An Approach To UPSC CSE (By Arpit Gupta AIR 54)

Hello people, I know the nerves would be high. Huge stakes are involved. Aisa lagega ki bahot hi bada day hai aur sab kuch isi pe depend karta hai. But let me tell you, aisa hota nahi hai. I will be frank, i couldn’t sleep the whole night before essay exam in my 2nd attempt. I took a medicine in the morning, and went to exam and just remained calm as if jo hoga dekhenge yar ab kya hi kar sakte hain. Don’t have this perception that if it is not your day tomorrow, you will do everything wrong. Things don’t happen like that. Your hard work ultimately comes to rescue, just that you need to believe in yourself. Keeping calm and self-belief makes a lot of difference. Your all the hard work would make you do things right if you believe in your own self. Stay calm, and know that “jo hoga dekha jayega” is the real truth of life. And well, life is not that good on this side as much you think of it, so you need to enjoy these days also (well, ab to lbsnaa has also become very strict so your honeymoon period essentially is the one during exam and 2-3 months after the results). Let’s hope for the best!! Badiya se do paper, jitna shanti se doge utna badiya likh ke aaoge ye hi funda hai exam ka. All the best for your mains 2025 exam. Regards Random Indian Middle Class Guy PS: A day late because of hectic schedule 😊

Hello Everyone, The results have been out now. It would have been liberating feeling for the people who cleared it while it would be bigger than the heart break for people who couldn't. IF YOU CLEARED (read this): This is a very competitive game (rat race) to be honest. You have cleared just the 1st stage (called the elimination round). You have to face people who gave last interview and got IPS or who missed by few marks. Don't celebrate now (although you can give yourself a treat for coming out victorious). The main exam is around 80 days from now. It would be a rush now, where you will literally get depressed every day for not being able to complete all the targets. You might have to postpone every other plan to give mains properly. Be positive but not really happy about this result (I know I sound pessimistic but that's how it is). Your probability of failure from now is still near 8%. All the very best to you. I have uploaded plan and strategies here for the time between prelims and mains (you can go through it as per your convenience). Try not to waste a single day from tomorrow. Take a good sleep today, Kyunki kal se to neend haram hi honi hai". IF YOU FLUNKED PRELIMS (PLEASE READ THIS): This exam is unpredictable. You might have been AIR1 but you flunked the very first stage, that's how it is. 100s of self-doubt, stressful thoughts and uneasy feelings would be there. I faced failure in my 1st attempt at mains stage and I know it feels like being worthless. You might be 31 and giving your last attempt. I know it's easier said than done but this exam many a times skips few good people. That is because of the limited number of seats. If you have attempts left, think about your plans, please find your mistakes. This exam has a big secret & that is minimizing the mistakes. My heart goes out to the deserving candidates who were pushed out because of ups and downs in the subsequent year’s papers. It is cruel but that's how life is. I, being on the other side, can say with confidence that life offers happiness in multiple ways. We have channelled that to an exam which leads to this "Do or Die" scene. Please give a thought to your strategy tonight. Rethink about life and its purpose. Revisit the best and the worst moments of your life. Just do everything which reminds you of who you are. Remember, you are and will remain what your values are & how your character is irrespective of this exam. Anyone who is feeling really stressed, please try to talk to your parents. I know, how negative thoughts and worthless feeling sets in after such a result when you have given it all. All the best for whatsoever you want to do in life. P.S - I had formed a group of people last to last year for those who were giving mains with maths as an optional and had already given mains earlier. It is one of the most active and problem resolving group that you may find on telegram. I will add you there only if you have Maths optional (send the admit card of prelims and screenshot of your roll no in pdf). Also, only get added if you want to discuss maths or GS or anything, please don't get added to remain a mute spectator because it defeats the purpose of the group. Thanks! Lots of love to all brothers and sisters ❤ Regards, Random Indian Middle Class Guy

Hello All, Just wanted to wish you all the best and say “give whatever you can and stay calm”. Carry your confidence even if you forget your pen as I say always. No gyan as such is needed. I know it’s a big night. Go and do what you worked hard for. Hoping for what you all deserve. Thanks Regards Random Indian Middle Class Guy

It won’t happen in one day, but it would happen one day! Keep slogging till then! A reminder that the countdown for CSP25 has begun. Exactly 30 days from here you would be attempting your prelims paper. Focus 🧿 All the best bhaiyon/behenon 1 day over, 29 remain. एक दिन में नहीं होगा लेकिन एक दिन होगा। Regards Random Indian Middle Class Guy

This is a request from few of our fellow aspirants to those who cleared the exam this year with good ranks and won’t want forest seats: Humble Request to CSE Rankers Regarding IFoS Interview Since 2021, the IFoS interview is happening after CSE results. Many candidates who secured their desired CSE posts have chosen not to attend the IFoS interview — a gesture that has helped others make it to the IFoS final list, especially since there's no waiting list in IFoS. However, in 2022, a few top CSE rankers still appeared for the IFoS interview despite having secured their preferred service — but eventually didn’t join IFoS. As a result, several deserving candidates at the border missed out. In 2023 too, on average 2–3 candidates per board refrained from attending, and it helped others. So a sincere request: If you’ve already got your desired service in CSE and don’t intend to join IFoS, kindly consider not giving the IFoS interview. Your one thoughtful decision could be life-changing for someone else.

Hello people, First of all, Congratulations to everyone who cleared the exam and became a part of the service. I know it would have been the best 12 hrs of life for you. I understand all the urge to go out and express yourself, your feelings/excitement, your happiness and energy. But, let’s just understand the fact that we got lucky after all the hard work we had done. We need to stay humble, keep the basic moral sense intact and plan our next coming days to celebrate with the family rather than trying to entertain unnecessary people who would have gathered around just to tell you “we knew you would make it big”. This is the time, I would say, to pick your people. You have not become an officer in real sense, it is just a result. Start actually thinking about your conduct as everything you say and do will remain on social media forever. (Just a reminder to all the happy people). To the people who couldn’t make it, I can’t just say “it’s okay” or “give it another try” and lessen your pain. Yahi jeevan hai bhai/behen, pain ko feel karna life me sikhna hi padega aur hum humesha dard ke sath behtar hi hote hain shayad. Ye raat kafi lambi rahegi, us akelepan ko bharne koi nahi aane wala jis tanhayi me tum room me pade soch rahe ho ki shayad mera naam dikh jata. Wo naam dikhta to tum akele bhi nahi hote, ek sailaab hota logon ka tumhare charo taraf, jisme sab apne aur pyare lagte. Han pata hai ki aaj nahi to kal shayad ye ya kuch aur acha kar lenge par aaj dukh to hai hi. Thoda samay do khud ko, insaan ko har ladayi lad ke jeetne jitna strong to banaya hai bhagwan ne. Mai bas itna hi kahunga, har aansu jo nikle uska hisab rakhna, jab khushi aaye to us pal ko ache se jeene me bahut madad milegi. Dhyan rakho apna, kyunki aaj tum us taraf nahi ho line ke jahan dhyan rakhne ka dhong karne wale hazaron hon. PS - Being a civil servant comes with a lot of responsibility (which you will know when you enter the service or observe someone near you), hence i was not able to respond to all of those who had texted me in times of grief. I have responded to all now, just a request that it might take time because I have not been in habit of using this app and office work doesn’t give that scope. I will actively cut time from other things to try and respond to all of the candidates who couldn’t cross the line. Love you all! Regards Random Indian Middle Class Guy

Hello Everyone, Hope you had a great start to the new year on the first day. Every new year brings us a lot of hope and every passing year leaves us with memories. While our personal spaces are occupied with these two, the disadvantaged section is still suffering somewhere. As we all start this year, I request to you all to take a resolution to try and offer the smallest help from your side to them. May be the peace & happiness,people keep talking about in the typical new year wishes, lies in helping the downtrodden in some way. Thanks 🙏 Do give it a thought Regards Random Indian Middle Class Guy PS: Happy New Year to all and sorry as I was not able to see DMs as they were too many in numbers and I am having a hectic schedule. May all your wishes come true according to the amount of hard work you put in.

Hello people, I know a lot of you would be going through mixed feelings. The selected ones would be having a sense of satisfaction and a bit of excitement for interview. The destination would be seeming very near. Celebrate, but hold on, a great amount of smart work combined with planning is needed for the last stage and no blind mugging up would help. So, take 2-3 days and then get back to work. To the non-selected ones, I know it hurts, and no matter how much I say I can feel it, the reality is we forget and so I have also forgotten that pain of 2020 mains. This is to tell you that you will overcome this pain after sometime. It might seem the lowest moment of life for many of you but believe me, the lowest is yet to come (life is very very long) and this is going to only make you a bit more prepared (at least that’s how it worked for me). I know no words can heal your pain but then they can make you feel relatable or at the least the feeling that someone has felt how it feels to you now. Life is a sine curve, focus on hitting the top. Those who fight back come on top. Almost everyone you meet in this journey has similar story some tougher than you some easier. But what matters is the end they gave to it and a lot of us are going to have a happy ending to it. This is another climax and you have to take a break and prepare yourself for the next battle. I am here with you, although a bit busy because I have to do justice to my job as well, but I will try to give sometime to you all. Stay strong as everyone seemingly very strong was once a vulnerable person. Dhyan rakho apna, apne aaspas ke logon ki ummeedon ka aur apne aap se kiye hue vaade ka ❤️ Love you all! Regards Random Indian Middle Class Guy PS: Making an interview group for the people selected in mains 2024, you can send your admit cards and screenshot of your roll no in mains 2024 result list to get added to the group.

We have 100s of leaders today but none is loved by all, mostly they are hated by some and loved by many. In this world, it is really tough to be loved by everyone, remain an epitome of inspiration and always maintain the highest standard for everything that you do. Sir, you are that rare person whom we all love. You inspire us to do good, be good and see good. We don’t have true leaders like you in the current scenario and hence this loss feels personal. We wish your journey beyond this remains even better than it was on Earth. Thank you for giving us the lessons we need for the real betterment and benefit of the country and its youths. 🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏 God has taken away from us the presence of the leader but not his thoughts and values. We shall continue to abide by him and remember him the way we remember APJ Abdul Kalam sir 🙏

Hello people, I know the nerves would be high. Huge stakes are involved. Aisa lagega ki bahot hi bada day hai aur sab kuch isi pe depend karta hai. But let me tell you, aisa hota nahi hai. I will be frank, i couldn’t sleep the whole night before essay exam in my 2nd attempt. I took a medicine in the morning, and went to exam and just remained calm as if jo hoga dekhenge yar ab kya hi kar sakte hain. Don’t have this perception that if it is not your day tomorrow, you will do everything wrong. Things don’t happen like that. Your hard work ultimately comes to rescue, just that you need to believe in yourself. Keeping calm and self-belief makes a lot of difference. Your all the hard work would make you do things right if you believe in your own self. Stay calm, and know that “jo hoga dekha jayega” is the real truth of life. And well, life is not that good on this side as much you think of it, so you need to enjoy these days also (well, ab to lbsnaa has also become very strict so your honeymoon period essentially is the one during exam and 2-3 months after the results). Let’s hope for the best!! Badiya se do paper, jitna shanti se doge utna badiya likh ke aaoge ye hi funda hai exam ka. All the best for your mains 2024 exam. Regards Random Indian Middle Class Guy

Happy Independence Day Everyone! It’s a great honour to celebrate Independence Day while we see our neighbourhood losing the true sense of Independence (i.e. democracy). I know this day doesn’t bring that much energy today as we see ourselves fighting with “aspirants’ crisis” in ORN and subsequent issues that emerged. We are also seeing another crisis in the form of women safety in Kolkata. But believe me when I say, we are enjoying Independence and a vibrant democracy even today. We shall bring together a new era of India 🇮🇳 We have to believe in our capabilities and keep striving towards the best we can contribute to the nation. We have to take some responsibility as citizens. We are into 78th year of Independence and we are growing rapidly. Let’s put our energy together and applaud ourselves for the strength of our democracy. Jai Hind! Thanks!! Regards Random Indian Middle Class Guy

Jaya Sharma (Maths Optional) has created this channel to provide free guidance. She is an IPS officer of 2024 batch. She has been a consistent member of my maths optional group & finally achieved this. You can join 😊 https://t.me/jaya_sharma_cse23

Hello Everyone, The results have been out now. It would have been liberating feeling for the people who cleared it while it would be bigger than the heart break for people who couldn't. IF YOU CLEARED (read this): This is a very competitive game (rat race) to be honest. You have cleared just the 1st stage (called the elimination round). You have to face people who gave last interview and got IPS or who missed by few marks. Don't celebrate now (although you can give yourself a treat for coming out victorious). The main exam is around 80 days from now. It would be a rush now, where you will literally get depressed every day for not being able to complete all the targets. You might have to postpone every other plan to give mains properly. Be positive but not really happy about this result (I know I sound pessimistic but that's how it is). Your probability of failure from now is still near 8%. All the very best to you. I have uploaded plan and strategies here for the time between prelims and mains (you can go through it as per your convenience). Try not to waste a single day from tomorrow. Take a good sleep today, Kyunki kal se to neend haram hi honi hai". IF YOU FLUNKED PRELIMS (PLEASE READ THIS): This exam is unpredictable. You might have been AIR1 but you flunked the very first stage, that's how it is. 100s of self-doubt, stressful thoughts and uneasy feelings would be there. I faced failure in my 1st attempt at mains stage and I know it feels like being worthless. You might be 31 and giving your last attempt. I know it's easier said than done but this exam many a times skips few good people. That is because of the limited number of seats. If you have attempts left, think about your plans, please find your mistakes. This exam has a big secret & that is minimizing the mistakes. My heart goes out to the deserving candidates who were pushed out because of ups and downs in the subsequent year’s papers. It is cruel but that's how life is. I, being on the other side, can say with confidence that life offers happiness in multiple ways. We have channelled that to an exam which leads to this "Do or Die" scene. Please give a thought to your strategy tonight. Rethink about life and its purpose. Revisit the best and the worst moments of your life. Just do everything which reminds you of who you are. Remember, you are and will remain what your values are & how your character is irrespective of this exam. Anyone who is feeling really stressed, please try to talk to your parents. I know, how negative thoughts and worthless feeling sets in after such a result when you have given it all. All the best for whatsoever you want to do in life. P.S - I had formed a group of people last to last year for those who were giving mains with maths as an optional and had already given mains earlier. It is one of the most active and problem resolving group that you may find on telegram. I will add you there only if you have Maths optional (send me the admit card of prelims and screenshot of your roll no in pdf ). Also, only get added if you want to discuss maths or GS or anything, please don't get added to remain a mute spectator because it defeats the purpose of the group. Thanks! Lots of love to all brothers and sisters ❤ Regards, Random Indian Middle Class Guy

Hello people, It’s the time to relax. Paper was easy. Everybody who has asked me how to study (especially after 2023 paper), I have maintained that you should stick to basics and don’t run here and there. Upsc simply came back to a simpler level than what one could expect. Don’t speculate cutoff (don’t ask me too). It’s not the time to do that. Cherish the fact that you performed for which you have studied so much. Let’s hope for the best that you deserve based on the performance. All the Best!! Thanks Regards Random Indian Middle Class Guy

All the best people!! I know neend aana mushkil hai aaj!! Par neend nahi bhi aayi puri raat to exam nikalta hai (mera nikla tha) isliye subah ye mat sochna ki neend nahi aayi ab exam khrab hoga! Positive mindset ke sath extremely adverse circumstances me bhi log goals achieve karte hain! Dhyan rakho apna, aaj ki raat jyada sochne ka nahi, aur sochne ka mann hi kare to apne struggles aur past few months ke apne dedicated efforts ko yaad karna. Shayad badiya neend aa jayegi fir (kadi mehnat ke baad neend achi aati hai na). Hope for what you deserve and what is the best for you!!! ❤️ Regards, Random Indian Middle Class Guy

My companion in preparation, the first friend I made in college and the person who has been a part of my Civil service journey, Kunal has made a channel to help all of you for prelims and forestry optional. People interested in IFS (Indian Forest Service) and prelims can join. This is his message: Namaskar🙏🙏 I am Kunal Mishra, AIR 57 in IFS 2023 examination. I have created this channel as a means to reach out to as many people as possible and connect directly with them. I don't want this channel to be a one way dialogue, where I upload my notes, achievement and strategy. I want to use this channel as forming a community wherein all can connect and discuss. I will keep the comment open for all of you to post, chat, discuss. Let's support each other as much as we can through this arduous journey. https://t.me/KunalMishra_IFS

I don’t know who wrote this, but I felt like sharing this. We have around 1000 officers selected few days ago in CSE2023. This is a message to them to inculcate so that they can grow in life as humans first. Thanks!!

I still remember telling Annie that your anxiety is for few days when she said few days ago Annie means anxiety!! That’s how this prep is but I am proud of the way she came over all the odds. Annapurna Singh (AIR 99, CSE23) has made this channel to provide guidance and all the material freely. You can join. https://t.me/AnnapurnaSingh_AIR99

Shivam (AIR 19, CSE 2023) has been one of the earliest members of the first group that I made for guiding aspirants having maths optional. I am so so happy to share that finally he got IAS ❤️ He is a gem and would be guiding freely on the channel below. You can join and take help. PS - He is one of those selections that has kept me motivated in the process of freely guiding people and helping as much as I can. https://t.me/shivam_upsc

Tejas (AIR 37, cse 23) has made a channel to guide you all. He is having maths as optional. You can join his channel for guidance 😊 https://t.me/tjtalkss