30/05/2022
A few hours ago, IAS results were declared in India. Many dreams were shattered, and a few ‘lives were made.
Life isn’t a zero-sum game. If you failed the exam or are stressed about the upcoming prelims. Here’s some practical advice that your UPSC coaching centers will never give you.
1. Do NOT drop another year: Out of 1 million who appear for UPSC only around 80 become IAS officers. For no fault of yours, UPSC is a game of luck - after a point of time. It is a travesty that many Indians are wasting the most productive years of their lives by appearing/reappearing for such exams mindlessly (without any backup plan).
2. There are many ways to contribute to society: If Sunder Pichai had cleared - he would be working as a collector in Greater Noida today.
Large scale impact he has created or continues to create is insurmountable to one he could have created while being in the IAS. There are great organizations such as FSG, Bridgespan, Dalberg, and BCG doing incredible work in collaboration with the Government of India, and a few state governments.
3. Build Skills: India has changed. We aren’t a 20th-century economy anymore. With the advent of liberalization and the internet economy - the state control of power shifted from civil servants to specialized professionals.
Current JS of Civil Aviation is an from IIM A and was a partner at KPMG. One of the OSDs in the Prime Minister’s office never even appeared for the civil services exam - and started his career as an Intern. There are 100 others like them who are laterally hired and contributing immensely through their work. And this trend will continue to increase.
Don’t let an exam dictate the trajectory of your 20s. The 20s are the most productive years of your lives, and the opportunity cost of revising the UPSC syllabus every year is infinite.
For those who cleared the exam, congratulations! More power to you, your journey has just begun!.