UPSC Prelim 2018: Paper tougher than last year's, candidates say
The Prelim for the UPSC 2018 was held across India yesterday. Those who qualify will advance to the next rounds (Main and Interview) for appointment in roughly 780 vacancies. Around 3L candidates appeared the Prelim yesterday. Most of them who talked to HT found the paper tougher than last year. Some claimed on social media it was the toughest in seven years.
'My belief in UPSC's unpredictability has increased'
'Tricky and time-consuming questions, pattern was different'
According to Purshottam Mishra (Patna), "There were many applied questions and the questions were a bit tricky." "Most questions were from environmental science and economics. They were time-consuming," added Shashikant Kumar (Patna). For Sashwat Guha (Kolkata), the general studies paper was complicated. "The pattern of the first paper was totally different." Vaidehi Shaw (Kolkata) said "suggestions and being a bookworm really did not work."
'Before you understand UPSC's trend, it sets another'
'CSAT was tougher but English was direct and simple'
Most teachers agreed with students. "CSAT questions were tougher than last year. But the language was direct and simple. An average student who would have covered the syllabus can qualify," said Guru Rahman, a teacher at Patna's Rahman coaching institute. Sriram Srirangam, Director of coaching institute SRIRAM'S IAS in Delhi, also said CSAT was tougher. "Cutoff could be about 10-marks less than 2017," he predicted.
'This dream will just remain a dream'
Timeline for the UPSC exam 2018
The Main exams will last for five days, starting September 28. However, dates are liable to change "if the circumstances so warrant," the official website says. The interviews are likely to start in January-February.
