UPSC with Kawal Baweja

Result unfollows my friend…. #justforlaugh

“I am afraid. How do I manage it?” This has perhaps been the most recurrent concern I have heard from students preparing for Mains 2026 over the last few days. So many subjects. So much depth. Constant revision. Answer-writing practice. And despite doing all of it, there are days when you begin doubting your knowledge, preparation and ability. The truth is that almost everyone who seriously walks this path experiences some combination of anxiety, pressure and nervousness. You are preparing for an examination where knowledge matters, but so do judgement, stamina, pressure management and, eventually, a little bit of luck. And if it helps, I am afraid too. I worry about the practice I could not do, portions that still remain imperfect, and the fatigue accumulated over this long journey. There are responsibilities waiting beyond the examination as well—including the practical need to find work afterwards. Some days even I find myself thinking, I just want this examination to be over now. But perhaps courage at this stage does not mean being fearless. It simply means continuing despite the fear. Everyone who has cleared this examination—and everyone who eventually will—has had to deal with uncertainty, self-doubt and their own internal battles. The examination does not require us to feel confident every single day. It requires us to keep showing up even on the days when confidence is missing. So this time, it is a test for you and me both. We cannot control what the paper will ask. We cannot control the competition. We cannot control the final outcome. But we can still control what we do with these remaining days. So let us focus on that. Revise what we can. Practise what we can. Correct what we can. And walk into the examination hall having given these final days everything they deserved.The outcome can wait. For now, the work remains. Those of you appearing from the Sector 22, Chandigarh centre — I’ll see you there. This time, we walk into the examination hall together, in solidarity.

Last 20 Days Most people give up in the end, not for destination is far, but the strength gives up, fatigue shows up and failure feels acceptable and legit. Don’t fall for it, All those who won, withstood the same dilemma and still moved on. Be a Winner, do it for yourself, do it for the path travelled so far.

One of greatest lessons of upbringing I received was to be normal, no matter what one achieved. Never to go on path of ethical egoism, for what one feels and achieved doesn’t matter, for there is no end. Strength in front of weak and submission before strength, makes you a circus clown on whose shoulder lives a monkey always compelled to entertain, for the sake of others.

Repeated DM query - Which pen do i use ? This one is costly and not necessarily great but using it since long, at present there are better alternatives available like V5/V7 and much more. Realistically, the pen it itself wont make much difference, if you know the answer and how to write. ✍️

Until death, All defeats are psychological.

I shall always be grateful for the opportunity to write the Mains examination this year. Most of the time, I feel that God carried me through by His grace. When the stakes were at their highest, He kept me afloat. For that, I will always remain grateful and humble. I will give everything I have over this last month. Whatever the outcome, the knowledge, discipline, and perspective I have gained during this journey already feel deeply empowering. To everyone else writing Mains this year—my very best wishes. Give it everything you’ve got. May your hard work find its reward.

Brace yourself. The fight will be worth it.

Always be a good person, even if, Nothing comes back in return.

Thanks to everyone for blessings that sailed me through. I had God alongside that day. ਸ਼ੁਕਰ ਹੈ ਪਰਮਾਤਮਾ ਤੇਰਾ |

Never thought that my last attempt will turn out to be this dramatic. Must have a challenging year for you all.

To whosoever it may concern - Prelims Resources that i followed - Disclaimer - While referring to resources, please understand - This year paper specifically targeted to eliminate first attempters, and required a composite knowledge of at least 2-3 years, Knowledge helped to eliminate 2 options and was stuck between 2 options in around 40-50 questions where luck was the sole skill required. Marks - Gs 78.70 and CSAT 99.xx. (Hoping to get Grand Slam correction, at 80 odd i guess will qualify comfortably) Resources Referred - 1. History - Own Subject, Relied on past knowledge of teaching, not read seperately this time. 2. Geography - Covered all the relevant NCERTs (Human and Physical), with 3 revisions and own short notes. 3. Polity - Holy Bible Laxmikant only - had revised it multiple times. (Still got all questions of Polity wrong) 4. Economy - Most comfortable subject for me, covered fiscal, monetary policy from old notes and updated with current affairs. 5. Science and Tech & Environment - From Santosh Sir, level up IAS, i have been his old student in 2017,2018 - therefore relied on him again, was confident in exam in these subjects. Current Affairs - Referred to Mudit Sir CA compilations for various subject and made sure that every subject CA compilation is revised multiple times and after that short notes revision. (His content was surely helpful in exam) I had also joined Target 140+ batch by Sudarshan Lodha Sir, in which there were 100 most important sub themes for this year prelims. I had memorised around 75/100 themes but sadly not much came, but he did good work on his part. So yes, these were the resources that i followed, but to be very honest, the most important thing which helped me was reading newspaper daily. I was able to handle prelims paper confidently, and also in csat it gave me courage to keep moving forward, where at 2-3 instances where my mind stopped processing. I hope this will help someone. In this paper, max any serious candidate could have achieved is around 90-95, so you should strategise accordingly. Also, it was a test of luck, personality and knowledge. ਰੱਖ ਭਰੋਸਾ ਯਾਰਾਂ ਤੇ , ਉਲਾਂਭਾ ਨਹੀਂ ਆਉਣ ਦਿੰਦੇ |

By official answer key getting 78 in GS 1, 96 in CSAT 50 correct, 33 incorrect, 1 cancelled. Probably sitting on border line case, although my rationale mind says cut off has to be below 75, i may be biased also in calculating this, as i am myself involved in the process. How many of you are in real getting 80+, that will eventually decide the cutt off. But yes anyone scoring above 70, will have to prepare with optimism in mind - because you never know what will really cutt off be, as paper was so complex.

To all the students - who went on rage biting against my opinion I have given this paper, i have put many a things at stake at 32 - I have left a stable career. I have all the reasons for putting up a video, that how much this paper is tough and how much unjustified it is and gain sympathy and followers out of it, thats not the path i follow. And it is also not like i am scoring too good marks, but all i can share are my honest views and i have all the authority to say this - because i have given this exam in real time putting everything at stake, just like you. I am not commenting on it as a spectator, i have myself felt miserable, while solving that paper in real time. But trust me there are always well prepared and more hard working people than we can ever think of. We live in a 140 cr + population. It is always easy to defend than to reflect. But no doubt it was the toughest, lengthiest and most random paper ever. Truth can only be sold to those, who are seeking it.

In my opinion, UPSC Coaching industry is just not ready to accept the fact that the tricks on which they train their students, have miserably failed this time, they are shifting the blame on upsc and making it a scape goat. We train students as per pattern of previous years, and this year the pattern evolved, and all were left blank faced. I have always counselled you that this exam is a test of personality, no teacher, no coaching has to be blindly followed. It is just that when pattern evolved, you were also involved that year. Pattern has always evolved in every 3-4 years. Everyone knows that. But it’s always easy to shift blame rather than accountability.

Reply to DMs and sharing Reflections from paper How many questions did i attempt ? 83 Minimum correct removing doubtful - 51 Max wrong - 32 Left - 17 (left all random questions like that of army corps, nobel prize). For each question, you just had time to read it and mark the right answer in constant flow, you cannot stop - it was such a lengthy paper - you are bound to mark the answer or move forward, this time there was no privilege to analyse the statement, comprehend the language of options, it was like a bullet train, you just had to move forward. History saved me and pushed me towards 80, got around 14/20 questions right, which again were brutally difficult for a normal student reading History from GS perspective, even History optional students might not have been able to solve it. Sure shot questions which i knew were only 20. Rest all is based on the composite knowledge that i have till now and in which majority i had to rely on luck between 2 options. It was 4 hours of constant pin point focus and execution, it was a paper which tested nerves and aptitude, not only knowledge.

How much are you scoring in this brutal paper ?