what is Civil Service Examination?

How tough is it, for a BITSian, to crack the Civil Services Examination? How well have the BITSians performed in the Civil Service Examinations in the past?

• I am a Second year Dual degree student at BITS Pilani. I have almost made up my mind to take the Civil Services Examination and so I want to start the preparation from now itself. But I don't have any idea where do I start from? I would like to hear from the BITSians who have taken the Civil Services in the past and share their experiences. By the way, in my knowledge, hardly any BITSian prepare for the Civil Services, they are more inclined towards MS or MBA. Why is it so?

• Answer:

  Perhaps you should learn a little more about your Alma Mater, young one. We have a lower number of people trying for UPSC, but their success rate is quite high. In 60th and 61st UPSC annual reports (the last 2 published UPSC reports), BITS Pilani graduates as a group had the highest percentage chance of being recommended for admission into the services. In the 62nd report - BITS grads had the 3rd highest percentage of receiving final recommendations of all college students. 61st report http://www.upsc.gov.in/general/rti/61annual_report/61Annual%20Report%202010-11%20Eng.pdf 60th report- http://www.upsc.gov.in/general/rti/60AnnualReport/eng.pdf 62nd report - http://www.upsc.gov.in/general/rti/62annualreport/62eng.pdf ^(Looks like 62nd report includes the people who did not end up joining)