For many UPSC aspirants, clearing the exam is the greatest achievement of their lives. To succeed in the exam, students should be highly disciplined and diligent in their UPSC preparation and studies. They will achieve success by critically analyzing the difficulty of the exam and strategically planning their approach.
But despite working hard, only a few make it to the final interview round. Reason being, the tough competition. Fortunately, the UPSC board has given multiple attempts if one is not able to crack it in a single attempt. And to get a better score next time, you can review your marks and analyse where things went wrong.
But, Can Unqualified Aspirants Check Marks in UPSC Civil Services?
Yes, they can. Candidates who do not qualify for the exams can check their mark sheets that are uploaded on the Commission’s website within 15 days of the date on which the final result is published [following the Psychological Interview] and remain available there for 30 days.
Links are provided on the UPSC website for accessing marks when they are available.
What Should UPSC Aspirants Do After That?
You don’t have to give up on your dreams if you don’t pass the UPSC Civil Service Exams on your first attempt. You can still crack it with your determination and hard work. But first, you have to review where things went wrong for you.
We have listed some common mistakes candidates make during their UPSC preparation. Read it and find what you could do to improve.
A Non-balanced Study Schedule
Laying out a well-planned and working schedule is a key step toward success. Getting it wrong will lead to failure. Maintain a balanced schedule for the preparation of prelims, mains, and interviews.
Incorrect Selection of Optional Subjects
It is not recommended that students choose their optional subjects based on their bias towards the subject. Choosing a subject should be based on familiarity with its depth and the type of questions asked previously.
Not Paying Attention to the Previous Year’s Question Papers
By referring to previous year question papers, you learn how the questions are divided up, marks assigned to each question, and a variety of questions that help you manage your time more effectively. A key element of success in exams is to know what kinds of questions appear in them and the right way to solve them within the time limit.
Limiting the Importance of Preliminary Exams as Qualifying Exams
UPSC aspirants are aware that the preliminary exam is required to qualify for the mains. However, a student shouldn’t take the class lightly. Students tend to undervalue the prelims, putting more weight on the main exam preparation, thus losing out on opportunities to qualify further.
Time Management in Exams
It is a very common occurrence that students often get distracted by a few questions and spend too much time on them. Focus on direct questions which can be used as an advantage. This will allow the student to balance his or her time among all the questions. The areas that are too factual or that require extensive knowledge can be kept for the last.
Travelling Too Far for Coaching Classes
It’s a good idea to attend coaching classes to supplement your UPSC preparation, but don’t travel too much so you’re left with little preparation time. Your total energy will be drained, and you won’t have time for self-preparation or else you can opt for an online course.
Inadequate Revision
It is useless to prepare every day without periodically reviewing the things that you have studied. Ideally, a successful Civil Services preparation strategy would include preparation and revision at short intervals. An entire month should be devoted to revising what was studied in the last few months.
Analyzing Questions Incorrectly
Negative marks are an important element of the exam; failing to know them would be wrong. Discover your strengths. Even simple questions can be tricky. Since a significant percentage of prelims questions are direct, you must strategize to maximize your score.
If a question requires your analysis and logical thinking, it is best solved that way. For the interview, practice good communication skills and only answer the questions after you’ve clearly understood them.
Low Self-assessment and Mock Test Sessions
Without knowing how questions will be framed, why bother preparing from books and study materials? Online mock tests are a great way to become familiar with the kinds of questions that might be asked. With good practice, you will also master the skills of time management.
Stressed Out by too Many Exams
Some students commit this grave error. The idea that the IAS exam can lead to many other government exams could raise your mental pressure unnecessarily, taking focus away from the preparation of the IAS exam. You should do what is essential for the IAS test now and save the rest for later.
Figure Out Things With UPSC Pathshala
Now that you know where you made the mistake, let us figure out what your next step should be. UPSC pathshala’s customised courses will help you prepare to sit for the exam efficiently and improve your skills. With years of teaching experience, our mentors are experts in their fields. Let us help you resolve doubts, keep track of your progress, and improve the weak areas.
Get to know UPSC pathshala’s top-notch teaching methods by attending the free demo class. Our team has trained more than 15000 students across the country in many different fields.
All the knowledge about the unqualified aspirants is shared here. Thank you for sharing it.
Lots of us struggle a lot once we don’t qualify for the exam. This article helped a lot to get back on track
This article is informative as well as motivational to let me come back in the state of positive mind for my preparations.
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I think the biggest thing after losing is not giving up. This article has given some wonderful set of information to grow and enhance, what do you guys think?
Very helpful article. Thank you for the information