Civil Services, which is considered to be one of the most difficult exams in the country, is not a child’s play. Whether it is a commissioned officer or an aspirant in the early stages of preparation, each and everyone has to imbibe the ideal of ‘Sheelam Param Bhushanam’. It refers to our character being the highest virtue. A dedicated mindset is the precursor to dedicated strategies of preparation.
Normally, this motto should go with every action of our lives. However, by adopting it as the motto of the LBSNAA, the founders of the administrative services have made the duties of its people crystal clear. Character has been raised to the status of an ornament that one must wear in order to get in or continue within the framework of the services.
When this dedication seeps in an aspirant’s everyday behaviour, it influences the environment around him besides his own personal self. Dedication towards UPSC gets clearly portrayed in all walks of life, making h/er a healthy-minded, balanced individual.
It has been noticed that even those people who can’t make it to the actual on-ground services, serve the society distinctly, better than ordinary masses. This happens because the maturity which gets inculcated within them during the course of their preparation, yields its benefits in alternative careers as well as social causes. In short, academics surely is an important factor to crack the UPSC, but it actually is the unstoppable character of an aspirant that repeatedly rekindles the fire to serve the citizens of the nation.
In the evolving digital age, where online study material for UPSC is available in surplus, it all comes down to how serious and calculative the aspirant was during his time of study. This pushes us to explore the by-products which get accumulated during this preparation. It is important to take note of these as many consider civil services a ‘gamble’. It would be wrong to deny such statements as out of 15 lakh aspirants every year, only 0.2% make it to the IAS cadre. So, should people stop believing in themselves and quit the thoughts of UPSC? The answer would be a ‘no’, whatever arguments get presented against the administrative services. Therefore, very rationally, we present to you the multiple benefits arising out of a dedicated UPSC preparation.
ALTERNATIVE CAREER PATHS
The dream of a government job does not end with your UPSC interview. UPSC is of course the top notch service one can be a part of. However, its preparation opens the door to an umbrella of government services that are not any less interesting than UPSC.
The UPSC syllabus is highly related to the knowledge base required for other services. The closest opportunity cost to central government services are state civil services. These require candidates to be well-versed in their respective state languages, by passing an examination. State PCS allows candidates to attempt examinations as many times as they prefer to.
Other than the PCS, PSUs, banking sector, educational institutions such as central/state government universities, CDS, Indian Railways, RBI, etc. are all open for potential UPSC candidates.
Aiming for the moon and landing among the stars isn’t a bad proposition. Is it?
LIFE-LONG DISCIPLINE
The period of preparation for the exam makes a person capable of dealing with the rough world, opening h/er eyes to the multiple facets of reality. UPSC aspirants maintain strict schedules for themselves which govern their lives till its end. To list down a few general characteristics of these people, we’ll have perseverance, dedication and self-control on the top. Discipline breeds individuality and a strong-independent mental control that keeps a check on the rationality of people, always showing them the right way forward. It is indeed very difficult to cut on our passions and desires especially at a young age, but it really is very daring on the part of these aspirants who live by the principle of sacrifice and hope for a bright future.
The UPSC coaching cost not only includes the financial support, which is meager for a large number of aspirants, but also time, age and dedication that are directed towards building a strong self in order to clench the opportunity to serve the state.
KNOWLEDGE ACQUISITION
The UPSC syllabus is designed on a horizontal framework, focussing on the wide variety of topics to be studied, then on in-depth analyses of concepts. Therefore, the knowledge an aspirant is able to grab in these years is highly applicable both in the post-selection duties and more so in alternative career paths. The dedication and knowledge carried forward by aspirants makes them unique in all public settings as they possess the zeal and capabilities to excel in allied fields.
It is important to realise that no knowledge is ever wasted. In the context of UPSC, the gained knowledge becomes crucial when going towards fall-back options and turning the course of lives. Hence, knowledge must be absorbed as naturally as possible without focussing our brains towards sure-shot moments of success.
SOFT SKILLS
Lastly, UPSC preparation is a great way to enhance our overall lifestyle with the wisdom it provides on the way. Right from time management, to financial calculations, to skills in reading, writing or analysing, UPSC comes as a complete package that level-ups the skillsets of any aspirant.
Time-management results in the practice of focussing more than getting distracted. No one can disagree that any efficient individual is an employer’s first choice. UPSC indirectly prepares people for hectic work structures no matter what field they might be in.
Reading, analysing and writing skills are the pillars on which an informed individual stands. These skills are in high-demand than the traditional styles of work requiring less dynamism. All three of these help people in being clear in their minds and also expressing themselves in the right manner.
UPSC truly makes the saying “journeys are better than destinations” apt!
With a solid foundation in technology, backed by a BIT degree, Lucas Noah has carved a niche for himself in the world of content creation and digital storytelling. Currently lending his expertise to Creative Outrank LLC and Oceana Express LLC, Lucas has become a... Read more