Mains 2021 Post result Thread: What went wrong and way forward.
The thread will be a one stop place to discuss the probable things that went wrong in mains exam and ways to rectify them.
GaryVee,
Graduated in 2016, cleared CAT, got into IIM Lucknow. I wanted to prepare for civils and MBA was not catching up with me so dropped out of it in 2017 and started preparing for UPSC in 2017 from home. Joined an online test series prepared for the whole year diligently. Then came the exam and I fell ill. I was prepared but in the exam hall, I realised my speed was slow because in an online test we do not fill bubbles and I could only attempt 75 odd questions. Missed pre by 4 marks. I was devastated. Could not touch books for months. Came in 2019 and I messed it up again. I knew I need to change the whole approach to this exam so I shifted to Delhi. My CA was lacking so joined Dipin sir's CA classes. Cleared 2020 prelims. Joined vision test series for GS and they'd take 30-35 days for test review. Could only write 3 tests. Mains went average. Missed the cutoff by 15 marks. I left 80 marks worth of questions.
I started again keeping in mind all the issues I had, cleared 2021 prelims, joined 2 test series for mains so that I could write more tests, one at the forum and one at another place. Wrote enough tests. The exam went extremely well. I could feel the positive changes in paper completion and approach. I was very confident of clearing this mains so I started preparing for the interview. Then to the result and my roll no. was missing from the pdf. I've never been this broken. It feels like the result came yesterday. This wound is going to take a long time to recover. Utterly devastated, broken, and humbled.
Totally clueless. I've got no idea what went wrong. I did everything that was asked for.
My family is really supportive and I've never applied for any other exam except CAPF in 2018 and cleared it. Did not appear for the interview for I want only AIS.
Now, I lay alone in my room in Delhi hoping to fade into my bed by some miracle.
Since everyone is sharing their ordeal I'll share mine too.
Graduated in 2016, cleared CAT, got into IIM Lucknow. I wanted to prepare for civils and MBA was not catching up with me so dropped out of it in 2017 and started preparing for UPSC in 2017 from home. Joined an online test series prepared for the whole year diligently. Then came the exam and I fell ill. I was prepared but in the exam hall, I realised my speed was slow because in an online test we do not fill bubbles and I could only attempt 75 odd questions. Missed pre by 4 marks. I was devastated. Could not touch books for months. Came in 2019 and I messed it up again. I knew I need to change the whole approach to this exam so I shifted to Delhi. My CA was lacking so joined Dipin sir's CA classes. Cleared 2020 prelims. Joined vision test series for GS and they'd take 30-35 days for test review. Could only write 3 tests. Mains went average. Missed the cutoff by 15 marks. I left 80 marks worth of questions.
I started again keeping in mind all the issues I had, cleared 2021 prelims, joined 2 test series for mains so that I could write more tests, one at the forum and one at another place. Wrote enough tests. The exam went extremely well. I could feel the positive changes in paper completion and approach. I was very confident of clearing this mains so I started preparing for the interview. Then to the result and my roll no. was missing from the pdf. I've never been this broken. It feels like the result came yesterday. This wound is going to take a long time to recover. Utterly devastated, broken, and humbled.
Totally clueless. I've got no idea what went wrong. I did everything that was asked for.
My family is really supportive and I've never applied for any other exam except CAPF in 2018 and cleared it. Did not appear for the interview for I want only AIS.
Now, I lay alone in my room in Delhi hoping to fade into my bed by some miracle.
2018 : even I cleared pre + mains of capf
failed in pet
krishna96,Jammu
Since everyone is sharing their ordeal I'll share mine too.
Graduated in 2016, cleared CAT, got into IIM Lucknow. I wanted to prepare for civils and MBA was not catching up with me so dropped out of it in 2017 and started preparing for UPSC in 2017 from home. Joined an online test series prepared for the whole year diligently. Then came the exam and I fell ill. I was prepared but in the exam hall, I realised my speed was slow because in an online test we do not fill bubbles and I could only attempt 75 odd questions. Missed pre by 4 marks. I was devastated. Could not touch books for months. Came in 2019 and I messed it up again. I knew I need to change the whole approach to this exam so I shifted to Delhi. My CA was lacking so joined Dipin sir's CA classes. Cleared 2020 prelims. Joined vision test series for GS and they'd take 30-35 days for test review. Could only write 3 tests. Mains went average. Missed the cutoff by 15 marks. I left 80 marks worth of questions.
I started again keeping in mind all the issues I had, cleared 2021 prelims, joined 2 test series for mains so that I could write more tests, one at the forum and one at another place. Wrote enough tests. The exam went extremely well. I could feel the positive changes in paper completion and approach. I was very confident of clearing this mains so I started preparing for the interview. Then to the result and my roll no. was missing from the pdf. I've never been this broken. It feels like the result came yesterday. This wound is going to take a long time to recover. Utterly devastated, broken, and humbled.
Totally clueless. I've got no idea what went wrong. I did everything that was asked for.
My family is really supportive and I've never applied for any other exam except CAPF in 2018 and cleared it. Did not appear for the interview for I want only AIS.
Now, I lay alone in my room in Delhi hoping to fade into my bed by some miracle.
If it’s any practical comfort, next cycle is really really short. You won’t have time to feel much unless you wander into that emotional bin.
If it’s any more comfort, 1800-700 are returning back for prelims. More actually. You have a golden window.
Comforting words have little meaning. You are possibly best placed to clear the exam right about now. Giving up will cause a pain much excruciating. That’s what I think and just forget everything and do my thing.
nerdslayer,JammuSince everyone is sharing their ordeal I'll share mine too.
Graduated in 2016, cleared CAT, got into IIM Lucknow. I wanted to prepare for civils and MBA was not catching up with me so dropped out of it in 2017 and started preparing for UPSC in 2017 from home. Joined an online test series prepared for the whole year diligently. Then came the exam and I fell ill. I was prepared but in the exam hall, I realised my speed was slow because in an online test we do not fill bubbles and I could only attempt 75 odd questions. Missed pre by 4 marks. I was devastated. Could not touch books for months. Came in 2019 and I messed it up again. I knew I need to change the whole approach to this exam so I shifted to Delhi. My CA was lacking so joined Dipin sir's CA classes. Cleared 2020 prelims. Joined vision test series for GS and they'd take 30-35 days for test review. Could only write 3 tests. Mains went average. Missed the cutoff by 15 marks. I left 80 marks worth of questions.
I started again keeping in mind all the issues I had, cleared 2021 prelims, joined 2 test series for mains so that I could write more tests, one at the forum and one at another place. Wrote enough tests. The exam went extremely well. I could feel the positive changes in paper completion and approach. I was very confident of clearing this mains so I started preparing for the interview. Then to the result and my roll no. was missing from the pdf. I've never been this broken. It feels like the result came yesterday. This wound is going to take a long time to recover. Utterly devastated, broken, and humbled.
Totally clueless. I've got no idea what went wrong. I did everything that was asked for.
My family is really supportive and I've never applied for any other exam except CAPF in 2018 and cleared it. Did not appear for the interview for I want only AIS.
Now, I lay alone in my room in Delhi hoping to fade into my bed by some miracle.
Next cycle is nearing ,so optimise the time and plan ahead (I just am trying to bounce back as well)
Let us analyse the mistakes after mains marks are out , it could be essay,optional or ethics which needs improvement
It can be done
Also whenever you find free time or during weekend, pursue your interest (gardening, blogging etc) or try teaching upsc content in online sources ,some productive hobby to highlight in DAF-2
We somehow have to stand up again and grind ourselves
Good luck & All the Best 👍
@Capedcrusader1 Well said.
Thank you
I don't understand what happened and still unable to believe.
I began preparing in summer of 2019 and took the first attempt in 2020. Did very well in Prelims, but I realised that though I had completed and revised optional very well, I hadn't prepared Mains, especially GS very well primarily because of lack of guidance and poor planning and even though I knew stuff, I didn't have any notes properly for quick revisions or broad enough to cover a lot of aspects. Wrote lots of TLP questions but hardly any proper 3hr test series. Wrote the exam, completed my paper, didn't leave any question. Optional and Ethics didn't go well and consequently didn't clear mains. Missed Gen cutoff by 16 marks last time.
Right after mains in Jan 2021, I figured out my problem was lack of content and dedicated Mains prep, so I spent 3-4 months in total on GS papers, making notes, integrating current affairs and linking with static and in depth analysis of Optional. Post Pre last October, I completed Forum test series and Vision test series. Also wrote optionals but less tests and almost every question in past 20 years. Fast forward to this mains, the papers went quite well, in papers such as GS1, GS2 and Optionals I actually had so many questions that I had guessed or had written and revised before hand and other GS papers as well I wrote what was demanded with examples and Mock test inputs to improve the look and feel of answers. GS3 I wrote what I think were decent answers apart from those 3 damned(AQG{the only question I left completely blank in my past 2 attempts at CS Mains}, Blue LED and S400) questions. Still didn't clear cutoff.
The biggest issue is I dont know what to do anymore. Right after grad, I got into this and gave it my all for 3 years, now I dont even feel like doing anything else, at the same time I dont have the physical capacity and mental strength left for the Pre-Mains- Interview cycles of other exams. People advised me to cut my losses and move on, but somehow I dont think I can let go of this so easily, and its not like I have been one of those kids who wanted to do Upsc since fucking school age. it just came as whim pretty late in college life, but for the first time in my life, I had actually wanted and worked hard for something. I feel lost and I don't know what to do anymore.
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