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You Can Win

Vijay B Waghmare, IAS

Assistant Collector, Jalna

 (C. S. Exam. 2004)

  The aim of this article is to sensitize the aspirants of Civil Service about an approach that is very simple to prescribe but not so easy to follow. The attempt is to sensitize about certain aspects while preparing and not to prescribe “the only way” of being successful. Every person has different capabilities and depending upon their strengths or weaknesses, they must devise a way that suits their temperament.

  The aspirants will hear stories about attempts of some of the most brilliant students who tried but failed miserably and also some of the most ordinary that tried and made it a success. At the end of the day they remain just that, the stories to be told to frighten or to motivate or just to amuse. The reader must understand that every student who clears the examination is extra ordinary. The definition of “brilliant” and “ordinary” are conceived in very narrow terms which mean academic distinctions alone. However, the first thing that the aspirant has to get over is the mental block of being just an arts graduate or a science graduate. This is equally applicable to the engineering graduates also. They need to get over the attitude of being superior, because if that is the case, UPSC is a great equalizer and can give the rudest shock of the life. So what lies beneath the success of every candidate is plain hard work with lot of determination and perseverance.

Some of the aspects that are analyzed hereafter deal with the myths about the examination; flawed thinking processes; discipline demanded from the candidate; as well as the importance of “time management”.

  The “Hurdles Race” mentality

  This is the most dangerous approach. Sample this: “I am trying to clear the preliminary this time. Next time, I will prepare more seriously and give mains also.” The fault in such an approach is on two fronts. First, is the fallacy that the examination is composed of three different types of unrelated tests. The second fallacy is that, “experience” of earlier examination makes a person better for the next attempt. There is also a feeling that the examination is so tough that it is “necessary to fail” the first time just to “get the feel” of the examination.

Let us deal with the first fallacy and work out backwards from the interview stage. The interview demands that a person must have an analytical approach to deal with different situations and presence of an inquisitive and independent mind. The mains examination again demands that the student express her ideas in clear and crisp language with ample examples. The preliminary examination provides the fodder for both these tests. Thus, every exam is the building block for the next one.

The second fallacy is self-explanatory. UPSC stands for most Un Predictable Service Commission. Often the students complain, “This year the GS paper was so different!” or “The optional paper was so tough!” So, if serious preparation is planned, it must be aimed with the ultimate goal in mind. No     five-year plans please. Even after five years, they remain just that... plans!

  Aiming Low:

            The next approach for preparation is being interested in ‘cut off”. “What was the cut off for open/OBC/SC/ST?” is the favorite question. The response is, “Oh, for OBC cut off was 1050 in the mains. So I need 350 in GS, 300 each in the optional and 100 in the essay!” Great arithmetic but wrong tactics! This keeps on happening year after year with every batch. It is akin to asking, “What was the timing of the last runner in the final round of the marathon?” Heard of anybody planning to come last in the race and then giving two years of his precious young life just for that?

  Every aspirant needs to get out of this “low aim” syndrome. At the sub-conscious level this determines the level of preparation of the candidate. It ultimately leads to, “just missed by 10 marks candidates!” It is true for the preliminary examination also. “I need to get just 90 questions in the GS!” Again the great arithmetic work begins. 35 in history, 20 in geography, 15 in mental ability, and 20 from the rest i.e. current, science and economics. Well, only if life was so simple!

What not to read...The University approach

  Examinations are most formidable. Because, the biggest fool may ask more than the wisest can answer!

UPSC is famous for asking questions regarding anything below the sun and even beyond it! There are big and thick guides on General Studies that can even be used as pillow at night. The best approach is to go through the papers of last ten years. Study the framing of questions as well as the thrust on some of the topics. This helps in two ways. Firstly, it helps categorize various topics of a subject for the purpose of study. For example in physics (general studies, prelim) thrust would be on topics related to light, sound, etc. In Biology, it would be mostly related to application to Human body, diseases etc.

Secondly, the study of past papers trains the mind to think like the examiner. So, next time when a topic is read, the mind starts formulating questions. The mind starts distinguishing between what can be asked and what won’t be. This is helpful especially in questions related to ‘assertions and reasons’. This approach is labeled “University Approach” because that is how most pass their degree exam. Study the past five years paper and clear the exam!

Communicate, write, share... it improves chance of success.

            Communication skills are fundamental to the success in this examination. The written as well as oral communication is a “skill” and it improves only through practice. The writing skills are important because the examiner does not know how many attempts you had, she does not know that you have worked hard for last two years for the examination. What she has in front of her is a piece of paper with written answer. Those two three pages decide the fate of the candidate. But, still there is a marked disrespect towards penning down the thoughts, answers on various issues.

            The writing practice streamlines the thought process. It helps to organize the thoughts and priorities the issues in terms of their importance. The candidate can review the same answer after a month and realize that what he had written as a piece of brilliance is actually very ordinary stuff! It is better to realize it before the examination and take the corrective action than to do it in the subsequent attempt and spend another year. This is extremely useful in Essay writing. The same is true for the oral communication. It is more critical at the interview stage.

            Another feature in the preparation is the behavior of the candidate. The resources are hidden from the fellow aspirant. Everyone feels that what she has written or read is one of the best answers and if some one else gets to read it, she will have a better chance to succeed. Well, it may not be the best piece of answer but it may contain some of the points that are really very good. If every one hides his or her small treasure of information, it is a loss to everyone. The shortest way to success is to build on teamwork. Share the thoughts, information, and articles and then build the issue. No one is so gifted to understand all the issues and subjects. It is best to leverage on the strengths of every individual.  

Time management

          The issue has two aspects. Firstly, time management while preparing for the examination. Secondly, time management during the examination. Both are very crucial.

          The first aspect regarding time management while preparing, is possible through proper planning. There are no set rules. Some recommend having a daily routine chalked out from six in the morning to ten at night. This includes allocation of time for different subjects. The other approach is to decide on the targets for the week. Say, completing three topics of Geography, two topics of Economics, etc. The candidate then has flexibility to decide whether she wants to read economics for the whole day and finish it off in a day or two or prepare both the topics by mixing them over the day. The choice is more dependent on the individual. What is crucial is planning for the year and then breaking it over the months, and days and hours (where necessary)

          The second aspect of time management during the examination is critical for both the preliminary as well as the main examination. The pre is designed in such a manner that the candidate gets very little time to think (and interact, if she is amongst the “friends”) In the main examination, time is at a premium especially for the General Studies papers. There is no time to “think and write”. The time available is just enough for writing. Hence, the thinking part has to be practiced beforehand. The practice of writing the thoughts/answers (discussed earlier) come in handy at such time.  

Have an attitude, have an opinion...

  Most of the aspirants are not oriented towards having an opinion of their own. The media channels throw all sorts of questions at people in the middle of the road. For example... “so what do you think about the bad roads of Pune post monsoons...?” and pat comes the reply, “well it is because of the corruption in the administration.” The opinion expressed is the most accepted amongst the masses and to an extent true. Sample this, “There is corruption every where and unless we remove corruption, we can not have better roads”. These are called the sweeping statements which are undisputed and lead to nowhere. But can an aspirant afford to have such a one-dimensional attitude to a problem? There are issues related to administration, local elected representatives, increased number of vehicles on the road, overloaded vehicles, excessive rains, lack of involvement of people in the process of supervision, etc. The aspirant cannot afford to stick to the most accepted series of thinking because most of the time it is defeatist. It also shows lack of application of mind on the issue in hand.

In the beginning, it is difficult because most of the time no one asks about the opinions and force the individual to think. But it can be cultivated over a period. Observe some of the most successful people on television like Rajdeep Sardesai or Barkha Dutt. Listen to the programs like “Hard Talk” on BBC. Observe how the eminent people answer some of the most difficult questions in most simple words. They appear so convincing because their whole demeanor indicates that they themselves believe in every word that they are uttering and have given a deep thought to the issue at hand.

It is time to develop an independent and an open mind. It helps in the preparation for the main examination and becomes a clincher for the interview.

  What should be my hobby?

  This is again one of the favorites of the students and comes in vogue at the time of filling the form for the interview. Then there are deliberations on singing, poetry, gardening, cooking, meditation and what not. Then a frantic fight to find the relevant material to “fake” this “new found” hobby follows.

          What is wrong in not having a hobby?

            Nothing really. It means just one blank column in the form. But it also means a blank column in the way you live your life. It is perfectly normal if one does not have a hobby. But if the aspiration is to be in the top of the civil service list, its better to cultivate a hobby. It is better to start early than to wait till the interview stage.

    The Final Truth revealed : secret of success...

  It is an open secret that hard work and perseverance are the basic ingredients for success. It has to be supplemented with planning. The topper of our batch said, “It is neither hard work nor intelligence alone that matter but intelligent hard work that determines the success of the candidate.”

Some of the issues discussed above are an indication that the preparation for the examination is not just studying the subjects but developing a personality. That is perhaps the reason why it is so different and difficult than other examinations in the country. There are many aspects beyond the optional subjects that prove critical at different stages. It is necessary to plan for them from the beginning.

There are hundreds of articles regarding preparing for the civil services. Experiences abound in various magazines where the successful candidates share their secret (?) of success. This article is perhaps one more addition to that sea.  There is no “one” way to success. Don’t even waste time to discover one. Listen to all the successful candidates, including the writer, but don’t take it as the gospel truth. Question the approach, try to see if it suits your way of preparation, be wise, be your own light!

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