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Hello everyone,
Before I actually start sharing some experiences about the exam, I
wish to write a post about the mind set with which one must approach
this exam. I feel before anyone starts preparing for the Civil Service
Exam (CSE), he/she must have clarity on some fundamental issues in
his/her mind.
Firstly, as I have mentioned elsewhere too, the CSE is not just an
exam, it is a journey. This journey is long and you must have a lot of
patience and dedication to traverse it.
Do not rush through your attempts. Spend time with your subjects
before you appear in the exam. Keep in mind that there are no shortcuts
to success. Each individual has his/her own pace of studying. Some
people like me, take more time to grasp things as compared to others.
You must know yourself well. Know what timings of study suit you; know
what inspires you; what motivates you; know what relaxes you; know what
you ultimately want to do as a civil servant; know what are your
strengths and your weaknesses. If you know yourself well, then things
will get easier.
When you are walking on the road of the CSE, keep in mind that there
will be highs and lows. Just like all fingers of our hand are different,
so will be your days. Some days you will study more, some days you will
study less and on some other days you will not study at all. But you
must thoroughly enjoy all your days and each moment of your study as
well as free time.
Never ever think about your marks or probable rank in the exam, just
think about answers to the questions in-front of you. Choose your
optionals keeping in mind your interest in the subject. All subjects are
equally scoring but you must be able to study YOUR subjects for long
hours. Keep your cool and peace of mind.
Another important point to be kept in mind is that this journey is a
long one. Shortcuts may work but the only sure way to reach your
destination is to take the longer route. So do not be in a hurry to give
your attempt. Spend a lot of time doing each of your subjects and then
GS. I would advice to do everything sequentially i.e. one after the
other and not simultaneously. This way, one would realize that at least
1.5 to 2 years of dedicated preparation is must before you give your
first attempt. However, I must say that for some people a shorter route
works whereby they do some subjects simultaneously. It is risky but may
take you to your final destination. The longer route on the other hand
is safe and will surely take you to your destination. The choice between
the two is subjective and is a decision best taken by YOU and no one
else.
Finally believe in your hard-work and in GOD. Whenever you do
something, believe that YOU can actually DO it. This is true for any
task in life and not just CSE. Self confidence and self-belief is
crucial.
Always remember- Preparation will only take you to a certain extent; beyond that you will have to take some leaps of faith.
Source: http://princedhawan.wordpress.com/2012/05/21/getting-in-the-right-frame-of-mind/
