Candidates appearing for India’s most prestigious examination really know what are the traits and qualities they are been being tested for? Before embarking on the preparation for this most coveted examination, an aspirant must ask and try to find out honest answers.

• Ethics tells us how to act rightly. It aims at defining terms like good and bad, right and wrong. Ethics is often misunderstood to be doing something which society accepts, but we should not forget that the standards of behavior in society can deviate from what is ethical. An apt and ethical administrator never compromises on the highest standards of quality in administrative decisions and actions due to complacency or convenience. This article will discuss points which are vitally important to become a good IAS officer. In addition to that must-have skills in a candidate to crack civil services examination will also be talked over.
• A committed and a dedicated person excel and bring incredibly noticeable results wherever he puts his efforts. There is no substitute of hard and committed work. So an aspirant of UPSC examination must be a committed worker.
• An administrator counts on the principle that all his decisions should lead to the greatest good of the greatest number. Relying on the principle means that an administrator’s reach is to most powerful as well as underprivileged classes of the society as well. After deciding to do maximum good for the society, all the decisions already become rational.
• Civil servants make all their decisions in a transparent manner. Transparency leaves no room for ambiguity. Civil services aspirants show utmost transparency in all their deeds.
• While undertaking any administrative action, an administrator practices utmost honesty and never uses his power, position and discretion to serve his personal interest.

A nation’s prestige comes first and is above everything. A civil servant like a selfless soldier always measures the impact of his action on his nation’s strength and prestige.