CSE 2021: Plan / Strategy / Daily Routine

So, as promised, we tried to answer all queries that came our way.

Hopefully that added some value to your strategy and mental peace.

It is time for @AJ_  and I to log-out. 

Push yourself, motivate each other and never forget that hardwork beats intelligence and luck 10 times over in this exam.

All the best and Godspeed!

Something to end my time here by:

"Happiness can be found, even in the darkest of times, if one only remembers to turn on the light."

Group Captain Varun Singh

1.I hope this letter finds you, your family, the faculty and the children

of the school in the best of health in these challenging times, I am an

alumnus of the school's 2000 batch. Wg Cdr Avtar Singh (Retd) was the

principal at the time and the present Vice-Principal Mrs Vijay Lakshmi was our English teacher. After completing school, I was selected for NDA and thereafter joined the Air Force in the Flying Branch, fighter stream

2.I write to you filled with a sense of pride and humility. On 15th Aug

this year I have been awarded Shaurya Chakra by the President of India

in recognition of an act of gallantry on 12 Oct 20. I credit this prestigious

award to all those I have been associated with over the years in school,

NDA and thereafter the Air Force as I firmly believe that my actions that

day were a result of the grooming and mentoring by my teachers,

instructcrs and peers over the years

1. I write to share some thoughts about my life which I feel may help

and inspire children who might feel that they are meant to be only

mediocre in this hyper competitive world.

4.I was a very average student who barely scored 1 division in 12'h

class. Even though I was made the Discipline Prefect in 12', I was equally

average even in sports and other co-curricular activities. But 1 had a

passion for airplanes and aviation I represented the school in 92 Aeronautical Society of India Quiz twice and we stood 2nd and 3rd in those events.

5.As I went to NDA, I passed out as an OC (Officer Cadet) and did

not excel either in studies or sport to make the cut to be an appointment

in NDA. It is when I reached AFA that I started to realise that my passion

for aviation gave me an edge over my peers. Still, even then I lacked

confidence in my true capabilities.

6.I lacked confidence as I always thought I was meant to be average

and there was no point in trying to excel, as I possibly couldn't excel at

anything. After commissioning as a young Flight Lieutenant in a Fighter

Squadron I realised that I could do well if I put my mind and heart to it. I

started working to be that best I could be, as opposed to only making sure I achieve the 'pass' standard.

7.It is at this point that things started to turn around in my

professional and personal life. I resolved to do each task to the best of

my abilities, whether it was flying or otherwise. I was soon selected to

undergo the challenging Flying Instructors course, wherein I bagged two

trophies out of the five.

8.Subsequently I volunteered for the prestigious and rigorous

Experimental Test Pilot course which had a 4 stage selection and only 7

out of 59 pilots who appeared made it through. And during the 11 months

long course one of the pilots was withdrawn from the course as he could

not cope with the rigours of the course.

9.Thereafter, I was selected to undergo the prestigious Staff College

abroad and on return was posted to a Tejas aircraft Squadron even

though I had crossed the seniority bracket to qualify for change of aircraft.My credentials as an Experimental Test Pilot were the reason for this challenging and exciting posting

10.In 2019 I was in the first list of 12 candidates for ISRO's

Gaganyaan programme. Though, I did not make the final cut due to a

medical requirement. Subsequently, last year on the fateful day, I was

faced with a grave and critical failure in my aircraft, The SOP required me

to eject and abandon the aircraft. However, I took a few calculated risks

and managed to land the aircraft without any damage to either the aircraft or civilians. The citation for the award is attached as reference.

11?I bring out the above not to blow my trumpet or with a desire to

seek a pat on the back. I write to let the children know a few of the

following thoughts of my life experiences that may help them in future.

12."It is ok to be mediocre. Not everyone will excel at school and not

everyone will be able to score in the 90s. If you do, it's an amazing

achievement and must be applauded. However, if you don't, do not think

that you are meant to be mediocre. You may be mediocre in school but it

is by no means a measure of things to come in life. Find your calling, it

could be art, music, graphic design, literature etc. Whatever you work

towards, be dedicated, do your best. Never go to bed thinking I could

have put in more effort.

13.Never lose hope, never think that you cannot be good at what you

want to be. It will not come easy, it will take effort, it will require sacrifice

of time and comfort. I was mediocre, and today I have reached difficult

milestones in my career. Do nol think that 12' board marks decide what

you are capable of achieving in life. Believe in yourself, work towards it."

14.I would be deeply humbled if in your judgement some part of this

story may be shared with the children, especially the teens as they near

adulthood with its complexities of societal pressures, academic

challenges and a sometimes an uncertain and frightening future.

15?If I am is able to inspire even one child to believe him/her in

himself/herself I would have achieved my objective of writing to you.

It was an amazing experience here. Forum has truly been a very helpful community.

Best of Luck to everyone :)

Hello People!

I'm a new visitor on this thread; not because I didn't have anything to write, but because I was so awestruck looking at all the things people were doing here, (and I don't mean just study wise).

These goals you set for yourselves and your constant trial to reach them is paradoxically both intensely personal and very universal.

Everything you feel right now, has been felt by everyone who ever made it in anything. And yet, the feelings are so intensely isolating - the shame, sorrow, anger, motivation, the "what ifs", the daydreaming and the anxiety. Feels like being weightless and having the entirety of the world's weight on you at the same time.

I know this because I've felt it with each Pre I gave. In 2019, my first one, I couldn't hear the invigilator over the sound of my blood pumping in my ears. I thought this is how people have a stroke. The past fortnight had been an absolute wreck, and I was sure that no matter what I did - it would be a disaster.

I cleared that Pre with a margin of ~35 marks above the cutoff. Not because I was confident, but because in the depth of that anxiety, sitting on that creaky school bench, worrying about why ever I dreamt of being a civil servant - I told myself that I'll be alright. With no proof for support, and all the proof to contrary - I just told myself that no matter what happens, I will always be alright. I'll be happy, calm and composed in those 4 hours - like in my entire career, if I just have faith that I'll be alright. And my mind clicked to its place, looked at the million-th MCQ I was about to read...and it was done.

So, my people, please have a bit of crazy faith in yourself. Faith that comes like Human Rights do, from the sole fact of existence on Earth. No matter how not-ready you are, (although try and study to your level best), just believe that it's okay.

Not out of a sense of fatalism or defeatism, but out of the same unearned optimism that pushes people to be RCB fans. 

This is the secret sauce to Pre. 

All the best!

ISorry for barging in with these pictures and disturbing your daily thread as I have limited friends circle,  i just have this place to share my feelings! 

Introducing you all to the mother daughter duo,  who own this place and who hates me to the core :(

Dear Mr Bolt, some people are obsessed with cars, some like to know everything about bikes, and some are walking encyclopedia when it comes to the latest happenings in the tech world- they know the upcoming gadets in and out. 

Similarly, some of my grey cells behave as if they are the best 'railfans' in India :)

Being a railfan is a peculiar hobby. They are obsessed with the "a-z of Indian railways". For example, for me, knowing about the nomenclature of train and stations, understanding the ticketing system (like i have a decent Tatkal success ratio), and knowing about the routes, are some of the things which excites me. I do this in my free time, just out of sheer curiosity. Like: "Why this train was named as 'Matsyagandha' Express?", or randomly 'practising' for tatkal for some of the busiest routes and class, just to 'feel the rush'. Before the advent of internet, I dunno if you guys remember, there used to be a sarkari book called "Rail at glance". Yes, I spent my childhood reading those books. In north India, there goes a saying that you're not a true 90's middle class kid, if your household did not had, Rapidex English speaking book and that railway wala book, preferably purchased from AH Wheeler's stall.

So, one day few years back, we were doing some railfannig in the national capital. Few of us decided to visit the now forgotten Delhi's historicRing railway system. Our plan was to hop in and out from NZM (Oh I still remember those winters and the magical realism of Chanakyapuri rly stn, literally burried in the otherwise posh locality). 

During that trip, I happen to saw Trivendrum Rajadhani in its blazing avtaar, and my immediate reaction was: wow, that is literally the longest Rajdhani, and probably the longest fastest train in India (as Gatiman, Tejas, and Shatabdi's are for short distances). I dunno how, but I equated Trivendrum Rajadhani with civils preparation. "Aapko lamba bhi jana hai, aur tezi se bhi jaana hai", is the precise logic why my handle has this name 🙈 

Though right now my average speed is nothing more than a goods train. Probably after the creation of Dedicated Freight Corridor, shayad thodi speed badh jaaye. Achha sorry bad joke. 

You guys, alll you guys, hold your guns. This is the time for action. Stop thinking wheather you will make it or not, an just do your job. And that is to study.

Hello everyone,

Neyawn's article on the last month before Prelims compelled me to check ForumIAS again. Reached this thread and just wanted to write this - I've seen many a lows in my Prelims journey, have lived almost every emotion related to Prelims. If anyone wants to talk, share their fears or even generally just empty their heart, I'm always here. You can DM me with your contact number, I'll call you back and I'll be there as a blotting paper - listening to you, not judging and just giving you the comfort that this too shall pass.

Take care,

Katyayani Bhatia

Heyaaa everyone. How are you all? I am so glad to see you all here, doing all the hard work, ticking off those targets and running this race.

I am out of race for now, but I am cheering for you all from the stands. I have been away due to of course the failure, but I am back with a renewed energy finally. It feels so good to be back here. 

Just felt telling you all :)

After reading through some of the very encouraging messages and after some self introspection, I understood why i felt so low lately.. 
I have always felt this way whenever I set over ambitious targets and then not able to finish them... 
A wise person once said, there are 180 seats for IAS and 180 different ways to become one..  Everyone should work as per their own speed/calibre/mental headspace... 
I was probably trying to overachieve, but ultimately ended up me wasting three days.. Neverthless, after three days of almost non-zero studies, I am ready to get back into this race, hopefully this time with much more self worth.. 

Thanks to everyone here, I have not talked to any of my friends in over 2 weeks now, and I have never felt the urge and never had the feeling of FOMO.. There are two reasons for it-- exam anxiety and a nice bunch of my virtual friends in this community, who being in similar boat as me, as more of an emotional support at the moment.. 

Let's get back to the grind now !!

I have been underground since the UPSC Prelims result. I was on a call with a college friend of mine who's writing Mains too and he believes he hasn't prepared at all and isn't going to clear the exam. I see the same sentiment being echoed here too by people. And as a matter of fact I know that all these people are absolutely brilliant and if they can't do it then no one can. Sending you all so much positivity and love and warm hugs(especially if you're in northern parts of India) Go kill it people. 

Personal Update :I cleared UPPCS Pre and that has kept me occupied. Huge thanks to ForumIAS for launching the test series. I was so lost on that front. 

My mind reading the above conversations wrt COVID and Mains:

"Mass bunk karne ka koi scope hai kya?" #CollegeDaysAndExams

To add my bit to above concerns, 

If UPSC goes zero tolerace way and asks us to bring the unbreathable N95 to be worn for 6 hours (+4 hours at centre) for all the 5 days, it will be very difficult breathing and thinking straight. 

Gone are the days when we could snack over few Dairy Milks during the mains. That has been the highlight of my previous mains. 

Update on 4/1/2022: 2 days from exam and sitting with a phool :