u/Sethecurious

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Adult life sometimes, really shows you the mirror especially in the exact moment when you are trying extremely hard to avoid it.

As you all know by now, I have failed 4 consecutive prelims...you know it, I know it, my parents know it, some family members know it. Yes.. failures...brutal failures one after the other... After trying ever so hard, after showing up every single day, after putting life on pause, after dedicating your life, brains, youth to it with as much vigour as possible....every single year a classic failure is handed to you dressed as 'results not found'.

This tragedy becomes even more debilitating when you have been a topper all your life. 10th boards topper, 12 th boards topper, school topper, college topper, topper amongst all children in ur neighbourhood, topper amongst all children in your parents friend circle, in your own friend circle.... topper, topper topper

And then one fine day..a pdf comes and u don't find ur roll no....u resolve to try ur best the next time and the next year....same result and the next and the next.

On one casual day, sitting on the dinner table, your parents ask: Other children are also able to clear it, why aren't you?

And you...

You don't have an answer. You stay quiet.

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I had taken Shivin Sir's Write Smart + GS 3 Mains Module thinking I will qualify prelims. But destiny had other plans.

Now, I need guidance on how to go about making notes for GS-3 as it's largely current oriented..i.e a majority of it comes from the Eco Survey of that year..

So how should I make notes for GS 3 or should I let it be and focus on other papers instead.

PS:- Similar guidance for GS 2 is also heartily welcome

Thanks in advance!!

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As someone who has failed four prelims and wants to give one last dedicated attempt to upsc cse 2027, can the mains qualified/ interview appeared/ selected/ experienced veterans please help/guide with the following:-

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1. How to best use this from June to December period to prepare for mains...so if I do qualify prelims next yr..I have a very good shot for clearing the mains.

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Need guidance on which subjects note to prepare, how to manage/divide time between content/note making, cramming the content and then start answer writing.

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Current Status:- Done with 90% of optional note making.

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2. Since I'm repeatedly failing in prelims, I simultaneously want to work on my prelims along with mains and make serious improvements...What else to do (apart from things mentioned below)

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A. Concretise static

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B. Be thorough with current affairs

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C. Sir with pyqs and analyse them myself

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D. Solve mocks/ as many questions I possibly can

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As someone who has failed four prelims and wants to give one last dedicated attempt to upsc cse 2027, can the mains qualified/ interview appeared/ selected/ experienced veterans please help/guide with the following:-

​

1. How to best use this from June to December period to prepare for mains...so if I do qualify prelims next yr..I have a very good shot for clearing the mains.

Need guidance on which subjects note to prepare, how to manage/divide time between content/note making, cramming the content and then start answer writing.

Current Status:- Done with 90% of optional note making.

​

2. Since I'm repeatedly failing in prelims, I simultaneously want to work on my prelims along with mains and make serious improvements...What else to do (apart from things mentioned below)

A. Concretise static

B. Be thorough with current affairs

C. Sir with pyqs and analyse them myself

D. Solve mocks/ as many questions I possibly can

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A friend of mine and I..both were preparing for this year's prelims.

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The way of preparation was however, worlds apart..

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I- fully dedicated, diligently studying from Jan onwards, missed parties, birthdays, etc etc..to revise , attempt a test or just go through the CA compilation once again ....static, pyqs, mocks became the be all and end all of my life...

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Him- went on a trip with his college friends, never touched books for as long as 2-4 months, took multiple trips and just 2 days before the prelims...went out for a happy 2 day break with his gf

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Day of release of the provisional answer key:-

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I- ruthlessly eliminated by both csat and negative marking

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Him- scoring in the 80s in both....

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Perplexed I asked: Bhai, how did u do it??

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He replied: Bss jo Mann Kiya..vo tick kr diya yaar...u know I wasn't attempting seriously this time na...

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Result Day-

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He is in.

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I never had a chance.

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I wonder... wonder....cry...and wonder.....

Edit:

For all of you saying, u will do good in the next attempt...Thank you for being kind🙏 However, to be brutally honest....a wave of distrust in my own capability has taken over me..Self-doubt is looming ever high and I am levitating in an inexplicable dimension of what is and what could have been.... The moment I think of dusting off this failure and gearing up for my next ....in a split second..an inner voice echoes..what if next yr the same story repeats? U tried ur best and still failed...what miracle r u going to do this time? Maybe this is beyond you...Maybe it is best to let go... And then, as if in rebellion...that dream SIGHS..not in a ferocious vigour like it used to..but just enough to make its presence known...

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I have been appearing for upsc prelims

This was my 4th attempt (prelims 2026)

I have completed all the basic sources, current affairs, pyqs, mocks, elimination techniques like that of MAD of satyam jain.

However despite, all of this I am unable to clear prelims. I am , just like in my 2026 attempt, in my previous attempts also eliminated mostly by negative marking, bringing my score down to an extremely low level in the 40s and 50s despite attempting good number of questions(80-90 range)

I know all the core/static questions ranging from 30-35 questions like all toppers say , however in the one where we have to eliminate ..I always mark wrong..no matter how many times I read the pyqs..

No matter what I do, I am not able to develop that intuition/ feel of deriving the right answer which plays a humongous role in actually clearing the prelims

There are ppl who clear prelims one after another, sometimes just with a month or 2 of prep..and here I am studying for 6 months for it and yet the same story repeats every year ..I have been an academically bright student all my life, score amazing marks in the mains test series(close to the rankers of the exam) .but prelims feels like an insurmountable mountain, impossible to cross.

I have just 2 attempts left.

The prelims veteran...please help me..Please Please Please.

Upsc prelims failure

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I have been appearing for upsc prelims

​

This was my 4th attempt (prelims 2026)

​

I have completed all the basic sources, current affairs, pyqs, mocks, elimination techniques like that of MAD of satyam jain.

​

However despite, all of this I am unable to clear prelims. I am , just like in my 2026 attempt, in my previous attempts also eliminated mostly by negative marking, bringing my score down to an extremely low level in the 40s and 50s despite attempting good number of questions(80-90 range)

​

I know all the core/static questions ranging from 30-35 questions like all toppers say , however in the one where we have to eliminate ..I always mark wrong..no matter how many times I read the pyqs..

​

No matter what I do, I am not able to develop that intuition/ feel of deriving the right answer which plays a humongous role in actually clearing the prelims

​

There are ppl who clear prelims one after another, sometimes just with a month or 2 of prep..and here I am studying for 6 months for it and yet the same story repeats every year ..I have been an academically bright student all my life, score amazing marks in the mains test series(close to the rankers of the exam) .but prelims feels like an insurmountable mountain, impossible to cross.

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I have just 2 attempts left.

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The prelims veteran...please help me..Please Please Please.