IFoS - Civil Services dilemma... Dissolved, Decoded n Decimated...(Part-1)

This article is exclusively aimed at IFoS aspirants. This will be helpful to those who wish to crack IFS along with their civils prep, in general and those who don't have common optional in the two mains, in particular. I have few Disclamers to make before i proceed.

- My Strategy is temperory in nature and is not written in wall. UPSC is evolving every 1gle day.

- These are purely my personal thots and you may choose to ignore them partially or totally.

- This article can be riduculously long. Hence breaking it into 2 parts.

So, before i proceed with my optional strategy for Agriculture n Geology, i wish to clear some misconceptions abt IFS. Back in 2013, i held these misconceptions that 

- UPSC did injustice by merging IFS with Civils Pre.

- I shouldnot give IFS as i will be doing injustice to Genuine IFS aspirants.

- I am not interested in Forests.

- I can't study new optionals exclusively for IFS.

But over a period of almost a year n half, I realized that these are serious misconceptions which i held. Hence i wanna pour out my thots on these misconceptions held by many of you too.

            UPSC is very smart and it takes time for we aspirants to understand what upsc does. UPSC looks years ahead when they do such merging in prelims. Many thot that UPSC merged prelims just to ensure that the Work burden of IFS mains paper correction cud be reduced. But unfortunately, its not the only reason according to me. With so much interaction with people, i realized that IFS is not so popular among folks(even compared to some Central services) eventhough its an All India Service and the only reason i could figure out for this state of affairs is that IFS has separate exam other than Civils Services. I strongly believe now that UPSC had merged this with Civils pre precisely to make IFS popular and to take the best of the best in IFS. In couple of years down the line, i see IFS to be the most competed exam along with Civils and people will be ready to go that Extra mile to get into IFS as well. So, this is a masterstroke by UPSC to make IFS popular and we aspirants are quite slow in realizing UPSC tricks as always. So, before others get there and compete, go ahead n crack it.

               About injustice to Genuine IFS aspirants.....mmmm wait... who is "Genuine" ? Are they science students you are talking about? Do u think UPSC feels that way? Do u feel an engineer or a  doctor a genuine aspirant of say IRS? By this logic, they shouldn't be genuine aspirants rt?  Do u feel that upsc gives 207/300 to me in ifs interview even if they feel that i am not among those Genuine aspirants? I am a very soft software engineer who is never connected to IFS in anyway genuinely, still upsc gave me good marks. So, the ONLY underlying message to aspirants by UPSC is that "This is a competition like anyother exam and you are bound to compete". UPSC wants the best here within the countours of the Eligibility guidelines. So Engineers, dont feel this to be an injustice or something to others.This reason is a total misconception and an excuse. But its totally an injustice if u clear IFS pre cutoffs and dont give mains. Its an injustice that you do to other aspirants and to yourself too. Go out there, Compete and then Win ! As simple as that !

             Not interested in Forests.... mmm.... i wanna ask how many of you are genuinely aiming at IRS or IRTS or IRPS or IAAS or any other service out of immense Interest in them? Everyone of us want to be an IAS and the harshly reality is that there are only 150 odd seats of IAS there in Civils for which 5-6 lakhs competing. IPS may be another 200? What about the rest of 1000 guys in that Civil services final result? The reality is that you join watever u get in Civils without a choice and keep trying for IAS/IPS. Young blood might disagree with me here, but reality will dawn upon you for sure sooner or later. If this is the case, IFS is the best alternative compared to any other service in the Civil Services Exam as this is an AIS. Infact many told me that it is next only to IAS and is on par with IPS. Hence, when u say i am not interested in Forests, i can only say... Rethink !!! Is it wise to put all your eggs in that single basket of IAS? :)

              "I can't study new optionals for IFS" is the only genuine reason which i feel should have stopped you from having a go at IFS....Well a better strategy should overcome this particular reason... In the next post i will share my strategy of not just my optionals, but my overall strategy to clear IFS. Cheers....

P.S. I see the competition for IFS raising every yr and IFS would be very important service in the coming days. Remember all those Climate changes, GHGs, Deforestrations, Copenhagens, UNFCCC etc etc ? :)