Notification for UPSC prelims on 23rd August, 2015 mains and personality test is out

2 important facts:

1. Notwithstanding anything contained in this rule, any candidate who appeared in the Civil Services Examination, 2011 but is otherwise ineligible for Civil Services Examination, 2015 due to attainment of upper age limit on the crucial date for examination prescribed under this rule, shall be permitted an additional attempt in the Civil Services Examination, 2015. 

In simple terms, if you gave the exam in 2011, you will be given an extra attempt this year, (i) if in 2011, you gave exam at age 28 (General) or 31 (OBC) or 33 (SC/ST) and are now ineligible because of age, or (ii) if you have exhausted your attempts (General/OBC).

2. The Commission will draw a list of candidates to be qualified for Civil Service (Main) Examination based on the criterion of minimum qualifying marks of 33% in General Studies Paper- II of Civil Services (Preliminary) Examination and total qualifying marks of General Studies Paper-I of Civil Services (Preliminary) Examination as may be determined by the Commission. 

It is written thrice in the notification that CSAT-2 is qualifying only with 33% or marks required to be eligible.

Now when it comes to strategy, we have to consider 2 scenarios.

1. CSAT-2 difficulty level remains the same. In this case, almost anyone can secure 33% marks. Many of my batchmates had a score of 90%+ and even those who are extremely poor in maths, logic, analysis and reading comprehension, can easily get 50%+ marks. So, your entire focus needs to be on GS (CSAT-1) and only an utterly idiotic personality will spend even a single waking hour preparing for CSAT-2. 

2. CSAT-2 is made extremely difficult (reaching at CAT level or beyond). Though this case is unlikely, but there is 5-10% probability of UPSC shifting to this trend. In this case, many of you will not be able to get even 33% marks and you will not be considered for the mains, though you might be getting 100% marks in CSAT-1. 

So, in next three months, please read CSAT-2 for 3 days each in June, July and August (9/90 days, 10% of preparation time) so that you are not caught off-guard just in case UPSC throws in the surprise punch. 

For rest 90% of your preparation time, you need to focus solely on GS prelims only (excluding answer writing practice, essay, world history, disaster management, international relations and ethics) especially on Environment and Ecology, Science and Technology, Art and Culture (you will get more than 50% questions in prelims from this section)