CSE 2012 marks: Strict marking does no one a favour

UPSC has just declared the marks of the recommended candidates. It comes as a disappointment that there has been very stringent marking in the written exam.

The total marks for written are 2000 + 300 for interview. An analysis of the total final marks is given below. [All these candidates are General Category]:

Rank	Total Marks	Percentage
1	1193	51.86
10	1094	47.56
50	1045	45.43
100	1017	44.21
150	1002	43.56
200	988	42.95
300	970	42.17
400	958	41.65
600	941	40.91
645	938	40.78

There are two important results we can draw from the above.

Firstly that even Rank 1 has not even got 1200 marks. In the 2009 and 2010 CSE the toppers marks would go beyond 1300. Such strict marking does not give due recognition to the difference in quality of writing or analysis as reflected in the answer scripts. I refuse to believe that out of 12000+ candidates writing the mains, not 50 were such that they deserved atleast 55% of marks in written?

Secondly, the difference between Rank 5 and Rank 645 is barely 5%. In an exam worth 2300 marks how can the difference between making the list and getting top rank be just 5%. There should be some qualitative difference between the candidates that is reflected in the quanity of marks as well. And if these marks are true, then how can 5% make all the difference. This is grossly unfair to everyone.

In this situation two things have occurred:
- The interview has become the deciding factor. This itself is not rational as written is for 2000 marks and interview for 300.
- Secondly, luck starts playing a much bigger factor. Some papers are marked leniently; or your interview board is generous; or its just your day. When marking is moderate people who have shown consistency in all attributes benefit, instead of random luck.

I just hope UPSC too does some analysis of this and draws some lessons. Baaki, do write in with your views on the matter.

Spurthi

My CSE-2012 Interview

Ola,
Since one of has requested me for the interview script, am posting what I wrote down right after but didnt complete. I wasnt too happy with the interview. There were many moments when I felt the board was exasperated with me.
Am sure the interview score will give a better indication.
Spurthi
.......
Hello Friends,

Hope your interview prep is going good. And those of you who have attended the interview did a fine job of it. Am just reproducing below the questions that were asked to me in the interview.

It was Ms. Rajni Razdan's board.

Rajni Razdan: Name?

Rajni Razdan: Roll Number?

Rajni Razdan: Then she picked up my passsport photograph and showed it to me indicatively asking if it was my picture.
Me(S): I smiled and said, yes ma'am.

Rajni Razdan: So, Spurthi you have written reading as a hobby, what do you like to read?
S: I like to read non-fiction mainly, but also other kinds of work like most recently I read Outliers by Malcom Gladwell. And I also like reading literature about historical monuments.

She then indicated the first panel member to ask questions.

Member1: Since you have mentioned visiting historical monuments as a hobby, which places have you visited recently?
S: Sir I have recently visited Bidar and revisited Qutb Minar in Delhi.

M1: Which monuments in Bidar did you visit?
S: The Bidar Fort and Madarsa of Mahmud Gawan who was the Persian Prime Minister of the Bahmani kings.

M1: Which monument did you like the best in Bidar Fort?
S: Sir, I liked the Solah Khamba mosque. It was among the earliest mosques  to be built in the Deccan. It had cylindrical pillars which were quite unique. And Aurangzeb also offered prayers at the mosque when he conquered Deccan. Else, it is plain like other mosques with a large courtyard.
And, I also liked Mahmud Gawan's madarsa as it is very impressive in scale. And it housed a library with 30000 books, which in the 13th century indicates that scholastic aptitude was appreciated.

M1: Have you heard of "double jeopardy"?
S: Yes Sir, it refers to the principle that a person cannot be sentenced twice for the same crime/offence.

M1: So which article does this come under?
S: Sir, Article 22?

M1: No. Article 22 covers the period after arrest.
S: (thinking... and in  the meantime he said)
M1: Article 20

M1: Okay, Vijender Singh is in the news. Can you tell me why?
S: Yes Sir. A large drug haul was captured and the prime accused has given a statement that Vijender Singh was a client. Also Vijender Singh refused to give his samples to the police stating that he would rather give them to the sports authorities as they have better equipment for testing.

M1: So do you think he was within his rights to refuse?
S:(i thought for 2-3 seconds)....Sir, if he is directed to do so by the court then he cannot refuse.

M1: Yes, but otherwise he can refuse. Can you tell me which article?
S: (i again was thinking and in the meantime he said)
M1: (in an almost exasperated tone) Article 20!

Adieu et Bon Chance

Hello Friends and Comrades,

Where do I start? The results have been out for a week now. I was unable to make the list. 

Nonetheless I do hope many of  you did, and scored the rank you aspired for. I would love to hear from all of you. 

As for me- I shall henceforth serve to "safeguard the economic frontiers of the country", as we in Customs and Central Excise love to say. :) I am enjoying the training till now and there is a renewed enthusiasm for the service, since it has been determined that I shall be part of it for the foreseeable future. Training keeps me rather busy and I was unable to contribute to the blog much, as you all do know. Thankyou for dropping me messages from time to time and am sorry I wasn't very responsive. Well...2013 brings my sojourn with the CSE to a close, and with it this Blog too. But before moving on from this chapter of my life, I wish to register my experience about the Blog.

I must say writing this blog was a very educative and enriching experience. I was able to interact with so many more people than I would have otherwise. It was always exciting to receive a new comment or see that someone has taken the trouble to register as a member. In the first month of writing this blog, way back in July 2011 (tis not all that way back but certainly seems like a long time away), my excitement would stem from how many hits the site would receive. And at the end of everyday I would proudly proclaim to my family members that so many people visited my site. Initially it was about 10-15. But, then I used to wonder why people from US or UK or Germany are visiting the site. But such are the joys of ignorance- I was shortly informed, by those better informed in tech matters, that most of those hits were bots. That was a very grim day I must say. :D . 

Writing my 100th post was a big achievement. I was a little surprised that blogging kept me interested for such a long time. But as I said earlier it was a very educative experience. With every issue I would pick up, my effort would be to understand it holistically- and for this I would go from article to article till I got the picture. It was a very  time-consuming process indeed. I remember that I spent an entire day to write the post on the US sovereign debt crisis. Additionally, the excitement was fueled by  how one picture would lead to another. In this process there were several aha moments.:) I think that was what kept me hooked to this process. 

Preparing a post for publishing meant for me- cogent presentation. There was a lot of recut-repaste of paras and a re-writing that I would do.  Part of this presentation was referencing. Indicating sources of info was vital to establish its veracity to the reader. Formatting was another major pique with me- I would spend so much time just de-highlighting lines, spacing, changing font sizes etc. These were the more drudgerous activities involved with blogging- but were necessary for my peace of mind. And lo and behold, there were small achievements there too- like discovering that <br /> represented a whole blank line- let me tell you, for an Arts major the first step to understanding html was a giant leap.

There were certain areas of great interest for me. International affairs, Culture, and Economy- the first two as they genuinely interested me and the latter cause I didn't understand zilch. :) These also might be the posts  which continue to be of some use in this year. Culture stays the same, and so does some of the Environment related info. There are also a few case studies relating to PubAd and Socio- these will continue to be of relevance.

All in all this has been a wholesome experience. Although I did not make the end, I certainly learnt a great deal in the process. Understanding GS issues and presenting them on this blog kept my interest alive in the exam. One can perhaps wonder if one spent an inordinate amount of time on the blog- it may not be altogether too far from the truth. I must admit the optionals seemed so uninviting to me. Reading the same registers, books and notes a third time was just unpalatable. In that vein, I think I would have enjoyed prepping in the current format more. But then writing the CSE a third time was one time too many. My socio prof, Mr. Mahapatra (teaches socio at Vajiram) said to me in the first year of my prep:

First Attempt, you Appear,
Second Attempt, you Re-appear, and
Third Attempt, you Disappear

I can say in hindsight this has proved true for me. I cleared in the first attempt and could not improve my chances after that.  But, I wouldn't have it any other way. :) Now, I can say goodbye to UPSC with peace.

With this, I wish you all the very best- in this exam and in life. Thankyou for being part of my journey and for including me in yours.

With much love and gratitude,

Spurthi Reddy

11th May, 2013.

Interview Call CSE-2012

Hello Friends,

Many congratulations to those among us who have cleared the Mains and received an interview call. I count myself among these lucky folks this time.

And commiserations to those of us who were unable to go to the next stage of the exam. But keep your spirits high and soldier on.

I have the interview this coming week, so am trying to make the best of my time. I wish you all, all the best once again. I hope the blog is helping you in some way for the interview prep as well. And will reply to some of your queries about new pattern soon.

Till then adios amigos :)

Spurthi

Counter-magnets

Counter-magnet towns are identified as those that can be developed as alternative centres of growth and attract migrants to them rather than Delhi. Promoting growth of counter magnet towns are the principal components of the strategy to reduce both migration and population explosion in the Delhi metropolitan area.

These towns are located in six states- Uttarakhand, Madhya Pradesh and Punjab, in addition to Uttar Pradesh, Haryana and Rajasthan, which are already part of the national capital region.

The criterion for selecting counter magnet towns are that they should not be within approximately. 250 km. from Delhi, should have their own established roots and potential of growth and should not be centres of either religious, strategic or environmental importance.

These are:-

Initial list

• Gwalior ^[7]
• Hisar ^[7]
• Kota ^[7]
• Patiala ^[7]
• Aligarh ^[7]

Later additions

• Ambala ^[7]
• Dehradun ^[7]
• Kanpur ^[7]
• Moradabad

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/National_Capital_Region_(India)#Counter_Magnets

[edit]

Integrity Pacts

Integrity Pacts are in the news because of the Rs.3600 crore VVIP Chopper deal.  As allegations of bribery have arisen, the GoI has warned of takin strict legal action invoking the integrity pact that provides for cancellation of the contract if bribes are paid and recovery of the money paid. 3

Integrity Pacts are a tool for preventing corruption in public contracting. They are essentially an agreement between the government agency offering a contract and the companies bidding for it that they will abstain from bribery, collusion and other corrupt practices for the extent of the contract.  To ensure accountability, Integrity Pacts also include a monitoring system typically led by civil society groups.

Integrity Pacts have been around since the 1990s, and have been applied in more than 15 countries.1

Purpose
It is intended to accomplish two primary objectives:
1.    To enable companies to abstain from bribing by providing assurances to them that (i) their competitors will also refrain from bribing, and (ii) the government procurement, privatisation or licensing agencies will undertake to prevent corruption, including extortion, by their officials and to follow transparent procedures.

2.    To enable governments to reduce the high cost and the distortionary impact of corruption on public procurement, privatisation or licensing. 2

Customs Law

Meaning
Customs duty is a duty or tax, which is levied by Central Govt. on import of goods into, and export of goods from, India. It is collected from the importer or exporter of goods, but its incidence is actually borne by the consumer of the goods and not by the importer or the exporter who pay it.

Congress Sessions and notable activities

Reproduced from:http://www.cssforum.com.pk/css-compulsory-subjects/pakistan-affairs/62454-pak-study-notes.html

Please feel free to add info and I shall try and update the list.- Spurthi

Year     Venue       President           Remark


1885   Mumbai     W.C.Bannerjee      72delegates
1886   Kolkata      Dadabhai Naroji    436delegates
1887   Chennai     Badruddin Tyabji   First Muslim President
1888   Allahabad   George Yule         First English President
1889   Mumbai      Sir William Wedderbum 1889 delegates
1892   Allahabad   W.C. Bannjerjee
1895   Poona        Surendranath Bannerji
1905   Lahore       G.K. Gokhale
1906   Kolkata      Dadabhai Naroji
1907   Surat        Rashbehari Ghosh     Congress split and session broke up
1908   Chennai     Rashbehari Ghosh  A constitution for the Congress
1915   Mumbai     Sir S.P. Sinha
1916   Lucknow    A.C.Majumdar       Congress Merger and Pact with MuslimLeague
1917   Kolkata       Mrs.Annie Besant   First Woman president
1920   Nagpur       C. Vijaya Raghavachariyar Change the constitution the Congress
1922   Gaya         C.R. Das                Formation of Swaraj Party
1924   Begaon      Mahatma Gandhi     First time he became Indian President
1925   Cawnpore  Mrs. Sarojini Naidu
1927   Chennai     M.A. Ansari          Independence Resolution Passed for the first time on the instance of J.L. Nehru
1928   Kolkata      Motilal Nehru        First All India Youth Gongress
1929   Lahore       Jawaharlal Nehru    Poona Swaraj Resolution
1931   Karachi      Vallabhbhai Patel    Resolution on Fundamental Rights and National Economic Policy
1934   Mumbai      Rajendra Prasad     Formation of Congress Socialist party
1936   Lucknow    Jawaharlal Nehru
1937   Faizpur      Jawaharlal Nehru First session to be held in a village
1938   Haripura     Subhash Chandra Bose
1939   Tripuri        Subhash Chandra Bose    Resignation of S.C. Bose (Rajendra Prasad took over) and formation of power Block
1946   Meerut       Jawahar Lal Nehru
1947                    J.B. Kriplani 

Facts about Congress' Foundation in 1885

• The significance of A.O. Hume’s involvement was to remove official hostility.
• The first Session at Gokuldas Tejpal Sanskrit College in Mumbai.
• The first president was Womesh Chandra Bannerjee of Bengal.
• It was attended by 100 men of whom 72 were non-officials and were recongnised as members.
• The founder members were PherozshahMehta, Badruddin Tayabji, W.C. Banerjee, Romesh Chandra Dutt, Dadabhai Naroji etc.
• Initially it was named Indian National Union.
• The name Indian National Congress was on the suggestion of Dadabhai Nauroji.
• Earlier Poona was selected for the venue, but it had to be shifted to Mumbai because of the outbreak of Cholera in Poona.
• The Governor-General of India at the time of its foundation was Lord Dufferin.
• Among the classes, the educated middle class had the largest share in the beginning.
• The legal profession was most heavily represented among the professions.
• The Brahmins among the castes were comparatively large in number.
• Among the provinces, Mumbai, Kolkata and Chennai took the leading part.
• Landed classes and the masses were absent.
• Foundation of “British Committee of the Congress” in 1889 by Dada Bhai Nauroji, A.O. Hume and William Wedderburn to influence British Public opinion at London.
• Dada Bhai started the journal ‘India’ in 1890.i

Source: http://www.cssforum.com.pk/css-compulsory-subjects/pakistan-affairs/62454-pak-study-notes.html

Viceroys and Governor-Generals of British India, 1757-1947

Hello All,

Please find below short notes on the activities and achievements of various governors and viceroys of India. I have reproduced this content from, prepare to be surprised- a Study Forum of civil service aspirants of Pakistan: 

http://www.cssforum.com.pk/css-compulsory-subjects/pakistan-affairs/62454-pak-study-notes.html. 

Were you surprised? I certainly was, when I first came across this site many months ago. And believe it, some of the content they were studying was from our IGNOU notes. So the circle comes full. And am including all of us in it too by sharing this content. :)

I cannot vouch for the total factual correctness of the content below, but I believe most of it would be correct. Thanks to UmarBajwa for posting this information on the original site.

Happy studying :)

Spurthi

Robert Clive (1757-67) (1766-67)
Governor of Bengal from 1757-60 and again from 1765-67.
Started dual Government in Bengal in 1765.
He forbade the servants of the company from indulging in private trade and made payment of internal duties obligatory.
Established Society of Trade in 1765 with monopoly of trade in salt, betelnuit and tobacco However this was abolished in 1767.
Bengal white Mutiny-by white brigades at Allahabad and Monghyr, they were arrested and tried.

Warren Hasting (1772-85)
First Governor General after serving as the Governor of Bengal (1772).
Introduced quinquennial settlement of land revenue in 1772 farming out lands to the highest bidder, later on he reversed to annual settlement (1777) on the basis of open auction to the highest bidder.
Made the appointment of collectors and other revenue officials.
Codified Hindu and Muslim laws.
Trial of Nand Kumar and his judicial murder in 1775.
6. Fondation of Asiastic Society of Bengal with the help of Sir William Jones in 1784.
Associated with the Chait Singh (Raj of Banaras) affair (1778).
Associated with Bengams of Oudh affair (1782).
After his return of England in 1785, impeachment proceedings were initiated against him in the house of Lords but after a long trial of 7 years he was eventually acquitted.
Dual Govt. was abolished in 1772 by him.
In 1776 Manu’s Law was Translated into English as Code of Gentoo Laws.
In 1991 William Jones and Colebrok prepared digest of Hindu Laws.
Fatawa-i-Alamgiri was also tranlated.