CAT preparation 2016

Quantitative Aptitude (QA),
Verbal and Reading Comprehension (VRC)
Data Interpretation & Logical Reasoning (DLIR)

# Verbal & Reading Comprehension

This section will comprise of questions that will be based on Reading comprehension, fill in the blanks, verbal reasoning, antonyms and synonyms, syllogisms, analogies,  sentence correction, idioms, etc.

Types of Questions

•    Vocabulary Based (Synonyms Antonyms)    
•    Sentence Correction
•    Fill in the blanks
•    English Usage or Grammar
•    Cloze Passage
•    Jumbled Paragraph
•    Meaning-Usage Match
•    Analogies or Reverse Analogies
•    Summary Questions
•    Verbal Reasoning –
•    Facts / Inferences / Judgements
•    Reading Comprehension

# Quantitative Aptitude

Quantitative section plays a major role in the test and usually have questions with a little higher difficulty level.

Types of Questions

    Number Systems
    LCM and HCF
    Speed, Time and Distance
    Profit and Loss
    Interest (Simple and Compound)
    Percentages
    Ratio and Proportion
    Time and Work
    Averages
    Logarithm
    Linear Equations
    Inequalities
    Quadratic Equations
    Progressions
    Co-ordinate Geometry
    Surds and Indices
    Set Theory
    Permutation and Combination
    Probability
    Binomial Theorem
    Functions
    Mensuration
    Mixtures and Alligations
    Geometry
    Permutation and Combination
    Trigonometry
    Complex Numbers

# Data Interpretation

Data interpretation on the other hand will have questions, divided in 4 sets. The information sets, that will be based on bar diagrams, statistical representation of data, tables, charts, graphical representation. In this section it is tested that how candidates can interpret the given data and answer questions based on it.

Types of Questions

    Tables
    Line Charts
    Column Graphs
    Venn Diagram
    Bar Graphs
    Pie Chart

# Logical Reasoning

Questions from this section will carry a logic in them and the key to solving such questions is to quickly analyze and unveil the hidden logic.

Types of Questions

    Number and Letter Series
    Calendars
    Clocks
    Venn Diagrams
    Cubes
    Binary Logic
    Logical Matching
    Seating Arrangement
    Logical Sequence
    Syllogism
    Logical Connectives
    Blood Relations

Recommended Books

# Quantitative Aptitude

    How to Prepare for Quantitative Aptitude for the CAT Common Admission Test 5th Edition (Paperback) by Arun Sharma, Publisher: Tata McGraw Hill 2012 Rs. 625, 2012 edition

    The Pearson Guide To Quantitative Aptitude And Data Interpretation For The CAT by Nishit Sinha, Publisher: Pearson. Rs. 650, 2012 edition.

    Quantum CAT: Quantitative Aptitude Common Admission Test for Admission Into IIMs (Paperback) by Sarvesh K Verma Publisher: Arihant, Rs. 650, 2013 edition.

# Data Interpretation & Logical Reasoning

    How to Prepare for Data Interpretation for the CAT Common Admission Test 1st Edition (Paperback) by Arun Sharma Publisher: Tata McGraw-Hill Rs. 550, 2012 edition.

    How to Prepare for Logical Reasoning for the CAT Common Admission Test by Arun Sharma Publisher: Tata McGraw-Hill Rs. 450, 2012 edition.

    The Pearson Guide To Verbal Ability And Logical Reasoning For The CAT 1st Edition (Paperback) by Nishit K. Sinha. Publisher: Pearson. Rs. 599, 2012 edition.


# Verbal Ability

    How to Prepare for Verbal Ability and Reading  Comprehension for the CAT Common Admission Test 4th Edition (Paperback)  by Meenakshi Upadhyay, Arun Sharma. Publisher: Tata McGraw Hill, Rs.  575, 2011 Edition.

   The Pearson Guide To Verbal Ability And Logical Reasoning For The  CAT 1st Edition (Paperback) by Nishit K. Sinha Publisher: Pearson, Rs.  599, 2012 edition.
   

Top 10 Information Technology (IT) Companies in India 2015

10. Cyient

Cyient, previously known as Infotech Enterprises, was founded by Mr. B.V.R. Mohan Reddy in the year 1991 and is headquartered in Hyderabad, India.

Revenue: Rs. 1224.49 Crore

Net Profit: Rs. 254.91 Crore

Market Capitalisation: Rs. 5725.92 Crore

It is home to more than 12000 employee and has it presence in nearly twenty countries with 38 offices globally. The company generally acquires other companies as part of its growth strategy with Rangsons Electronics being its latest acquisition in 2015. The company expertise in Outsourcing activities and has clients from diverse Industries such as aerospace & defense, consumer, energy, transportation, communications, navigation, off-highway, oil and gas, mining, medical etc. The company has been recently awarded with ICSI National Award for Excellence in Corporate Governance 2014.

9. Rolta

Rolta, founded in the year 1989 by Mr. Kamal K Singh is headquartered in Mumbai, India.

Revenue: Rs. 1142.89 Crore

Net Profit: Rs. 459.39 Crore

Market Capitalisation: Rs. 1786.72 Crore

It is home to nearly 5000 employees and boosts of a very high profit margin as compared to its competitors. It has executed projects in more than forty countries and expertise in industrial verticals such as Utilities, Process, Transportation, Banking and Insurance, Power etc. Their growth strategy is a balanced focus on organic growth, joints ventures and acquisitions and believe in being an end to end solution provider. The company has a huge list of accolades with the major ones being the SAP Pinnacle award 2014, Oracle ‘Titan’ and Partner Excellence, and Municipalika 2014 Award for best range of municipal Solutions. Some of the solutions they expertise into are BI and Big Data Analytics, Cloud, Geo Spatial Solutions, e-governance, safety and security.

8. Mphasis

Mphasis, incorporated in the year 2000 is headquartered in Bengaluru, India.

Revenue: Rs. 1328.97 Crore

Net Profit: Rs. 223.08 Crore

Market Capitalisation: Rs. 8132.48 Crore

Balu Ganesh Ayer is the present CEO of the company which homes to around 48000 people. It has its presence in tier II cities in India such as Vadodara, Indore, Bhubaneswar, Pune etc apart from being present in metros such as Chennai and Mumbai. It also has more than 30 office globally in 19 countries with Hewlett Packard being its largest client. The Industries it expertise in involves Banking and Capital Markets, Insurance and enterprises such as Energy, Healthcare, Hospitality, Life Sciences, Manufacturing, Media & Entertainment, Telecom and Government. With its Solutions such as Billing as a Service, Digital Customer Experience, NextAngles, Protecht Mphasis is making good stride in the field of technology. Its recent award involve being recognised in 2015 Innovation and Excellence Award for Global Technological Solution Services by Corporate Liveware.

7. Mindtree

Mindtree, founded in the year 1999 by ten IT professionals is headquartered in Bengaluru, India. Its present CEO is Krishnakumar Natarajan.

Revenue: Rs. 3031.6 Crore

Net Profit: Rs. 451.2 Crore

Market Capitalisation: Rs. 11148.64 Crore

Its employee stands at around 14000 employees. It has presence in eight countries apart from India. Application Development and Maintenance, Data Analytics, Digital Services, EAI BPM, Engineering R&D, Enterprise Application Services, Independent Testing, Infrastructure Management Services are few of the services it expertise into with industries like Banking and Capital markets, Consumer Devices and Electronics, Manufacturing, Insurance, Media & Entertainment, Retail being its major focus. Mindtree was named a leader in Zinnov’s Global R&D Services Provider Ratings for the third year in a row.

6. Oracle Financial Services

Oracle Financial Services, founded in the year 1990 is headquartered in Mumbai, India.

Revenue: Rs. 3159.47 Crore

Net Profit: Rs. 1148.36 Crore

Market Capitalisation: Rs. 29538.11 Crore

It is said to be a subsidiary of Oracle Corporation with focus being as an IT solution provider to the Banking Industry. Its present CEO is Mr. Chaitanya M Kamat and the company is home to nearly nine thousand employees. It is present in nearly 145 countries. Oracle Financial Services has various business products such as Oracle FLEXCUBE universal Banking Suites, Oracle Financial Services Analytical Applications for Customer Insight, Infrastructure, Enterprise Risk Management, Financial Crime and Compliance Management and Financial Services Data Warehouses. It also won the Fraud and Financial Crime Software Provider of the year-2014.

5. Tech Mahindra

Tech Mahindra, founded in the year 1986 is headquartered in Pune, India.

Revenue: Rs. 16295.1 Crore

Net Profit: Rs. 2685.5 Crore

Market Capitalisation: Rs. 58621.88 Crore

It is home to nearly 98000 people and has its presence across 51 countries with CP Gurnani as its Present CEO. It is SEI CMMi Level 5.OrderFix, mEMS, Socio, Tecnico, OrderVu are various platforms which Tech Mahindra expertise into. Solutions and Services Provided by Tech Mahindra includes Consulting, Enterprise Business Solutions, Mobility and Integrated Engineering Solutions, Product Life Cycle Management. With Anand Mahindra as it Chairman, the company is under a safe and ethical business person who shall leave no stone unturned to take the companies to more glorious heights. It is recipient of various awards with the important ones being Golden Peacock Award, Leader in Excellence in IT etc.

4. HCL Technologies

HCL Technologies, founded in the year in 1976 by Mr. Shiv Nadar is headquartered in Noida, India.

Revenue: Rs. 16497.37 Crore

Net Profit: Rs. 5984.62 Crore

Market Capitalisation: Rs. 129933.28 Crore

HCL has offices in around 35 countries globally and is home to hundred thousand people. Various business lines in which HCL has its presence are Business Services, Custom Application Services, Engineering R&D, Enterprise Transformation Services and IT Infrastructure Management Services. As part of their growth strategy they have alliances with nearly 100 companies in various technological areas which act as a mutual beneficial experience. Their global strategic alliances covers 360 degree relationships across multiple geographies and industry verticals. It has been rated as a leader in IDC SAP Marketplace, Cloud Services Marketplace.

3. Wipro

Wipro, founded in 1945 entered into the IT domain in the year 1980 and since then has become one of the biggest IT Company in the world.

Revenue: Rs. 38757.2 Crore

Net Profit: Rs. 7387.4 Crore

Market Capitalisation: Rs. 132380.73 Crore

Headquartered in Bengaluru, India it is headed by Azim Premji, It was the first software company to get SEI CMMI Level 5 back in 2002. It has been accredited with many first in IT Industry like introducing Lean Management in Service Industry. Home to more than 1 lakh 50 thousand people, Wipro Technologies Applying Thoughts has lead it to be one of the most preferred IT vendors. Cognitive Systems, Smart Devices, Man-machine Interface are few of the future drivers it has been focusing on. Wipro has been selected by DJSI as World Member for the fifth consecutive year and is also recognised with prestigious Golden peacock Award 2014 in the category of ‘Innovative product/Service’ for Wipro’s Assure Health Solutions.

2. Infosys

Infosys, founded in the year 1981 has been headquartered in Bengaluru, India.

Revenue: Rs. 44341 Crore

Net Profit: Rs. 10194 Crore

Market Capitalisation: Rs. 221528.83 Crore

It is a home to more than 175000 people with many famous Indian personalities coming from its structure like Mr. Narayan Murthy, Nandan Nilekani to name a few. It is a major powerhouse that operates into business consulting, information technology, software engineering and outsourcing services. Presently headed by Vishal Sikka, Infosys has signed an MOU with local Chinese provincial to open first overseas campus in China. Infosys has nearly 890 clients across 50 countries according to latest data known till 31st March, 2014. It can boost of world’s largest corporate university in Mysore. It get ranked constantly in the world’s top 20 most innovative companies list brought out by Forbes and green companies ranking by Newsweek.

1. TCS - Tata Consultancy Services

Tata Consultancy Services, founded in the year 1968 is headquartered in Mumbai, India.

Revenue: Rs. 64672.93 Crore

Net Profit: Rs. 18474.92 Crore

Market Capitalisation: Rs. 487919.14 Crore

Home to more than three lakh people TCS is placed among the most valuable ‘Big4’ IT Service brand Worldwide. It has been the face of Indian IT Industry. TCS provides umbrella of services to its customer some of which are Performance Management, Business Process Service, Consulting, Enterprise Solutions, iON Small and Medium Enterprise, IT Services. TCS BaNCS, TCS MasterCraft, TCS Technology Products are some of its well-known software. TCS, leading the way for Indian IT firms has also made in the Top 100 Brand Finance List in the USA. In the recent accolades TCS was ranked number 1 IT Service provider for Manufacturing in Europe, Middle East and Africa by International Corporation in 2014.

The Methodology used to rank the companies are mentioned below:
1. All the Indian IT companies having at least Rs. 500 Crore (Revenue), Positive Profit and Rs. 1000 Crore (Market Capitalization) are considered as a first level cut-off to consider them for ranking.
2. For each parameter, highlighted in bold above, the companies are arranged in ascending order individually i.e. 3 different ascending order list for 3 different parameters.
3. The process of normalisation is then followed, For example: the company with highest revenue is assigned 100 points. All the others companies in the revenue list is then assigned points with respect to the leader in that list.
Like the second companies points are;
(Total Revenue of the Company/Total Revenue of 1st Company) * 100.
Similarly the third company points are assigned keeping the denominator same as above.
4. Similar process is followed for other two parameters i.e. Profits and Market Capitalization.
5. Finally a consolidated list is prepared where the points obtained from all the three parameters are added. Maximum possible score which can be obtained by a company is 300.
6. The list of top 10 companies is then prepared based on the points obtained by them. The company getting the maximum point is assigned top rank and so on till all 10 companies are obtained.

Tips and Tricks in Group Discussion

Initiation Techniques:

• Initiating a GD is a high profit-high loss strategy.

When you initiate a GD, you not only grab the opportunity to speak, you also grab the attention of the examiner and your fellow candidates.

If you can make a favourable first impression with your content and communication skills after you initiate a GD, it will help you sail through the discussion.

But if you initiate a GD and stammer/ stutter/ quote wrong facts and figures, the damage might be irreparable.

If you initiate a GD impeccably but don't speak much after that, it gives the impression that you started the GD for the sake of starting it or getting those initial kitty of points earmarked for an initiator!

When you start a GD, you are responsible for putting it into the right perspective or framework. So initiate one only if you have in-depth knowledge about the topic at hand. 

Body of the group discussion

• Different techniques to initiate a GD and make a good first impression:

i. Quotes
ii. Definition
iii. Question
iv. Shock statement
v. Facts, figures and statistics
vi. Short story
vii. General statement

i. Quotes

Quotes are an effective way of initiating a GD.

If the topic of a GD is: Should the Censor Board be abolished?, you could start with a quote like, 'Hidden apples are always sweet'.

For a GD topic like, Customer is King, you could quote Sam (Wall-mart) Walton's famous saying, 'There is only one boss: the customer. And he can fire everybody in the company -- from the chairman on down, simply by spending his money somewhere else.'

ii. Definition

Start a GD by defining the topic or an important term in the topic.

For example, if the topic of the GD is Advertising is a Diplomatic Way of Telling a Lie, why not start the GD by defining advertising as, 'Any paid form of non-personal presentation and promotion of ideas, goods or services through mass media like newspapers, magazines, television or radio by an identified sponsor'?

For a topic like The Malthusian Economic Prophecy is no longer relevant, you could start by explaining the definition of the Malthusian Economic Prophecy.

iii. Question

Asking a question is an impact way of starting a GD.

It does not signify asking a question to any of the candidates in a GD so as to hamper the flow. It implies asking a question, and answering it yourself.

Any question that might hamper the flow of a GD or insult a participant or play devil's advocate must be discouraged.

Questions that promote a flow of ideas are always appreciated.

For a topic like, Should India go to war with Pakistan, you could start by asking, 'What does war bring to the people of a nation? We have had four clashes with Pakistan. The pertinent question is: what have we achieved?'

iv. Shock statement

Initiating a GD with a shocking statement is the best way to grab immediate attention and put forth your point.

If a GD topic is, The Impact of Population on the Indian Economy, you could start with, 'At the centre of the Indian capital stands a population clock that ticks away relentlessly. It tracks 33 births a minute, 2,000 an hour, 48,000 a day. Which calculates to about 12 million every year. That is roughly the size of Australia. As a current political slogan puts it, 'Nothing's impossible when 1 billion Indians work together'.'

v. Facts, figures and statistics

If you decide to initiate your GD with facts, figure and statistics, make sure to quote them accurately.

Approximation is allowed in macro level figures, but micro level figures need to be correct and accurate.

For example, you can say, approximately 70 per cent of the Indian population stays in rural areas (macro figures, approximation allowed).

But you cannot say 30 states of India instead of 28 (micro figures, no approximations).

Stating wrong facts works to your disadvantage.

For a GD topic like, China, a Rising Tiger, you could start with, 'In 1983, when China was still in its initial stages of reform and opening up, China's real use of Foreign Direct Investment only stood at $636 million. China actually utilized $60 billion of FID in 2004, which is almost 100 times that of its 1983 statistics."

vi. Short story

Use a short story in a GD topic like, Attitude is Everything.

This can be initiated with, 'A child once asked a balloon vendor, who was selling helium gas-filled balloons, whether a blue-colored balloon will go as high in the sky as a green-colored balloon. The balloon vendor told the child, it is not the color of the balloon but what is inside it that makes it go high.'

vii. General statement

Use a general statement to put the GD in proper perspective.

For example, if the topic is, Should Sonia Gandhi be the prime minister of India?, you could start by saying, 'Before jumping to conclusions like, 'Yes, Sonia Gandhi should be', or 'No, Sonia Gandhi should not be', let's first find out the qualities one needs to be a a good prime minister of India. Then we can compare these qualities with those that Mrs. Gandhi possesses. This will help us reach the conclusion in a more objective and effective manner.' 

Summarization/ Conclusion

• Most GD do not really have conclusions. A conclusion is where the whole group decides in favor or against the topic. 
• But every GD is summarized. You can summaries what the group has discussed in the GD in a nutshell.

Keep the following points in mind while summarizing a discussion:

1. Avoid raising new points. 
2. Avoid stating only your viewpoint. 
3. Avoid dwelling only on one aspect of the GD. 
4. Keep it brief and concise. 
5. It must incorporate all the important points that came out during the GD. 
6. If the examiner asks you to summaries a GD, it means the GD has come to an end. 
7. Do not add anything once the GD has been summarized. 

GD Do's & Dont's

• Do's
1. Be as natural as possible. Do not try and be someone you are not. Be yourself.
2. A group discussion is your chance to be more vocal. The evaluator wants to hear you speak.
3. Take time to organize your thoughts. Think of what you are going to say.
4. Seek clarification if you have any doubts regarding the subject.
5. Don't start speaking until you have clearly understood and analyzed the subject.
6. Work out various strategies to help you make an entry: initiate the discussion or agree with someone else's point and then move onto express your views.
7. Opening the discussion is not the only way of gaining attention and recognition. If you do not give valuable insights during the discussion, all your efforts of initiating the discussion will be in vain.
8. Your body language says a lot about you - your gestures and mannerisms are more likely to reflect your attitude than what you say.
9. Language skills are important only to the effect as to how you get your points across clearly and fluently.
10. Be assertive not dominating; try to maintain a balanced tone in your discussion and analysis.
11. Don't lose your cool if anyone says anything you object to. The key is to stay objective: Don't take the discussion personally.
12. Always be polite: Try to avoid using extreme phrases like: `I strongly object' or `I disagree'. Instead try phrases like: `I would like to share my views on…' or `One difference between your point and mine…' or "I beg to differ with you"
13. Brush up on your leadership skills; motivate the other members of the team to speak (this surely does not mean that the only thing that you do in the GD is to say "let us hear what the young lady with the blue scarf has to say," or "Raghu, let us hear your views" - Essentially be subtle), and listen to their views. Be receptive to others' opinions and do not be abrasive or aggressive.
14. If you have a group of like-minded friends, you can have a mock group discussion where you can learn from each other through giving and receiving feedback.
15. Apart from the above points, the panel will also judge team members for their alertness and presence of mind, problem-solving abilities, ability to work as a team without alienating certain members, and creativity.

• Dont's
1. Be as natural as possible. Do not try and be someone you are not. Be yourself.
2. A group discussion is your chance to be more vocal. The evaluator wants to hear you speak.
3. Take time to organize your thoughts. Think of what you are going to say.
4. Seek clarification if you have any doubts regarding the subject.
5. Don't start speaking until you have clearly understood and analyzed the subject.
6. Work out various strategies to help you make an entry: initiate the discussion or agree with someone else's point and then move onto express your views.
7. Opening the discussion is not the only way of gaining attention and recognition. If you do not give valuable insights during the discussion, all your efforts of initiating the discussion will be in vain.
8. Your body language says a lot about you - your gestures and mannerisms are more likely to reflect your attitude than what you say.
9. Language skills are important only to the effect as to how you get your points across clearly and fluently.
10. Be assertive not dominating; try to maintain a balanced tone in your discussion and analysis.
11. Don't lose your cool if anyone says anything you object to. The key is to stay objective: Don't take the discussion personally.
12. Always be polite: Try to avoid using extreme phrases like: `I strongly object' or `I disagree'. Instead try phrases like: `I would like to share my views on…' or `One difference between your point and mine…' or "I beg to differ with you"
13. Brush up on your leadership skills; motivate the other members of the team to speak (this surely does not mean that the only thing that you do in the GD is to say "let us hear what the young lady with the blue scarf has to say," or "Raghu, let us hear your views" - Essentially be subtle), and listen to their views. Be receptive to others' opinions and do not be abrasive or aggressive.
14. If you have a group of like-minded friends, you can have a mock group discussion where you can learn from each other through giving and receiving feedback.
15. Apart from the above points, the panel will also judge team members for their alertness and presence of mind, problem-solving abilities, ability to work as a team without alienating certain members, and creativity.

GD Preparation
While selection tools and techniques like tests, interviews etc. provide good data about an individual, they fall short in providing real life data of how an individual would be performing in a real life situation especially a group situation. Team work being an integral part of the BPO work profile, it is important to ascertain group and inter-personal qualities of an individual. Group discussion is a useful tool to ascertain these qualities and many organizations use GDs as a selection tool along with Personal Interviews, aptitude tests etc. 

A GD is an activity where 
• Groups of 8-10 candidates are formed into a leaderless group, and are given a specific situation to analyse and discuss within a given time limit, which may vary between twenty minutes and forty-five minutes, or 
• They may be given a case study and asked to come out with a solution for a problem 
• They may be given a topic and are asked to discuss the same 

1. Preparing for a Group Discussion: While GD reflects the inherent qualities of an individual, appearing for it unprepared may not augur well for you. These tips would help you prepare for GDs: 

Reading: This is the first and the most crucial step in preparation. This is a never ending process and the more you read, the better you are in your thoughts. While you may read anything to everything, you must ensure that you are in good touch with current affairs, the debates and hot topics of discussion and also with the latest in the IT and ITES industry. Chances are the topics would be around these. Read both for the thoughts as well as for data. Also read multiple view points on the same topic and then create your point of view with rationale. Also create answers for counter arguments for your point of view. The electronic media also will be of good use here.

Mocks: Create an informal GD group and meet regularly to discuss and exchange feedback. This is the best way to prepare. This would give you a good idea about your thoughts and how well can you convince. Remember, it is important that you are able to express your thoughts well. The better you perform in these mocks the better would be you chances to perform on the final day. Also try to interact and participate in other GD groups. This will develop in you a skill to discuss with unknown people as well. 

2. During the Group Discussion: 
What do the panelists assess:Some of the qualities assessed in a GD are:
Leadership Skills - Ability to take leadership roles and be able to lead, inspire and carry the team along to help them achieve the group's objectives.
Communication Skills - Candidates will be assessed in terms of clarity of thought, expression and aptness of language. One key aspect is listening. It indicates a willingness to accommodate others views.
Interpersonal Skills - People skills are an important aspect of any job. They are reflected in the ability to interact with other members of the group in a brief situation. Emotional maturity and balance promotes good interpersonal relationships. The person has to be more people centric and less self-centered.
Persuasive Skills - The ability to analyze and persuade others to see the problem from multiple perspectives.

GD is a test of your ability to think, your analytical capabilities and your ability to make your point in a team-based environment.
These are some of the sub-skills that also get assessed with the skills mentioned above:
• Clarity of thought 
• Group working skills (especially during a group task of case study discussion) 
• Conflict handling 
• Listening and probing skills 
• Knowledge about the subject and individual point of view 
• Ability to create a consensus 
• Openess and flexibility towards new ideas 
• Data based approach to decision making 

While, it is not possible to reflect all these qualities in a short time, you would do well if you are able to show a couple or more qualities and avoid giving negative evidence on others.

GD Mistakes
Here's a list of the most common mistakes made at group discussions:

Emotional outburst
Rashmi was offended when one of the male participants in a group discussion made a statement on women generally being submissive while explaining his point of view. When Rashmi finally got an opportunity to speak, instead of focussing on the topic, she vented her anger by accusing the other candidate for being a male chauvinist and went on to defend women in general.
What Rashmi essentially did was to
• Deviate from the subject
• Treat the discussion as a forum to air her own views.
• Lose objectivity and make personal attacks.
Her behaviour would have been perceived as immature and demotivating to the rest of the team.

Quality Vs Quantity
Gautam believed that the more he talked, the more likely he was to get through the GD. So, he interrupted other people at every opportunity. He did this so often that the other candidates got together to prevent him from participating in the rest of the discussion.
• Assessment is not only on your communication skills but also on your ability to be a team player.
• Evaluation is based on quality, and not on quantity. Your contribution must be relevant.
• The mantra is "Contributing meaningfully to the team's success." Domination is frowned upon.

Egotism Showing off
Krishna was happy to have got a group discussion topic he had prepared for. So, he took pains to project his vast knowledge of the topic. Every other sentence of his contained statistical data - "20% of companies; 24.27% of parliamentarians felt that; I recently read in a Jupiter Report that..." and so on so forth. Soon, the rest of the team either laughed at him or ignored his attempts to enlighten them as they perceived that he was cooking up the data.
• Exercise restraint in anything. You will end up being frowned upon if you attempt showing-off your knowledge.
• Facts and figures need not validate all your statements.
• Its your analysis and interpretation that are equally important - not just facts and figures.
• You might be appreciated for your in-depth knowledge. But you will fail miserably in your people skills.
Such a behavior indicates how self-centered you are and highlights your inability to work in an atmosphere where different opinions are expressed.

Get noticed - But for the right reasons
Srikumar knew that everyone would compete to initiate the discussion. So as soon as the topic - "Discuss the negative effects of India joining the WTO" - was read out, he began talking. In his anxiety to be the first to start speaking, he did not hear the word "negative" in the topic. He began discussing the ways in which the country had benefited by joining WTO, only to be stopped by the evaluator, who then corrected his mistake.
• False starts are extremely expensive. They cost you your admission. It is very important to listen and understand the topic before you air your opinions.
• Spending a little time analyzing the topic may provide you with insights which others may not have thought about. Use a pen and paper to jot down your ideas.
• Listen! It gives you the time to conceptualize and present the information in a better manner.
Some mistakes are irreparable. Starting off the group discussion with a mistake is one such mistake, unless you have a great sense of humor.

Managing one's insecurities
Sumati was very nervous. She thought that some of the other candidates were exceptionally good. Thanks to her insecurity, she contributed little to the discussion. Even when she was asked to comment on a particular point, she preferred to remain silent.
• Your personality is also being evaluated. Your verbal and non verbal cues are being read.
• Remember, you are the participant in the GD; not the evaluator. So, rather than evaluating others and your performance, participate in the discussion.
• Your confidence level is being evaluated. Decent communication skills with good confidence is a must to crack the GDs.
Focus on your strengths and do not spend too much time thinking about how others are superior or inferior to you. It is easy to pick up these cues from your body language.

Knowledge is strength. A candidate with good reading habits has more chances of success. In other words, sound knowledge on different topics like politics, finance, economy, science and technology is helpful.
Power to convince effectively is another quality that makes you stand out among others.
Clarity in speech and expression is yet another essential quality.
If you are not sure about the topic of discussion, it is better not to initiate. Lack of knowledge or wrong approach creates a bad impression. Instead, you might adopt the wait and watch attitude. Listen attentively to others, may be you would be able to come up with a point or two later.

A GD is a formal occasion where slang is to avoided.
A GD is not a debating stage. Participants should confine themselves to expressing their viewpoints. In the second part of the discussion candidates can exercise their choice in agreeing, disagreeing or remaining neutral.
Language use should be simple, direct and straight forward.
Don't interrupt a speaker when the session is on. Try to score by increasing your size, not by cutting others short.

Maintain rapport with fellow participants. Eye contact plays a major role. Non-verbal gestures, such as listening intently or nodding while appreciating someone's viewpoint speak of you positively.
Communicate with each and every candidate present. While speaking don't keep looking at a single member. Address the entire group in such a way that everyone feels you are speaking to him or her.

How To Prepare For The UPSC Civil Services Examinations

The Civil Services Examination (CSE) is a nationwide competitive examination in India conducted by the Union Public Service Commissionfor recruitment to various Civil Services of the Government of India, including Indian Administrative Service (IAS), Indian Foreign Service (IFS),Indian Police Service (IPS), Indian Revenue Service (IRS) among others.

Of all the Civil Services only two, namely Indian Administrative Service and Indian Foreign Service are premier civil services of Government of India as appointment to anyone of these renders a person ineligible to reappear inCivil Services Examination. The examination is one of the toughest examinations in India with success rate of 0.1%-0.3% with more than 900,000 applicants.

It is conducted in two phases—the Preliminary examination, consisting of two objective-type papers (General Studies and Aptitude Test), and the Main examination, consisting of nine papers of conventional (essay) type followed by the Personality Test (Interview). The entire process from the notification of the Preliminary examination to declaration of the final results takes roughly one year.

CSE requires a very organised and (preferably) chronologically well-planned preparation. It requires hard work and smart learning, consistency and efficient upgradation with general awareness. Here are the significant points to keep in mind to prepare for the CSE:

1. Develop the Correct Routine

And stick to it! Yes, ideally you are gonna have to let go of the social life. You might not be able to give much time to hobbies.  The focus required for this preparation comes from avoiding other distractions. That thing you think about when you have got nothing to think about, and that thing you do when you have nothing to do in particular, should be related to your preparations. Sacrifices and passion will be a requisite. You are gonna have to dedicate a significant part of your life to your dream. There are no shortcuts.

Neha Yadav (Optional: Sociology), IFS Topper in CSE 2013, shares her routine during her preparation:

A typical day would begin with reading the newspaper, saving articles, reading the topic at hand 2-3 hrs GS, same for the optional, checking feeds for updates, practicing answer writing for 1-2 questions, watching videos of interest. I had my share of ups and downs, there were days of no study too, but I promised myself to at least complete the newspaper daily  because it’s one thing that troubles the most in backlog. To keep the sources minimal I stuck with materials that kept my interest going, for instance – watching videos, reading a less formal article on the internet instead of reading same thing from a book, as long as I could solve a question, it was enough. I tried to avoid distractions as much as possible, but when encountered with distractions, I used to take time off, clear the thought, watch LBSNAA FC videos (to remind myself of the goal) and move on.

2. General Studies: Everything Under The Sun! 

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The syllabus of GS papers is as wide as it can get. It is very important to prepare diligently, but at the same time the focus should be on building concepts rather than mugging up facts. To begin with, start taking interest in the smallest and biggest of things. Have you ever cared to find out what USSD stands for in a mobile code processing? Have you ever wondered how the US gains if India is empowered? If not, start doing it. The best way to build concepts is the NCERTs! Read up all the NCERT textbooks for History, Geography, Polity and Economics from 6-12 standard (Economics class 12 textbook is not that relevant). After that move on to the conventional IAS books and get a book of solved question papers topic wise, but also read books like The Discovery of India by Jawaharlal Nehru, Argumentative Indian by Amartya Sen to help understand your country better and more conceptually, and I Dare (IPS) by Kiran Bedi and Bureaucracy gets Crazier: IAS Unmasked by M.K Kaw which will give you a peek into the lives of IAS officers and tell you how interesting/boring their work can be. This way you will not only work towards your knowledge but also towards your passion. Remember, what distinguishes a civil servant from others is passion and dedication to the country. Develop it with time.

3. Practice Enough for the CSAT Paper

It’d be wrong to say that this paper is difficult. It actually sets a level of intellect, which isn’t very high either. But the trick with this paper is time management. That is the trick with pretty much every one of the eleven papers in the CSE. Here is a sample question in the CSAT paper:

Other types of questions include English comprehension and decision-making. These papers test response time as much as capability. As such, the aptitude tests are very scoring. With some practice, you can easily score well on these papers.

The thing with CSE is that everybody is weak in GS. It is mostly your performance in other papers that distinguish you. The IAS topper rank 1 in 2013, Gaurav Agrawal, scored 121 on 200 in GS Prelims paper (182 in CSAT). In Mains GS he scored 85, 63, 88 and 102 out of 250 in papers I, II, III and IV respectively. (Find his result analysis here). His performance was made for in the other papers, so practice enough for CSAT.

4. Make Friends with The Hindu

Read this newspaper religiously. Even if you miss out on the preparation some day, do read the newspaper. Because it is the only thing which is not so feasibly catched up on after delays. The most relevant sections of this newspaper are the Editorial and the Business section. Pay more attention to news that involve a new scheme being employed or an old scheme being scraped off, and avoid news which deal with a short-lived controversy.Read the Editorial section meticulously, it will shape your ideas and also give you the antics of answer-writing, which are extremely significant for the essay paper in Mains. It is from opinionated articles that young people first gather ideas, and it is these ideas that mature and go into the Mains papers. Focus on detailed analysis of schemes and developing opinions.

5. Select ‘Optionals’ Wisely and Learn the Skill of Answer-Writing

CSE 2013 IAS topper, Gaurav Agrawal(Optional: Economics) focuses meticulously on the nuances of answer-writing in the CSE. In his article, he writes:

GS and optionals answers are completely different. In optionals, one can write a PhD types answer and be confident of getting good marks – because the examiner who is checking an economics paper would be an economist herself. But in GS this will not work. The examiner who is checking the economics answer in a GS paper in more likelihood would not be an economist. She would be a generalist with limited knowledge and interest in the subject. So if you write some specialized answer or use some specific terms or models from your optional while writing a GS answer, good luck! Most probably the examiner would not understand/appreciate it. And she would not spend additional time or effort in going back and study the term/model you wrote. She would simply give a zero.

So the bottom line is, our answer should be such that they make the life easier for the examiner. She would be happy while reading them and would give us more marks. So no PhD types stuff… just stick to basic points and present them in a way which is easy to read.Next, this exam is not a science exam. This is a generalist exam, a humanities exam. Its like a BA or MA exam. In a science exam, if there are 5 points in an answer but point number 1 is the most important point and rest are insignificant as compared to point 1, so if you cover point 1 only in your answer in great detail showing good understanding, you would get good marks. But in a BA, MA exam this doesn’t work. You have to not only write those 5 points, but also invent 2 more points and write. Only then the examiner would feel that you have covered all ‘relevant’ points. So one cannot ignore the trivial points and has to blindly write everything. Going further, in BA MA exams, if the question asks something say what is RBI doing to contain inflation and you answer all the points (including the trivial points) on what is RBI doing to contain inflation, you still won’t get good marks. Your answer still won’t be considered complete. In BA MA exams, an answer would be complete if we also write a bit about what preceded the question and what succeeded it.

Finally on presentation style. Many coachings tell many things. Don’t believe in any of them. Just use common sense. The examiner is a human being who is checking your copies not because of any interest but because its her job. She would like to get over with it as soon and with as little mental pain as possible and attend to rest of her life. So just present your answers in a way which you think makes her life easier. Personally, I preferred writing point and section wise answers this time with proper section and sub sectional headings. It gives an impression that I have covered all aspects, given a thought to the answer before writing and created a structure. But the choice is yours.

A very important part of the CSE as of now is the Optional. It makes for a considerable difference in your marks. For most people it is the subject they have for their graduation. UPSC provides a list of optionals that you are allowed to choose from, and certain subjects are not on the list, for e.g. BioTechnology. Most people prefer taking a language or mathematical subject as an optional as it increases the chances of scoring marks over other optionals which are subjective and require the candidate to write a high BA/MA level answer so as to get appreciable marks. Choose your optional well in time and choose it wisely.

6. Follow Government Websites and Magazines

Follow government links and download any annual reports they have.Generally, all websites come up with something new once a month, so even if you stalk them once a month it’ll be fine. Some important websites by the Government of India are:

• Ministry of External Affairs
• National Portal of India
• Income Tax Dept
• Ministry Of Home Affairs
• Indian Passport Seva
• Incredible India
• Ministry of Tourism
• Action And Hope - PM
• Dept of Science and Technology
• Survey of India
• Ministry of Human Resource Development
• Prime Minister of India
• DD India
• Welfare Schemes
• The President of India
• Ministry of Drinking Water & Sanitation

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Official Twitter and Facebook Pages by GOI:

• Ministry of Information & Broadcasting
• Ministry of Railways - India
• Ministry of Home Affairs, Govt. of India
• Ministry of Finance, Government of India
• Office of the Surveyor General of India,
• Department of Science & Technology
• Ministry of Human Resource Development
• Indian Army
• Press Information Bureau India
• PMO India
• Ministry of HRD
• Embassy of India US
• My Gov India
• Data Portal India
• MIB India
• India gov in
• Dept of Electronics & Info Tech
• Planning Commission India
• MoHFW India
• All India Radio
• DDIndia
• IndianDiplomacy

7. Join a Test Series

Do join a test series- online or offline doesn't matter. You have to give all tests with full preparation, as it enables you to fail faster, earlier and more often. Give all tests as if you are appearing for UPSC preliminary examination. Start revising at least three days before the test.

8. Coachings? Maybe Not.

 “Despite what UPSC has done in recent years, it has failed to curb the nuisance of Delhi’s coaching factories. In fact, it’s increased under the new syllabus in 2013. Let’s face it, most toppers have relied on (authentic OR Xeroxed) coaching notes because there was hardly any time left to prepare so many topics in such short time. This system works against an individual preparing from far-away area, without any financial resources, high-speed internet or contacts in Delhi.”

When Mrunal expressed this concern to CSE 2013 Topper Gaurav Agrawal, he had a different take. He says:

Don’t agree with this. Coachingwallahs thrive when question papers are static and same things are repeated year after year. UPSC, on the other hand, has made their paper very dynamic in last 2-3 years. Now the ‘bookish’ questions have reduced greatly and analyze types have increased. No longer are they asking questions where information is the key determinant (even in the prelims). What matters is one’s opinion and analysis. This cannot be found in any single place / book and internet has to be referred to. Most coachingwallahs are stagnant and old and are unwilling to change with times. Classroom coachings have become awaste of time. Only 10% of what they teach is perhaps relevant. Instead of attending their classes and wasting time on that 90% useless thing, better to just buy their notes from photocopy shops and study the 10%. Coachings take 6 months to teach what one can study in 2 months and are of inferior quality.

We cannot disregard the importance of expert guidance, given that there is cut-throat competition, whether in the form of classroom teaching or notes or both. Self-study can be done from websites like civilserviceindia.com and mrunal.org. And for those who cannot afford/access coaching institutions, Roman Saini,an IAS Officer from AIMS, Delhi (CSE 2013/AIR-18) has started a free online coaching series called Unacademy.

Dr. Roman Saini, who cracked CSE in his first attempt in 2013, writes motivational articles for UPSC Aspirants and makes free videos for preparation. Some of his videos are Polity Lecture Series, How to Read The Hindu in 90 minutes or less, How to Read Yojana Magazine in 24 hours for UPSC.

Dr. Saini, on myths about preparation for UPSC says:

Do not fall prey to these myths:

1. Dream to be an IAS: You really don’t need it. Any reason for you to be a civil servant is good enough as long as it helps you to stay focused.

2. Preparation is possible only by staying in Delhi: It is a myth which has been perpetuated by coaching in states. Though it certainly helps, but it is not sacrosanct to stay in Delhi. You can watch all my videos, order book from flipkart, get hold of any material on internet today, so your sincerity is the only requirement.

3. IQ=220? Most of the toppers I know have an above average IQ only, hardwork is what separates wheat from chaff here.

4. Study for 25 hours per day? We Toppers are very much from Earth and are not aliens. We need our sleep for 7-9 hours per day. Self study for 6-8 hours per day is more than sufficient.

5. Good Bye Social Life? You don't need to become a hermit to clear this examination, though you do need to limit your social outings. You should exploit social media as much as possible by joining relevant Fb groups and going to my page where I provide lot of worthy content.

6. Bad English/Obscure College/Financially Poor: Its good that you have acknowledged your English is poor. Improve it. College and background hardly matters in interview and before that, you are just known by your roll number. Finances are not that much needed since lots of material is available online and joining coaching is not absolutely essential.

7. Its all Luck? Luck plays a big role and no one denies it. But luck shows random distribution and all of us have equal chance to be lucky. On top of that, handwork is the only variable that can actually create significant difference. The harder you work, the luckier you get.

8. Completing 200 books in 400 days? You need about 400 days to prepare this examination. You will get 2400 hours (400*6) and considering you can read, understand, analyze, retain and reproduce the content worth 4 pages, it gives us 9600 pages and considering you revise it three times it gives us 3200 pages worth of content over the entire duration of preparation. So you have to extremely choosy while you buy any book in the market.

9. Do Not Take the Interview Lightly

Neha Yadav (Optional: Sociology), IFS Topper CSE 2013, recounts the questions of her interview:

Chairman of Interview Board: Shri Chattar Singh

Duration of Interview: 20 mins

Date – 3rd June, 2014

Afternoon Session, last candidate to go.

Chairman:

1. Showed my photo and asked “Is this you?”
2. You like cooking, what type of food do you like to cook?
3. What is your favorite dish? (kadhi and rice)
4. How many types of kadhi do you know?
5. How much time do we need to prepare a kadhi dish?
6. You are a microbiologist…how would you use this knowledge in administration?

Member 1:

1. Name some communicable diseases
2. Asked questions about my fellowship (DST-INSPIRE)
3. What steps are being taken to control TB (revised policy)
4. Name one discovery in your field from the british era (Ronald Ross got Noble Prize for discovering Malaria parasite)
5. Where did he discovered this parasite (Calcutta)

Member 2:

1. Some govt schemes towards welfare of women and children
2. Do you think that these schemes have worked so far?
3. What further steps do we need to take to ensure better success in this field?
4. Do you support women reservation bill?

Member 3:

1. Name one famous chef who recently died (Tarla Dalal)
2. She specialized in which cuisine (gujarati, parsi)
3. Parsi population is found mostly in which part of India
4. Why are they concentrated only there?
5. Story behind parsi people coming to India
6. If govt fails to fill reserve seats for women due to non availability of desired candidates, who should be blaimed?

Member 4:

1. Who was Pandit Deen Dayal Upadhyay?
2. What was his major contribution?
3. How is he related to Gorakhpur?
4. Why did you change school after 10th?
5. Who was Yogi Gorakhshnath?
6. His contributions?
7. Is he an incarnation of Lord Shiva?

Chairman:

1. What is nath sampradaya?
2. What is nirgunaya and saguna movement?

Your interview is over, you may go now. 

The questions you get for interview are going to be mostly unexpected. They won’t test you academic knowledge as much, as the other papers have already done so. They will test how much you are aware of the world around you and how much interest you take in things. 

CSE 2013 Topper Gaurav Agrawal, on relevance of interview, says:

First, would like to clarify the myth that UPSC interview is only of 275 marks i.e. 10-15%. The real weight of the interview is at least 40%. The reasons are: a) UPSC has developed a habit of giving very less marks in mains. This is a relative exam and only difference of marks between us and others matters. Naturally if low marks are given in written, then difference of marks from others which we can have by performing well in written will be less. b) Only candidates clearing mains can give interview. So whatever little difference in marks was there in mains gets reduced even further (as the difference in marks among the mains successful candidates would be less than the difference in the entire set). On the other hand, interview marks come only after this mains cut off stage and there is a full range of marks given in interviews. So the difference in marks arising out of interview can be great leading to its increased effective weight.So neglect interview only at your own peril! And also unlike what many say interview is not purely ‘luck’ based. Barring few exceptional cases, most of the interviews contain questions 90% of which can be predicted and prepared well in advance!  

Click here to find an account of a real interview of a candidate in 2014! 

10. If You Fail, Attempt Again

Remember, that it is a very difficult examination with an insanely low success percentage. The IAS Topper Gaurav Agrawal succeeded in his second attempt. Mostly, the first time goes into understanding the antics of the examination- answer-writing, time management, newspaper reading. For those in their first attempts, who better to guide you than those who have failed in their first?

Manil Singh (Optional: Sindhi Literature) passout of SRM Institute of Technology( Branch: BioTechnology) , on failing the first attempt in 2014, says:

Initially when I came to Delhi, I spent a lot of time in settling down, which is one thing aspirants should do in advance so as to focus completely on studies. My first attempt was in 2014, in which I fared badly in Paper I (GS) and did good in the second paper (CSAT). But it doesn’t matter at all if you don’t work your way through both the papers.My mistakes were: didn’t read NCERTs, took guidance from various aspirants (a blunder, as perceptions vary from person to person), didn’t practice for paper 2 (was overconfident, as it is easy for me), didn’t make notes of newspapers (still, there are other ways to do it).My advice to all those who aspire for such a difficult examination is: go for it only if you are interested. Before you make a choice, select your coaching institute (Vajiram and Ravi is a preferred choice), get arrangements for fooding and lodging done in advance (if you are an outstation student), start reading NCERTs, The Hindu (again, a preferred choice which is sufficient too), no magazines at all, and government websites (for authentic information). It is your hard work that will pay off.

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The UPSC is known for experimenting with examination patterns. In one instance, the optional paper 2 questions of Public Administration were asked in Paper 1, causing the aspirants to think that paper 1 is easy as it resembled Polity or GS 2 paper (which actually paper 2 was supposed to do). In another instance, they changed the question structure and point of view completely. Usually they would ask details regarding the First Battle of Panipat, Second Battle of Panipat and Third Battle of Panipat. So if you had done your history well enough, you’d get marks. But in 2014, it asked a trick question: Why did so many battles occur in Panipat only? Why not in other nearby places?  It makes you think on the spot, no coaching notes would come of use. It is an intersection of History and Geography. This had to be answered within 7 minutes. The beauty of the Civil Services Examination lies in the fundamental conceptualisation involved in its questions.

Akand Sitra, an ex-student of IIT Madras and an IAS aspirant in his second attempt, when asked for his view on the UPSC Civil Services Examination, said:

Civil Services Examination is one of the most beautiful exams in the world. The kind of questions they ask, the kind of patience one needs, the vastness of the syllabus, is just inexplicable. I absolutely adore the exam process because there is a sense of satisfaction when you go through it. Even if I do not pass the exam, even if I do not become a civil servant, I shall never regret this phase of my life. Just the exam process itself builds your character, enhances your personality, makes you much more mature and knowledgeable.

I guess that is why people get addicted to this process. Once you start preparing for the exam, you will be pulled into this chaotic vortex for ever - Either till you pass the exam or till all your attempts get over. You just get addicted to the examination. Once you get into this labyrinth, you will never come out again. No wonder there are thousands of students still giving their fourth/fifth/sixth attempts. The Civil Services Examination is like an irresistible mistress. I am already in my 2nd attempt and I don't know where the time flew.

So prepare passionately, live curiously and most importantly, enjoy what you study! Godspeed.