It usually takes until the following day for the Mains results to sink in.
Sometimes it takes 3 to 5 days to fully comprehend the implications of what just occurred when UPSC released that damn PDF on their website that lacked your roll number.
After that, you cry. Occasionally in the shower. (Not if this is your second or third time failing Mains.) Please bear with me if you are one of those people. First and foremost, nearly everyone on the Interview or Final List has previously held your position. Some of them will be in your shoes in a year. You are not exceptional, cursed, or unlucky.
Second, if you believe that success will make you happy, you are thinking backwards. When you achieve success, however, everyone else believes you are content. Some people are disappointed by your success. And that is also a source of joy and happiness.
Third, only you have the power to change the outcome of where you stand next year. This will, however, be determined by what you do rather than what you believe you are doing.
It took me nearly a fortnight after the results to write this, so please forgive me, but I have always felt a more outstanding obligation to those who have not made it than those who have – because I believe that even if I am not able to solve a problem, I can share some insights that can help at least some individuals build their solutions. Here they are.
Table of Contents
What is UPSC Mains?
Every year, the Union Public Service Commission holds recruitment exams for various Group A and a few Group B positions in the Indian government. The Civil Services Examination is the UPSC’s most prestigious and competitive examination.
Here are some approaches:
Take a scientific approach. Determine what did not work.
One of the main reasons we fail to improve in Mains/Prelims or throughout the process is that we either need help to identify the problem from where we see it or refuse to acknowledge that there is a problem in the first place.
We could look at the same image and see completely different things.
So, first and foremost, you must believe in your performance – and non-performance. Even if the numbers appear random to you, you must treat them respectfully for as long as you are an aspirant. By this, I mean that if you receive a score of 230 in Sociology and you still need help figuring out where you fit in the crowd, you have failed.
Most non-humanities candidates – and there are a lot of them – can’t tell the difference between a 70 and a 95 in GS 1, an 85 and a 110 in GS Paper 2, an 87 and a 115 in GS 3, and an 82 and a 115 in GS Paper 4.
Or the massive difference between a 230 and a 280 in your optional subject. Check your facts. Even if you know nothing and write nothing, you will not receive a zero in humanities. Even if you do an outstanding job that could have earned you a Nobel Prize on a podium in Stockholm, you will not receive a 95%.
Humanities subjects are, for lack of a better word, a little Marxist. Compared to Sciences or Math, the gaps between the top and bottom are much smaller. In other words, all of the scores – the good, bad, and ugly – cluster around a specific range.
As early as possible, it would be best if you learned to tell yourself that the distinction between a 230 and a 280 is not insignificant – it is a binary score of the pass or fails. Even if the gap appears to be minor, you will have to move mountains to get there. You will also need to plan your year ahead of time.
Examine the Toppers Correctly copy. Have the stamina to write as clearly as they do.
The key to truly realizing why we cannot improve is objectively comparing our copies with an applicant chosen with good ranks. If you can identify similarities in the writing styles of all selected candidates, you may have hit the target.
The second phase is to build better writing habits/practices that include four elements:
Simplicity- language and sentence formation simplicity
Directness – answering the question right away
Dimensions – the ability to make multiple points in your response
Presentation – this improves the readability of your answer and reflects the effort put into writing it.
This will only be possible if you are patient with yourself in bringing these changes about over time.
We always underrate what we can accomplish in a few weeks or months and overestimate what we can accomplish in a single day. You will need a few weeks to improve your writing skills.
Improve your fault tolerance. You have limitations.
When one of an aeroplane’s engines fails, it does not simply crash. It has two additional engines. There are four engines on a Boeing 747. You must admit to yourself that you have some flaws, which may be your Achilles Heel. And yet, like Achilles, you have the potential to be a great warrior for a long time.
For instance, you can be exceptional in some areas. You will always be weaker than a Geography Optional Applicant in the UPSC Prelims and Mains if you do not have Geography Optional. The key is not to study Geography obsessively like a Geography Optional Student, but to improve in Society, Social Justice, or Culture. You will be constrained and need to build competitive strength in other complementary areas.
Make a plan and believe in your ability to succeed.
Begin by identifying the reasons why things aren’t going well for you. And if your reasons are overly complicated, they may be excuses. So be truthful to yourself. Second, to pursue your dreams, learn to say no to all other options. Third, learn to ignore everything you can. It’s impolite and unprofessional. There are some people for whom you do not have time right now. The world will not collapse.
The payoff is that you will complete what is most important to you. Fourth, never believe that hard work is sufficient. Hard work must be directed in the right direction. Fifth, the most significant distinction between achievement and failure is the amount of time invested. If you believe you are lacking in any area, read new material, write some questions and answers about it, and get started.
Conclusion
In conclusion, the essential points for passing the mains need to be corrected answer formatting. The single most important reason for low mains exam scores, even if you’re knowledgeable in various subjects. Time for Optional and GS Preparation is not balanced, and selecting an option with a low average score and failing the regional/English language exam. Inadequate optional or GS revision. Ideally, it would help if your optional materials were ready even before the prelims.
You are not practising essays before the exam. I know people who wrote their first essay during the exam—not writing tests regularly, taking more than 3 hours to write a test, or even participating in any test series. You’re not improving on the feedback on your corrected answer sheets. You have not updated your notes.
Frequently Asked Questions
Que1 Is there anyone who still needs to pass the UPSC interview?
Ans1 There could be many reasons a candidate is rejected, but first, the anatomy of the interview process must be understood. Many candidates consistently perform well in the mains and pass the mains but still need to pass the Interview round and thus make the final list.
Que2 Why do people fail their mains?
Ans2 One of the main reasons we fail to improve in Mains/Prelims or throughout the process is that we are either unable to recognize the issue from where we see it or refuse to acknowledge that there is a problem in the first place. We could look at the same image and see completely different things.
Another reason for failure in the UPSC IAS exam is a lack of planning. Many students make a subject more difficult for themselves by making it their focal point, and as a result, they do not perform well in others. A few students devise a strategy but fail to follow through, resulting in failure to pass this exam.
Que3 What is the lowest UPSC score?
Ans3 In the UPSC interview, there is no minimum score. Typically, the interview score ranges from 40% to 80%.
Que4 Is the main exam more accessible than the preliminary exam?
Ans4 The UPSC Mains exam is much more complex than the prelims. Consider these stages a hierarchy, with each level increasing the difficulty. Many people believe that competition in mains is lower, which is correct.
Que5 Is the UPSC mains exam difficult?
Ans5 Many people consider the IAS exam to be the most difficult in India. This is due to the meagre pass rate in this area. Furthermore, there is an extensive syllabus to be covered (see the UPSC syllabus), not to mention the variety of topics one must learn.
Que6 Which optional has the highest score in the UPSC?
Ans6 Geography. Most aspirants select Geography as their optional subject because it is the highest-scoring option in UPSC and the most popular among candidates.
Que7 Who passed the UPSC without coaching?
Ans7 Arunraj, according to reports, did not attend any coaching and prepared on his own. He concentrated heavily on the NCERT textbooks for UPSC. He passed the UPSC exam on his first attempt despite relying almost entirely on NCERTs.