The Journey of an UPSC Aspirant

Hard Work and Determination

After completing my bachelor’s degree, I decided to prepare for the UPSC civil services examination. In my first attempt in 2019, I did not put in adequate effort and only scored in the 40s. This filled me with regret as I realized I could have done better had I focused more seriously. However, I was determined to make up for it in the next attempt.
In 2020, I dedicated the next 1.5 years completely to my UPSC preparation. I studied rigorously without any breaks, sometimes losing track of time. Despite my best efforts, I could only score 65 marks in the General Studies paper, which was not enough to clear the preliminary round. This taught me that hard work alone is not sufficient - proper preparation strategy and an element of luck is also needed to succeed.

Leveraging Past Experiences

Undaunted by two consecutive failures, I was more motivated than ever to clear the exam in 2021. Rather than adding new topics, I consolidated my existing knowledge and practiced plenty of previous year questions. I went into the exam with full confidence and scored 108 in General Studies and 118 in the Civil Services Aptitude Test (CSAT). Elated to have crossed the preliminary hurdle, I focused on writing the main examination. Although some subjects went well and others did not, I was overjoyed to clear the main exam as well. However, my joy was short-lived as I fell short of securing a position in the final merit list despite my interview going satisfactorily. I was determined not to let the disappointment affect my next attempt.

The Reward of Resilience

Just five days after the 2021 results, I appeared for the 2022 prelims with a fearless attitude, applying all my experience and knowledge gained over the last 5 years. My strategy of consolidating existing material along with practicing previous year questions paid off as I scored well above the qualifying cutoff. I am now waiting eagerly for the results of the main exam and interview, hoping my perseverance will be rewarded with selection this time. It has been a long journey with ups and downs, but the lessons learnt along the way have equipped me well to face any challenges ahead. My advice to other aspirants would be to never lose heart from failures and to keep faith in one’s abilities and hard work. With determination and resilience, success is sure to follow.

Learning from Experience

One valuable aspect of multiple attempts is the opportunity to learn from other candidates. Through interactions during my personality tests, I observed most candidates faced similar issues in their preparations but each had a unique weakness as well. This reinforced the importance of identifying one’s shortcomings and addressing them individually. Another major takeaway was gaining valuable guidance from mentors like Anudeep Durishetty sir, whose refined thoughts were a result of many years of experience in the field. Regularly observing top performers helped me improve different aspects of my preparation over the years.

Relying on Basics

For aspirants just beginning their journey, I would emphasize sticking to the principles of Discipline, Dedication and Diligence (D3). It is easy to get distracted, but staying focused on the goal is critical. The right age and attempt to clear the exam is different for everyone, so having self-belief and working consistently towards one’s potential is most important. While adopting the right strategies certainly helps, ultimately there is no alternative to honest, hard work. With adequate self-confidence and by not adding undue pressure, one can overcome the inherent challenges of this examination. The experiences gained during this process help develop the character needed to serve the country as civil servants.

Striking the Right Balance

Preparing for civil services is undoubtedly challenging but it is also deeply rewarding. Maintaining a work-life balance through this lengthy journey is important for both mental and physical well-being. It is natural to sometimes feel low after failures but having family support acts as a strong emotional anchor. Interacting with like-minded preparation partners can also lift one’s spirits during difficult times.
Overall, persevering with optimism and pragmatism will serve aspirants well in their goal of clearing this prestigious exam. My journey thus far has reaffirmed that with self-belief, discipline and wisdom gained from setbacks, success is well within reach for those who do not lose heart.