@nehaj1947 The news is published in a popular Telugu Daily. It is mentioned tht there will be one optional with two papers carrying 500 marks Also stated tht GK paper 1 - Hist, Geo and Current Aff paper 2 - Polity paper 3 - Economy, Science and technology paper 4 - Social Justice, Law and Constitutionality. Coutesy - Sakshi News Daily (Andhra Pradesh)
I have been preparing for civils since 2 years and cleared mains twice. So, I have a bit of info about how this system works. First of all why are you guys giving so much importance to mains when most of you haven't even started studying for civils. Let me tell you one thing - you will be allowed to fill the mains application form where you mention the subject preferences (if any this time) if and only if you clear the prelims and become eligible for next round.
Guys, in civils people don't mind crushing you in order for them to move forward. Out of a million people who apply, 100 become IAS (not considering other services like railways, police, postal, audit, telecom etc). The probability is 100/10,00,000 = 0.0001 and for homeposting IAS, it is 0.00001%. So, stop thinking about what to do in future because while you are thinking and arguing, many are studying from dawn to dusk.
Please start preparing for prelims. No matter what UPSC does, it will only be rearrangement of existing subjects but they won't create any new subject as such. It will be more of "putting this into that and that into this" kind of thing. All those subjects are already covered in prelims and so you need not add a lot more to your existing prelims knowledge.
Subjects for prelims:
History Geography Polity Economy Science Environment Current affairs
Paper 2 - basic maths, reasoning and comparatively harder level of english & comprehension
Adding a file about Union budget. All the points are mentioned and properly arranged. 2 ques from budget guaranteed in prelims.
Also adding a few points given earlier by y2snew.
Below is the Initial Budget – 2013 highlights.
Ø No change in peak rate of Customs, Central Excise and Service tax rates Ø Service Tax - Amnesty Scheme announced for voluntary filing of returns & payment of dues Ø Negative List: Two more services added; Service tax levied on air-conditioned restaurants Ø Excise duty on SUVs hiked to 30%; Duty on marble hiked; Mobile phones prices above Rs 2000 to attract 6% duty; to be brought under MRP Scheme Ø Customs Baggage Rules: Duty-free allowance hiked to Rs 50,000 for male pax; Rs 1 lakh female pax Ø Duty hiked on motor cycles above 800 CC Ø Import duty on raw silk hiked to 15%; 2% BCD and 2% CVD on all sorts of coals imposed Ø More incentive for AMRO Sector announced Ø Import duty on leather goods manufacturing equipment's reduced Ø Incentive for GST roll-out: Rs 9000 Cr earmarked for CST compensation to State Govts Ø Tax proposals to earn Rs 13300 Cr from direct taxes + Rs 4700 Cr from indirect taxes Ø New DTC bill to be tabled before end of Budget Session Ø Kolkata LTU to be inaugurated soon Ø Modified GAAR provisions incorporated in amendments to I-T Act; GAAR to come into force from April, 2016 Ø CTT levied on non-agricultural commodities; to be non - speculative trading Ø Tax rate on royalty and FTS paid to non-residents hiked to 25% Ø 1% TDS on transfer of immovable properties above Rs 50 lakh; Agri land exempted Ø Sec 80 I A benefits allowed to power sector projects in next fiscal Ø Rs 1 lakh extra deduction allowed u/s 24 on housing loans Ø Domestic Cos to be subjected to surcharge on above Rs 10 Cr profits Ø Super-rich to be subjected to 10% surcharge on income above Rs 1 Crore Ø Tax exemption limit hiked to Rs 2.2 lakh; No change either in slabs or rates Ø FM announces setting up of Tax Review Commission Ø Fiscal deficit contained at 5.2% for current year; to be 4.8% for next fiscal; Revenue deficit to be 3.8% Ø Plan expenditure pegged at 533000 Cr; Non - Plan expenditure to be above Rs 11 lakh crore Ø Rs 1000 Cr earmarked for skill development among youths Ø 'Nirbhaya' Fund with Rs 1000 Cr to be set up for women Ø National Institute of Sports Coaching to be set up at Patiala with Rs 200 Cr Ø Stock Markets to introduce dedicated debt exchange Ø FM proposes to follow new principle to categorise investment - below 10% investment to be treated as FII and more as FDI Ø SEBI to introduce uniform procedures for registration of various foreign investors Ø Govt to set up First Women Bank with Rs 1000 Cr; Bank to be inaugurated in 2013 Ø Rs 14000 Cr capital infusion into public sector banks announced Ø Standing Committee of experts to look into recommendations of Panel on reforms for financial sector Ø Funds allocated to Apparel Parks; Rs 96 Cr earmarked for handloom weavers Ø Funds given to approved Technology Incubators to qualify as CSR activity Ø MSMEs to retain benefits for three years even if they move to higher category Ø Oil & Gas Exploration - Govt to move from production sharing to revenue sharing Ø Two new industrial ports to be set up in West Bengal & TN Ø Inflation - indexed bonds and certificates to be introduced to protect savings from middle class Ø Rajiv Gandhi Savings Scheme liberalised; extended to Mutual Funds Ø FM announces investment allowance of 15% on investments of Rs 100 Cr and above during 2013 - 14 Ø Tax-free bonds: More institutions to be allowed; Rs 50000 Cr to be raised in 2013 - 14 Ø Rs 10000 Cr earmarked to implement schemes under Food Security Bill Ø National Livestock Mission to be launched; Funds allocated Ø 22% hike in budget allocation for Agri Ministry announced Ø Rs 1600 Cr earmarked for medical education at AIIMS - like Hospitals Ø Rs 37300 Cr allocated to Ministry of Health - New Health Mission to be launched Ø Total Expenditure for 2012 - 13 revised - FM gets economic space by lowering it; 29% growth over revised expenditure proposed for 2013 - 14.
maximum probability for 2013 notification to come out tomorrow or 9 mar. get tomorrow's copy of employment news in case upsc mentions something in newspapers
FOR ALL THOSE WHO ARE WORRIED ABOUT MAINS