Books That Make The UPSC Exam Preparation Easier

The world beyond fear is that of success. The truth in this grain of sentence is colossal. More so for the sphere of the UPSC conducted civil services examination. The youth of India who decide to sit for the toughest exam in the nation face their fear of failure and a few come out victorious. Why only a few?

The number of candidates who sit for the exam number in lakhs. The number of students who make it to final merit list, after a long, arduous journey, is pint-sized. On top of that, only the top contenders get the most prestigious position in the civil services, i.e.:

· IAS

· IFS

· IPS

Regardless of the odds, the CSE is one place where fear has no role says the best IAS coaching in Chennai. The advice is to get over the intimidating probability and give your whole focus and attention to preparation. When you are determined to study well and only visualize that, instead of the chances of clearing the exam, you take the first step to winning.

But is remaining focused the only trick to clearing the IAS exam? The short answer is no. Without investing in a few crucial elements such as good civil service coaching centres in Chennai, books, mentors, and strict regime, no IAS aspirant can achieve his or her goal. Though many recipes have proven to be successful for previous IAS aspirants, in this article the limelight is on books.

Without investing in some of the best books for IAS preparation and other material, no candidate stands a chance of winning. The syllabus of the UPSC exam is more than vast. It is humungous. The only way to get through it all and understand every part of it is books and reading the material. Compiled below is a small but essential list of books for the IAS exam.

Divided into the prelims and mains, the first two phases of the civil services exam, it is imperative to read them cover to cover. Besides the books, one more habit that every IAS aspirant has to inculcate is reading newspapers. If not that, then reading through news Apps. CSE is filled with current affairs; it is only be staying up to date with news that you will be able to answer them all.

Books Necessary For IAS Prelims Prep

• Indian Polity – Laxmikanth

• Science & Technology – A. Singh

• Geography of India – M. Hussain

• India’s Ancient Past – R.S. Sharma

• Economic Survey – Ministry of Finance

• History of Medieval India – S. Chandra

• History of Modern India – Bipin Chandra

• Indian Economy – Dutta/Puri or Ramesh Singh

• Environmental Studies from Crisis to Cure – Rajagopalan

• Environment for Civil Services Prelims and Mains – Khuller

• 20 years IAS Prelims (CSAT) General Studies Solved Papers

• NCERT Books on Geography, Science, Economy, Biology and Chemistry from middle to high school

• CSAT Paper Analytical and Verbal Reasoning or CAST Paper 2 by Arihant

Books Necessary For IAS Mains Prep

• Essays for CSE by P. Khare

• Pax Indica by Shashi Tharoor

• IAS Mains GS Ethics by Arihant

• Social Problems in India – Ahuja

• Governance in India by Laxmikanth

• India’s National Security by Bajpai, Pant

• Challenges to Internal Security of India

• Contemporary Essays for CSE by R. Singh

• Lexicon for Ethics, Integrity and Aptitude

• IAS Mains General Studies 2, 3 and 4 by Arihant

• Governance for Growth in India – APJ Abdul Kalam

• History of the Modern World by Rao or Jain and Mathur

• Internal Security and Disaster Management GS Paper 3

• India after Gandhi: The History of the World’s Largest Democracy by R. Guha

• India and the World: Through the Eyes of Indian Diplomats by S. Kumar

• Indian Heritage, Culture, History and Geography of the World and Society by Arihant

The reading material listed above is not only the best but also an easier. The reading material listed above is not only the best but also an easier way to prepare for the IAS exam. Let it be the basic formula on which you built upon your preparation.

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Indian Administrative Service

The IAS forms the backbone of the executive branch of the Indian government. The IAS full form is Indian Administrative Service. It performs various functions such as handling day to day administration of districts, states, and the union. It also handles policy-making duties and provides officers for various public bodies.

The IAS works with the legislative and judicial branches of the government to ensure the smooth functioning of our democracy. However, unlike other public offices such as the legislature, IAS officers are selected through competitive examinations and not through elections. As they form the permanent bureaucracy of the country, they are expected to be proficient in many areas of administration as well as possess reasonably good academic skills.

The Union Public Service Commission conducts the examinations for selection of these officers.

There are multiple strategies that one can employ to clear this examination, however, the best have these factors in common:

● Familiarity with the UPSC syllabus: This enables aspirants to select the best study material available and not waste time on peripheral concepts.

● Disciplined Approach: This helps maintain the tempo of preparation. The UPSC exam process is a long drawn out process which takes up almost one year, so not losing sight of the goal requires discipline.

● Consistency: This sets apart successful candidates. The efforts put into preparation should be consistent. If studied in fits and starts, the UPSC syllabus can become confusing as concepts learned earlier would have been forgotten and have to be relearned.

● Focus: Candidates should refrain from paying attention to non-issues while studying current affairs for this exam. The commission asks questions related to certain developments which are relevant to the country’s administration. The rest should be ignored. Similarly, focus on only concepts covered in the syllabus should be maintained for success.

The UPSC syllabus reflects the complexity of tasks that an IAS officer has to perform while in service. Since many people appear for this exam, the competition has gotten tougher over the years. One can learn from various toppers who have successfully cleared the exam and earned this coveted position. This is summed up nicely by the story of Saumya Sharma, who secured rank 9 in the UPSC exam while battling her own problems. You can listen to her story here:

UPSC AIR 9: Saumya Sharma

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5 Reasons to Opt Chartered Accountancy as a Career

Choosing a career path for yourself can be one of the most important turning points in your life. Your future is decided mostly on the basis of your profession, your earning potential and how happy you are with the career path that you have chosen for yourself. This is why you should give it a lot of thought.

Chartered Accountancy is one of the few careers where professionals have the choice of working in various industries. Some fear that CA can become a monotonous profession, but on the contrary, it can be a very interesting career path that provides you with a wide range of opportunities to grow and succeed. 

We have 5 reasons why you should opt for Chartered Accountancy as a career:

1. Choose it as a Profession or Become An Entrepreneur

As a CA you can work with the different organization as an employee, but if you have business acumen, then you can also start your own firm. Few professions give you the opportunity to be your master and CA is one of these few. While you can gain your experience in the field by working under other CAs, you will eventually have the option and the experience to lead your own team.

2. The World Is Your Oyster

Accountancy is one aspect that is common in all industries around the world. CAs are not limited to their home country when it comes to working opportunities. You will be able to apply for jobs internationally as well. Many overseas countries are willing to hire CAs from other countries. You will have the opportunity to settle abroad as an expat or return home once your professional term comes to an end.

3. Gain Experience in Different Work Environments

You can work in different types of industries, understanding various work environments, and the manner in which numbers play a role in varying ways depending on which industry you work with. By expanding your experience and knowledge, you are not just increasing your opportunity to improve your career prospects, but also reducing the boredom that other professionals experience over a period of time.

The job of a CA is an extremely exciting and interesting one. This is because you have lots of industries to explore and different opportunities as well. You can join government service, work abroad, start your own firm or consult startups.

4. Financial Stability

Every career opportunity is closely scrutinized for the amount of money that you will be able to make in it. This is an important aspect given the fact that your future depends on how much you earn. CAs usually start as interns where payments are not very high, but once their professional career begins, the prospect of earning a significant amount of money is very high.

Depending on the company or industry you choose, you can earn a considerably high salary as compared to the average professional starting in their career. Chartered accountancy is a lucrative profession, but it requires hard work in the early stages.

5. Recession-Proof

Looking for a job that you can hold on to no matter which way the economy is tipping? Chartered accountancy is a profession which provides you with job security even during the recession. This is because companies are most concerned about their numbers when the chances of a loss can be high.

CAs can help companies through bad times by managing the accounts effectively and by providing financial consultation which can reduce losses for the organization. While others may be losing their jobs in the recession, as a CA have the opportunity to become a prized asset for the company.

Conclusion

If you choose to become a CA, then your journey will start soon after you pass your +2 board exam. You can choose to pass the Common Proficiency Test (CPT), or you can complete your graduation in Commerce and then apply for the Integrated Professional Competency Course (IPCC). Both, the CPT and IPCC are held and regulated by the Institute of Chartered Accountants of India (ICAI).

By preparing yourself for your career, you will be able to clearly chart your path towards success in the profession. CA is an exciting career; these 5 reasons to opt for CA Course must be complemented by your willingness to work hard towards achieving your career goals and your passion for accounts and commerce.

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Top 11 Free Job Posting Websites

There are many job search engines available on the web, but only a few of them provide free job posting capabilities for employers. While the majority are free for job seeking users, most employment search engine sites expect employers to pay for their services. This arrangement is very discriminatory against employers and results in several negative or unpleasant circumstances that employers are forced to deal with if they want to retain the ability of posting their current open positions on the internet.

After observing and running an analysis on hundreds of job search web sites we have listed down 11 most popular job search engines where you can post your job for free.
 

1. Seek4Career. One of the most popular options for employers who choose to utilize the help of a job search engine. The popularity of this innovate site stems from the appealing graphics, which attract job seekers, and the practical search features for employers and potential employees alike. Employers can post multiple job openings free of charge and edit the response through an interactive platform that helps human resource managers sort through the most promising candidates.

Employees and job seekers are also consistently pleased with the results offered by the advanced search engine at seek4career.com because they know that keyword searches actually return relevant open positions. Keywords or phrases can include the job title, company name or specific skills that would required for the job. Job seekers can also search specific cities or zip codes to find their dream jobs. One unique feature of this site is the job index that rates potential cities by the number of available jobs as opposed to the number of job seekers.

2. Jobisjob.com. The classic layout of this site boasts clean, clear lines and self-explanatory search features. Job seekers can find jobs by specific categories or search by preferred job titles, keywords or company names. Jobisjob.com features listings from several hundred thousand employers and incorporates job openings from all across the country. The site is very fast and even prompts user to install a Google Chrome plug in for optimum support. Job seekers can set up a personalized network of job opportunities and take advantages of special features like the Resume Builder, which will help them land a great job from the many options available.

Employers can utilize the same database features and keyword searches to find potential employees that meet the criteria of a specific job opening. The slogan of jobisjob.com is ‘the clever click’ and the site lives up to that promise for employers who choose to advertise on this site. Employers can choose to have only specific countries or qualifications view their openings, or they can have their job listing viewable and searchable by the general public.

3. Craiglist.org. Craig’s List is probably one of the most recognizable names in classified sections throughout the world. Although this infamous site may be more familiar for to users who are looking to buy or sell furniture, cars and other goods, the job posting section is also a successful way for supply and demand to be quickly reconciled and satisfied.

Employers are able to immediately post job openings as they become available and entries appear in real time, so they can be filled without delay. Craig’s List is especially useful for employers who need emergency support or day laborers. One downfall of this site is the mediocre reputation it has among the professional industry. It is the place to go for fast answers, but the solutions may not always be the most desirable.

4. Dice.com. Dice.com has a significantly high tech feel to it and the graphic design is very futuristic, right down to the sleek fonts. The site also features daily articles and regular updates about the industry trends, as well as technology stock trackers. These additional perks make the site a go-to favorite for techies who may not be looking for a job but want to stay current with relevant news. Job seekers also have an advantage because they can search for jobs based on their specific skills or other niches from the industry. They also may choose to register and sign up for the talent community, which showcases different highlighted skills to potential employers.

Employers can post advertisements on dice.com to find the right match for a variety of technology related jobs and know that they are pulling from the best possible candidate base. Low prices and a three tiered approach are available for employers to choose from, depending on the total number of positions being posted, graphics options and what style of advertisement the employer wants to use.

5. Activehire.com. By utilizing a plethora of advertising styles, internet job posting boards and social media sites, activehire.com allows employers to spread the word about their open positions. The site has a crisp, boxed appearance which makes it easy find and choose the best options for employers and employees. An added feature for employers is that posting jobs is quick and easy, and so is the access to over five million resumes. Once a profile is completed, employers can advertise their open positions across nine different job boards and social media sites within minutes. The site also offers additional options for employers such as the use of screening questions to filter applicants, and restricting responses to only full-time, temporary or contractual applicants. There are restrictions some restrictions, such as the positions must all be located in North America and cannot represent business opportunities or marketing schemes which require applicants to pay for an investment or job opportunity.

Job seekers are attracted to the overall site appearance, professionalism and ease of use on activehire.com. Interested applicants can search jobs by specific criteria such as industry, job description, job title or key word. Likewise, they can further refine their search by relevance, location and elapsed time since the job was posted. There is also a unique feature, Smart Search, which gives job seekers additional search results by adding a wild card or the ability to add jobs that are similar to specific key words or phrases entered. The site is very intuitive and allows job seekers to search multiple job boards and cities at once and store resumes for quick access later.

6. Postjobfree.com. The name truly says it all in this instance; postjobfree.com basically allows employers to quickly advertise their current job openings in a searchable database. Submissions posted on this site are forwarded to secondary job posting sites and general search engines according to their own posting regulations. Approximately twenty different cross posting and social media sites are available to advertise each job opening submitted by an employer, and most of these are included with the free posting options. There is also a premium membership that allows employers to add their advertisements to direct email campaigns that meet criteria pre-selected by job seekers. In addition, premium memberships are more actively promoted; they receive approximately ten times more attention by job seekers and are visible on popular advertising networks like Indeed and Simply Hired.

Job seekers can add their resume and be assured that their search results are returning the most updated job openings from a variety of sources. Approximately 30,000 new postings are added each week and job seekers can browse new postings or sign up for free email alerts when advertisements are added that meet their specific criteria. Job searches can be refined by location or specific keywords. There is also a search query or job alert that can be altered to deliver a limited number of potential job matches per day or to supply a daily summary of available jobs via email. The site is rather limited in what it has to offer independently, but does make it easy for employers and job seekers to search third party sites and stay abreast of changes from one foundation site.

7. Jobinventory.com. This site uses a similar color scheme and homepage layout of a major competitor and boasts about the ability to instantly search over five million jobs from across the internet, which includes several partner sites as well as social media and other job search engines. Employers who have jobs available are considered ‘contributors’ to the site and can submit their postings for review and addition to the available jobs, at no cost to the employer. There is no mention on the time frame for jobinventory.com to review and ultimately post job openings received directly from contributors, but they are not immediately added to the searchable listings. Some unique features that are available to employers are the contributor badge, which increases visibility for potential candidates and the ability to add feed based on a selected feed format that automatically pulls information previously posted on another job search engine.

Jobinventory.com is very user friendly and caters to job seekers in a number of different ways. First, available openings can be searched by relevance or date posted. These criteria are often found on other sites as well, but here are specifically controlled by the user and can be changed for flexibility to yield more results, or kept within a very strict and limited preference zone. If a candidate is firm about not travelling more than 25 miles from their home, only job results within that radius will be displayed; the site does not offer preferential advertisements to appear when they do not meet the criteria specified by the job seeking candidate.

8. Flexjobs.com. Finding a unique and lucrative niche in the job market, flexjobs.com has cornered the competition by offering a place for employers to find temporary, contractual and freelancing employees to meet a specific need without entering into a long term working relationship or other type of employment offer or job contract. When employers have odd jobs available or very specific time frames and job descriptions, they can find employees or temporary workers who understand the expectations and can meet the specified deadlines.

Job seekers find that flexjobs.com offers the most specific and tailored employment positions available for their unique situations. Telecommuters can find an abundance of projects they can complete from home or by working an alternative schedule. Likewise, freelancers can connect with potential employers by posting their talents and availability or by searching employment opportunities based on their own particular criteria. The site offers a way for freelancers to market themselves and post their resumes, skills test results and availability in over fifty different job categories simultaneously. Employers and employees or contractors can both filter available results according to their preferences, deadlines, time frames and cost.

9. Employmentcrossing.com. This site is most appealing to young professionals who want the ability to upload their resume quickly and let a search engine do the work and return potential jobs for them to consider. The flashy site design features busy graphics, interactive text and popup boxes with intuitive options and site specific features. Employers who want to attract technology savvy employees from a multitude of backgrounds and experiences can create a free account to get started advertising for job postings and then choose an account package that makes the most sense based on their specific current and future needs. Free online chat and customer service agents by phone are available to answer questions, provide technical support and give a brief tutorial of how the system operates. Jobs posted on employmentcrossing.com are almost instantly available and visible on over thirty other job search engines, including CareerBuilder, Granted and Simply Hired.

Job seekers are greeted with the knowledge that hundreds of thousands of new jobs are being added and updated all the time. The site promises that candidates can access the largest collection of jobs on earth. Employmentcrossing.com provides a link to the in-depth and comprehensive recruiter rankings, along with additional information about each company and any current job postings that have been recently published.

10. Glassdoor.com. Employers are able to create a free account with basic features in order to get a feel for what services the site has to offer. Glassdoor.com is one of the original job search engines and has established a reputation for excellent service from both employers and job seekers. Recruiters can upgrade to an account that allows additional features such as headlines, company logos and other relevant information that is specific to the company and current job openings. Free employer accounts also feature complete industry reports and tips related to hiring, managing and training employees.

Job seekers are impressed with the look of the website and the search results it yields. Years of experience in the industry and being a pioneer among job search engines has created a unique marketplace for glassdoor.com to introduce employers with potential candidates. The overall goal of the site is more than just an employment search, and the creators developed a way for the public to learn more about how companies interview new employees, what training and benefits packages are available and even how comparable those competitive salaries really are. Past and present employees are invited to speak candidly, yet professionally about their experiences in a way that is edifying to other job seekers.

11. Oodle.com. This interactive marketplace is driven by intuitive technology that tracks and redirects traffic based on location and user information. Essentially an online classified section, oodle.com offers everything from merchandise for sale to apartments for rent. With specific sections related to pets, cars, tickets, community events and even a personals option, oodle.com features a way for supply and demand to balance each other.

Available jobs are automatically organized and sorted in much the same way real estate and community listings are presented – by location. This default cannot be changed, unless the computer or internet connection has strict privacy settings, but it can be filtered and resorted by specific criteria entered by the user. For now, oodle.com features a focus on community events and local listings but displays the potential for growth in the field of online job searches.

Obviously, the most efficient way to advertise or search for jobs in the new millennium is through online job search engines. The variety and scope of available sites appeal to different types of employers and employees. There may not be one perfect site for every marketplace, but there is undoubtedly at least one site that is tailored to the current job openings of an employer or the specific skill sets and availability of a potential job seeker. While it may mean registering for more than one site to get a feel for the environment, the time spent is definitely worth it for employers who want to find the best candidates and for job seekers who want to find the most rewarding job openings.

Karen Kimble-Mamah, the author of this article has worked in the human resources department and understands from first hand experience the importance of reduction in staff costs.

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