The unshaken dedication, strong commitment, and constant perseverance, coupled with your unmatched belief system, have finally brought you to this pivotal moment. After months, perhaps years, of preparation and the many attempts that led you here, you've appeared for the UPSC Prelims—a significant milestone on your journey. As the dust settles on this achievement, the question now arises: what comes next? The journey is far from over, and the path ahead is as crucial as the one you've just traversed. Here's a guide on what to do after UPSC Prelims to ensure you stay on track and make the most of the time before the Mains examination.

We always know that there are two sides to a coin. Likewise, before we discuss our next steps, I want to extend hearty congratulations to each of you for successfully appearing for the UPSC Prelims. Be proud of yourself for showing the vigor and strength to face this first stage of the UPSC journey. Feel happy and content with the support your parents have provided, and of course, be grateful to the almighty for everything.

For those who have cleared it successfully, celebrate your victory—you deserve it, and you have earned it faithfully. Meet and thank the people who have helped you unconditionally in every way, and pause to enjoy the moment. After relaxing, remember that this is just a small victory; the ultimate battle is yet to be fought. Build that determination back again, buckle up for the Mains, and the ultimate interview.

To those who haven’t passed with flying colors, I urge you to celebrate your hard work too. Remember what Jeetu Bhaiya from Kota Factory said: along with successful selection, we should celebrate successful preparation. He also said not to prepare for victory; infact your preparation is your real victory. After spending some time with your loved ones, sit back and deeply analyze your entire preparation—your strengths and weaknesses, the pros and cons. Take every important decision necessary to eliminate any factor you feel is stopping you from achieving your dream. It’s your journey, and you are the pilot. Make your decisions wisely.

Now, for those who are ready to face the next battle in this incredible journey—the UPSC Mains. Even though you have passed the Prelims, I'm sure you are aware of some pitfalls or problems that persisted in your preparation that you would like to fix before moving on to the tougher and more critical stages. Please remember that the UPSC Main Exam consists of nine papers, each of which is crucial for reaching the interview stage and securing a place in the list of selected candidates.

 

The Mains examination papers are as follows: 

• Paper A: Required Indian Language (Qualifying Paper)

• Paper-B: English (Qualifying paper),

• Paper 1 - Essay  

• General Studies Papers I, II, III, and IV 

• Optional Papers I and II 

 

Understanding the Difference Between Mains and Prelims

 

Clearing Prelims is a dream come true, whether it was your first attempt or your last. However, we need to understand that clearing Prelims is just like finding a drowned key in a swimming pool, while clearing Mains is akin to diving deep into an ocean. This analogy might seem vague, but it shows the reality that the chances of selection are equally uncertain.

UPSC Prelims is more about finding the right option and moving on to the next, which is smart guessing within a limited time in other words. However, Mains is the real test, it looks for an in-depth knowledge of each and every important topic in the syllabus. Without this depth of knowledge, clearing Mains is impossible; with it, success becomes a possibility. But fear not, future civil servants—we are here to guide you through this challenging phase.

• Prepare Your Schedule and Follow It Strictly: As mentioned above, the UPSC Mains examination consists of nine papers. Accordingly, analyze your strengths and weaknesses, understand your past experiences in tests, and make a plan that you adhere to strictly. Understand that appearing for these nine examinations will not be a cakewalk; it will require hours of strong mental and physical commitment.

• Importance of Mock Tests and PYQs: Exams like UPSC are impossible to pass without paying attention to previous year trends and mock tests. Prepare for and appear in mock tests as if they are the real exams. These mock tests give you a sense of exam pressure and environment beforehand, helping you understand what mistakes you might commit during the actual exam.

• Focus on Essay Writing, Reading, and Writing Skills: The nine papers mentioned above are spread over a period of seven days. Appearing for them with the same focus, energy, and mental state is one of the most challenging tasks. But, as they say, practice makes a man perfect. Train yourself so well to encounter situations like this regularly that when the main day arrives, it feels like a normal day at work. Be so consistent in your preparation that your mind is ready to deal with even tougher situations if they arise on the main day. Do this by giving mock tests or sitting down to improve your writing skills, especially during the time slots when the exams happen, so as to make your body and mind habituated and familiar with your mental clock.

Lastly, make your strengths stronger and your weaknesses less weak over time. If you think that your study technique is not mentioned here but is helping you secure a good rank, then always follow it. As I said in the beginning, it’s your journey—you are the pilot, so make decisions wisely.

The people who were not able to clear Prelims, I feel you are the ones who can guide the best to those who have cleared Prelims; in fact, you guys are the real heroes. This might sound like a joke, but no, there is no joke until you clear UPSC. There is a popular saying that the person who has failed is the best one who can point out where others should be careful and not commit the same mistakes. UPSC is such a challenging journey that you can’t afford to repeat mistakes on your own and keep learning from them. Instead, the suggestion is to keep learning from each other’s mistakes and keep moving forward. That’s why I say you are the real heroes, as mentioned above.

However, the real heroes need to be consistent in their next attempt and avoid any kind of pitfalls by remembering all their past mistakes and avoiding them at any cost. Focus on clearing Prelims 100% this time. Here are some strategies that might help you:

• Review Past Attempts: Sit back and think over your past experiences. Spend some time to realize where you went wrong, where you can improve on your own, and where you might need the assistance of teachers and mentors. Understand and decode the past year trends, identifying the areas which are bound to appear, and the sections that account for the maximum portion of marks in the question paper.

• Current Affairs: Maintain a daily habit of devoting a certain amount of time from your schedule to stay updated on current events. Read newspapers daily, focus on journals or magazines, and create a separate space to note all important information since remembering everything without writing is practically impossible.

• Focused Revision: Create a strict timetable that includes dedicated time for each subject, revision, and practice tests. Stick to this schedule rigorously. There might be topics that are quite information intensive and might require multiple revisions to ensure a good command over it. Use mind maps or summary notes in such cases.

• Develop a Smart Test-Taking Strategy: Learn to eliminate wrong options in multiple-choice questions. This technique increases your chances of selecting the correct answer. Focus on improving accuracy in a limited time by allocating time wisely during the exam. Avoid spending too much time on any one question. Understand whether a question is tough or easy; if it carries the same marks, do not overspend time on the hard ones.

• Maintain Health and Well-being: They say health is wealth. Ensure you maintain good physical health by following a balanced diet, regular exercise, and adequate sleep. Avoid eating anything junk or unhealthy only for the sake of your taste buds, eating anything like this and being a pilot of your journey is not suggested. Practice stress-relief techniques like meditation, yoga, or any other activity that helps you stay calm and focused.

• Join Study Groups: Maintain a study group that supports healthy growth, where you can discuss and clarify doubts without any hesitation and help each other succeed.

• Persistence: Be persistent in your efforts—it's the highest-rated attribute for any aspirant. Consistency and perseverance are key to overcoming past failures. Studying less or more is different, but studying daily is a must for you.

Rising up after failing once or more is not easy, but I always believe that when there is darkness, a bright day is soon to follow. Keep your belief high enough that you can foresee the day when you will become a civil servant. Always remember, tough times don't last long, but tough people do.