If it happens that you have completed your 12th standard. And now the dream of becoming a dynamic IAS or IPS officer does not let you sleep. Trust me, you are made for UPSC.

Each day, Civilsdaily gets bombarded with queries related to these careers. It’s witnessed that UPSC is dreamed more from the penultimate year of school life. So, if the fire of becoming an IAS or IPS officer started burning inside you, let’s explore those allies which lead you to LBSNAA.

IAS AFTER THE 12TH: IS IT POSSIBLE?

Dear, It is not possible to become an IAS officer with a 12th standard qualification! To become an IAS officer, you must have Graduate Degree from a recognized University/Institute! But, you can apply for the CSE exam conducted by the UPSC while in your final year of graduation.

So, the essential eligibility criteria required to sit for the exam is – the candidate must possess Graduate Degree from a recognized University/Institute!

So technically, 12th passed students can’t appear for this exam right after 12th. They must complete Graduation first. After completing the Graduation program successfully, they may take a shot and CSE and become an IAS officer thereafter!

YOU MAY BEGIN PREPARATION AFTER THE 12TH THOUGH!

Guys, you have to remember a simple saying- “Winners start early”. To become an IAS officer you have to dream first and that dream transforms into beliefs and beliefs result in action. You cannot change your future, but, you can change your habits, and surely your habits will transform you into an IAS/IPS officer. UPSC is a vast ocean to cross & one can’t cross the sea merely by standing and staring at the water. It’s seen that 90% of toppers start their UPSC preparation in from the very beginning of their college life. They had to focus on 7 components:

Direction
Discipline
Consistency
Value addition
Evaluation
Motivation
Mentor

You mustn’t wait for the opportunity, you should create it. Start cultivating the qualities as soon as you can.

Acknowledging the need to choose subjects in graduation, to ensure clearing UPSC with your graduation degree, many young IAS and IPS officer advised to start just at the ending of school life. Because, bigger things always start with small steps.

So, the determined budding aspirants may start CSE preparation after the 12th though. Well, preparation can be started well before reaching the 12th standard too! You may start off CSE preparation by focusing on current affairs, making notes (related to current affairs), and reading newspapers daily.

What should you do after 12th to prepare for the IAS exam?

Adequate time to prepare for civil services. Find out about the life of a civil servant or a diplomat. If possible, talk to an IAS officer and get to know about ground realities straight from the horse’s mouth. Ask yourself, is this what you truly want? If your answer is ‘yes’, go ahead…
You are already in the habit of learning, evaluating.
Take up a graduation course that involves history and polity. These subjects are of immense importance to the UPSC syllabus.
During your graduation, study these subjects well keeping in mind the UPSC syllabus.
If you would acquire a level of mastery in these subjects, you can also opt one of them as your optional subject.
Also, start reading public administration, economics, etc. You can even study these subjects as your main subject, all depending on your interests and aptitude.
Don’t lose touch with basic maths that you learned in school. This is needed for the CSAT paper in the IAS Prelims. Read more about IAS exam pattern.
Remember to study like an IAS aspirant and not a bunking college student.
Make use of your college library. Read as many relevant books as possible.
Inculcate the habit of reading the daily newspaper and keep abreast of the latest happenings in the country and the world.
Work on your interpersonal skills and communication skills. Try to develop a good personality that would help you in the IAS interview later.
Don’t throw away your school NCERT textbooks. These are the basic books to study for the UPSC exam.
Learn how to make notes and start doing the same.
Practice previous years IAS question papers.

That means you won’t lack required time, energy, dedication, devotion, zeal and confidence

CSE ELIGIBILITY

EDUCATIONAL QUALIFICATIONS REQUIRED

All candidates must have as a minimum one of the following educational qualifications:
A degree from a Central, State, or a Deemed university.
A degree received through correspondence or distance education.
A degree from an open university.
A qualification recognized by the Government of India as being equivalent to one of the above

The following candidates are also eligible, but must submit proof of their eligibility from a competent authority at their institute/university at the time of the main examination, failing which they will not be allowed to attend the exam:

Candidates who have appeared in an examination, the passing of which would render them educationally qualified enough to satisfy one of the above points.
Candidates who have passed the final exam of the MBBS degree but have not yet completed an internship.
Candidates who have passed the final exam of ICAI, ICSI, and ICWAI.
A degree from a private university.
A degree from any foreign university recognized by the Association of Indian Universities

AGE LIMIT

The candidate must be between the age of 21-32 years (for the General category candidate) on August 1 of the year of examination. However, age relaxations die to exist for SC, ST, OBC, and Physically Handicapped candidates.
For Other Backward Castes (OBC) the upper age limit is 35.
For Scheduled Castes (SC) and Scheduled Tribes (ST), the limit is 37 years.
The upper age limit is relaxed for certain candidates who are backward with respect to other factors and physically handicapped (PH) people.

Bottom lines

‘Every-rose-has-its-thorn’

Going to college and prepping for UPSC is not an easy task, Because UPSC is no doubt a higher bar to cross. But it can be achieved in the very 1st attempt if the direction of your dream is true.

Whenever you pick to start their preparation for the UPSC exam, you must be ready to devote ample amount of time towards IAS current affairs. Staying updated with the events of importance across the globe can keep candidates up to date with the developments in nations across the world.

When an aspirant decides to kickstart their preparation immediately after class 12th exams, they get good amount of time to understand and analyse the paper pattern and its standard. They get to apprehend the details not just of the two written papers but also of the IAS Interview, which is an critical part of the recruitment process.

Preparing for the UPSC exam is not a whimsical fancy. There isn’t a more opportune time to invest your rapt attention in UPSC preparation if you have a couple of years in hand.