How To Become a PCS Officer In India: India is a country that contains the highest number of people in the world. In such a case, it becomes the responsibility of the citizens of the country to choose a career path that benefits the nation and brings about the changes that help in creating a better tomorrow.

Becoming a PCS officer is a dream that is inculcated in many young minds through day-to-day affairs, social media, or even the silver screen. It is an extremely prestigious and rewarding job. But to get to the epitome of excellence there is a series of dedicated preparation, focus, and time invested altogether that yields positive results.

With extensive preparation hard work and smart work, any aspirant can crack this toughest PCS exam in the country. For acquiring complete course details about the Provisional Civil Service(PCS) Exam, take a look at the further modules where you will find exam qualifications, age limit, exam pattern, syllabus, subjects, exam preparation tips & strategies, job positions, Career options, salary, etc.

What is PCS?

PCS is also known as Provisional Civil Service is one of the most prestigious services that we have in our country. This is an exam conducted by state services and is held every year throughout our country in all the states. Every year people from all over the country prepare diligently and attempt the exam. Much like Union Public Service Commission(UPSC), the PCS exam also helps in recruiting the best possible minds and personnel who are capable of attaining academic success and possess skills for administrative excellence.

PCS Exam Eligibility 2022

To appear for the exam, it is essential to complete the required graduation degree or an equivalent degree. A Government degree stating that the candidate has completed his/her graduation degree is needed to be eligible for this exam.

Other than the educational qualification, other eligibility criteria are necessary to be adhered to by every candidate willing to appear for the exam. Starting with the age criteria, the mandatory age of every aspirant should be anywhere between 21 years to 40 years. It is ideal to possess a basic qualification in the basic subjects. Hence, it is advisable to get acquainted with NCERT books from the 6th standard to the 12th standard. Doing this can provide you with an extra edge.

Syllabus for PCS

The syllabus for PCS Examination is extremely extensive and it demands the aspirant to be completely well-versed with all the subjects. Making an informed decision helps the students to indulge in strong and balanced preparations. The syllabus is strikingly similar to the syllabus of the civil service examination. Hence, it is advisable to take down every minute detail of the syllabus:

Prelims (Paper 1):

1. General Science
2. Current events of National & International importance
3. Environmental Ecology, Climate Change, and Biodiversity – general issues that do not require subject specialization
4. Indian History and National Movement
5. Indian Governance and Polity – Political System, Constitution, Public Policy, Panchayati Raj, Rights issues, etc.
6. Indian and World Geography – Socio-economic, Physical geography
7. Social and Economic Development – Demographics, Sustainable Development, Poverty Inclusion, Social Sector initiatives, etc.

SUBJECT	SUB -DIVISION
History	Ancient History NotesModern History NotesMedieval History Notes
National Movement	Modern History Notes
Indian & World Geography	Geography Notes
Indian Polity	Indian Polity Notes
Social & Economic Development	Indian Economy Notes
Environment, Ecology & Climate Change	Environment Notes

Paper 2:

1. Comprehension
2. Problem Solving & Decision Making
3. Interpersonal skills (including communication skills)
4. Analytical Ability & Logical Reasoning
5. General Hindi (class X level)
6. General Mental Ability
7. Elementary Mathematics (class X level – Algebra, Statistics, Geometry, and Arithmetic)
8. General English (class X level)

Mains:

Name of exam	State PCS Exam
Number of Papers	Eight:General HindiEssayGeneral Studies IGeneral Studies IIGeneral Studies IIIGeneral Studies IVOptional Subject – Paper 1Optional Subject – Paper 2
Date of the exam	To be notified
Duration of the exam	3 hours each;Papers will be conducted over a week’s duration;Morning Session – 9.30 AM – 12.30 AMAfternoon Session – 2 PM – 5 PM
Maximum Marks	General Hindi – 150 marksEssay – 150 marksAll General Studies papers and Optional subject papers will be of 200 marks eachTotal – 1500 marks
Type of Exam	Offline (Pen-paper)
Nature of Questions	Essay/descriptive type
Optional Subjects	Depends on the preference of the states.

Provincial Civil Service Exam Procedure

The exam procedure is similar to the UPSC examination, which means it contains a three-step process. It includes:

• Preliminary exam,
• Mains exam, and
• The final stage is also called an interview round.

The exam procedure is detailed and dedicated to procuring the best minds for the service. Hence, it almost runs for an entire year. At this time, aspirants are expected to attain the best of preparations and attempt the examinations.

Exam Pattern of PCS Examination

The preliminary exam is a Multiple Choice Questions( MCQ) type paper. It involves negative marking, and this is the step where the maximum number of people lose their marks.

The Mains examination on the other hand is a detailed analysis that is done and the marks then are combined with the interview marks that finalize the rank of the candidate. This procedure makes sure that only the students who are extremely serious about the exam as well as their careers in administration attempt for this.