This was my last attempt and I am finally out!!
Here is some gyan for my younger friends:
- This preparation is no joke. Once you entered seriously, use all your might to clear. Don't enter until you are fully "ready" (it is a comprehensive term which includes your socio-economic conditions, your willingness, mindset, understanding of the exam and level of competitiveness etc.)
- Confidence and stable mindset are two most important keys to clear this examination. Situational awareness in exam hall would assist you to clear more than anything you can think of.
- Prelims is a misnomer term. Better if you treat as a stage of Mains itself. The attitude of treating it Prelims as "discount" would cost you dearly.
- Prior to three months of prelims, forget completely about Mains. Prepare GS and CSAT paper substantially.
- "Move from one failure to another without loosing enthusiasm is what called success" is rather easy to preach than practice. Winston Churchill must be drunk that night when he wrote this line.
- Unemployed fellows or persons who have seen recent setbacks in whatever exams ( it may be GATE, IES, IITJAM or even JEE) don't just jump into UPSC thinking it as something which will bury your past failures once and for all. Be practical. Appear in some relatively easy examinations which serves your purpose in varying degrees. Garner confidence and mental strength required for this examination from these minor successes.
- Don't have a team of cheerleaders. "Bhai tu IAS nikal, mujhe ek IAS ( you being his close friend) ko gali deni hai" like people should be avoided altogether.
- Optional should be easy going. Don't see marks of others and choose one. It should be completely based on your interests. Period.
- Revision. Revision and Revision. Few resources, frequent revisions.
I hope this helps. Life doesn't end with an examination. Certainly, this was a golden opportunity which I lost but then again I am hopeful I will be getting many. And the oil I burned during UPSC prep. wont go in vain entirely.
Till then, good luck fellas!
Machete raho!
@srk1031147 Tukkebazi is an integral part of Prelims now a days. But hardwork has no substitution. Also tukkebazi is game for confident guys like people who have jobs, recently passed out from IITs,IIMs, etc. Also includes those whose parents are big guns. People like me whose entire dream was based in UPSC CSE can't afford tukkebazi ...so lost prelims. sigh!
@Yoopesci Trust me brother, you will see my points may be in next 3-4 years. Till then keep hustling
