Dated 24th May, 2000

Hundreds of thousands candidates appear for the Preliminary examination every year, out of which about 10,000 get selected for the Mains. Further, only about 1,500 get called for the interview, out of which only 700 make it past the post. In this fiercely competitive scenario, what does it take to be a winner?

First and foremost is the decision: There are any number of candidates appearing for the Civil Services examination just for a lark. Are you one of them? Or are you the one truly determined to succeed, come what may? If you are taking the Prelims as a testing ground, remember that you have got only four chances. Also, remember that most of the successful candidates are those who get through the Prelims in the first two chances. So, if you are determined to make it, get cracking right from the word go.

Hard work counts more than intelligence: This has often been remarked of the Civil Services. Very many intelligent candidates do not make it simply because they have not worked hard enough. On the other hand, quite a few average candidates have made it because they have really slogged it out. Ask any successful candidate and he/she will tell you that success does not come easy in Civil Services. 15-16 hours a day of study is quite common for them, especially for the Mains.

Organisation is the key: Sometimes, all the hard work that you put in goes waste, simply because you have not planned your study properly. Sifting and filtration is a process that is very useful here. Otherwise, you may end up learning much of what is not really required. Careful selection and planned study go a long way in ensuring that critical edge, so vital for an examination of this type.

Time is the essence: Time is always in short supply for all the CS exams. Nevertheless, if your study is judiciously timed, there should not be a problem. A lot of candidates make the mistake of dividing their time equally for all the subjects. Remember that all the papers are not of equal marks. Give more time to your optional subject than the General Studies paper in the Prelims. In the Mains, GS and Optionals carry equal marks (600 each for two papers). For the language papers, considerably less effort is required as they are only of a qualifying nature.

Choose the Optionals wisely: Just because everyone is taking up History, Sociology or Psychology is no reason for you to do so. Of course, there is a general feeling that some subjects are more scoring than others are. If you are confident, you can do well in them, take them up. It is however, best to take up those subjects with which you are most familiar and comfortable as that reduces the time spent on learning totally new things. Ideally, take up your M.A. subject as one optional and the other optional could be one of the subjects you had in graduation.

Don't be out of touch with the world outside: While it is an admirable quality to be totally involved in your study, it is unwise to give up completely on the outside world. Discussions with friends now and then can definitely add to your knowledge. Reading newspapers and magazines can update you on current affairs and latest happenings in every field. It is also a good idea to take a long walk every day to recollect your thoughts and ideas. Besides, it is a welcome break from the monotony of sitting long hours in one place.

A short break after Prelims is essential: After the Prelims, it is necessary to take a break - say about a week or ten days to refresh yourself. But a very long break could be detrimental, as that will reduce the time for the study of Main exams. Do not wait for the Prelims results to come out before you study for the Mains. If you get through the Prelims, you would have a headstart for the Mains, but in case you don't, you could consider it as preparation for the next year.

Join a good study group: It could be a coaching institute or an informal study group. Be careful while selecting an institute - your money should not go waste. A select group of friends - all preparing for the exams - can exchange useful ideas through informal discussions. Being in a sort of team is always better than being a loner. It helps in faster dissemination of information.

After the Mains, conduct mock interviews: This is where friends would be most helpful. Often, a single person cannot imagine what kind of questions will be asked at the interview. More people mean more ideas and more questions. That will give you enough food for thought to plan out all your answers meaningfully, and be well prepared for the interview.

Never ever be depressed: In the long hours of study and preparation, there will be times when you could be depressed and lonely. More so when you start doubting whether you will succeed or not. That is the time when you may question the whole system and wonder whether all the hard work is really worth it. At such times, listen to soft music, go and meet friends, play a vigorous game once a while or maybe just go for a long walk or drive. You may soon get out of that depressing mood. Even if you fail to get through any of the exams, remember that life is much more than Civil Services. There are plenty of other options, equally challenging and exciting, if not more. As to your hard work put in, that will never go waste. The amount of knowledge you gather can be used in any other field to your advantage.

So, get set and gear up. If you are determined to succeed, greater chances are that you will. If you have put in your best, the rest should be left to God and Fortune.

Vanit Sethi