by Md. Zahid Hasan

Do you know why most of the candidates won’t succeed in the BCS Preliminary Exam under BPSC?

Do you have any ideas about the three stupid mistakes you may commit in your BCS Preliminary Exam?

Perhaps, you don’t know which mistakes I am talking about. You are in darkness about which three common mistakes will bring disasters to the candidates of the 35^th BCS test or 36^th BCS test or any other BCS test. It’s not your fault, neither your fellow candidates’.

I guess you aren’t least bothered about the mistakes as you’ve not studied your syllabus carefully or you’ve not appeared at any BCS Preliminary exam before. So, these issues are not your cup of tea while you are taking your Preparation, are they really?

Don’t worry! You’re in the right place to be educated about your BCS exam strategies while taking BCS Preparation.

Just go through the mistakes I have listed below and check those in the exam that is held under the supervision of Bangladesh Public Service Commission i.e. BPSC:

1.     Starting with Mathematical Reasoning Section of BCS Preliminary Exam Questionnaire:

It will be utter stupidity if you start answering from Mathematical reasoning section. Because only 15 marks is allotted for your mathematical reasoning section. If you get stuck to any problems of this section, it may affect the other parts of your total 200-mark exam.

Though 15 marks is 7.5% of your total 200 marks, it may reduce your score roughly 15-20% which is a huge damage to your overall score. In the previous preliminary exams of PSC bd, mathematical reasoning would constitute 20% of the total 100 marks exam.

So scoring a sound figure in the mathematical reasoning section would matter less and play a less defining role in the preliminary exam success. Even in those previous exams, if a candidate messed up with any questions of mathematical reasoning section, he would face a disaster in his other sections of  the test. I myself faced a grave damage in my 28^th BCS Preliminary due to my getting stuck to mathematical reasoning problems and I narrowly escaped my failure to succeed in that that exam held under PSC Bangladesh.

But the scenario has changed and now there is no point to start answering from mathematical reasoning section from the 35^th BCS Preliminary Exam and onward exams or any other Preliminary test. You can better take on it at the ending part of your exam duration.

2.     Getting Panic-Seized Seeing Tough Questions in the Questionnaire

Exam of any kind is always a war of nerves. BCS preliminary exam is not free from this. It is, in some respects, a tougher battle than your previous academic exams. Perhaps, it is such an exam you have been waiting for long to fight. It is such of your few exams which is going to define your career or change your life. Lots of reasons are there behind your nervousness in the eve of the exam or during you are brainstorming questions in the exam hall.

Perhaps, you are over serious about your preparation for the upcoming exams. You have spoiled a huge chunk of time doing unnecessary things and you exactly don’t know where to start from or how to get a smart finishing touch on your overall preparation for the exam.

I say you shouldn’t anyway worry about your preliminary exam performance as the success of BCS Exam doesn’t always depend on your pre-exam preparation for the battle. Neither a good and flawless preparation will bring you an expected level of victory in the preliminary test you are going to sit for.

Actually, only those candidates will get through the Exam battle who are both industrious and tactful. You need a sound exam strategy and implementation plan to knock the bastard down! A good number of candidates take solid preparation so that they may certainly expect to bag the victory over the preliminary test-monster but most of them get frustrated seeing the outcome of their hard-sweated preparation. It will be an utter waste of time if you don’t build a strong fighting stamina against the odd environments which may sock you and startle you in the exam hall.

So, I am going to offer you a couple tips to fight the odd exam-hall environments which may freak you otherwise if not addressed:

• Relax a Bit When You Find the Tough-Questions:

Hey, guy! This is not your academic exam that requires you to score a handsome figure to achieve an expected grade for your future jobs or scholarships. It is all about competition and you just need to cross the level of score that is expected to join the winners’ pool.

In a particular preliminary exam held earlier, for example, it just needed 45 marks to qualify for the respective BCS preliminary exam qualifying pool of candidates and in another preliminary exam, it needed more than 65 marks to qualify. So, don’t get panic-stricken seeing tough questionnaire as it is also a tough questionnaire for most of the candidates. Be cool and composed and brainstorm your questions normally. Perhaps, you are able to score a very poor figure in the preliminary test and still there is a good chance and also some good reasons that you may qualify for that exam.

Do you know about my score of the 28^th BCS Preliminary Exam? It was just 47.5 yet I could get success in that exam. So, get relaxed. A tough questionnaire is NOT always a tough exam at the end of the day.

• Math Makes Most of the Examinees Panic-Seized.

Again from my experience, I affirm that to start answering the mathematics section at the beginning is a very BIG wrong and it’s of course not the right strategy even if you are the Einstein of Mathematics. It may bring disaster for your preliminary exam because an easy and simple problem can consume lots of time which will lead you touch the time dead-line with some known questions unanswered. Freaking enough, right?

• Never Be a Perfectionist While Filling in the Circles of OMR Sheet.

Some candidates waste their valuable time being too much fastidious with circle-filling and become panic-seized when they try to touch all the questions they are really able to cope with. I do advise you not to seek cent percent perfection while you are filling in your circles of the OMR-sheet. Your filling can be just enough to cover the character or option-letter. You needn’t blacken every white dots of the circle. It is just nothing but waste of your valuable time.

1. Don’t Rely on Side-Men

Look, you have got to understand you won’t be able to go too far with your BCS exam relying on your fellow candidates’ help who are supposed to sit in your bench or around your seat in the exam hall. Bangladesh Public Service Commission or BPSC is very meticulous about controlling the unfair means that are seen to take place in the BCS Exam hall. You may be expelled or your answer-script be taken hostage by the personnel deputed over there in the exam hall for invigilation duty. Such types of mishap can cause disaster to your journey to be a BCS cadre officer.

Moreover, mere copying the answers of your side-men can decrease the accuracy level of your answers and you have to suffer from unexpected penalties which are unnecessary at this stage. You may be sabotaged by your side-men and thus face a catastrophic score in the bcs preliminary exam. So, solidify your bcs preparation and don’t rely on your side-men.

BCS Preliminary Exam is the most vital BCS test of all the tests of your bcs examination. You shouldn’t take your BCS preparation casually as the failure to make it may stop your next journey.

BPSC authority always encourages the candidates to get solid BCS preparation by studying extensively before sitting for bcs exam under Bangladesh Public Service Commission. They use to write such important advices on every bcs exam circular to remind the willing job seekers that it is a serious game.

Yes, it is time to focus on your BCS preparation seriously. Practice your strategies to get accustomed to those before your BCS Preliminary Exam date or Preliminary Exam Seat Plan is published. I wish you all the very best for your coming exam.

You can read my another blog post for more details: How you can beat BCS Preliminary exam by preparing yourself in 7 effective ways.

Feel free to ask me questions about your preparation in the comment section.

You can join my Facebook Group for BCS Exam preparation where I along with the volunteers share tips and test-related stuffs with the group members.

Facebook Group Link: https: https://www.facebook.com/groups/BCSExambd

10 Tips to Take BCS Written Preparation Quickly

Md. Zahid Hasan

Have you already kick-started your BCS Written Preparation?

If you’ve already started BCS Written Exam preparation, perhaps, you’re worried!

If you’re delayed by some extent to start BCS Written Exam Preparation,, you’re horrified.

And if you’re yet to start, you’re definitely terrified and broken!

I know you’re mentally sucked up!

Because you’ve been caught in a dilemma about how you can take BCS Written Preparation successfully.

You know strategies are import as they will define your success at the crucial stages of your BCS Written examination. So fix your BCS Written Exam Preparation strategies at first.

You will have to sit for BCS written test and BCS Viva-voce of 1100 marks. BCS Written test constitutes 81.82% of your total 1100 marks. So your fate will mostly be defined by your score in BCS Written test. And your final merit position will be fixed based on your obtained total score of bcs written test and viva-voce. No matter what if you’ve so called influential ‘Mamas’ or super influential ‘Daddy.’ They won’t be able to influence your BCS Written exam result.

BCS written hurdle is a comprehensive test. It’s like that of ‘Test Cricket’ format of battle! You always have chances to lose in some phases and to win in other phases.

Let me list below the “Dos and ‘Don’ts” for taking a sound BCS Written Exam Preparation:

# 1 # Find out Your Weak Zones

Finding out weak areas of a candidate is a must for all kinds of exam or battle preparation. The same is true for BCS Written exam preparation.

So find out your weak-points based on the range and topics of BCS written syllabus. Write down about your weak areas and plan your strategies to overcome them. Listing your problems is like diagnosing your diseases. You can’t single out any appropriate medicines for your diseases until you identify them.

# 2 # Examining the BCS Written Test Syllabus

You must go through the syllabus minutely to have clear perception about the depth of the syllabus. Re-read or re-revise the syllabus to find out the most important areas of the syllabus so that you can focus on those areas to get more marks in the BCS written exam. Don’t forget to mark those important areas or topics. You better use red-pen to high-light them to draw your random attention.

# 3 # Make a Priority List of Study before starting BCS Written Preparation.

Listing is making something organized. Not all the topics are equally important for BCS Written exam success. Some topics need more attention than other ones. Some topics carry fewer marks to be focused on just at the very beginning of your preparation. So make a priority list of your topics to have a solid and organized BCS Written Preparation.

# 4 # Channelise Information Data-base

You must have clear perception about the ‘brief questions’ and ‘short questions’. Examiners tend to go through your short and brief questions’ answers minutely and carefully. If you provide wrong information and just beat about the bush, you will brutally be penalized in short notes as well as in broad-questions segments.

# 5 # Learn How to Maximise Your Memory Re-call

After memorizing any stock of information (in the form of Short or Broad Answers), our memory system tends to lose 80 % of the memorized information or data-stock on particular topic just after 24 hours of our study. So you tend to forget cent-percent of your memorised information.

Follow this research-based revision cycle to maximize your memory re-call:

Execute your—

1^st Revision:   Just after 24 hours of your study. So you’ll be able to remember your information throughout the next 7 days.

2^nd Revision:   After first week. Your memory will last for the next one month.

3^rd Revision: After first one month. Your memorized information can be recalled or remembered for the next 6 months.

If you follow the above ‘Revision-Cycle’, you’ll definitely be able to remember your maximum information stock that you have learned earlier.

# 6 # Learn the Basic Information Authentically

It’s nearly impossible to study all the questions of your BCS Written Exam syllabus. But you’ll have to answer all the questions to get handsome marks in the subjects belonging to BCS Written Test.

What you should do?

Understand the core-philosophy of study from the quotation given below:

‘Some books are to be tasted, others to be swallowed, and some few to be chewed and digested.’         [Of Studies: Francis Bacon]

# 7 # Participate in the Mock-Written Tests to solidify your BCS Written Preparation.

It’s very essential to participate in two or three mock-written tests so that you may better understand and identify your efficiency level. You’ll be able to fix your timing errors and measure how short or how long you should write your answers under all segments before-hands.

# 8 # Purchase an Extra-set of Books for BCS Written Preparation

Not all topics can be found well-written in a single set of books. So try to purchase or borrow an alternative set of books to be enriched with rich and accurate information.

# 9 # Be Familiar with and Accustomed to Your Writing Style and Devices

Never experiment in the exam-hall. Be familiar with the presentation style you want to follow and implement in the exam-scripts. And also be familiar with the pens, pencils and calculator.

# 10 # Apply Skimming and Scanning Method in Broad Questions

Coping with ‘Broad Questions’ is really tough to have a desired BCS Written Preparation. The problem is you don’t have enough time to cope with all the broad questions of the subjects you have for BCS written preparation test.

How will you solve this problem?

Skimming and Scanning the broad questions can be faster methods of reading so many broad questions under the belt of your BCS written test syllabus.

# For Skimming#: Go through the beginning and ending lines of the paragraphs of your broad questions and write down the summary in two-three lines from each paragraph.

#For Scanning#: Go through the key facts or key pieces of information. Write down those scanned information in short-phrases in bullet-form. Preserve your notes in a diary for next-time quick review.

In these ways, you’ll surely be able to take BCS Written Preparation effectively and succeed in the BCS Exam battle.

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BCS Application Form & BCS Cadre Choice: 4 Confusions

Md. Zahid Hasan

Are you filling up your BCS application form wrong?

Are you in confusions about choosing your BCS cadre choice-order?

Who wasn’t confused? Who isn’t confused and who won’t be confused?

Don’t worry! I’m trying below to dispel some of your confusions about filling up your BCS application form and BCS cadre choice:

Check out whether any of the following ones is/are the confusion/s you have been suffering from.

Confusion No-1: About Selecting Your Employment Status

Which employment status would you choose? Is that ‘Not Employed’ or ‘Regular Basis under Revenue Budget’ or ‘Private Organisation’ or else one?

My suggestion is that you shouldn’t hide your job-identity. It may cause unnecessary hassle during police verification phase or at viva-voce board.

Best practice is you must mention your job-status if you’re in a government job, be it under revenue budget, or development project or autonomous/ semi-autonomous organization. You’ll have to submit your NOC (No Objection Certificate) taken from the employer organization at your viva-board.

If you’re serving at a private organization, you still can mention it. Many candidates don’t like to mention their job status as they think they won’t be able to manage an NOC from their respective authority. NOC is not required for a service-holder of any private organisation. You won’t need or require submitting NOC before the viva-board if you’re a service-holder of a private organisation.

Confusion No-2: Does Exam Centre Matter?

Many candidates under regional offices of BPSC believe that candidates under Dhaka Head Office enjoy special priority regarding result and cadre allotment. It is a stupid idea. Exam centre never influences your result or luck! It will be wise if you select your exam centre based on the facilities you have available for it.

You must consider whether you’ll be able to reach your selected exam centre in due time while selecting exam centre in the bcs application form. Accommodation and food availability should be considered too.

Confusion No-3: Have You Mentioned  Your Obtained Marks-Percentage Wrong?

There is a field in your bcs application form (BPSC Form-1) where you’ll have to mention your obtained marks percentage. You shouldn’t provide any wrong information or incorrect information about your obtained marks. Make sure you apply the given equation to find out the percentage of your obtained marks in your academic exams.

4. BCS Cadre Choice: Don’t make a stupid choice!

There are lots of talks and opinions about BCS cadre choice. During filling up bcs application form, some candidates choose BCS Customs and Excise, BCS Taxation, BCS Police not based on their real ‘feel-like’ desire/ instinct. These cadre posts top some job seekers’ list based on those cadres’ facilities spiced up with power, honour and money.

Please, try to understand your own personality. Do you want to use power illegally? Do you want to earn illegal money?

So, just have a rational choice of your desired top cadres to fill up your bcs application form. Mind it all cadre officers use to enjoy the same pay grade and have the same salary structure.

You must follow your heart during your cadre-list selection. Never hanker after what greedy people tell you.

Again you’ll be asked lots of questions at your viva-board about why your top-priority cadre posts are your favourite cadres. The viva-board members will test the depth of your perception about your top-listed cadres.

They will make fun at your cadre-choice priority if you cannot convince them that you really don’t have any hidden greed for illegal power and money.

I don’t say that the officers of those cadres are bad people. In fact, lots of bright and honest officers are there.

Hope you won’t face any confusion while filling BCS Application form online and making your BCS cadre choice.

I wish you a successful beginning. Stay in touch.