIES II

PAPER IV GENERAL STUDIES III

PAPER V GENERAL STUDIES IV

OPTIONAL SUBJECTS LIST

AGRICULTURE

ANIMAL HUSBANDRY AND VETERINARY SCIENCE

ANTHROPOLOGY

BOTANY

CHEMISTRY

CIVIL ENGINEERING

COMMERCE AND ACCOUNTANCY

ECONOMICS

ELECTRICAL ENGINEERING

UPSC IRAS MAINS EXAM RECOMMENDED BOOKS

UPSC IRAS MAINS 2023 EXAM PATTERN

Qualifying Papers

There will be two qualifying papers mentioned below. It may be noted that marks for the below two papers will not be counted at the time of preparation of the rank list.

Papers to be counted for merit:

Candidates may choose any one of the optional subjects from amongst the list of subjects mentioned below:

UPSC IRAS MAINS 2023 EXAM PATTERN

Qualifying Papers

There will be two qualifying papers mentioned below. It may be noted that marks for the below two papers will not be counted at the time of preparation of the rank list.

Papers to be counted for merit:

Candidates may choose any one of the optional subjects from amongst the list of subjects mentioned below:

NOTE. For the Santhali language, the question paper will be printed in Devanagari script, but candidates will be free to answer either in Devanagari script or in Olchik.

List of optional subjects for Main Examination:

UPSC IRAS MAINS MODE OF EXAMINATION

The question papers for the examination will be of conventional (essay) type.

UPSC IRAS MAINS MEDIUM OF EXAMINATION

The question papers (other than the literature of language papers) will be set in Hindi and English only.

UPSC IRAS MAINS MARKING SCHEME

1. There shall be no negative marking in conventional (essay) type papers.
2. The papers on Indian languages and English (Paper A and Paper B) will be of Matriculation or equivalent standard and will be of qualifying nature.
3. The total marks of the Mains Examination are 1750 marks.
4. Candidates will be graded based on opinion, Content flow, understanding of the problems/ situation, offering feasible solutions/strategies, presentation, and language.
5. Candidates can choose two optional papers on which they will be questioned. The candidates must check out the syllabus of several optional papers, such as English Literature before choosing any two.

UPSC IRAS INTERVIEW / PERSONALITY TEST

All candidates who secured the Cut off Marks of the mains Examination will proceed toward the Personality Test.
1. This would include the Psychometric Test, Assessment Test as well as Personal Interview.
2. The objective of the interview is to assess the personal suitability of the candidate for a career in public service by a Board of competent and unbiased observers. The candidate will be asked questions on matters of general interest.
3. The test is intended to judge the mental calibre of a candidate.
4. In broad terms, this is an assessment of not only the candidate’s intellectual qualities but also his social traits and his interest in current affairs.
5. Some of the qualities to be judged are mental alertness, critical powers of assimilation, clear and logical exposition, the balance of judgment, variety, and depth of interest, the ability for social cohesion and leadership, and intellectual and moral integrity.
6. This test will be conducted in the language of choice.
7. The interview will be graded for 275 marks. The total marks of mains are 2025 marks.
8. Candidates will be ranked based on the total and called for the final interview.

UPSC IRAS MAINS EXAM IMPORTANT FACTS

1. The papers on Indian languages and English (Paper A and paper B) will be of Matriculation or equivalent standard and will be of qualifying nature.
2. Paper A on Indian Language will not, however, be compulsory for candidates hailing from the States of Arunachal Pradesh, Manipur, Meghalya, Mizoram, Nagaland and Sikkim.
3. Paper A on Indian Language will not, however, be compulsory for Candidates belonging to Persons with Benchmark Disability (only Hearing Impairment sub-category).
4. Marks obtained by the candidates for the Paper I-VII only will be counted for merit ranking. However, the Commission will have the discretion to fix qualifying marks in any or all of these papers.
5. The question papers (other than the literature of language papers) will be set in Hindi and English only.

IMPORTANT LINKS

1. For Official Website - Click Here
2. Examination Notice - Click Here
3. For Annual Calendar - Click Here

UPSC INDIAN RAILWAY ACCOUNTS SERVICE (IRAS) MAINS 2023 EXAM

The candidate’s eligibility for the Indian Railway Accounts Service (IRAS) Examination is based on the fulfilment of the following conditions:

1. Nationality
2. Indian Railway Accounts Service (IRAS): Age Limit & Relaxations
3. Indian Railway Accounts Service (IRAS): Educational Qualifications
4. Indian Railway Accounts Service (IRAS): Physical Standards
5. Indian Railway Accounts Service (IRAS): Number of Attempts

UPSC IRAS EXAM NATIONALITY

A candidate must be either:

1. a citizen of India, or
2. a subject of Nepal, or
3. a subject of Bhutan, or
4. a Tibetan refugee who came over to India before 1st January 1962 with the intention of permanently settling in India, or
5. a person of Indian origin who has migrated from Pakistan, Burma, Sri Lanka, East African countries of Kenya, Uganda, the United Republic of Tanzania, Zambia, Malawi, Zaire, Ethiopia and Vietnam with the intention of permanently settling in India.
Provided that a candidate belonging to categories (2), (3), (4) and (5) shall be a person in whose favour a certificate of eligibility has been issued by the Government of India.
A candidate in whose case a certificate of eligibility is necessary, may be admitted to the examination, but the offer of appointment may be given only after the necessary eligibility certificate has been issued to him/her by the Government of India.

UPSC IRAS EXAM AGE LIMIT & RELAXATIONS

1. A candidate must have attained the age of 21 years and must not have attained the age of 32 years.

2. The upper age limit prescribed above will be relaxable:

a. up to a maximum of five years if a candidate belongs to a Scheduled Caste or a Scheduled Tribe;
b. up to a maximum of three years in the case of candidates belonging to Other Backward Classes who are eligible to avail of reservation applicable to such candidates;
c. up to a maximum of three years in the case of Defence Services Personnel, disabled in operations during hostilities with any foreign country or in a disturbed area and released as a consequence thereof;
d. up to a maximum of five years in the case of ex-servicemen including Commissioned Officers and Emergency Commissioned Officers (ECOs)/ Short Service Commissioned Officers (SSCOs) who have rendered at least five years of Military Service

i. on completion of assignment (including those whose assignment is due to be completed within one year, otherwise than by way of dismissal or discharge on account of misconduct or inefficiency); or
ii. on account of physical disability attributable to Military Service; or
iii. on invalidment.

e. up to a maximum of five years in the case of ECOs/SSCOs who have completed an initial period of assignment of five years of Military Serviceand whose assignment has been extended beyond five years and in whose case the Ministry of Defence issues a certificate that they can apply for civil employment and that they will be released on three months notice on selection from the date of receipt of an offer of appointment.
f. up to a maximum of 10 years in the case of candidates belonging to Persons with Benchmark Disabilities (PwBD) categories viz.

i. blindness and low vision;
ii. deaf and hard of hearing;
iii. locomotor disability including cerebral palsy, leprosy cured, dwarfism, acid attack victims, and muscular dystrophy;
iv. autism, intellectual disability, specific learning disability, and mental illness;
v. multiple disabilities from amongst person under clauses (i) to (iv) including deaf-blindness.

NOTE 1. Candidates belonging to either the SC or the ST or the OBC category viz. those coming under the category of Ex-servicemen or PwBD will be eligible for a grant of cumulative age relaxation under both categories.

NOTE 2. The term Ex-servicemen will apply to the persons who are defined as Ex-servicemen in the Ex-servicemen (Re-employment in Civil Services and Posts) Rules, 1979, as amended from time to time.

NOTE 3. The age concession will be admissible to Ex-servicemen i.e. a person who has served in any rank whether as a combatant or non-combatant in the Regular Army, Navy, and Air Force of the Indian Union and who either has been retired or relieved or discharged from such service whether at own request or being relieved by the employer after earning a pension.

NOTE 4. Notwithstanding the provision of age-relaxation candidates of the PwBD category will be considered to be eligible for appointment only if they (after such Medical Examination as the Government or appointing authority, as the case may be, may prescribe) are found to satisfy the requirements of physical and medical standards for the concerned Services to be allocated to the candidates of PwBD category by the Government.

3. The date of birth, accepted by the Commission is that entered in the Matriculation or Secondary School Leaving Certificate or in a certificate recognised by an Indian University as equivalent to Matriculation or in an extract from a Register of Matriculates maintained by a University which extract must be certified by the proper authority of the University or in the Higher Secondary examination certificate or an equivalent examination certificate. The certificate in support of the date of birth is required to be submitted by a candidate only at the time of applying for the Civil Services Examination.

Age Relaxation

UPSC IRAS EXAM EDUCATIONAL QUALIFICATIONS

A candidate must hold a Graduate degree from any of the Universities incorporated by an Act of the central or State Legislature in India or other educational institutions established by an Act of Parliament or declared to be deemed as a University or possess an equivalent qualification.

NOTE 1. Candidates who have appeared at a qualifying examination the passing of which would render them educationally qualified for the Commission’s examination but have not been informed of the result as also the candidates who intend to appear at such a qualifying examination will be eligible for admission to the Civil Services (Preliminary) Examination.

NOTE 2. In exceptional cases, the Commission may treat a candidate who does not have any of the foregoing qualifications as a candidate, provided that the candidate has passed an examination conducted by any other institution the standard of which in the opinion of the Commission justifies the admission to the Civil Services Examination.

UPSC IRAS EXAM PHYSICAL STANDARDS

Candidates must be physically fit according to physical standards for admission to Civil Services Examination.

UPSC IRAS EXAM NUMBER OF ATTEMPTS

Every candidate appearing at the examination, who is otherwise eligible, shall be permitted six (6) attempts at

UPSC INDIAN RAILWAY ACCOUNTS SERVICE (IRAS) MAINS 2023 EXAM

The candidate’s eligibility for the Indian Railway Accounts Service (IRAS) Examination is based on the fulfilment of the following conditions:

1. Nationality
2. Indian Railway Accounts Service (IRAS): Age Limit & Relaxations
3. Indian Railway Accounts Service (IRAS): Educational Qualifications
4. Indian Railway Accounts Service (IRAS): Physical Standards
5. Indian Railway Accounts Service (IRAS): Number of Attempts

UPSC IRAS EXAM NATIONALITY

A candidate must be either:

1. a citizen of India, or
2. a subject of Nepal, or
3. a subject of Bhutan, or
4. a Tibetan refugee who came over to India before 1st January 1962 with the intention of permanently settling in India, or
5. a person of Indian origin who has migrated from Pakistan, Burma, Sri Lanka, East African countries of Kenya, Uganda, the United Republic of Tanzania, Zambia, Malawi, Zaire, Ethiopia and Vietnam with the intention of permanently settling in India.
Provided that a candidate belonging to categories (2), (3), (4) and (5) shall be a person in whose favour a certificate of eligibility has been issued by the Government of India.
A candidate in whose case a certificate of eligibility is necessary, may be admitted to the examination, but the offer of appointment may be given only after the necessary eligibility certificate has been issued to him/her by the Government of India.

UPSC IRAS EXAM AGE LIMIT & RELAXATIONS

1. A candidate must have attained the age of 21 years and must not have attained the age of 32 years.

2. The upper age limit prescribed above will be relaxable:

a. up to a maximum of five years if a candidate belongs to a Scheduled Caste or a Scheduled Tribe;
b. up to a maximum of three years in the case of candidates belonging to Other Backward Classes who are eligible to avail of reservation applicable to such candidates;
c. up to a maximum of three years in the case of Defence Services Personnel, disabled in operations during hostilities with any foreign country or in a disturbed area and released as a consequence thereof;
d. up to a maximum of five years in the case of ex-servicemen including Commissioned Officers and Emergency Commissioned Officers (ECOs)/ Short Service Commissioned Officers (SSCOs) who have rendered at least five years of Military Service

i. on completion of assignment (including those whose assignment is due to be completed within one year, otherwise than by way of dismissal or discharge on account of misconduct or inefficiency); or
ii. on account of physical disability attributable to Military Service; or
iii. on invalidment.

e. up to a maximum of five years in the case of ECOs/SSCOs who have completed an initial period of assignment of five years of Military Serviceand whose assignment has been extended beyond five years and in whose case the Ministry of Defence issues a certificate that they can apply for civil employment and that they will be released on three months notice on selection from the date of receipt of an offer of appointment.
f. up to a maximum of 10 years in the case of candidates belonging to Persons with Benchmark Disabilities (PwBD) categories viz.

i. blindness and low vision;
ii. deaf and hard of hearing;
iii. locomotor disability including cerebral palsy, leprosy cured, dwarfism, acid attack victims, and muscular dystrophy;
iv. autism, intellectual disability, specific learning disability, and mental illness;
v. multiple disabilities from amongst person under clauses (i) to (iv) including deaf-blindness.

NOTE 1. Candidates belonging to either the SC or the ST or the OBC category viz. those coming under the category of Ex-servicemen or PwBD will be eligible for a grant of cumulative age relaxation under both categories.

NOTE 2. The term Ex-servicemen will apply to the persons who are defined as Ex-servicemen in the Ex-servicemen (Re-employment in Civil Services and Posts) Rules, 1979, as amended from time to time.

NOTE 3. The age concession will be admissible to Ex-servicemen i.e. a person who has served in any rank whether as a combatant or non-combatant in the Regular Army, Navy, and Air Force of the Indian Union and who either has been retired or relieved or discharged from such service whether at own request or being relieved by the employer after earning a pension.

NOTE 4. Notwithstanding the provision of age-relaxation candidates of the PwBD category will be considered to be eligible for appointment only if they (after such Medical Examination as the Government or appointing authority, as the case may be, may prescribe) are found to satisfy the requirements of physical and medical standards for the concerned Services to be allocated to the candidates of PwBD category by the Government.

3. The date of birth, accepted by the Commission is that entered in the Matriculation or Secondary School Leaving Certificate or in a certificate recognised by an Indian University as equivalent to Matriculation or in an extract from a Register of Matriculates maintained by a University which extract must be certified by the proper authority of the University or in the Higher Secondary examination certificate or an equivalent examination certificate. The certificate in support of the date of birth is required to be submitted by a candidate only at the time of applying for the Civil Services Examination.

Age Relaxation

UPSC IRAS EXAM EDUCATIONAL QUALIFICATIONS

A candidate must hold a Graduate degree from any of the Universities incorporated by an Act of the central or State Legislature in India or other educational institutions established by an Act of Parliament or declared to be deemed as a University or possess an equivalent qualification.

NOTE 1. Candidates who have appeared at a qualifying examination the passing of which would render them educationally qualified for the Commission’s examination but have not been informed of the result as also the candidates who intend to appear at such a qualifying examination will be eligible for admission to the Civil Services (Preliminary) Examination.

NOTE 2. In exceptional cases, the Commission may treat a candidate who does not have any of the foregoing qualifications as a candidate, provided that the candidate has passed an examination conducted by any other institution the standard of which in the opinion of the Commission justifies the admission to the Civil Services Examination.

UPSC IRAS EXAM PHYSICAL STANDARDS

Candidates must be physically fit according to physical standards for admission to Civil Services Examination.

UPSC IRAS EXAM NUMBER OF ATTEMPTS

Every candidate appearing at the examination, who is otherwise eligible, shall be permitted six (6) attempts at the CSE. However, relaxation in the number of attempts will be available to the SC/ST/OBC and PwBD category candidates who are otherwise eligible. The number of attempts available to such candidates as per relaxation is as under:

1. General Category Candidates: 6 attempts

2. Scheduled Caste/Scheduled Tribe (SC/ST) candidates: No restriction

3. Other Backward Class candidates: 9 attempts

NOTE 1. An attempt at a Preliminary Examination shall be deemed to be an attempt at the Civil Services Examination.

NOTE 2. If a candidate appears in any one paper in the Preliminary Examination, he/she shall be deemed to have made an attempt at the Examination.

NOTE 3. Notwithstanding the disqualification/cancellation of candidature, the fact of appearance of the candidate at the examination will count as an attempt.

UPSC IRAS MAINS EXAM ELIGIBILITY HIGHLIGHTS

1. Only those candidates who have been declared as qualified by the commission in Preliminary/Stage I Examination are eligible for Main/Stage II Examination.
2. The candidate must be a citizen of India or Nepal or Bhutan to get eligible for the Indian Railway Accounts Service.
3. The candidate must be at least 21 years of age, but should not be above 32 years.
4. The candidate should possess a minimum graduation degree from a recognized university.
5. Candidates must be physically fit.
6. There is a maximum limit of attempts prescribed for each category of candidates.
7. Candidates belonging to SC/ST have no limit of maximum number of attempts.

IMPORTANT LINKS

1. For Official Website - Click Here
2. Examination Notice - Click Here
3. For Annual Calendar - Click Here

UPSC IRAS 2023 EXAM DATES

For Examination Schedule official - click here

UPSC INDIAN RAILWAY ACCOUNTS SERVICE (IRAS) MAINS EXAM DATE

The UPSC Indian Railway Accounts Service (IRAS) Examination is conducted through UPSC Civil Services Examination. Unfortunately, no vacancy has been declared by UPSC for Indian Railway Accounts Service (IRAS) Examination for 2022. Last notification for the post of UPSC Indian Railway Accounts Service was posted in year 2020. The detailed schedule for IRAS 2020 Examination is given below:-

UPSC INDIAN RAILWAY ACCOUNTS SERVICE (IRAS) IMPORTANT FACTS

1. Indian Railway Accounts Service exam is held once a year depending on vacancy.
2. Online Application Validity Period Approx 20 Days.
3. Candidates are advised to download and print the Admit Card timely.
4. Candidates should reach the Examination centre well before time in order to prepare themselves for the examination.
5. Candidates must be fully aware of all the barred items that are not permitted in the examination.

IMPORTANT LINKS

1. For Official Website - Click Here
2. Examination Notice - Click Here
3. For Annual Calendar - Click Here

UPSC IRAS MAINS 2022 EXAM ANALYSIS

The Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) conducted the mains exam for the Civil Services Examination (CSE) from 16th September 2022 . The analysis of the exam helps the students to know the difficulty level of the questions and the topics . Candidates can view the UPSC IRAS MAINS analysis of the previous year's paper here to prepare for the upcoming exams.

UPSC IRAS MAINS ESSAY PAPER ANALYSIS ( 16th September )2022

The Paper I of the UPSC IRAS i.e., Essay Paper was conducted on 16th September 2022. The overall level of the Paper I of the IRAS Mains Exam was Moderate to Difficult. Paper I is divided into two sections - Section A and Section B.

Essay Topics asked in the UPSC IRAS Mains 2022 are given below:

Section A

1. Poets are the unacknowledged legislators of the world?
2. A ship in harbour is safe, but that is not what a ship is for
3. Forests are the best case studies for economic excellence
4. History is a series of victories won by the scientific man over the romantic man

Section B

1. You cannot step twice in the same river
2. A smile is the chosen vehicle for all ambiguities
3. Just because you have a choice, it does not mean that any of them has to be right
4. The time to repair the roof is when the sun is shining

Based on topics asked in paper, here are a few opinions and reviews about the essay paper:

1. There has been a trend of increased number of philosophical essays in the past couple of years however this time around the benchmark was higher than the previous few years. However, considering the philosophical base of the questions, most candidates found the questions tricky. It was not easy to write 1000 words on each topic within the time constraints.
2. UPSC has ensured that the essay topics were much different from the GS questions.
3. Rather than asking candidates to write on topics that most candidates are familiar with or have practiced with, UPSC now assesses candidates' essay writing skills by providing them with abstract or philosophical topics.
4. This year most of the themes were either proverbs or famous quotes.
5. All 8 topics this year will test applicants' spontaneous thinking, understanding, writing and time management.

UPSC IRAS MAINS 2022 GENERAL STUDIES I PAPER ANALYSIS

UPSC followed the time-tested pattern of 20 questions in 3 hours this year too. The pattern of 20 questions in GS Paper I of UPSC CSE 2022 was familiar to most aspirants .Based on the analysis of General Studies Paper I, here are a few opinions and reviews about the paper:

1. Questions from Culture were from topics like Mediaeval Indian temple sculptures, Contributions of the Gupta and Chola periods and the Significance of Lion and Bull figures in Indian mythology.

2. Modern India part of the UPSC syllabus was given stress through questions on Indian soldiers in armies of the British East India Company and Famines in Colonial India since the mid-18th century.

3. The post-Independence era was touched –on with a question on the Political and Administrative Reorganisation of States and Territories after the mid-19th century,

4. World History There was no direct question asked from the World History part.

5. The highest priority area in GS Paper I UPSC 2022 (Mains) was Geography. The questions from the geography section were on the following topics: primary rocks, Colour coded weather warnings and IMD, Natural resource potential of the Deccan Trap, Potential of Wind energy in India, Ocean currents and their role in the fishing industry, Rubber producing countries and environmental issues,  Significance of Strait and Isthmus in international trade, Significance of Troposhere in weather process.

6. From Human Geography a question was asked about the relationship between Globalisation and new Technologies in a world of scarce resources with special reference to India.

7. Questions from Indian Society were interconnected with subjects like the Impact of Work From Home on family relationships, Growth of Tier-2 cities in rising of a new middle class, Tribal communities and diversities, Salience of ‘sect’ in Indian society vis-a-vis caste, region and religion and the Role of Tolerance, assimilation and Pluralism in Indian secularism.

UPSC IRAS MAINS 2022 GENERAL STUDIES II PAPER ANALYSIS

Question Topics in General Studies Paper II

1. Constitutionalization of Environmental problems by Supreme Court- with case
2. Right of movement and residence
3. Decentralisation of Power
4. Role of Vice President as Chairman of Rajya Sabha
5. National Commission for Backward Classes
6. Gatishakthi Yojana
7. Person with Disability act 2016
8. Direct Benefit Transfer Scheme
9. India- Srilanka relations
10. BIMSTEC v/s SAARC
11. Election of MP/MLA under ROPA 1951
12. Legislative powers of the Governor
13. National Political Parties and Regional Parties
14. Presidential election of India and France
15. Election Commission and Model Code of Conduct

Based on the analysis of General Studies Paper II, here are a few opinions and reviews about the paper:

1. Many questions like those on National Commission for Backward Classes, Legislative Powers of Governor, Role of Vice President as Chairman of  Rajya Sabha, and Decentralisation of Power were very typical and with the exact keywords mentioned in the UPSC CSE (Mains) Syllabus.

2. Apart from I2U2, Gatishakthi Yojana and the question on President and Vice President, none of the other questions can be considered to have a direct connection with current affairs of the last 1 year. However, knowledge of current affairs in the span of the last 10 years could have added value to some of the other answers.

3. Rather than about the mandate of the Election Commission UPSC asked about of Relation between the Election Commission and the Model Code of Conduct.

4. Overall we rate the quality of the questions as good. Most serious aspirants should find the paper moderate.

5. The questions adequately tested the understanding of future civil servants in the areas of Constitution, Polity, Governance, Social Justice and International relations.

UPSC IRAS MAINS 2022 GENERAL STUDIES III PAPER ANALYSIS

Question Topics in General Studies Paper III

1. PPP in railway station
2. Inclusive growth & Market Economy
3. Challenges of PDS
4. Food Processing Industry
5. Challenges leading from increased Life Expectancy
6. Cellulose- decomposition
7. Photochemical Fog- Gothenburg protocol
8. Cloud burst
9. Types of organised crimes
10. Maritime Security challenges
11. Labour productivity
12. Renewable energy
13. Marketing of agricultural products
14. Integrated farming systems
15. James Webb Space Telescope

Based on the analysis of General Studies Paper II, here are a few opinions and reviews about the paper:

1. The question paper started with somewhat factual questions regarding the Challenges of PDS, the Food Processing Industry etc.

2. However, the remaining share of questions mainly focused on the analysis aspect.

3. This paper had a tilt toward recent events of national and international importance (in the last 10 years) – however, there was no focus on trivial or factual current affairs except a lone question on James Webb Space Telescope.

4. However, UPSC also gave a shock to candidates by asking about the Photochemical Fog and specifically about the Gothenburg protocol.

5. This reinforces our theory that the scope of current affairs should not be limited to the last 1 year – but it should span the contemporary events of at least the last 10 years.

6. The questions on Cloud burst, Vaccine development,  etc were also connected with contemporary affairs.

7. Overall, the paper can be rated as moderate difficulty.

UPSC IRAS MAINS 2022 GENERAL STUDIES IV PAPER ANALYSIS

1. GS Paper IV deals with Ethics, Integrity,

UPSC IRAS MAINS 2022 EXAM ANALYSIS

The Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) conducted the mains exam for the Civil Services Examination (CSE) from 16th September 2022 . The analysis of the exam helps the students to know the difficulty level of the questions and the topics . Candidates can view the UPSC IRAS MAINS analysis of the previous year's paper here to prepare for the upcoming exams.

UPSC IRAS MAINS ESSAY PAPER ANALYSIS ( 16th September )2022

The Paper I of the UPSC IRAS i.e., Essay Paper was conducted on 16th September 2022. The overall level of the Paper I of the IRAS Mains Exam was Moderate to Difficult. Paper I is divided into two sections - Section A and Section B.

Essay Topics asked in the UPSC IRAS Mains 2022 are given below:

Section A

1. Poets are the unacknowledged legislators of the world?
2. A ship in harbour is safe, but that is not what a ship is for
3. Forests are the best case studies for economic excellence
4. History is a series of victories won by the scientific man over the romantic man

Section B

1. You cannot step twice in the same river
2. A smile is the chosen vehicle for all ambiguities
3. Just because you have a choice, it does not mean that any of them has to be right
4. The time to repair the roof is when the sun is shining

Based on topics asked in paper, here are a few opinions and reviews about the essay paper:

1. There has been a trend of increased number of philosophical essays in the past couple of years however this time around the benchmark was higher than the previous few years. However, considering the philosophical base of the questions, most candidates found the questions tricky. It was not easy to write 1000 words on each topic within the time constraints.
2. UPSC has ensured that the essay topics were much different from the GS questions.
3. Rather than asking candidates to write on topics that most candidates are familiar with or have practiced with, UPSC now assesses candidates' essay writing skills by providing them with abstract or philosophical topics.
4. This year most of the themes were either proverbs or famous quotes.
5. All 8 topics this year will test applicants' spontaneous thinking, understanding, writing and time management.

UPSC IRAS MAINS 2022 GENERAL STUDIES I PAPER ANALYSIS

UPSC followed the time-tested pattern of 20 questions in 3 hours this year too. The pattern of 20 questions in GS Paper I of UPSC CSE 2022 was familiar to most aspirants .Based on the analysis of General Studies Paper I, here are a few opinions and reviews about the paper:

1. Questions from Culture were from topics like Mediaeval Indian temple sculptures, Contributions of the Gupta and Chola periods and the Significance of Lion and Bull figures in Indian mythology.

2. Modern India part of the UPSC syllabus was given stress through questions on Indian soldiers in armies of the British East India Company and Famines in Colonial India since the mid-18th century.

3. The post-Independence era was touched –on with a question on the Political and Administrative Reorganisation of States and Territories after the mid-19th century,

4. World History There was no direct question asked from the World History part.

5. The highest priority area in GS Paper I UPSC 2022 (Mains) was Geography. The questions from the geography section were on the following topics: primary rocks, Colour coded weather warnings and IMD, Natural resource potential of the Deccan Trap, Potential of Wind energy in India, Ocean currents and their role in the fishing industry, Rubber producing countries and environmental issues,  Significance of Strait and Isthmus in international trade, Significance of Troposhere in weather process.

6. From Human Geography a question was asked about the relationship between Globalisation and new Technologies in a world of scarce resources with special reference to India.

7. Questions from Indian Society were interconnected with subjects like the Impact of Work From Home on family relationships, Growth of Tier-2 cities in rising of a new middle class, Tribal communities and diversities, Salience of ‘sect’ in Indian society vis-a-vis caste, region and religion and the Role of Tolerance, assimilation and Pluralism in Indian secularism.

UPSC IRAS MAINS 2022 GENERAL STUDIES II PAPER ANALYSIS

Question Topics in General Studies Paper II

1. Constitutionalization of Environmental problems by Supreme Court- with case
2. Right of movement and residence
3. Decentralisation of Power
4. Role of Vice President as Chairman of Rajya Sabha
5. National Commission for Backward Classes
6. Gatishakthi Yojana
7. Person with Disability act 2016
8. Direct Benefit Transfer Scheme
9. India- Srilanka relations
10. BIMSTEC v/s SAARC
11. Election of MP/MLA under ROPA 1951
12. Legislative powers of the Governor
13. National Political Parties and Regional Parties
14. Presidential election of India and France
15. Election Commission and Model Code of Conduct

Based on the analysis of General Studies Paper II, here are a few opinions and reviews about the paper:

1. Many questions like those on National Commission for Backward Classes, Legislative Powers of Governor, Role of Vice President as Chairman of  Rajya Sabha, and Decentralisation of Power were very typical and with the exact keywords mentioned in the UPSC CSE (Mains) Syllabus.

2. Apart from I2U2, Gatishakthi Yojana and the question on President and Vice President, none of the other questions can be considered to have a direct connection with current affairs of the last 1 year. However, knowledge of current affairs in the span of the last 10 years could have added value to some of the other answers.

3. Rather than about the mandate of the Election Commission UPSC asked about of Relation between the Election Commission and the Model Code of Conduct.

4. Overall we rate the quality of the questions as good. Most serious aspirants should find the paper moderate.

5. The questions adequately tested the understanding of future civil servants in the areas of Constitution, Polity, Governance, Social Justice and International relations.

UPSC IRAS MAINS 2022 GENERAL STUDIES III PAPER ANALYSIS

Question Topics in General Studies Paper III

1. PPP in railway station
2. Inclusive growth & Market Economy
3. Challenges of PDS
4. Food Processing Industry
5. Challenges leading from increased Life Expectancy
6. Cellulose- decomposition
7. Photochemical Fog- Gothenburg protocol
8. Cloud burst
9. Types of organised crimes
10. Maritime Security challenges
11. Labour productivity
12. Renewable energy
13. Marketing of agricultural products
14. Integrated farming systems
15. James Webb Space Telescope

Based on the analysis of General Studies Paper II, here are a few opinions and reviews about the paper:

1. The question paper started with somewhat factual questions regarding the Challenges of PDS, the Food Processing Industry etc.

2. However, the remaining share of questions mainly focused on the analysis aspect.

3. This paper had a tilt toward recent events of national and international importance (in the last 10 years) – however, there was no focus on trivial or factual current affairs except a lone question on James Webb Space Telescope.

4. However, UPSC also gave a shock to candidates by asking about the Photochemical Fog and specifically about the Gothenburg protocol.

5. This reinforces our theory that the scope of current affairs should not be limited to the last 1 year – but it should span the contemporary events of at least the last 10 years.

6. The questions on Cloud burst, Vaccine development,  etc were also connected with contemporary affairs.

7. Overall, the paper can be rated as moderate difficulty.

UPSC IRAS MAINS 2022 GENERAL STUDIES IV PAPER ANALYSIS

1. GS Paper IV deals with Ethics, Integrity, and Aptitude. 

2. The paper really checked the quick-decision making skills and overall aptitude of the candidate for the job of a future civil servant.

3. Regarding case studies, most were connected to an ethical angle. However, it was not easy to satisfactorily answer case studies within the time constraints. This paper stressed the importance of conceptual understanding in certain crucial areas like Ethics, Values, Aptitude etc.

4. Questions based on quotes were asked. Many questions focused on seeking examples from candidates – rather than theory. Examples will be game-changer. Topics like good governance, Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR), Whistleblowing, Rule of law were asked.

5. There are no major surprises this year for those candidates who had carefully analysed the previous year’s UPSC question papers. This year’s paper followed more or less the previous year’s trends.

6. The Ethics paper should be taken seriously to score high. It needs a different kind of preparation. Along with conceptual knowledge, the right practice and time managment are also crucial for success.

UPSC INDIAN RAILWAY ACCOUNTS SERVICE (IRAS) MAINS 2020 EXAM ANALYSIS

Unfortunately, no vacancy has been declared by UPSC for the Indian Railway Accounts Services (IRAS) Examination for 2022. The last notification for the post of UPSC Indian Railway Accounts Services (IRAS) was posted in year 2020.

UPSC INDIAN RAILWAY ACCOUNTS SERVICE (IRAS) MAINS 2020 EXAM ANALYSIS

UPSC conducted the mains examination for Indian Railway Accounts Service (through Civil Services Main) 2020 in the month of January 2021. The examination process was completed in 5 days.

UPSC IRAS MAINS 2020 ESSAY PAPER ANALYSIS (8th JANUARY, FIRST SHIFT 9 am to 12 pm)

Candidates found the essay paper quite tougher than previous year. It could be expected that the scoring of the essay paper this year could be on the lower side as seen in the past.

Essay Topics asked in the UPSC Mains 2020 are given below:

Section A

1. Life is long journey between being human and being humane.
2. Mindful manifesto is catalyst to tranquil self.
3. Ships do not sink because of water around them, ships sink because of water that gets into them.
4. Simplicity is ultimate sophistication.

Section B

1. Culture is what we are, civilisation is what we have.
2. There can be no social justice without economic prosperity, but economic prosperity without social justice is meaningless.
3. Patriarchy is the least noted but most significant structure of social inequality.
4. Technology as a silent factor in international relations.

MAJOR HIGHLIGHTS

1. The Essay Paper was of difficult level.
2. All the four topics in Section A were philosophical in nature.
3. All topics involved an element of ethical thinking.
4. Section B was more focused on society and related issues.
5. Only the last topic in section B was easier, as it combined international relations with science and technology.

UPSC IRAS MAINS 2020 GENERAL STUDIES I PAPER ANALYSIS (9th JANUARY, FIRST SHIFT 9 am to 12 pm)

General Studies I paper was a relief to the candidates as essay paper was quite tough. Weightage allocation in General Studies I Paper changed significantly as compared to previous year.

Indian Heritage and Culture

1. Four questions were asked from this section.
2. Total weightage for this section was 50 marks.
3. The weightage for the Art and Culture topic has increased significantly from previous years.
4. Questions were a mix of analytical and factual nature and falls in the Moderate to Difficult category.

Modern India

1. Two questions were asked from this section.
2. Total weightage for this section was 25 marks.
3. Increase in weightage for Art & Culture topic has been compensated with reduced weightage for History.
4. No questions on Post-Independence and World History topics were asked.
5. Modern India topic was of Easy to Moderate level with straight forward questions.

World Geography/ Indian Geography/ Economic Geography

1. Eight questions were asked from this section.
2. Total weightage for this section was 100 marks.
3. Highest weightage in General Studies I paper was given to Geography, with questions on World, Indian and Economic geography.
4. Questions tested the conceptual understanding of the aspirant and were direct in nature.
5. Overall, the section was on the Easy to Moderate side.