Bhopal: Many candidates who appeared for the UPSC prelims on Sunday maintained that the exam was moderately difficult. Though the pattern was same, but UPSC aspirants had certain nervous moments while attempting questions from the topics which were not traditionally covered.
Divisional commissioner Sanjiv Sinha said, 41 per cent candidates appeared in the prelims conducted in 52 centres in Bhopal division – Bhopal district, Raisen district, Rajgarh district, Sehore district and Vidisha district. A number of candidates coming out of the examination centre complained that the prelims, particularly the second paper on aptitude and reasoning was quite tough than the previous years.
Aniruddha Rai, who appeared for the prelims said, question paper was surprisingly different, the questions asked were slightly unusual and the areas which were covered were also uncommon. “There was a question about the first Lok Sabha, such questions were not asked in the past. This was relatively new in terms of polity question. It was toughest one,” said Rai.
P Rekha, another candidate, also found the paper difficult. “The paper was slightly difficult than the last year. Questions from the topics were asked which were never covered in previous years,” said Rekha, terming it as the toughest UPSC’s prelim examination. Gaurav Marwa, MD Unique IAS Coaching Centre, also echoed similar opinion stating “It was the toughest preliminary examination.
He said that candidates shared the questions asked in two papers. “Some questions were questions were based on Lok Sabha proceeding. Besides question on National Sample Survey Organisation (NSSO) puzzled the candidates as it came from the document that was published four years back. That was not in the current general studies. This is not something that the students shouldn’t know but that’s the areas where the questions traditionally were not asked from,” he added.
The coveted civil services examination is conducted by the UPSC to select candidates to fill administrative positions in different All-India Services and central civil services including IAS, IPS, IFS, IRS, and IRTS. Preliminary examination consists of two papers—first round (General Knowledge) and second round (aptitude and reasoning). The main examination will be conducted on Monday, October 1, 2018.
