Is writing the UPSC Exam for you? (Part 1)
Exploring the enduring popularity of the Civil Services Examination
The Movie ‘12th Fail’ was fantastic for a number of reasons. The inspirational story of Manoj Kumar Sir represents the dream of lakhs of Indian students. The top-notch casting, cinematography and realistic feel of the movie made it a blockbuster. I got so many calls from friends and relatives who said that they finally understood about the exam that I took and managed to clear. However, the success of ‘12th Fail’ and TVF’s ‘Aspirants’ got me thinking again about the massive amount of interest that Indians have in UPSC exam. As a person who has taken the exam four times and cleared it once, I thought I would share some insider musings on why the UPSC civil service is such a popular job option in India, and whether you should do it.
When I began preparing for UPSC, the algorithms of YouTube and Instagram realigned themselves from investigative journalism and travel blogs towards UPSC-related content. I started to see ‘Royal Entry’ videos of officers, ‘LBSNAA Masti’ videos and mock interviews that sounded more like Roadies than UPSC. This consumption of cringe content was my crutch on the days when prep was just too hard and too boring. It sort of made me feel like at least someone was preparing for the exam with me. So I unconsciously watched even irrelevant things, like mock interviews when I hadn’t even written prelims. I clung on to those toppers who seemed ‘like me’, whether it was being female, urban or from a law background.
At some point, it struck me that I would have never actually watched such content had I not given the UPSC exam, because I wouldn’t relate to it and the social media algorithm would react accordingly. Some of this content relaxed me, but some of it stressed me out. I switched to Quora, looking for more ‘intellectual’ advice. Here I found stories of toppers who had studied for 15 hours a day, stayed away from families for years and didn’t meet a soul during preparation. And here I was, going out thrice a week and speaking on the phone for an hour a day — the shame.
I remember going to my mother and saying — “I can’t study for more than 15 hours a day.” Being pragmatic and grounded (like most mothers are) she said — “Well, try to do 6 hours to begin with.” I actually laughed. She was right. I needed to start little by little. But it was symptomatic of how much information, and as a consequence, misinformation is out there for aspirants. And I want to help, and that’s why I’m writing this article series.
Today’s hype about UPSC toppers and Civil Servants exists for a number of reasons. Firstly, coaching centres have turned out to be a lucrative business because the demand for this exam persists and middle-income India is booming. So the number of families willing to chase this UPSC dream for over 10 lakhs rupees a year per aspirant (A conservative estimate expenditure for the cost of living and coaching in Delhi) is increasing. The market has more number of players than that is actually required due to information asymmetry. It’s difficult for a topper to determine what ‘worked’ for them. For example, how does one assess which test series was the best, when you took tests from 5–6 institutions? Also, it’s difficult for a topper to deny that they ‘went’ to an institution. I recall that one law optional institute ‘claimed’ me as their student because I joined their interview-prep WhatsApp group. They aren’t technically wrong, so I couldn’t deny that I took their help.
Secondly, the UPSC exam is THE ultimate dream for many families. The reasons for that are much more complex.
There’s the traditional benefit that you get from it, that of job stability. Job stability is precious in a country which has suffered from centuries of poverty and uncertainty. So our mentality is primed to be that of scarcity of opportunities. The opportunities that society offers may be changing now, but job stability is still valued because we lack a strong social security mechanism unlike Western Countries. Even smart and well-paid corporate executives are always worried about losing their job. And Sarkari jobs come with an inbuilt home and car, despite the lower salary. So life is more seamless. Families desire to ‘settle’ their children, and isn’t the best way to settle them in a secure job?
Secondly, just clearing a highly competitive examination is really valued in India. Parents love telling their relatives that their child has cleared an examination, whether it’s IIT-JEE, GATE or UPSC CSE. The tougher the exam, the better. Conventional academic success is highly valued in India because it feels quantifiable. We live in a society where there seems to be constant quantification of the worth of someone’s job — based on external factors like income, position and authority. So it becomes a permanent stamp, somehow certifying that a child is worthy. I see so many posts which seek to determine the ‘hardest exam in the world’, mostly by success ratio. We want it so much because it’s so cherished in society, and this makes it even more cherished. In many ways, we are in a vicious cycle.
There is also an outdated way of measuring the attractiveness of a job in India. Today, many jobs are going semi-online or even remote. For many people, it’s difficult to explain why they are getting paid in lakhs for sitting at home on a computer all day. It requires a lot of intelligence and diligence to figure out the exact field, and by the time that you figure it out, the field may evolve. UPSC in that sense, seems simpler. It’s really competitive, but the process to become an IAS is public information. You crack this exam, and you’re done. You will seem to be in a reasonably influential position for your entire career, regardless of ability. It’s much more straightforward than figuring out, for instance, how to create a new business.
Also, to some extent, UPSC is an even platform. There are some biases like difficulty for people who want to give the UPSC exam in Hindi or regional languages, but it’s not as much as applying for a job. Many times when you are applying for a job, you need to have a degree from a fancy college, or some work experience or even speak a certain way. To start a business, you need some connections or a rich family member. Even in today’s world, the upward social mobility that UPSC guarantees, especially with the rise of online coaching is unparalleled.
Lastly, the work that officers get to do is important and impactful. You are in a decision-making role from the very start of your career. The government set-up is such that your decisions have far-reaching impact. And if you do your job well, this impact will certainly be positive. This was the reason closest to my heart because I did feel like I wanted to be in a position to change the lives of those around me.
So with all these considerations, how do you take the tricky decision to whether to attempt the UPSC? Wait for Part 2.
If you have any doubts, suggestions or feedback, feel free to email me on nirjashahcse@gmail.com. I actually respond to most emails within a week.
