What is the best step after 12th to prepare for IAS?

Hi.

• Gender: Only female candidates are eligible.
• Nationality: Must be a citizen of India.
• Marital Status: Must be unmarried, divorced, legally separated, or a widow without encumbrances.
• Age Limit: The candidate must be between 17 and 25 years of age at the time the course is due to commence. The specific birth date range will be mentioned in the official notification for that year.
• Educational Qualification: You must have passed the Senior Secondary Examination (10+2) or equivalent in the first attempt as a regular student with Physics, Chemistry, Biology (Botany & Zoology), and English, with a minimum of 50% aggregate marks. Candidates appearing for their final 12th year exam can also apply provisionally.
• Entrance Exam: Qualifying the NEET (UG) exam conducted by the National Testing Agency (NTA) is mandatory. The NEET score is used for initial shortlisting.
• Physical Standards: You must be medically fit as per the standards prescribed for the Armed Forces. A medical board will make the final decision. The minimum height requirement is 152 cm (with some relaxations for candidates from hill and North Eastern states). 

Hi.

• Syllabus Coverage: Previous papers primarily test a sampling of the syllabus from past years. New exams may include different topics or ask questions in formats not seen in older papers. Relying only on them leaves gaps in your subject knowledge.
• Fundamental Understanding: Simply memorizing answers to past questions does not build the fundamental understanding of concepts required to tackle new or differently phrased questions in the actual exam.
• Changing Exam Patterns: While the core pattern usually remains similar, minor changes in question types or marking schemes can occur over time. 

1. Thorough Syllabus Review: The absolute first step is to study the complete Maharashtra HSC 12th syllabus and understand all core concepts from your textbooks.
2. Practice for Familiarity and Time Management: Once you have a good grasp of the material, use the previous years' papers to:
   • Understand the exam format, question types, and difficulty level.
   • Practice time management by simulating exam conditions.
   • Identify your weak areas and topics that need more review.
3. Use Official Resources: Ensure you are using the latest official syllabus and marking scheme provided by the Maharashtra State Board of Secondary and Higher Secondary Education (MSBSHSE).
4. Solve Sample Papers: In addition to past papers, solve the latest official sample papers or model test papers released by the board or reputable publishers to ensure you are prepared for the current year's expectations. 

Hi...

• Bachelor of Commerce (B.Com / B.Com Hons.): The most traditional path, covering accounting, finance, taxation, economics, and business law.
  • Specializations: B.Com (Hons.) offers deeper specialization. Other options include Accounting & Finance, Banking & Insurance, Taxation, and Computer Applications.
  • Career Paths: Accountant, Auditor, Tax Consultant, Banker, Financial Analyst.
• Bachelor of Business Administration (BBA) / Bachelor of Management Studies (BMS): Focuses on business principles, management practices, leadership, and entrepreneurship.
  • Specializations: Finance, Marketing, Human Resources, International Business, Data Analytics.
  • Career Paths: Business Analyst, Marketing Executive, HR Manager, Operations Manager, Entrepreneur.
• Bachelor of Economics (B.Econ / B.A. Hons. Economics): A strong option if you are good with numbers and interested in economic theory, data analysis, and policy.
  • Career Paths: Economist, Data Analyst, Financial Planner, Researcher, Policy Analyst.
• Integrated Law Courses (B.Com LLB / BBA LLB): A 5-year integrated program for those interested in corporate law, taxation law, or the judiciary.
  • Career Paths: Corporate Lawyer, Legal Advisor, Compliance Officer. 

• Chartered Accountancy (CA): A highly prestigious and rigorous course that focuses on auditing, taxation, and financial management. It involves three levels of exams and a mandatory articleship (practical training).
  • Governing Body: Institute of Chartered Accountants of India (ICAI).
• Company Secretary (CS): Focuses on corporate law, governance, and regulatory compliance. It's a great option for those interested in the legal aspects of business management.
  • Governing Body: Institute of Company Secretaries of India (ICSI).
• Cost and Management Accountant (CMA): Specializes in cost accounting, budgeting, performance management, and corporate strategy.
  • Governing Body: Institute of Cost Accountants of India (ICAI).
• Certified Financial Planner (CFP): An internationally recognized certification for a career in personal finance, wealth management, and investment advising. 

Hi...

Choosing an engineering college requires balancing placement records, salary packages, and fees. Generally, top-tier government institutes (IITs, NITs)  offer the best combination of high placements, excellent salaries, and lower fees compared to private universities.

• Placements & Salary: The absolute best. They consistently report near 100% placements in relevant branches (like CSE, Mechanical). Average salaries are very high (often ₹18-25+ LPA), with top international offers exceeding ₹50 LPA.
• Fees: Relatively low compared to the return on investment (ROI). The government heavily subsidizes education, making the total cost significantly lower than elite private options.
• Admission: Requires qualifying the JEE Main and then cracking the highly competitive JEE Advanced exam.

• Placements & Salary: Excellent, second only to the IITs. Top NITs like NIT Tiruchirappalli, NIT Karnataka, and NIT Rourkela have phenomenal placement records, with average salaries around ₹12-16+ LPA.
• Fees: Moderate to low, offering excellent ROI. They are centrally funded technical institutes (CFTIs).
• Admission: Requires a high rank in the JEE Main exam.

• Placements & Salary: Very good. Institutions like Delhi Technological University (DTU), Netaji Subhas University of Technology (NSUT), and Jadavpur University offer strong placements and competitive salaries (avg. ₹10-15+ LPA).
• Fees: Low, as they are state or centrally funded.
• Admission: Varies by institute. DTU/NSUT use JEE Main ranks, while Jadavpur uses the WBJEE exam.

• Placements & Salary: Good placements with decent average salaries (avg. ₹7-12 LPA). However, the top salaries often go to a select few students.
• Fees: High. These institutes charge significantly higher tuition fees, which impacts the overall ROI.
• Admission: Through university-specific entrance exams or direct admission based on Class 12 scores/JEE Main rank. Examples include:
  • Birla Institute of Technology and Science (BITS Pilani, Goa, Hyderabad) - very high fees, but excellent placements.
  • Vellore Institute of Technology (VIT)
  • SRM Institute of Science and Technology (SRMIST)

After the 2023-24 revised CBSE syllabus, many chapters have been removed, and in some chapters syllabus is reduced. As per the latest CBSE exam pattern 2025-26, the Chapter 1 Solutions will be asked for 5-7 marks in the Class 12 Chemistry CBSE board exams.

For other competitive exams, the Solutions chapter has a medium weightage in the NEET exam. In the NEET exam, 1-2 questions are frequently asked based on the concept of moderate-level numerical.

Physical Chemistry holds over 30% weightage in the chemistry section in the JEE Mains exam. The solutions chapter is considered a part of physical chemistry.  You can expect 1 question form the solutions chapter in JEE Mains exam.