General Advises & Pitfalls During the Preparations | Crack Civil Services in First Attempt by Divey Sethi, IRS - UPSC PDF Download

 Page 1


General Advises & Pitfalls During the 
Preparations
?   PrerequisitestoCrackUPSCCivilServices:
Please do not confuse this with the characteristics of a civil servant that 
have been discussed above in the section of the interview preparations. 
These are the mandatory characteristics/techniques a candidate must 
possess or cultivate to crack civil services.
a) Patience: the very first attempt would take at least 10 months of 
serious preparation until the mains examination. The interview 
will be held around 3 months after the mains examination. Then 
comes the anxious waiting of one month or so before the final 
results are displayed. During all this time, a candidate may take 
an occasional break but can’t rest in peace. He/she must be in 
continuous touch with studies. Thus, this period of more than 
one year, and preferably 1.5 years for the very first attempt, has 
to be covered patiently. There will be moments when you feel 
that it’s a lost battle, yet you have to keep your calm.
b) Perseverance: An aspirant has to continuously engage with 
books and other study material. Patience for 1.5 years will bear 
fruit, not without persevering efforts. I personally find that 
aspirants in this field do not lack patience – many have devoted 
their youth primarily to this task.
c) Smart study: without this, the combination of the above 2 will 
not bear fruit. This is what this book is all about. Unlike hard 
work, smart study focuses on picking and choosing targets and 
their timely fulfillment and taking immediate corrective action if 
required. We don’t vouch that an aspirant has to study everything 
Page 2


General Advises & Pitfalls During the 
Preparations
?   PrerequisitestoCrackUPSCCivilServices:
Please do not confuse this with the characteristics of a civil servant that 
have been discussed above in the section of the interview preparations. 
These are the mandatory characteristics/techniques a candidate must 
possess or cultivate to crack civil services.
a) Patience: the very first attempt would take at least 10 months of 
serious preparation until the mains examination. The interview 
will be held around 3 months after the mains examination. Then 
comes the anxious waiting of one month or so before the final 
results are displayed. During all this time, a candidate may take 
an occasional break but can’t rest in peace. He/she must be in 
continuous touch with studies. Thus, this period of more than 
one year, and preferably 1.5 years for the very first attempt, has 
to be covered patiently. There will be moments when you feel 
that it’s a lost battle, yet you have to keep your calm.
b) Perseverance: An aspirant has to continuously engage with 
books and other study material. Patience for 1.5 years will bear 
fruit, not without persevering efforts. I personally find that 
aspirants in this field do not lack patience – many have devoted 
their youth primarily to this task.
c) Smart study: without this, the combination of the above 2 will 
not bear fruit. This is what this book is all about. Unlike hard 
work, smart study focuses on picking and choosing targets and 
their timely fulfillment and taking immediate corrective action if 
required. We don’t vouch that an aspirant has to study everything 
General Advises & Pitfalls During the Preparations
under the sun but study what the requirement of an exam is. 
Continuous monitoring of progress and rectification wherever 
needed is the need of the hour. We vouch for organized and 
structured study using charts, tables, and algorithms which shall 
definitely help a candidate imbibe a plethora of information and 
then reflect upon it.
Other aspects and virtues, such as hard work, determination, confidence, 
answer writing skills, strong oral communication, concentration, 
memory, etc., are indeed an added advantage. They can be cultivated 
and developed by an aspirant but directed under the broad umbrella 
of the 3 mentioned above; that is, patience, perseverance, and smart 
study.
?   WhatDotheCandidatesLackinGeneral?
Although all the above-mentioned aspects are required for success at 
civil services, out of the 3 listed above, patience is the most common 
aspect found in many candidates. Perseverance is found in some, and 
the skill of smart study is quite rare.
One senior person whom I met to discuss history before my mains 
examination candidly said, “I came to Delhi from Bihar in 2003 and now 
in 2013 I am again going to Bihar as I have cleared Bihar state services.” 
He took a pause. “It pains me to find that I devoted my youth to UPSC 
Civil services and still could not crack it.” He didn’t lack patience. In 
fact he had an excess of patience!
A very close friend of mine who hails from Bihar guided me thoroughly 
in regards to what I should study when I started the preparations. He 
is a hardworking guy who can stretch upto 12 hours a day of self-study 
and that too for more than a week without any break. Unfortunately 
he didn’t clear prelims. Further, there is absolutely no doubt in my 
mind in regards to his knowledge for almost anything. His efforts were 
persevering and conduct was patient but he lacked a strategy of smart 
study.
Page 3


General Advises & Pitfalls During the 
Preparations
?   PrerequisitestoCrackUPSCCivilServices:
Please do not confuse this with the characteristics of a civil servant that 
have been discussed above in the section of the interview preparations. 
These are the mandatory characteristics/techniques a candidate must 
possess or cultivate to crack civil services.
a) Patience: the very first attempt would take at least 10 months of 
serious preparation until the mains examination. The interview 
will be held around 3 months after the mains examination. Then 
comes the anxious waiting of one month or so before the final 
results are displayed. During all this time, a candidate may take 
an occasional break but can’t rest in peace. He/she must be in 
continuous touch with studies. Thus, this period of more than 
one year, and preferably 1.5 years for the very first attempt, has 
to be covered patiently. There will be moments when you feel 
that it’s a lost battle, yet you have to keep your calm.
b) Perseverance: An aspirant has to continuously engage with 
books and other study material. Patience for 1.5 years will bear 
fruit, not without persevering efforts. I personally find that 
aspirants in this field do not lack patience – many have devoted 
their youth primarily to this task.
c) Smart study: without this, the combination of the above 2 will 
not bear fruit. This is what this book is all about. Unlike hard 
work, smart study focuses on picking and choosing targets and 
their timely fulfillment and taking immediate corrective action if 
required. We don’t vouch that an aspirant has to study everything 
General Advises & Pitfalls During the Preparations
under the sun but study what the requirement of an exam is. 
Continuous monitoring of progress and rectification wherever 
needed is the need of the hour. We vouch for organized and 
structured study using charts, tables, and algorithms which shall 
definitely help a candidate imbibe a plethora of information and 
then reflect upon it.
Other aspects and virtues, such as hard work, determination, confidence, 
answer writing skills, strong oral communication, concentration, 
memory, etc., are indeed an added advantage. They can be cultivated 
and developed by an aspirant but directed under the broad umbrella 
of the 3 mentioned above; that is, patience, perseverance, and smart 
study.
?   WhatDotheCandidatesLackinGeneral?
Although all the above-mentioned aspects are required for success at 
civil services, out of the 3 listed above, patience is the most common 
aspect found in many candidates. Perseverance is found in some, and 
the skill of smart study is quite rare.
One senior person whom I met to discuss history before my mains 
examination candidly said, “I came to Delhi from Bihar in 2003 and now 
in 2013 I am again going to Bihar as I have cleared Bihar state services.” 
He took a pause. “It pains me to find that I devoted my youth to UPSC 
Civil services and still could not crack it.” He didn’t lack patience. In 
fact he had an excess of patience!
A very close friend of mine who hails from Bihar guided me thoroughly 
in regards to what I should study when I started the preparations. He 
is a hardworking guy who can stretch upto 12 hours a day of self-study 
and that too for more than a week without any break. Unfortunately 
he didn’t clear prelims. Further, there is absolutely no doubt in my 
mind in regards to his knowledge for almost anything. His efforts were 
persevering and conduct was patient but he lacked a strategy of smart 
study.
This book is dedicated to all the aspirants like him who can do miracles 
if pushed slightly in the right direction. All that is required to be done is 
to channelize their immense potential in the required direction.
?   CalculatingtheNumberofHoursofStudy:
There are many situations which throw upon an aspirant the illusion 
that he/she is studying but in fact that is not study at all. One person 
I met in 2012 when I was yet to take the decision of going in for the 
preparation said, “My dear friend. First think and then decide whether 
to go for preparations or not. Because you have to study at least 12 
hours each day and every single day throughout the period of 2 years.” 
I got scared as I perfectly knew that with the best of my efforts I could 
not study for more than 5 or 6 hours each day. He continued, “You will 
have at least 8 hours of coaching each day, then in the peer group you 
must discuss what is taught in the class for around 2 hours and then 
before retiring to the bed you must take out another 2 hours.”
After clearing the examination I realized that this accounts for only 
2 hours of study. The time devoted to coaching must not be counted 
in your study hours. The time you spend discussing and debating 
with your friends, whether the issue is relevant or not, should not be 
included in the study hours. The number of hours you study is the self-
study you do sitting alone in your room. And that, if around 6 hours 
average each day, is more than sufficient to crack civil services in first 
attempt.
?   RoleofCalendar:
Use calendars with enlarged fonts of dates and place it in such a place 
where it is easily visible. Its role becomes prominent 2 months before 
prelims and 2 months before mains. For each day that passes place a 
cross with black pen on that date and write what progress you made in 
your studies. For the coming day list your target, which in fact, should 
put an inflationary pressure on you. For each day you do not take to 
Page 4


General Advises & Pitfalls During the 
Preparations
?   PrerequisitestoCrackUPSCCivilServices:
Please do not confuse this with the characteristics of a civil servant that 
have been discussed above in the section of the interview preparations. 
These are the mandatory characteristics/techniques a candidate must 
possess or cultivate to crack civil services.
a) Patience: the very first attempt would take at least 10 months of 
serious preparation until the mains examination. The interview 
will be held around 3 months after the mains examination. Then 
comes the anxious waiting of one month or so before the final 
results are displayed. During all this time, a candidate may take 
an occasional break but can’t rest in peace. He/she must be in 
continuous touch with studies. Thus, this period of more than 
one year, and preferably 1.5 years for the very first attempt, has 
to be covered patiently. There will be moments when you feel 
that it’s a lost battle, yet you have to keep your calm.
b) Perseverance: An aspirant has to continuously engage with 
books and other study material. Patience for 1.5 years will bear 
fruit, not without persevering efforts. I personally find that 
aspirants in this field do not lack patience – many have devoted 
their youth primarily to this task.
c) Smart study: without this, the combination of the above 2 will 
not bear fruit. This is what this book is all about. Unlike hard 
work, smart study focuses on picking and choosing targets and 
their timely fulfillment and taking immediate corrective action if 
required. We don’t vouch that an aspirant has to study everything 
General Advises & Pitfalls During the Preparations
under the sun but study what the requirement of an exam is. 
Continuous monitoring of progress and rectification wherever 
needed is the need of the hour. We vouch for organized and 
structured study using charts, tables, and algorithms which shall 
definitely help a candidate imbibe a plethora of information and 
then reflect upon it.
Other aspects and virtues, such as hard work, determination, confidence, 
answer writing skills, strong oral communication, concentration, 
memory, etc., are indeed an added advantage. They can be cultivated 
and developed by an aspirant but directed under the broad umbrella 
of the 3 mentioned above; that is, patience, perseverance, and smart 
study.
?   WhatDotheCandidatesLackinGeneral?
Although all the above-mentioned aspects are required for success at 
civil services, out of the 3 listed above, patience is the most common 
aspect found in many candidates. Perseverance is found in some, and 
the skill of smart study is quite rare.
One senior person whom I met to discuss history before my mains 
examination candidly said, “I came to Delhi from Bihar in 2003 and now 
in 2013 I am again going to Bihar as I have cleared Bihar state services.” 
He took a pause. “It pains me to find that I devoted my youth to UPSC 
Civil services and still could not crack it.” He didn’t lack patience. In 
fact he had an excess of patience!
A very close friend of mine who hails from Bihar guided me thoroughly 
in regards to what I should study when I started the preparations. He 
is a hardworking guy who can stretch upto 12 hours a day of self-study 
and that too for more than a week without any break. Unfortunately 
he didn’t clear prelims. Further, there is absolutely no doubt in my 
mind in regards to his knowledge for almost anything. His efforts were 
persevering and conduct was patient but he lacked a strategy of smart 
study.
This book is dedicated to all the aspirants like him who can do miracles 
if pushed slightly in the right direction. All that is required to be done is 
to channelize their immense potential in the required direction.
?   CalculatingtheNumberofHoursofStudy:
There are many situations which throw upon an aspirant the illusion 
that he/she is studying but in fact that is not study at all. One person 
I met in 2012 when I was yet to take the decision of going in for the 
preparation said, “My dear friend. First think and then decide whether 
to go for preparations or not. Because you have to study at least 12 
hours each day and every single day throughout the period of 2 years.” 
I got scared as I perfectly knew that with the best of my efforts I could 
not study for more than 5 or 6 hours each day. He continued, “You will 
have at least 8 hours of coaching each day, then in the peer group you 
must discuss what is taught in the class for around 2 hours and then 
before retiring to the bed you must take out another 2 hours.”
After clearing the examination I realized that this accounts for only 
2 hours of study. The time devoted to coaching must not be counted 
in your study hours. The time you spend discussing and debating 
with your friends, whether the issue is relevant or not, should not be 
included in the study hours. The number of hours you study is the self-
study you do sitting alone in your room. And that, if around 6 hours 
average each day, is more than sufficient to crack civil services in first 
attempt.
?   RoleofCalendar:
Use calendars with enlarged fonts of dates and place it in such a place 
where it is easily visible. Its role becomes prominent 2 months before 
prelims and 2 months before mains. For each day that passes place a 
cross with black pen on that date and write what progress you made in 
your studies. For the coming day list your target, which in fact, should 
put an inflationary pressure on you. For each day you do not take to 
General Advises & Pitfalls During the Preparations
study cancel the date with a red pen. This would put an aspirant under 
pressure and his/her performance would set on an increasing trend.
?   CounteringFatigue:
An aspirant must not think himself/herself to be a machine. We are 
human beings and we get tired. It is not only our right but also our 
duty to refresh our debilitated energies periodically through the means 
of leisure activity. After 5 days of continuous slogging and burning 
midnight’s oil for civil services, you may feel restless the sixth day. 
This restlessness can be countered if you periodically take breaks from 
study after 6 pm on the sixth day. The time till you sleep on that day 
must be spent in your way – that should not include studies or even 
the discussions of studies. The ways of relaxation may be different but 
all should bear the same output – that on the very next day you feel 
rejuvenated when you get up in the morning – ready again for the same 
slog till the next break.
?   MobilePhoneAnxiety:
We must accept the fact that all the present aspirants and the future 
ones have been a witness to the technological revolution in India, 
especially during the last one decade, in varying degrees. The 
accessibility, availability and affordability of mobile phones have led 
to its penetration spanning almost the whole country. Its usage is 
frequent and the number of average hours spent on mobile is on a 
rise. With its integration with internet in smart phones, the PC/laptop 
traffic is diverting on mobiles. This has led to a syndrome of mobile 
phone anxiety. Try to live without a mobile phone for a single day and 
you may witness the same. But my dear aspirant, this syndrome has 
to be countered when exams approach. Let us say one month before 
preliminary and 2 months before mains one should avoid the usage of 
mobiles. The unavoidable usage should be at your convenience and not 
on others’ wishes.
Page 5


General Advises & Pitfalls During the 
Preparations
?   PrerequisitestoCrackUPSCCivilServices:
Please do not confuse this with the characteristics of a civil servant that 
have been discussed above in the section of the interview preparations. 
These are the mandatory characteristics/techniques a candidate must 
possess or cultivate to crack civil services.
a) Patience: the very first attempt would take at least 10 months of 
serious preparation until the mains examination. The interview 
will be held around 3 months after the mains examination. Then 
comes the anxious waiting of one month or so before the final 
results are displayed. During all this time, a candidate may take 
an occasional break but can’t rest in peace. He/she must be in 
continuous touch with studies. Thus, this period of more than 
one year, and preferably 1.5 years for the very first attempt, has 
to be covered patiently. There will be moments when you feel 
that it’s a lost battle, yet you have to keep your calm.
b) Perseverance: An aspirant has to continuously engage with 
books and other study material. Patience for 1.5 years will bear 
fruit, not without persevering efforts. I personally find that 
aspirants in this field do not lack patience – many have devoted 
their youth primarily to this task.
c) Smart study: without this, the combination of the above 2 will 
not bear fruit. This is what this book is all about. Unlike hard 
work, smart study focuses on picking and choosing targets and 
their timely fulfillment and taking immediate corrective action if 
required. We don’t vouch that an aspirant has to study everything 
General Advises & Pitfalls During the Preparations
under the sun but study what the requirement of an exam is. 
Continuous monitoring of progress and rectification wherever 
needed is the need of the hour. We vouch for organized and 
structured study using charts, tables, and algorithms which shall 
definitely help a candidate imbibe a plethora of information and 
then reflect upon it.
Other aspects and virtues, such as hard work, determination, confidence, 
answer writing skills, strong oral communication, concentration, 
memory, etc., are indeed an added advantage. They can be cultivated 
and developed by an aspirant but directed under the broad umbrella 
of the 3 mentioned above; that is, patience, perseverance, and smart 
study.
?   WhatDotheCandidatesLackinGeneral?
Although all the above-mentioned aspects are required for success at 
civil services, out of the 3 listed above, patience is the most common 
aspect found in many candidates. Perseverance is found in some, and 
the skill of smart study is quite rare.
One senior person whom I met to discuss history before my mains 
examination candidly said, “I came to Delhi from Bihar in 2003 and now 
in 2013 I am again going to Bihar as I have cleared Bihar state services.” 
He took a pause. “It pains me to find that I devoted my youth to UPSC 
Civil services and still could not crack it.” He didn’t lack patience. In 
fact he had an excess of patience!
A very close friend of mine who hails from Bihar guided me thoroughly 
in regards to what I should study when I started the preparations. He 
is a hardworking guy who can stretch upto 12 hours a day of self-study 
and that too for more than a week without any break. Unfortunately 
he didn’t clear prelims. Further, there is absolutely no doubt in my 
mind in regards to his knowledge for almost anything. His efforts were 
persevering and conduct was patient but he lacked a strategy of smart 
study.
This book is dedicated to all the aspirants like him who can do miracles 
if pushed slightly in the right direction. All that is required to be done is 
to channelize their immense potential in the required direction.
?   CalculatingtheNumberofHoursofStudy:
There are many situations which throw upon an aspirant the illusion 
that he/she is studying but in fact that is not study at all. One person 
I met in 2012 when I was yet to take the decision of going in for the 
preparation said, “My dear friend. First think and then decide whether 
to go for preparations or not. Because you have to study at least 12 
hours each day and every single day throughout the period of 2 years.” 
I got scared as I perfectly knew that with the best of my efforts I could 
not study for more than 5 or 6 hours each day. He continued, “You will 
have at least 8 hours of coaching each day, then in the peer group you 
must discuss what is taught in the class for around 2 hours and then 
before retiring to the bed you must take out another 2 hours.”
After clearing the examination I realized that this accounts for only 
2 hours of study. The time devoted to coaching must not be counted 
in your study hours. The time you spend discussing and debating 
with your friends, whether the issue is relevant or not, should not be 
included in the study hours. The number of hours you study is the self-
study you do sitting alone in your room. And that, if around 6 hours 
average each day, is more than sufficient to crack civil services in first 
attempt.
?   RoleofCalendar:
Use calendars with enlarged fonts of dates and place it in such a place 
where it is easily visible. Its role becomes prominent 2 months before 
prelims and 2 months before mains. For each day that passes place a 
cross with black pen on that date and write what progress you made in 
your studies. For the coming day list your target, which in fact, should 
put an inflationary pressure on you. For each day you do not take to 
General Advises & Pitfalls During the Preparations
study cancel the date with a red pen. This would put an aspirant under 
pressure and his/her performance would set on an increasing trend.
?   CounteringFatigue:
An aspirant must not think himself/herself to be a machine. We are 
human beings and we get tired. It is not only our right but also our 
duty to refresh our debilitated energies periodically through the means 
of leisure activity. After 5 days of continuous slogging and burning 
midnight’s oil for civil services, you may feel restless the sixth day. 
This restlessness can be countered if you periodically take breaks from 
study after 6 pm on the sixth day. The time till you sleep on that day 
must be spent in your way – that should not include studies or even 
the discussions of studies. The ways of relaxation may be different but 
all should bear the same output – that on the very next day you feel 
rejuvenated when you get up in the morning – ready again for the same 
slog till the next break.
?   MobilePhoneAnxiety:
We must accept the fact that all the present aspirants and the future 
ones have been a witness to the technological revolution in India, 
especially during the last one decade, in varying degrees. The 
accessibility, availability and affordability of mobile phones have led 
to its penetration spanning almost the whole country. Its usage is 
frequent and the number of average hours spent on mobile is on a 
rise. With its integration with internet in smart phones, the PC/laptop 
traffic is diverting on mobiles. This has led to a syndrome of mobile 
phone anxiety. Try to live without a mobile phone for a single day and 
you may witness the same. But my dear aspirant, this syndrome has 
to be countered when exams approach. Let us say one month before 
preliminary and 2 months before mains one should avoid the usage of 
mobiles. The unavoidable usage should be at your convenience and not 
on others’ wishes.
One girl whom I had always known as a hardworking aspirant had her 
mobile switched off for continuous 5 days one month before preliminary 
2014. She called me up on the sixth day only to make me realize that 
apart from being a hardworking woman she had also become smart 
enough to manage her time when she said, “Because I am studying for 
civil services my time is a priority now rather than yours as you have 
achieved the goal. So, I will call you whenever I require your assistance 
or I feel like talking to you and you are supposed to respond to my 
calls! If you call and my mobile is off do not panic, I am consumed in 
my prayers!”
I liked her approach to deal with the exam-time pressure and successfully 
counter the mobile phone anxieties.
?   Coaching–StudyingV/sSocializing:
An aspirant joins a coaching institute with great fervor to pursue his/
her target. But I have seen and heard many cases of that enthusiasm 
becoming perverted to some other pursuits. We must realize that our 
goal stands above all. But it is disheartening to see quite few cases 
of broken love stories emanating from some prominent coaching 
institutes. I admit that socialization for a human being is a natural 
process and in fact necessary for the survival of human as a species. 
However, if that process leads to broken hearts and consumes your 
energies for a purpose so ineffective and even contradictory to your 
solemn goal then it must be stopped.
In fact, the scenario is such that people join coaching institute ‘to 
forge out a relationship if nothing happens.’ This statement came 
from a girl whom I knew quite well. Her prime motive had become 
perverted during the mis-directed path of preparations. Same scenario 
with a slightly different intent exists with the guys. These tendencies 
are meant to be curbed by the aspirants themselves, proliferate better 
thoughts among their peers and even the teachers and faculties of 
institutes must be a little more vigilant and percolate this message to 
future leaders of the country.