Civil Service isn’t the only prestigious option in the job market, and not being able to crack UPSC CSE should definitely not be the end of your dream of doing well for yourself. Yes, cracking the exam is a matter of pride, but that certainly does not mean that the ones who don’t clear it are any less.

Lakhs of aspirants attempt the UPSC CSE every year, out of which only a few hundred are selected. The race to reach the top is already difficult. An aspirant puts in his heart and soul while preparing for the examination and it’s justified, as CSE is not considered ‘the mother of all examinations’ and ‘the toughest examination of India’ for nothing.

The craze is such that while some people dream of becoming an IAS or IPS officer from their childhood days, some even go to the extent of quitting their cushy jobs to prepare for the civil services. But, unfortunately, not all of them clear the exam.

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Clearing CSE is not a matter of who enrols in the best coaching or who studies for the longest hours. This falls flat as we come across hundreds of success stories of people from the poorest backgrounds and aspirants with just a couple of months of preparation, who have been able to achieve success in the examination.

Sometimes, we have to accept that luck wasn’t in our favour and that it’s okay if we haven’t been able to crack CSE even after giving multiple attempts. There are numerous other career options that one can attempt if their UPSC journey doesn’t go as planned.

If your mind is still troubled and nothing seems to work, take inspiration from a Twitter regular, Shruti Pandey, who shared her journey of not being able to clear the CSE and how it became a journey of learning for her.

DROPPED OUT OF COLLEGE FOR UPSC

Like several others, it was Shruti’s dream from a very young age to become an IAS officer and serve her country. While studying in college, she realized that UPSC preparation along with college studies was becoming difficult for her and might hamper her progress. Therefore, she made up her mind to drop out of college in the year 2017.

It is a common phenomenon for aspirants to drop out of college or quit their jobs. The excitement of clearing the examination and living their best lives at LBSNAA Mussoorie and, thereafter, at their postings, brings a rush of adrenaline that brings them to this decision.

FIRST ATTEMPT IS ALWAYS INDESCRIBABLE 

Shruti gave her first attempt at UPSC CSE in 2018. She prepared her best for an entire year and gave her Prelims with full fervour. However, as days went by, she started feeling under-confident about the Prelims examination and began thinking she would fail. 

Soon, the results were announced, and much to her pleasant surprise, she cleared the Prelims stage of the Civil Services Examination. Greatly enthused, she happily went on to give her Mains examination.

While sitting in the examination hall, she heard stories from people who were there giving their 4^th and 5^th attempts. It drained Shruti a little bit, but more than that, it inspired her. Listening to their stories and journey till now increased her zeal, and she gave her Mains with full determination.

A CHANGE OF PERSPECTIVE

When the results of UPSC CSE Mains 2018 were announced in the year 2019, much to her dismay, Shruti had failed the examination. Disappointed, she decided to begin her preparation once again, from scratch, for Prelims 2019. She began her preparation, but the next six months changed her perspective completely.

She knew she was capable enough and that she had the potential for a successful career. She wanted to know what her calling actually was and the feeling of having a greater purpose in life started creeping in. She believed in her dream to crack UPSC, but she also understood that, sometimes, one has to let go of their dreams for a bigger and better purpose.

A MUCH-NEEDED BREAK

When the results of Prelims 2019 came out, Shruti got to know that she had failed the examination. She realized that somebody’s dream might not be their life’s calling and she should now move on in her life. Better opportunities were waiting for her.

But before that, she decided to take a much-needed break from her routine life and head to the mountains. Ironically, she decided to go to Mussoorie for a mini vacation.

She further decided to opt out of UPSC and pick Data Science as her career. Yes, it took a lot of effort to restart her career-building journey in a different field altogether, but at the end of the day, it was worth it.

HER LIFE TODAY

After bidding goodbye to UPSC preparation, Shruti started building her data skills and learning Python, Statistics, and Linear Algebra. She worked with UPSC Institutes for a while, earned enough money to buy a laptop and invest in upskilling. It seemed very tough initially, but she made it.

Slowly, she built her portfolio, worked on her brand on social media, and got good Data Science projects. Meanwhile, she also applied abroad for a master’s. She enrolled at Duke University and is doing well in Data Science today.

Shruti’s journey is an example of life beyond UPSC. Twitter page, Shores Beyond UPSC, also helps aspirants deal with failures through numerous inspiring and motivating stories from across the country, of people who could not clear UPSC CSE but are doing very well in life today.