KAS mains pattern has changed from this year – 2014.
We can only guess what the new pattern is going to be like. Let us analyze the way papers have been set up and hw they are divided to guess the pattern.
There are 4 GS papers – similar to UPSC pattern. Each paper is further categorized into Sections, and sections are further categorized as Units.
Digging deeper, this is what we get:
| Paper / Subject | Section 1 | Section 2 | Section 3 |
|---|---|---|---|
| General Studies 1 | 6 Units | 7 Units | 8 Units |
| General Studies 2 | 6 Units | 7 Units | 7 Units |
| General Studies 3 | 7 Units | 7 Units | 6 Units |
| General Studies 4 | N/A | N/A | N/A |
Each paper has around 20 units, except for General Studies – 4.
What kind of questions can we expect in General Studies papers ?
KPSC has mentioned that each section will have questions worth 80 / 85 marks. Each section has around 6 – 7 Units. It’s safe to assume that 10 markers and 5 markers will get more prominence, as they need to cover majority of the topics.
We can expect at least 1 question from each Unit.
We are not sure if there will be many essay type questions worth 15 – 20 marks, even if they are asked, they would not be many.
So prepare for 10 – 15 markers. Few important topics should be prepared for 20 marks. Highly doubt if there will be 30 markers.
What about General Studies 4 – Ethics and Integrity ?
With respect to GS-4, it’s wise to prepare lengthier answers, as they mostly will be case study based questions. Detailed, well thought, articulate answers will fetch marks.
What can we expect for Optional Papers ?
There may not be much change in Optional papers. The previous pattern can follow, or they can follow UPSC pattern. Do not change your strategy of preparation for Optional Papers.