Civil Services Exam is considered as the top most exam in India and the candidates selected in the civil services exam enjoys commands the prestige and gets the best perks in the whole Indian society. The Union Public Service Commission conducts the Civil Services Exam each year in order to fulfil the requirement of the All India as well as the Central Civil Services.
The UPSC publishes the official notification on the month of February each year with all the necessary details related to the Civil Service Exam. But, the candidates and the coaching spread the various myths related to the Civil Service Exam. These myths have a considerable impact on the IAS aspirants and their efforts and performance influenced due to the underlying current of these myths.
Following are some of the most common myths related to the Civil Services IAS exam among the candidates
Myth 1: Civil Services Exam is the toughest
Facts: This is certainly not true. Every exam can be cracked with the right strategy and approach. It is true that the Civil Services Exam has a very long time process and it takes around more than one year to complete the exam process, but it does not mean that the exam is toughest. We can call it uncertain regarding the horizontal and vertical expansion of the IAS Syllabus but there are certain boundaries of the IAS Syllabus too so that it can be covered in time and the IAS Preparation can become effective.
Myth 2: The IAS aspirants need to study for 15-20 hours a day
Facts: It is the most common myth among the IAS aspirants. It goes like that in order to get selection in the IAS Exam, the IAS aspirant’s needs to study for 15- 20 hours. The IAS Toppers and the teachers related to the IAS Classes suggest to study for 8 hours in a day is sufficient in order to crack the IAS Exam but these 8 hours study should be an effective study in a much-focused manner and with the selected quality study material. We have various examples that have cracked the IAS Exam with their full-time job. So we can not say that it is a rule to study for 15-20 hours daily.
Myth 3: IAS aspirants must know everything
Facts: It is a popular notion that the IAS aspirant must know everything about everything. It is not true. Firstly, the UPSC has defined its syllabus in a very lucid manner, which can be followed in the IAS preparation. Secondly, the topics can be decided on the basis of importance to our nation and society. There are certain standard books through which we can cover the UPSC syllabus. So the bottom line is that we can cover the syllabus through standard books, news events, and the likes. The underlying point is that IAS is a generalist service, and the UPSC requires only general understanding and conceptual clarity of all the subjects and topics prescribed in the syllabus. That’s all. So, you don’t need to be an expert, just a genuine learner.
Myth 4: You need to be a topper throughout your academics
Facts: This is also a very general myth that one needs to be topper throughout his academics because there are various Toppers who were an average student during their academics. We have various examples for the same, even one IAS Toppers was failed in her ninth class. So it does not make any difference whether one had a glorified and successful academics. This exam requires the marks in this exam only hence there is no minimum percentage required in the degree exams.
Myth 5: Have to read dozens of books for IAS Exam
Facts: The IAS aspirants need to fulfil the requirement of the IAS Exam and need not to become a postgraduate in the subject or topic. This exam tests the conceptual clarity of the topics and the clarity of expression because only by applying the concepts and principles, the pragmatic solution can be achieved to the problems. All the IAS toppers, teachers and seniors suggest to read one standard book for each topic and do not build a library of books. Do not follow all the books which your coaching institutions and peers recommend you.
Myth 6: Coaching is a must for IAS Exam
Facts: This is not true in any sense. It differs from person to person. Each person has a different set of requirements and different understanding related to the same subject and topic. Each year, there are various candidates who never attended any coaching. Nowadays, there is a horizontal as well as vertical expansion of the mobile apps where all the important things are easily available.
Attending coaching needs various other supplementary things such as relocation, food facilities and other things which require a whole lot of money.
Myth 7: Only English medium candidates can become IAS
Facts: This is a very prevalent misconception among the Hindi Medium IAS aspirants that only English Medium candidates can become IAS Officer. This is not true because each year Hindi Medium candidates are also passing the IAS Exam and getting their posting as the IAS officer. The IAS exam is not a concern with the medium of instruction or the medium of answer writing but with the clarity of expression and the indigenous problem solving and pragmatic solution to the socio-economic problems. However, the ratio of candidates selected in the IAS Exam is skewed towards the English Medium. One reason which can contribute to this is the English study material.
Myth 8: IAS is the best job in India
Facts: This is a well-established notion that IAS is the best job in India as compared to any other job. But in reality, It is not so. In terms of salary and perks, it is not the best job and private sector has various positions having better salary and perks than an IAS officer. In addition to it, the IAS gets his posting in the rural areas and some time in the drought-prone areas where there are no facilities. But in case of private sector job, one will always get their posting in the metropolitan as well as on the International Assignments.
In addition to it, IAS is the first person who is transferred in case of any mishappening and political leadership change, which creates a very uncertain future in terms of place of residence for an IAS Officer.
Myth 9: IAS officers are mostly posted as District Magistrate.
Facts: Most of the IAS aspirants dream about the District Magistrate(DM) post and the powers associated with the post. But the reality is this, There are hundreds of IAS officers posted in a state and the post of DM is not given to everyone. There are very few IAS officers which are bestowed with the responsibility of DM. On an average, the DM posting is given to the IAS Officer for 4 to 5 years only in the whole career as an IAS Officer. Some IAS officers never get an opportunity to become a DM at their career.
Myth 10: IAS officers are more powerful than IPS, IRS, IFS
Facts: The powers of any officer is not mentioned in the Constitution of India. The powers and responsibilities are associated with the department of posting of the Officers. IAS Officers are generalists in nature so they cannot head any specialised commission or board. All the services have their defines scope of duty and area of jurisdiction so we cannot say that IAS commands all the powers and all the other services are not so powerful. For example, CBI can be headed only by an IPS officer and only an IRS officer can be a Commission of customs, excise or income tax. Although it is a matter of fact that the secretary post in various ministries is headed by the IAS officers irrespective of the nature of work in the ministry.
Myth 11: A DM is the boss of a district
Facts: District Magistrate is the prime coordinator in the district who call the various actors for meeting and consultation and also work out the all-inclusive and consensual plan with the help of other departmental officers. A DM is only a coordinating officer for all the state government departments. He has no direct control over the various district functionaries such as the IPS, IFS and IRS officers. Even the state government officials report to their own superior who writes their performance report. DM only enjoys loose control over the other government officials.
Myth 12: IAS officers can’t be removed from service?
Facts: In our country, even the President of India can be removed from office and we have written rules and procedure regarding this. IAS is also not an exception to it. An IAS officer can be suspended by the state government in a specified manner on the grounds of corruption, misbehaviour, and incompetence. He can be removed from the service by the President of India. In a recent case, there were various senior IAS Officers who were compulsorily retired from service by the Government of India.
The procedures for removing IAS officers are almost the same as any other Group A officer of Government of India. Every year several IAS officers are suspended, arrested and removed from service for various reasons.
Myth 13: Luck is mandatory for selection in IAS Exam
Facts: Luck is a result of dedication and effort which one put in the IAS preparation. Only luck cannot give assurance for the selection in the IAS Exam. Getting marks in the IAS exam is the combination of various factors and luck is one of them. We can not say that luck is the sole factor required for selection in the IAS Exam.
We hope that we have cleared all the prevalent myths associated with the IAS Exam and clarified your doubts related to the misconceptions. In order to get the latest and most authentic information regarding the civil service examinations in India, keep visiting our page.
