Very nice article by Abhijit Raut.. Dear New Aspirant, Welcome to the world of Civil Service Examinations and congratulations for choosing a difficult path for a noble cause. We all aspirants know the kind of uncertainties and apprehensions any newcomer faces. But this is the time where you can really shape your future. Hence, you need to be strong and determined at this level. I still remember my days as a rookie aspirant. From those experiences, I have some things to share with you. I hope they will help you. First and foremost, ask yourself two questions. Question One: Why you want to enter this field? You must get a realistic view of what you expect from Government services and what you want, and proceed only if you are satisfied. Do not be somebody who wants to enter the system only for its glamour. Yes, the service has its own glamour and status but that is just one part of it. There are many hardships, challenges and tough moments in life of a Public Servant. I can say from my limited experience that Civil Service becomes a truly satisfying and enriching career only because of these challenges. Glamour becomes secondary. So in case anybody is having some filmy or pompous ideas about service, please look at good officers around you and realize that this is a challenging service. People coming for merely luxury and status can get disappointed, if they ignore the challenges. But people with some good cause will be happy and satisfied. The choice is yours! Question Two: Do you have abilities and skills that UPSC CSE demands in order to clear the examination? Check yourself whether you have the basic skill-set that is required to qualify this exam. E.g. Ability to work hard, Good writing skills, Comprehension, Analysis etc. Aspirations are good but they must be backed with abilities. If you realize that you lack some the skill required, you can always work on it and improve yourself. Or if you realize that you are better suited for something else, it is better to follow that career path. Next, any new aspirant must take his/her family into confidence. This is more important for aspirants who are devoting full time to study. For this you need to talk clearly to your family about your aspirations. Ask them for adequate time and assure them that you will work hard. Sketch out a Plan B to convince them that you won’t ruin your career even if you do not get results in these exams. Tell them that your aspirations to enter the Civil Services are not selfish but you also want to make your family proud. In most cases, they will support you. Then it is your responsibility to make sure that you do not betray their hopes. In case the family is not supporting for some reason, try to see what they are expecting from you. This will help you to find a way, for instance a job and part-time preparation in case of financial difficulty, or completing higher education with part-time study of these exams if family wants so. It is very important to have family on your side. Finally I come to the most important point. In this process of study and examinations, be yourself. Do not follow anybody blindly; be it your teacher, mentor or idol. You have to decide your strategy which is best suited to you. Other people can just help you in designing strategy or giving different alternatives. But you have to take a call yourself. Many aspirants blindly copy successful candidates after reading their books or listening to their experiences. You just need to look at the strategy used by that particular person and use it as a guideline in your study. Nobody can plan and achieve success for you except yourself. Your first attempt will stay with you throughout your lifetime. You will never forget these days. These are the days when you study with a different kind of enthusiasm and passion, which is normally lacking in later years. You are little bit nervous but extremely positive in this time period. Use this tension-free, enjoyable time to learn maximum things. Try to learn as many new concepts as possible. Try different sources, strategies. Find good friends in Competitive Exams circle. Make the best of this time for a brilliant future. Good luck!!
Posted on: Sun, 07 Sep 2014 06:32:49 +0000
Trending Topics
Recently Viewed Topics
© 2015