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The UPSC Civil Services Examination (CSE) is India's premier competitive examination conducted by the Union Public Service Commission to recruit officers for the Indian Administrative Service (IAS), Indian Police Service (IPS), Indian Foreign Service (IFS), and other Central Services. It is considered one of the toughest examinations in the world with a success rate of less than 1%.

The UPSC Civil Services Examination consists of three stages: (1) Preliminary Examination - Two objective papers: General Studies Paper I (100 questions, 200 marks) and CSAT Paper II (80 questions, 200 marks, qualifying nature with 33% minimum); (2) Main Examination - Nine descriptive papers including Essay, 4 General Studies papers, 2 Optional Subject papers, and 2 language papers; (3) Personality Test/Interview - 275 marks, assessing candidate's mental qualities and analytical ability.

The UPSC Prelims syllabus for General Studies Paper I includes: Current events of national and international importance; History of India and Indian National Movement; Indian and World Geography; Indian Polity and Governance; Economic and Social Development; Environmental Ecology, Biodiversity and Climate Change; General Science. CSAT (Paper II) covers: Comprehension; Interpersonal skills; Logical reasoning and analytical ability; Decision making and problem solving; General mental ability; Basic numeracy and Data interpretation.

The number of UPSC attempts varies by category: General Category - 6 attempts (until age 32); OBC Category - 9 attempts (until age 35); SC/ST Category - Unlimited attempts (until age 37); PwBD Category - Unlimited attempts for SC/ST-PwBD (until age 42), 9 attempts for OBC-PwBD (until age 40), 9 attempts for General-PwBD (until age 37).

The minimum age for UPSC CSE is 21 years. The maximum age limit varies by category: General - 32 years; OBC - 35 years (3 years relaxation); SC/ST - 37 years (5 years relaxation); PwBD (General) - 42 years (10 years relaxation); Ex-Servicemen - 37 years (5 years relaxation). Age is calculated as on 1st August of the year of examination.

The Fundamental Rights are enshrined in Part III of the Indian Constitution (Articles 12-35). There are six Fundamental Rights: (1) Right to Equality (Articles 14-18) - equality before law, prohibition of discrimination, equality of opportunity, abolition of untouchability and titles; (2) Right to Freedom (Articles 19-22) - six freedoms, protection of life and personal liberty; (3) Right against Exploitation (Articles 23-24) - prohibition of trafficking and forced labour; (4) Right to Freedom of Religion (Articles 25-28); (5) Cultural and Educational Rights (Articles 29-30); (6) Right to Constitutional Remedies (Article 32) - Dr. Ambedkar called this the "heart and soul" of the Constitution.

The 11 Fundamental Duties under Article 51A are: (1) Abide by the Constitution and respect the National Flag and National Anthem; (2) Cherish and follow the noble ideals of the freedom struggle; (3) Uphold and protect the sovereignty, unity and integrity of India; (4) Defend the country and render national service when called upon; (5) Promote harmony and the spirit of common brotherhood; (6) Preserve the rich heritage of our composite culture; (7) Protect and improve the natural environment; (8) Develop scientific temper, humanism and the spirit of inquiry; (9) Safeguard public property and abjure violence; (10) Strive towards excellence in all spheres; (11) Provide opportunities for education to children between 6-14 years (added by 86th Amendment, 2002). These were added by the 42nd Amendment (1976) based on Swaran Singh Committee recommendations.

Directive Principles of State Policy (DPSP) are contained in Part IV of the Constitution (Articles 36-51). They are non-justiciable guidelines for the state to follow while formulating laws and policies. They are classified into: Socialistic Principles - welfare of people, minimizing inequalities, right to work, living wage; Gandhian Principles - village panchayats, cottage industries, prohibition, cow slaughter prevention; Liberal-Intellectual Principles - uniform civil code, separation of judiciary from executive, international peace. They were borrowed from the Irish Constitution.

Indian federalism has unique features: Quasi-Federal Nature - India is described as "Union of States" (Article 1), a federation with a strong central tendency; Division of Powers - Three lists in Seventh Schedule (Union List-97 subjects, State List-66 subjects, Concurrent List-47 subjects); Residuary Powers with Centre unlike USA; Single Constitution for both Centre and States (except J&K earlier); Single Citizenship; Integrated Judiciary; All-India Services; Emergency Provisions converting it to unitary structure; Governor as Centre's agent; Unequal representation in Rajya Sabha.

Fiscal Deficit = Total Expenditure - Total Receipts (excluding borrowings). It indicates the total borrowing requirements of the government. A high fiscal deficit can lead to: inflation, higher interest rates, crowding out of private investment, increased debt burden, and potential rating downgrades. India follows the FRBM Act which targets fiscal deficit at 3% of GDP. However, during COVID-19, fiscal deficit rose to 9.5% of GDP in 2020-21.

The Act East Policy (2014) is an upgrade of the earlier Look East Policy (1991). It focuses on the extended neighbourhood in the Asia-Pacific region. Key features: Strategic partnerships with ASEAN, Japan, South Korea, Australia; Focus on connectivity through Northeast India; Enhanced trade, investment, and cultural ties; Security cooperation in Indo-Pacific; Initiatives like India-Myanmar-Thailand Trilateral Highway, Kaladan Multi-Modal Transit Project, BIMSTEC, and Mekong-Ganga Cooperation.

Beginner's UPSC preparation strategy: (1) Understand the syllabus - Read UPSC notification thoroughly; (2) Read NCERTs - Class 6-12 for History, Geography, Polity, Economy, Science; (3) Choose standard books - Laxmikanth for Polity, Ramesh Singh for Economy, Spectrum for Modern History; (4) Read newspaper daily - The Hindu or Indian Express; (5) Make notes - Short and revision-friendly; (6) Solve previous year papers - Last 10 years; (7) Take mock tests regularly; (8) Choose optional subject wisely based on interest and scoring potential.

The best UPSC optional subject depends on your background and interest. Popular choices: Anthropology - Short syllabus, static content, good scoring; Geography - Overlaps with GS, good for science backgrounds; Public Administration - Overlaps with Polity, short syllabus; Sociology - Conceptual, good for humanities backgrounds; History - Significant GS overlap; Literature subjects - Good for language enthusiasts. Consider: syllabus length, availability of resources, overlap with GS, your graduation subject, and past success rates.

UPSC Interview preparation tips: (1) Know your DAF - Detailed Application Form is the primary source of questions; (2) Prepare your background - Graduation subject, hobbies, state, work experience; (3) Current affairs - Last 6 months national and international events; (4) Practice mock interviews - Join mock interview programs; (5) Work on personality traits - Confidence, clarity of thought, balanced views; (6) Stay updated on your optional; (7) Be honest - It's okay to say "I don't know"; (8) Dress formally and maintain positive body language.