If you’re one of the 80,000+ who applied for just 80 seats, this is your cue to go full throttle. No more procrastination. No more “I’ll start tomorrow.” The clock is ticking. Here’s what you need to know: The exam is offline, 2 hours long, 120 MCQs, 300 marks total; and yes, there’s negative marking (lose 0.33 for every wrong answer). That means guesswork can sink you. Strategy matters more than ever. The salary? ₹56,100 to ₹1,77,500; Level-10, 7th CPC. Not bad for a Central Government job with pension, job security, and national exposure. But 80 seats? For a job this stable? The competition is brutal. And here’s the twist; you’re not just competing with fresh grads. You’re up against MBA grads, ex-bankers, teachers, even engineers who switched tracks. Your degree? Doesn’t matter. Your prep? Everything. Start with the syllabus: General Awareness, Reasoning, Quant, and Professional Knowledge (mostly EPFO, labour laws, social security). Most candidates skip the professional part; that’s your golden gap. Interview carries 25% weight; so even if you score 80% in written, you can lose it in the interview if you’re not polished. Soft skills matter. Pro tip: Don’t wait for the admit card. Start now. Make a 100-day plan. 3 hours daily. 2 days revision weekly. Mock tests every Sunday. Because the truth is; this isn’t just an exam. It’s a life reset. And 20th December? That’s your new deadline.