The Assam Public Service Commission (APSC) Combined Competitive Examination (CCE) is one of the most prestigious exams in Assam, recruiting for roles like Assam Civil Service (ACS) and Assam Police Service (APS). This guide provides a structured roadmap for your preparation.
1. Understanding the Exam Pattern
The APSC CCE is conducted in three successive stages:
Stage I: Preliminary Examination (Objective Type)
This stage serves as a screening test. It consists of two papers, each of 200 marks and 2 hours duration.
- General Studies I: 100 Questions (200 Marks). Merit is based on this paper. Approximately 30-35% of questions are related to Assam.
- General Studies II (CSAT): 80 Questions (200 Marks). This is a qualifying paper; you must score at least 33% (66 marks).
- Negative Marking: 1/4th of the marks assigned to a question will be deducted for every wrong answer.
Stage II: Main Examination (Descriptive Type)
The Mains exam consists of 6 papers, each of 250 marks and 3 hours duration. Total marks: 1500.
| Paper | Subject | Marks |
|---|---|---|
| Paper I | Essay | 250 |
| Paper II | General Studies I (History, Culture, Geography, Society) | 250 |
| Paper III | General Studies II (Governance, Polity, Social Justice, IR) | 250 |
| Paper IV | General Studies III (Technology, Economy, Environment, Disaster Mgmt) | 250 |
| Paper V | General Studies IV (Ethics, Integrity, and Aptitude) | 250 |
| Paper VI | General Subject Paper on Assam (History, Geography, Polity, Economy, etc.) | 250 |
Stage III: Interview (Personality Test)
Candidates who qualify the Mains are called for an interview, which carries 180 marks. The final merit list is prepared based on the marks of Mains + Interview (Total: 1680).
2. Recommended Booklist
A focused resource list is crucial to avoid information overload.
General Studies (Core)
- History: A Brief History of Modern India by Spectrum (Rajiv Ahir) and India’s Struggle for Independence by Bipan Chandra.
- Polity: Indian Polity by M. Laxmikanth (The Bible for Civil Services).
- Geography: Geography of India by Majid Hussain or NCERTs (Class 6-12).
- Economy: Indian Economy by Ramesh Singh or Nitin Singhania.
- Environment: Environment by Shankar IAS Academy.
- Ethics: Lexicon for Ethics, Integrity & Aptitude or Subba Rao.
Assam Specific (Crucial for Paper VI and Prelims)
- Assam History: A History of Assam by Edward Gait and Assam Year Book by Shantanu Kaushik Baruah.
- Assam Geography: Geography of Assam by Taher and Ahmed.
- Assam Economy & Polity: Refer to the latest Assam Economic Survey and Assam Budget.
- Assam Culture: The Heritage of Assam (various publications).
3. 12-Month Preparation Strategy
If you are starting now for next year’s exam, here is a month-by-month breakdown:
Phase 1: Foundation (Months 1-4)
- Goal: Build basic concepts and finish NCERTs.
- Focus: Read NCERTs (Class 6-12) for History, Geography, Polity, and Economy.
- Current Affairs: Start reading a daily newspaper (The Assam Tribune for state news and The Hindu or Indian Express for national/international news).
Phase 2: In-depth Study (Months 5-8)
- Goal: Cover the core syllabus using standard reference books.
- Focus: Complete Laxmikanth (Polity), Spectrum (History), and start the Assam-specific syllabus.
- Answer Writing: Start practicing one answer daily to build descriptive writing skills for Mains.
Phase 3: Prelims & Mains Integration (Months 9-10)
- Goal: Deep dive into Paper VI (Assam) and Ethics (Paper V).
- Focus: Focus on Assam’s history, culture, and geography. Practice CSAT (GS II) once a week to ensure you qualify.
- Revision: Start your first round of revision for all core subjects.
Phase 4: Mock Tests & Final Revision (Months 11-12)
- Goal: Exam readiness.
- Focus: Solve at least 20-30 full-length Prelims mock tests.
- Mains: Practice full-length essay writing and GS papers within the 3-hour time limit.
- Assam Current Affairs: Revise the latest Assam Budget and Economic Survey.
4. Pro-Tips for Success
- Syllabus is Key: Keep a printout of the syllabus on your desk. Never read anything that is not in the syllabus.
- Previous Year Questions (PYQs): Analyze the last 5 years of APSC papers to understand the “weightage” of different topics.
- The Assam Factor: Do not neglect Paper VI. It is often the deciding factor in the final selection.
- Consistency: 6-8 hours of focused study is better than 12 hours of distracted reading.
- Newspaper Reading: The Assam Tribune is mandatory for APSC aspirants to cover state-specific current affairs.
Good luck with your preparation! Stay consistent, and you will surely crack it.
