When I appeared for UPSC Civil Service Exam back in the years of 2015 and 2016, there was no single bookstore in Kolkata which had books dedicated for this particular examination. Even the coaching institutes in the city were not sufficient due to lack of mentors. Nowadays the picture is more or less same but the number of aspirants has increased manifold. Perhaps that happened because of realization of crucial difference between the civil service exams of WBCS and UPSC though the syllabuses of both exams are broadly same.
I used to see aspirants from West Bengal whining about the difficulty level of questions in UPSC CSE be it from Prelim or Mains. Even now, when I interact with any aspirant in Kolkata I almost fail to make him/her understand that one needs to memorize far more facts for the state public service examinations. At least in the UPSC prelim the aspirant, by application of logical mind, can guess the answer and eliminate probable incorrect answers but most of the questions in State PCS prelims often dont give such opportunity to the examinee. After attempting WBCS prelim in 2014 I chose to channelise all energy and time to the preparation for UPSC only.
The questions of Mains in UPSC Civil Service Examination are of such nature that one who has grasp on most part of the NCERT books and current affairs, can write at least 100 words. Even one who has almost no idea about the thing asked in the question, can write more than hundred words and fetch good marks such is the advantage of Mains of civil service examination of UPSC. The trick is to present the answers in analytical form showing only a few data from current affairs. I read newspaper The Hindu daily but could not manage to remember more than the most striking or exceptional facts and I used them in writing answers in Mains. The examiners dont look for one who can memorize and stuff all data in head but the ones who has the ability to analyse the situations and take a conclusion from them. One needs only logical minds for this ability. Debate/Adda loving West Bengal has no lack for the aspirants with such ability. I will not be surprised if any year one hundred Bengali aspirants clear UPSC Civil Service Exam.
But for that one needs to be persistent and show perseverance in the journey. I personally have witnessed many aspirants in Bengal to be distracted by random things lethargy (the infamous lyad), relationships, facebook, Durgapuja, wedding ceremonies (friends and relatives). These things happen almost every year and one needs to ignore all of those just for one or two years to stay focussed in the preparation. Lethargy is not even an option if one truly needs to get most coveted government job in India.
Someday else I will discuss about the preparation technique for Essay and other papers.
Good luck !!
Writer is presently posted as Assistant Commissioner of Income Tax, Circle-47, Kolkata
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