
Civil
Services Aptitude Test : Fundamental Difference
Aspirants for the civil services need to gear up for the Union Public Service
Commission (UPSC) examination this year. For the first time in the last three
decades, a revised preliminary examination — the Civil Services Aptitude Test (CSAT)
— will be conducted on June 12, which is expected to uniformly test students on
their knowledge and aptitude.
Until last year, the Civil Services Examination Prelims had two papers. Paper
I, common for all candidates , was a general studies paper, with 150 questions
to be attempted in 120 minutes. Paper II was chosen by the candidate from a list
of 23 optional subjects. In the revised pattern, though there still will be two
papers, each will be of 200 marks and of 120 minutes each. The syllabus for
Paper I will be as per the previous years, with students tested on subjects like
general science , current events of national and international importance,
history of India and the Indian national movement, Indian and world geography,
and Indian polity and governance. This year two new subjects have been included
in the list, namely, economic and social development and general issues on
environmental ecology, biodiversity and ecological change.