All this scaling, re-scaling business sounds like proper bull-shit to cover up for insider's inability to predict dates. Upscaling & down-scaling won't take time. They just have to apply a formula in excell which won't take more than a minute. Plus, optional performing good and bad are just myths in my opinion. In any kind of normalisation, marks are fiitted to a gaussian curve(bell curve). Which means that averages of all optionals must be similar. Chill out guys, focus on interview prep. Insiders are just creating a fear induced enagagement for their bullshit content and your anxiety helps give them views. Its better not to enhance their reach and popularity at the cost of your mental health
Anyone with more knowledge of Statistics could add their two cents.
My learnings for new comers and old timers as follows(I've cleared IIT-JEE twice and prelims too, so I think some things could help others):
1. Its too easy to get swayed by people who got selected. This exam is a graveyard of smart, hardworking, genuine people. Nothing guarantees success. Its easy for people to shower motivation, it doesn't cost them anything. But getting fooled by them and hanging out on that motivation is gambling precious time in hope of something that is highly subjective in nature. (Basically motivation dene me kuch nai jata, lene me saal thuk jata hai)
2. People might say its all worth it, but in these years, the sacrifices that I and my family has made are not worth it. My father is in IPS and I've seen his life upclose. The charm of power-respect-prestige fades away and the govt makes you work like a dog with no personal life. Nothing is more important than health, family and mental peace.
3. We over-glorify hard work, success and romanticise the sacrifices. Its easier to keep trying, but it talkes more courage to actually say "NO". Just studying day in and day out is a good comfortable zone with no external accountability. Also, we're afraid of going out and facing the world. Studying, is more predictable and less scary. The more we postpone facing it, the harder it will get. It hence takes courage to exit the process and put your ego aside.
4. Results are no reflection of competency. The people that UPSC selects becomes all sorts of stuff. We daily read about IAS officers scamming for crores, running sex rackets, cheating in the exam, culting crores of MGNREGA funds meant for poor people. UPSC is not god, neither is their judgement perfect. Hence, there's no point in judging yourself through their mirror. You're special and will do something good in life
