In brief
The 2014 Civil Services (Main) Examination included a compulsory Indian-language paper, and Konkani was among the languages offered. This page offers that paper as an archived official PDF of around 0.2 MB. Instructions on the paper are in English and Hindi, while the questions themselves are in Konkani. As with other papers on the site, answers are not part of the document.
Understanding the compulsory language paper
In the pattern then followed, the Indian-language paper was meant to test whether a candidate could read, understand and write in a language from the Constitution’s schedule. It was qualifying in nature, so the marks did not add to the merit ranking, but failing to qualify could end a candidacy. That makes careful practice sensible even for those who feel fluent, since an unexpected slip should never decide the outcome of months of preparation.
Contents you can expect
- Comprehension of a passage in the language
- Precis or summary writing
- Grammar and usage questions
- Translation between the language and English
- Short composition or essay
This list describes the usual skills examined in such papers; check the PDF for the exact task set in 2014.
Steps for self-testing
- Read the bilingual instructions carefully, since they define the permitted marks and time.
- Answer in a notebook within the stated time.
- Ask a fluent speaker or school teacher to mark spelling and idiom.
- Rework each weak area using a good grammar guide in the language.
Who it is for
Candidates from Goa, coastal Karnataka and other Konkani-speaking communities who opt for the language as their compulsory paper will find direct use. Others can still glance at it to understand how the Commission treats the requirement. The file gives style and difficulty benchmarks, not an exhaustive syllabus.
Print options
For other Mains papers where printed practice helps, bound UPSC previous year question collections from the store can keep your practice away from the screen.
Quick caution on dates
The year printed on this paper is 2014, and the scheme for compulsory language papers has since been revised by the Commission on more than one occasion. Treat the file as a record of what was asked then, and read the current official notification for rules on language papers and qualifying marks before relying on any old pattern.
