Similar to the UPSC examination, the Gujarat Public Service Commission (GPSC) Board examination consists of three stages; viz- prelims, mains, and interview round or VIVA. The preliminary or first stage is an objective type examination while the second round or Mains is an elaborative written examination and the final round is the VIVA; a personal interview round. You will have two mediums- English and Gujarati for GPSC examinations to choose for. Let us check
the examination pattern, syllabus and other important details of GPSC. It is important to carefully go through the entire GPSC syllabus, so as not to waste time on reading irrelevant things from the exam point of view. GPSC exam syllabus is similar to the UPSC Syllabus; the only difference is GPSC syllabus will have topics on History, Culture, and Geography concerning the state of Gujarat. Some important points to note regarding GPSC Syllabus:
- To tackle questions on Science and Technology, as per the GPSC Syllabus, candidates do not require background specialization in Science & Tech.
- The history section of the GPSC Syllabus concerns the History of Gujarat.
- Similarly, the Geography section concerns on Geography of Gujarat and India. As earlier discussed, GPSC Examination consisted of three phases.
- Prelims – 2 papers – Objective type questions (MCQ)
- Mains – 6 papers – Descriptive type questions
- Interview
Pattern for GPSC Prelims is given below:
| Name of Exam | Gujarat Public Services Exam for Gujarat Administrative Services Class I and Gujarat Civil Services, Class I & II |
| Number of papers | Paper I – General Studies I Paper 2- General Studies II |
| Duration of Exam | 3 hours each |
| Maximum Marks for each paper | 200 Marks |
| Total Marks of all Prelims papers | 400 Marks |
| Nature of questions | Objective (Multiple Choice Questions) |
Pattern for GPSC Mains exam is given below:
| Name of Exam | Gujarat Public Services Exam for Gujarat Administrative Services Class I and Gujarat Civil Services, Class I & II |
| Number of papers | 6 |
| Duration of Exam | 3 hours each |
| Maximum Marks for each paper | 150 Marks |
| Total Marks of all Mains papers | 900 Marks |
| Marks for Personality Test(Interview) | 100 Marks |
| Total Marks to be considered for final selection | 1000 Marks |
| Nature of questions | Descriptive Type questions |
The GPSC Personality Test or Interview Round is held for candidates who clear the GPSC Mains
stage of the GPSC exam. The interview (in the GPSC exam pattern) is for 100 marks and tests the
general awareness, character, expression, personality, intelligence, and general suitability for
the service.
GPSC Exam Syllabus – Prelims:
The GPSC Syllabus overlaps significantly with the UPSC Syllabus for the IAS exam. With the new
GPSC pattern and GPSC Syllabus, candidates preparing simultaneously for the Union Public Civil
Services Exam (UPSC) and state civil services exam will have a slightly easier task.
Let’s check out the syllabus for GPSC Prelims–
Paper 1:
● History
● Cultural Heritage
● Constitution, Polity, Social Justice and International Relations
● Mental Ability
Paper -2:
- Indian Economy and Planning
- Geography
- Science and Technology
- Current events of regional, national and international importance
Let’s check out the syllabus for GPSC Mains-
● Paper 1 – Gujarati
● Paper 2 – English
● Paper 3 – Essay
● Paper 4 – General Studies 1
● Paper 5 – General Studies 2
● Paper 6 – General Studies 3
Things you should keep in mind during GPSC Preparation:
● The candidates must be well prepared mentally and physically before appearing for the
GPSC exam as these exams are mentally and physically challenging in nature.
● All the subjects shall get an equal amount of time, and it should be adequately planned.
● All the aspirants appearing for the GPSC must go through the eligibility criteria for the
examination.
● The exam pattern must be clear to all the candidates appearing for the GPSC
Examinations.
Study Material for GPSC Prelims:
● GPSC Examination Books in Gujarati.
● Books in English.
● Yojana Magazine, Kurukshetra Magazine, The Hindu, Press Information Bureau (PIB)-
Current Affairs.
● NCERT Books and its Notes.
List of Important Books for preparation of GPSC Examination:
- Gujarat No Itihas (In Gujarati) by Hiren- Gujarat History
- Bipin Chandra- Modern History
- Majid Hussain- Geography
- Ramesh Singh- Economy
- Laxmikanth- Indian Polity
- India Year Book
Some easy Guidelines for GPSC Preparation:
● Prepare a proper Time Table for everyday study
● Be well aware of the Syllabus
● Make proper notes
● Go through solved Previous Year’s question papers
● Must go through the Mock Tests
● Revision is one of the most vital things
Lastly, structured guidance is indispensable in the cutthroat competition of GPSC, if you want to
succeed. You might know what to study and whatnot, but to achieve those desirable marks,
includes a few inevitable techniques. It is advisable to find out the best coaching institute for
GPSC in your city and enroll in that coaching centre for increasing your chance to get into the
coveted services of your state. For a long time, Borthakur IAS academy is been excelling to
provide the finest coaching in Govt. competitive exams with exemplary success rates. Having
branches in Ahmedabad, Jaipur and other parts of the country, this academy can be the ideal
option for GPSC as well as UPSC aspirants.
For more details on course structure and course details, check Borthakur’s IAS Academy or visit
their centre at CG Road, Opposite GLS road, Ahmedabad or call them at 9724996667 to ask
about the services.