What you should not do during your journey towards IAS?

In my previous post, I had stated that I would be the best person to comment on the things one should not do during his/her journey towards IAS. I am not qualified to blabber on the 'DOs', but I can definitely tell on what you should not do since I have studied hard for the exam and lost selection.

From my personal experience and from the lives of the ones who failed to make it to the IAS, I can tell you a lot about the 'DONTs'. If you are preparing for the IAS, please take a note of these points. I will dwell on these topics in detail post after post.

#1 IF YOU ARE PREPARING FOR CIVIL SERVICES, NEVER LET YOUR FRIENDS & RELATIVES KNOW ABOUT IT

One of the commonest mistakes committed by the Civil Service Aspirants is that the moment they start preparing for the exam, they almost tom-tom it. In mu case, I dint intentionally do it, but it became almost like that.

I got a high-paying job in Singapore during my final year of Engineering. I took Civil Services Exam during that year. The employers asked me to execute a bond for 8 years. Since I strongly believed that I would clear the exam, I dint join the job. After my graduation, when my friends and relatives started asking what I was doing, I told them I was preparing for Civil Services. This reached far and wide and people started kidding as of I had become an IAS officer. It became a big embarrassment for me!

Mind you, when you prepare for the exam, just for fun sake people would call you with sobriquets such as 'collector sir'. You should not give room for any such things. Dont ever tell people that you are preparing for this exam.

The examination process is quite long and the results are unpredictable. Lot of factors such as your optional subject, number of vacancies, scaling method adopted by the UPSC could mar your chances, even if you have done the exam reasonably well.

When you face failures, people would start ridiculing you. It will become a great pressure and you will not be able to concentrate on your preparation for the next year's exam.

Thus, comes the Golden Rule: Dont tell others about the IAS dreams. Keep it secret. Let it be known only to you and your parents.

If your friends and relatives ask what you are doing, just tell them you are hunting for a job. Dont fall prey to false prestige!

The list of DONTs will continue in my next post!