Civil Services have been a popular choice of a career in Indian. Many UPSC aspirants devote most of their time to study to crack this one of the toughest examinations of the country not because of handsome salary but because of reputation and respect this post offers. This is the reason that every year lakhs on applicants apply for UPSC exam but only a few of them taste the success. This is why this examination is known as the most difficult exam in India. And considering the reputation of IAS, IPS, and IFS, it has to be that tough so India could get finest out of the fine officer.
In this post, we will evaluate the reasons why so many candidates have to face failure in the UPSC exam. As we said lakhs of applicants apply for UPSC prelim exam and only hundreds of them could reach to Mains and just a handful of them clear the interview rounds. It’s not that the candidates who cleared the examination study harder than the failed ones. The reasons behind the failure of many UPSC aspirants are much deeper. Let’s know them.
Why do most people fail in UPSC?
Before looking at the reason for the failure of many candidates first have a look at the figures. Every year approx. 4 Lakh 50 thousand candidates apply for UPSC exam and out of the 11,000- 12,000 write the mains exam and only 2,500 get success after the interview round. The reason can be many and may vary from person to person but here we will talk about the common reasons that push candidates towards failure.
Lack of Preparation
It’s obvious and one of the most common reasons behind the failure of UPSC applicants. Many aspirants appear in the exam first time only to experience the pressure and know the pattern of exam. Although we do not support such practices as when some exam comes with a limited number of attempts then these types of steps can be suicidal for you dream to be an IAS. After experiencing the pressure of exam a few of the applicants drop this idea and rest try harder for the next year.
Lack of Planning
The other and second most common reason for the failure in the UPSC exam is lack of planning. Many applicants fill the form of UPSC and start their preparation for the Prelim exam. They somehow clear it too but they don’t have sufficient time for their preparation for Mains and here they get failed.
Many students devote most of their time in the preparation of most difficult subject and they end scoring low in other subjects. The conclusion is this exam needs proper planning where you need to keep all the three phases of selection and the entire syllabus in mind.
Underestimate Prelims
The above-mentioned number says that most of the candidates get fail in the first phase of the UPSC exam, prelims only. That means the first step is wrong of the preparation. It happens because they underestimate Prelims. It’s a common conception that Prelims are easy and Main is more difficult, it is also suggested to applicants to prepare for both Prelims and Mains exam of UPSC.
But here the applicant needs to maintain a balance in the preparation of prelims and Mains. The syllabus of Mains is vast but if you ignore the preparation of prelims then you could not ever reach to the Main exam. So prepare for your exam accordingly. 2 months before the prelim exam concentrate on the preparation of Prelim and keep the Mains book aside for a while.
Irrelevant Study Material
Study material is an important factor to get the success either in UPSC or in any entrance exam of some college. But in UPSC students love to read from various books. I have seen many students with a number of books on their study table. This book purchasing habit is dangerous for UPSC aspirants.
Many publishers release their books for the preparation of UPSC with the announcement of recruitment notification by UPSC. Not all books have quality study material. You need to be very choosy about your study material and read from quality books not from quantity books. The more books you will use in your preparation the more confused you will be.
Ignorance of the Internet
In order to keep study the only focal point, students stop surfing the internet. This is somehow good for students as the internet has many options to divert your mind but complete ignorance of the internet will not help you but affect your preparation.
The Internet offers so many facilities to the UPSC applicants like test series and current affairs quiz. Some videos on YouTube also tell the right method of making notes from books and other study material. So don’t ignore the internet and take the benefits of its facilities for UPSC aspirants.
Poor Time Management
We have been taught since childhood that time is the most precious wealth we have so spend it wisely. In UPSC exam the importance of time increases as the syllabus to vast and few questions look like an alien in the question paper and some questions are like you have read somewhere but could not recall. Let me tell you these two types of questions are the biggest time eater.
As dreamer to get the job of IAS or IPS or IFS you want to give the correct answer to all the questions. In order to do this, you spent most of your time on these questions about which you are not sure and leave those about which you are 110% sure. You must be feeling that its silly but you can fall in this trap too. When we see some question we have read somewhere but could not recall its answer, we make it a question of ego and want to find out its answer. Don’t do it and keep moving on to the next questions.
Summing it UP
Preparation is the only key to get success in any exam bit for UPSC you need to do a strategically wise preparation to get success. If you want to be on a special post then your preparation for the exam, thinking process and question-solving skills should be better.