HOW TO PREPARE FOR THE CSAT?

(SANJAY MONGA)

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Now, when we all know the CSAT syllabus, let us plan a suitable strategy for preparing for the CSAT exam. As any big structure can be built only on a strong foundation, we must begin our CSAT preparation with fundamental skills stated in the CSAT syllabus i.e.

Basic Numeracy and English Language Comprehension Skills

After a close scrutiny of the syllabus, one can easily categorise it into:1. The Quantitative Stream 2. The Verbal Stream The Quantitative Stream How to proceed? It is easy to infer that the complex areas like General Mental Ability and Logical Reasoning & Analytical Ability are very difficult to prepare without having good knowledge of Basic Numeracy.

The Verbal Stream - How to proceed? One the same grounds, areas like Comprehension, Inter-Personal Skill area Decision Making & Problem Solving need a strong foundation of Language skills, be it English or Hindi. So it become obvious that the flow of preparation would be logical & scientific if one follows the following order-

Quantitative Stream Basic Numeracy

Verbal Stream English Language & Comprehension Skills

General Mental Ability Inter Personal Skills

Comprehension Logical Reasoning & Analysical Ability

Descion Making & Problem Solving

Which one first?

As one stream is more quantitative & the other more verbal anyone can be picked up first. Candidates can allocate their time on the two together to prepare them parallely also.

Now we shall be discussing the detailed areas of Basic Numeracy & English Language Comprehension skills so as to give a logical start.

THE ART OF CRACKING COMPREHENSIONS (SANJAY MONGA)

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Article Index The Art Of Cracking Comprehensions (Sanjay Monga) Page 2 Page 3 Page 4 Page 5 Page 6 Page 7 Page 8 All Pages Page 1 of 8 Questions on Comprehension Passage are among a common type of questions asked in various examinations and are taken with no special emphasis & preparation by candidates in general. But there are certain rules & principles that can help candidates answer such questions very effectively. Here are some basic aspects which should be kept in mind while attempting to solve the comprehension passages. Components of Passage

Reading comprehension passages cover a variety of topics and are structured in numerous ways. However, all passages have certain components as explained below. By understanding and looking for their components you can more easily grasp the meaning and structure of the passage. (1) The Point - It is the most important message conveyed by the passage. In other words, the author has written the passage in order to convey the point. It is the crux of the story. Point could be: (a) (b) Resolution Answer : : Resolves an issue or a problem. Answers a question

(c) (d)

New Idea Reason

: :

Describes a surprising new Idea, theory or research result Explain an observation

(2) Background - The background is information you need to understand the point. The Context and the basic facts about the topic are given in the Background. (3) Support - The support is evidence, assertions, and opinions for the point. The support might include concessions to the other side of the component. It may happen that background and support are intertwined. (4) Implications - The implications are results from the point. Implications when present they are very important. One should follow the rules & guidelines given below to answer such passages effectively. Rule 1: Try to Absorb & Assimilate the passage Get into the passage. Take interest in the matter. It is based on a simple truth about your brain that you simply cannot learn something that you actively loather or viscerally reject. One quick and effective method is to pretend that you really like this stuff. Rule 2: Look for the message conveyed Every passage has a message the gist or core meaning of the passage. You must find it on the first read. This can be done through following methods:(a) Summarize the stuff in few sentences. (b) Make a list of contents. How to find the content and judgments? Content is the major subject matter of the passage, and includes (1) Causes (effects, evidence, logical results) (2) Processes (steps, means, ends) (3) Categories (examples, generalities) Judgments however is what the author and people believe about the content: (a) Theories and Hypotheses (b) Evaluations and Opinions

(c) Comparisons and Contrasts (d) Merits and Demerits

INTERPERSONAL SKILLS (SANJAY MONGA)

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The term 'skill' may be defined as proficiency or dexterity that is acquired or developed through training and experience. The Webster dictionary defines it as "possession of the qualities required to do something or get something done".

Hard Skills vs Soft Skills Hard skills are technical procedures, These skills are typically easy to observe, quantify and measure, By contrast, Soft Skills are typically hard to observe, quantify and measure, soft skills complement hard skills, which are the technical requirements, soft skills are as important, if not more important, than traditional hard skills at our work place.

What are Soft Skills? Soft or social skills (also called non-technical skills) are those personal values and interpersonal skills that determine a persons ability to work well with others in a project team. These skills include effective communication, leadership, and teamwork skills; demonstrating problem solving abilities, initiative, and motivation skills; displaying honesty and strong work ethics. Soft skills play a vital role for academic and professional success; they help us excel in the workplace and their importance cannot be denied in the merging information or knowledge society. Soft skills are needed to work in a collaborative manner with ones colleagues.

Types of Soft Skills There are various components that comprise soft skills. Some are inborn such as confidence, friendliness and whether or not someone has a sociable nature, while others are skills that can be taught or improved upon, such as developing effective

communication, organisation, and social graces. A large number of soft skills are known today. However, for our purpose these may include the following. Communication skills Team skills Leadership skills Etiquette Cross cultural skills and so on.

How to Develop Soft Skills? Soft skills cannot be acquired by merely reading textbooks. It is a continuous learning process. Development of soft skills has two parts. One part involves developing attitudes and attributes, and the other part involves fine-tuning communication skills to express attitudes, ideas, and thoughts. Perfect integration of ideas and attitudes with appropriate communication skills in oral, written, and nonverbal areas is necessary for successful work. In CSAT exam students should focus on communications skills out of all other Interpersonal Skills stated above.

What are Communication Skills? The ability to communicate ideas to others effectively is an absolute essential requirement for our career building. Communication is a two way process. Listening is therefore an essential skill too. The ability to present comprehensive written ideas will enable us to put forward effective documentation of our thoughts and is a highly regarded skill. Verbal communication skill includes a One to One interaction, Presentation Public Speaking Ability and Good Telephonic Skills. Written communication would include Program Writing, Report Writing, Letter Writing and E-mail Etiquette, etc. What is Communication Process? The communication process consists of basic components like sender, encoding,

channel, decoding, receiver and feedback and the context.

a. Sender: As the source of the message, we need to be clear about why we are communicating and what we want to communicate. We also need to be confident that the information we are communicating is useful and accurate.

b. Encoding: This is the process of transferring the information we want to communicate into a form that can be sent and correctly decoded at the other end. One must be careful about cultural issues, mistaken assumption, missing information etc. c. Channel: Message are conveyed through channels which may be verbal, including face to face meetings, telephone and videoconferencing and written, including letters, e-mails, memos and reports.

d. Decoding: Just as successful encoding is a skill, so is successful decoding (for example, taking the time to read a message carefully, or listen actively). Confusion can arise from errors in encoding as well as decoding. This is particularly the case if the decoder does not have enough knowledge to understand the message.

e. Receiver: Our message is delivered to individual members of our audience. No doubt, we need to be aware of the actions or reactions we hope our message will get from them. We need to bear in mind, through that each of these individuals enters into the communication process with his or her own ides and feelings that will undoubtedly influence their understanding of our message and thereby, their response. To be a successful communicator, we should consider this before this before delivering our message, and act appropriately.

f. Feedback: Feedback is obtained by monitoring response of the receiver to the message. Our audience will provide us with the feedback may be in the form of verbal and non-verbal reactions to our communicated message. These feedbacks are the only things that allow us to be confident that out audience has understood our message. If we find that there has been a misunderstanding we have at least the opportunity to send the message a second time.

After understanding the formal communication process let us now focus on Interpersonal Communication.

Interpersonal communication

Interpersonal communication differs from other forms of communication. The following principles are basic to interpersonal communication.

a. Interpersonal communication is inescapable: The very attempt not to communicate communicates something. Through not only words, but through tone of voice and through gesture, posture, facial expression, etc., we constantly communicate to those around us and through these channels, we constantly receive communication from others. Remember that: people judge you by your behavior, not by your intent. b. Interpersonal communication is irreversible: You can't really take back something once it has been said. The affect will inevitably remain. c. Interpersonal communication is complicated: Words do not have inherent meaning; we simply use them in certain ways, and no two people use the same word exactly alike. d. Interpersonal communication is contextual: Communication does not happen in isolation. There is psychological context, which is who the communicators are and what they bring to the interaction. Their needs, desires, values, personality, etc., all form the psychological context. That apart we have:

Situation context which deals with the psycho-social-where one is communicating.

Environmental context which deals with the "physical-where" one is communicating. Furniture, location, noise level, temperature, season, time of day are examples of factors in the environmental context.

Cultural context which includes all the learned behaviours and rules that affect the interaction.

FUNCTIONS OF INTERPERSONAL COMMUNICATION Interpersonal communication is important because of the following functions its achieves: a. Gaining information: One reason we engage in interpersonal communication is to gain knowledge. Interpersonal communication helps us to understand better what someone says in a given context. b. Establishing identity: We also engage in interpersonal communication to establish an identity based on our relationships and the image we present to others. c. Interpersonal needs: We also engage in interpersonal communication to express interpersonal need. Three such needs are:

Inclusion is the need to establish identity with others. Control is the need to exercise leadership and prove one's abilities. Groups provide outlets for this need.

Affection is the need to develop relationship with people. Groups are an excellent way to make friends and establish relationships.

TIPS FOR IMPROVING INTERPERSONAL SKILLS a. Congruency in Communication Elements: Since communication is shared meaning, words must sent the same message as the other interpersonal communication dynamics. body language, facial expression, posture, movement, and tone of voice to help emphasize the truth, sincerity, and reliability of the communication. b. Listening Effectively: Effective or active listening is a very important skill to enhance interpersonal communication. Listening helps us to build strong personal relationships.

ACTIVE LISTENING Most of us assume that listening is natural trait, but practically very few of us listen properly. What we regularly do is- we hear but don's listen. Hearing is through ears

and listening is by mind. Listening happens when we understand and message as intended by the sender.

Active listening is important for several reasons. First, it aids the organisation in carrying out its mission. In addition, it helps individuals to advance in their careers. It also helps build strong personal relationships. Guidelines for Active Listening

1. Look at the person and suspend other things you are doing. Otherwise, your brain will be distracted from its main goal understanding the other person's concerns, intentions. 2. Be interested in what the person is saying.

3. Listen to the tone of voice and inflections; look at gestures and body language these may carry an unspoken message. 4. 5. Ask questions once in a while to clarify meaning. Be aware of your own feelings and opinions.

Finally let us see some Objective/ Multiple choice Questions which might be expected in CSAT 2011 Examination.

1.

Interpersonal communication involves the following:

(a) Those Interacting are in close proximity to each other, large number of participants many sensory channels used, immediate feedback (b) Small number of participants, those interacting are in close proximity to each other, (c) Small number participants, those interacting are in close proximity to each other, few sensory channel immediate feedback. (d) Small number of participants, those interacting are close to each other, many sensory channel used feedback in phases.

2. (a) (b)

What makes interpersonal communication complicated: No of variables involved. Exchange of symbols that stand for ideas.

(c) Words do not have inherent meaning and no two people use same word exactly alike. (d) 3. (a) (b) (c) (d) 4. (a) (c) 5. (a) (c) 6. (a) (b) (c) (d) 7. (a) (b) All of the above In regard to communication, Situational context deals with: 'Psycho- physical- Relationship. 'Psycho- dynamic where' one is communicating. 'Psycho- ethnic where' one is communicating. 'Psycho- Social where' one is communicating In regard to communication, Psychological context includes: Needs Desires (b) (d) Values All of the above

The interpersonal needs are all of the following except: Control Inclusion 'Building Understanding includes: Content Messages Relationship Messages Content Relationship and Contextual Both (a) and (b) Dynamics of interpersonal communications are: Body language and facial expression Posture (b) (d) Authority Affection

(c)

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DEFOGGING CSAT (SANJAY MONGA)

At last! CSAT is out. There were innumerable & diverse lots of predictions about the contents & system of proposed changes in the Civil Services Examination, by the EXPERTS around us. But now it is all over. Let us now try to understand the changes & their impact on all those who are concerned. Previously, the Civil Service Preliminary Examination consisted of two papers: the first on general studies and common to all; and for second candidates had to choose from a list of two dozen-odd subjects. The General-Studies paper carried 150 marks and optional paper 300 marks. Many persons & panels in past have advocated laying greater emphasis on the aptitude of candidates than their knowledge of a subject, arguing that specialists or experts in any particular subject may not necessarily be good civil servants. Accordingly the format of Preliminary Examination is changed to CSAT. Hence now, instead of one compulsory paper of General-Studies and one Optional paper, both the papers shall be compulsories carrying 200 marks each. Since these papers are common to all candidates, UPSC gets rid of current scaling system which was challenged frequently on one ground or other. The new Civil Services Aptitude Test (CSAT) would consist of two papers - Paper I and Paper II. Paper I Total Marks: 200 Syllabus Current events of national and international importance History of India and Indian national movement Indian and World Geography- physical, social, economic geography of India and the world

Duration: 2 Hours

Indian Polity and governance constitution, political system, panchayati raj, public policy, Rights issues, etc.

Economic and social development sustainable development, poverty,

inclusion, demographics, social sector initiatives etc. General issues on environmental ecology, bio-diversity and climate changethat do not require subject specialization General science. Paper II Total Marks: 200 Syllabus Comprehension Interpersonal skills including communication skills Logical reasoning and analytical ability Decision making and problem solving General mental ability Basic numeracy (numbers and their relations, orders of magnitude etc. (Class X level), Data interpretation (charts, graphs, tables, data sufficiency etc. Class X level) English language comprehension skills (Class X level) Duration: 2 Hours

Note that, the change will be effective only for the first stage of the Civil Services Examination (CSE) from 2011 onwards. The second and third stages CS (Main) Examination and interview respectively remain the same for now. The new system will provide a level-playing field and equity, since all candidates will have to attempt common papers unlike the current format which provides for only one common paper. It is not a sudden & unexpected change and everyone was mentally prepared for changes, since the PMs approval to UPSCs proposal comes nearly a decade after the Y.K. Alagh panel on examination reforms submitted its report. But there is a lot of anxiety among candidates & all concerned since the new is always uncertain and so do we all resist changes. Frankly, I see the following major implications of the

proposed system of CSAT :1. All candidates will be placed at the same level of advantage or disadvantage, because there is no subject bias as seen earlier due to so many & so different optional papers. 2. Focus is now on judging the cognitive & application skills of the aspirants rather their ability to memorise their subjects theoretically. 3. GS has become more important as its weightage has been increased from one third (150 in 450 marks earlier) to one half (200 in 400 marks know) 4. Besides, the focus should be on inculcating the skills rather on mugging up questions & answers on these topics. Since it is an Aptitude Test hence one should try to build the requisite aptitude only. Now let us understand the contents of the syllabus. We should all agree that the areas like Comprehension, Interpersonal skills, Logical reasoning, Analytical ability, Decision making, Problem solving, General mental ability, Basic Numeracy, Data interpretation & English language comprehension skills are very important for anyone who wants to become Civil Servant. Let me take these point wise. The area of General mental ability is not new to candidates since it existed in Paper I i.e. the GS paper earlier but is now shifted to CSAT Paper II. However, many students used to ignore this area because of diverse reasons, but I expect it to grow so it is advised to take it seriously. Some of the students are confused between Comprehension & English language comprehension skills. Actually, Comprehension is all about understanding a problem or situation fully covering its all aspects & its evaluation in the right perspective. However, clearly English language comprehension skills focuses only on the language part, since English has become an important language internationally today. Moreover, it existed earlier also in mains examination. The fact remains is that it is now covered twice. Similarly there is a lot of apprehension about Basic Numeracy. Actually, Basic Numeracy is not about higher Mathematical Skills, but about the ability to handle basic quantitative & financial data which is a must for a Civil Servant. A Civil Servant should be conversant with numbers, finances, quantitative data, budgets etc. Just like English part, Data Interpretation also existed earlier as a part of Mains Syllabus but now covered twice, since mains syllabus remains the same. The candidates must note that there is a special emphasis on testing their aptitude for civil services under a Civil Services Aptitude Test. Hence, the ability of decision making involves taking right decisions without compromising with moral and ethical values instead of taking just facts based decision. It will reflect the candidates ability to analyse than ability to memorise. More clearly, it will be the test

to sideline bookish candidates. The decision making ability or ability to analyse may be mostly judged from the topics of real life situation which a Civil Servant has to face. The moral and ethical aspects, of decision making may be judged from various angles like Motivation, Conflict-management, Administrative, Human behaviour, Social-psychology to understand crowd behaviour, Sociology, different economic situation, technologies needed in the areas of security, intelligence, law and order, Revenue and Budgets, Management by objectives and so on. The area of Logical reasoning & Analytical ability although coincides with Clerical & Banking exams but candidates should realize that the flavour of the questions might be quite different from the said exams keeping in view the requirements. Besides, this is perhaps the widest area in which many sub-topics are possible & with varying degree of complexity in problems. Remember that MBACAT level reasoning question are really tough.

With regards to strategy for preparation of CSAT, although self-study is important but need for expert guidance can not be ruled out. Students may take benefit of experience & expertise of the faculties in respective themes of the CSAT as per their requirements. Candidates must go for good number of practices tests & applied problems on daily basis instead of mugging up a lot a theory. Remember that there is no short-cut to success

(d)

All of the above

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