A test of leadership and alacrity
The examination conducted for the Indian Economic Service tests the allround knowledge of the students. It has Part I and Part II. Part I consists of a written examination carrying a maximum of 1000 marks in subjects that include General English (100), General Studies (100), General Economics – I (200), General Economics – II (200), General Economics – III (200) and Indian Economics (200).
Part II consists of a viva voce carrying a maximum of 200 marks. During the viva voce, the candidate will be interviewed by a Board of competent and unbiased observers. The objective of the interview is to assess the candidate’s suitability for the service. The interview is intended to supplement the written examination for testing the general and specialised knowledge and abilities of the candidate.
The candidate will be expected to have taken an intelligent interest not only in his subjects of academic study but also in events which are happening around him both within and outside his own State or country, as well as in modern currents of thought and in new discoveries.
The technique of the interview is not that of a strict cross examination, but of a natural, though directed and purposive conversation, intended to reveal mental qualities of the candidate and his/her grasp of problems. The board will pay special attention in assessing the intellectual curiosity, critical powers of assimilation, balance of judgment and alertness of mind, the ability for social cohesion, integrity of character, initiation and capacity of leadership.The standard of papers in General English and General Studies will be such as may be expected of a graduate of an Indian University.
The standard of papers in the other subjects will be that of the master’s degree examination of an Indian University in the relevant disciplines.
The candidates will be expected to illustrate theory with facts, and to analyse problems with the help of theory. They will be expected to be particularly conversant with Indian problems in the field of Economic/Statistics.
Language test
Candidates will be required to write an essay in English. Other questions will be designed to test their understanding of English and workmanlike use of words. Passages will usually be set for summary or precis.
In the general studies paper, general knowledge including knowledge of current events and of such matters of every day observation and experience in their scientific aspects will be tested.
The paper will also include questions on the political system and the Constitution of India, history of India and geography of a nature which the candidate should be able to answer without special study.
The General Economics – I paper will focus on areas such as theory of consumer’s demand, theory of value, theory of distribution, welfare economics, concept of national income and social accounting, theory of employment and mathematical methods in economics.
The General Economics – II paper covers concept of economic growth and development and their measurement, international economics, balance of payments, global institutions, money and banking, and statistical and econometric methods.
General Economics – III will have questions from environmental economics, urbanisation and migration, project appraisal, financial and capital markets, fiscal policy and its objectives and State, market and planning.
Indian Economics paper will have questions related to history of development and planning, decentralised planning, panchayat experience, Union-State financial relations, poverty, unemployment and human development during plan period, and agriculture and rural development.
Other themes include India’s experience with urbanisation and migration, industry, labour, foreign trade, money and banking and budgeting and fiscal policy.
G.K.
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Education Plus
Karnataka
Chennai
Coimbatore
Hyderabad
Madurai
Tiruchirapalli
Vijayawada
Visakhapatnam
