What is the Right Age to Start IAS Exam Preparation

The Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) conducts the Civil Services Examination (CSE) to select candidates for the prestigious All India Services and other high-grade services. The All India Services are – Indian Administrative Service (IAS), Indian Police Service (IPS), and Indian Forest Service (IFoS).

Each of these services plays a key role in the overall administration of the country. It is why UPSC follows due diligence in selecting candidates for the posts. The Commission sees that young, ambitious and talented candidates are selected for the services.

In its notification UPSC clearly mentions the age criteria for selection. A candidate as young as 21 years and a candidate with at an age of 32 years can give the exam. The upper-age limit varies depending on the category of the community.

Considering the entry age of 21 years, at what age one should begin the IAS exam? In this write-up, we shall suggest a right age and clear some misconceptions regarding IAS preparation. It shall be done considering candidates in various stages of their lives who are itching to give a try or determined to become a civil servant or whose parents have decided their career Parth.

Advice For Fresh Graduates

For fresh graduates who have decided to give the exam after their graduation, your right age begins with your current age. We can understand that the choice of career is difficult to make for some. If you have known earlier, you would have started your preparation during the graduation days itself. Time is not lost now. If you start preparing for the exam right away, chances are that you might succeed at attaining a post at a young age. This will have an added advantage during your career progression. So, begin now.

Advice For Parents

If the reader is a parent, who has decided to make his/her ward a civil servant, a word of caution. Among young parents, a trend is being noticed. In the name of securing a safe career for their wards, they are joining their children of 12-14 years in schools which are professing to make their children IAS officers.

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How naive is this? At that age, your child is still exploring the world and learning the many truths it offers. It is an age where his/her personality develops. Pushing them and burdening them with IAS preparation is only harming them. Also, you might be a victim of unethical marketing by the so-called schools.

If you really want to see your children to become IAS officers, suggest them to begin their preparation in their graduation years. Before that, make them develop a habit of reading books and newspapers on a daily basis. Help them develop analytical skills and train them to be ethical. Lay a strong foundation for them to achieve success but do not force them to do anything which they unwilling to do wholeheartedly.

Advice For The Employed

If you are already employed and looking for a career change into civil services, do not wait for a specific age. You being your preparation immediately. As mentioned above, the younger you join the services, the better is your career growth.

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Some candidates whose goal is to be a part of civil service yet they take up a job thinking that some job experience is needed. This is a misconception. You do not need job experience to prepare for the exam. If you are determined to become an IAS then begin preparation. Do not waste your years.

In the End ..

In the end, we can say that the right age to begin IAS preparation would be the age at which you begin your graduation. Yet, success can be achieved at any age. The only thing you need is your determination to achieve your goal, perseverance even after failures and commitment to your career path. If you feel you are ready, do not wait for the right age and begin now.