UPSC aspirant? Follow these do's and dont's for Civil Services Mains 2019

If you are appearing for this year's UPSC Civil Services Mains 2019, then you should definitely go through the 21-page PDF file released by UPSC

Ahead of Civil Services Mains 2019, the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) has published a comprehensive list of do's and don'ts for aspirants appearing in the civil servicves examination this year. The board is going to conduct the mains examination from September 20 to 29, 2019. The UPSC has released the list on its official website upsc.gov.in. 

If you are appearing for this year’s UPSC Civil Services Mains 2019, you should definitely go through the 21-page PDF file that has been uploaded on UPSC’s official website with the heading ‘General mistakes in Conventional (Descriptive) Papers’. This list guides UPSC students on avoiding making certain common and not-so-common mistakes in the UPSC Civil Mains exam 2019. 

Direct link to the PDF

Here are some of the errors mentioned in this document that should be avoided:

It is clearly instructed that candidates should avoid writing irrelevant matter on the QCAB (Question-cum-Answer Booklet) like a lucky number, prayer’s phrase, chant, etc. The list has mentioned a number of examples such as; OM symbol, cross sign, 786 (considered a holy number in Islam), and ‘Hare Rama Hare Krishna’ chant.

Basically, students should not write anything unrelated on the QCA booklet and are advised to follow these examples (see pictures).
 

Examinees should not write their name, roll/application number and signature anywhere on the QCA booklet which may reveal their identity.

Nothing, except the ‘name and medium’ of the examination needs to be written on the QCAB. The answer sheets are recognised through a roll or serial number mentioned on a separate page. Another example asks students not to write on the margin of the paper. 

Candidates are advised to refrain from writing in the mixed language medium and answering partly in ink and partly in pencil should also be strictly avoided. 

Any direct or indirect appeal to the examiner is strictly prohibited. Students should not appeal to the examiner saying for example, “I beg you to consider answers sympathetically”, “Please do lenient marking” etc.  

Bad handwriting: If a candidate's handwriting is not easily readable, a deduction will be made on this account from the total marks otherwise accruing to him or her.

Violation of instructions: Giving different answers to what has been asked in the mentioned question will also amount to marks’ deduction and will not be accepted. Drawing irrelevant sketches and graphs should also be avoided. 

The PDF also instructs students how to cancel the attempted answer in a correct manner. UPSC aspirants must go through these points to avoid making such mistakes.
 

The UPSC conducts the civil services examination annually to select officers of Indian Administrative Service (IAS), Indian Foreign Service (IFS) and Indian Police Service (IPS) among others.