Candidates preparing for civil services examination should also try TNPSC Group I exam: former DGP

Former TNPSC Chairman and IPS officer R.Natraj urges UPSC civil services exam takers to also appear for TNPSC Group I exam to achieve their dream of IAS, IPS and other services. He advises to select original authors in optional subjects, prepare own notes, read The Hindu editorials and centre page articles for current affairs. He also emphasizes on avoiding telegraphic language answers and writing right number of words for complete answer. He suggests to go through syllabus, previous years' question papers and NCERT/Samacheer Kalvi Thittam books. For UPSC, he suggests to focus on critical thinking, synthetic thinking, depth of knowledge and analytical skills. Former DGP M.Ravi says civil services exam will never lose its charm and TAHDCO MD K.S.Kandasamy adds that Group I officers in TN have an advantage and most successful candidates are women.

All those who appear for UPSC civil services examination should appear for TNPSC Group I examination to achieve their dream of IAS, IPS and other services, said former TNPSC Chairman and IPS officer R.Natraj.

Speaking at a webinar on ‘UPSC and TNPSC Exams: Tips, techniques, and best practices’ organised by Chinmaya Academy for Civil Services and The Hindu Education Plus, Mr.Natraj said the government service has been a very big attraction for the youth in India. “The basic approach for both the UPSC and TNPSC examinations over the years is the same but the pattern of examination has changed,” he said.

Pointing to the initiatives taken by the Public Service Commission to outwit the coaching institutes and select the right candidates, he said the candidates should select original authors in the optional subjects and prepare their own notes. “We can take guidance. But our own notes are very important,” said Mr.Natraj.

“For current affairs, editorials and centre page articles of reputed newspapers like The Hindu are very important, because they are analytical with different ideas and critical thinking. We should take notes,” he said. Stressing the need for avoiding writing “telegraphic language answers” for TNPSC Group I, Mr.Natraj said candidates should write the right number of words for a complete answer to score marks. 

“One should go through the syllabus of each examination thoroughly. Three coaching centres, as they say, are the syllabus, the previous years’ question papers and the school final examination books - NCERT books of Classes X, XI and XII for the UPSC and the Samacheer Kalvi Thittam books for the TNPSC,” said Mr.Natraj.

“For UPSC, the standard of answers expected is slightly higher. They look for critical thinking, synthetic thinking, depth of knowledge and analytical skills. These are very important for the UPSC,” he said.

“Originality is very important. You have to write your own answers. What they want is an intelligent answer. They don’t test your research ability or vastness of knowledge. How you present your ideas in a very cogent way is important. Your competition is with the question paper, not with the candidates,” he said.