https://indianmasterminds.com

ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT

IAS Officer Explains Why Even After Much Effort, Many Fail to Clear Prelims of UPSC CSE

Indian Masterminds Stories

Every year, lakhs of aspirants appear in the UPSC CSE exam and most aren’t even able to crack the Prelims. There are those who can’t clear the first stage even after multiple attempts. The question arises, why this happens even though they were so dedicated and had put in a lot of efforts. 

IAS officer Yogesh Mishra tries to analyse this question and find the answers. He knows the exam process very well as he and his siblings have all gone through it. He is the eldest of four brothers and sisters who have all cleared UPSC CSE. In a video shared with Indian Masterminds, the officer explains the reasons why people fail to crack the exam.

NOT GIVING EQUAL WEIGHTAGE 

The syllabus of Prelims is vast and the major portion is from Polity, Geography, History, Economy, Environment and Current Affairs. Many students don’t give equal attention to all the portions which backfires in the exam. Mr. Mishra said, “The number of questions from each subject is not fixed. In recent exams, major portion came from Current Affairs. Aspirants should keep it in mind that for every question, you get equal marks. So, equal focus should be given to each subject. It might happen that major questions come from the subject you are skipping or not paying attention to. This will waste all your hard work. Follow the concept of equality for cracking this exam.”

SKIPPING REVISION 

He also said that many aspirants have the tendency to read more and more, but revision is not a part of their strategy. “You can’t ignore revision. It helps to store the information in the mind. Whatever you have covered, you have to re-cover, if you want to clear the exam.”

He also shared a strategy for the revision. According to him, if you are reading the second chapter of any subject, you should start by revising the first and continue it till you complete. 

TOO MANY RESOURCES 

Four siblings of the Mishra Family. Lokesh Mishra, Madhavi Mishra, Kshama Mishra and Yogesh Mishra (Left to right)

UPSC demands that you have a general understanding of all the topics in the syllabus. It doesn’t require you to be an expert in any subject. “For one topic, some students start collecting books, notes, online material and coaching material. Too much resources don’t help. You are just collecting garbage. Also, you shouldn’t start researching about any topic and become an expert. You have to just clear the exam. So, stick to the basics.”

IGNORING HEALTH  

While preparing for CSE, some students start sleeping less. Mr. Mishra warned that if you don’t take proper rest, you won’t be able to store anything in your mind. “Some student who come from poor background will eat one time to save money. My advice to them is, do not try to save money by eating less. Instead, don’t waste too much on books and materials. Give importance to your health because it is your most important asset.”

The officer, who helped his three siblings, Kshama, Madhavi and Lokesh, to clear the UPSC CSE, is now mentoring hundreds of other aspirants to crack this exam.


Indian Masterminds Stories
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
Related Stories
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
NEWS
PNB Housing Finanace
PNB Housing Finance Elevates Bhavya Taneja as Chief Marketing Officer (CMO) - Know More About Him
Air Marshal Jasvir Singh Mann
Air Marshal Jasvir Singh Mann Takes Over as Senior Air Staff Officer, Western Air Command - Know More About Him
Rajgir Sports
Bihar’s Mega Sports Push: Playgrounds, Stadiums & Talent Hunt Transform State; Over 50 Lakh Students Join
Indian Oil IOCL
Indian Oil (IOCL) Finalizes LCOH for India’s Largest Green Hydrogen Plant at Panipat Refinery - Details Inside
RECPDCL Handover WRNES Talegaon Power Transmission Limited SPV to Adani Energy
RECPDCL Hands Over WRNES Talegaon Power Transmission SPV to Adani Energy Solutions - All Details Inside
Liquor Scam
Suspended IAS Officer Vinay Kumar Choubey, Former Excise Commissioner Gajendra Singh Sent to Judicial Custody in Jharkhand Liquor Scam - All Details Inside
NALCO-resized
NALCO Hosts Conference on Smart Mining & Manufacturing, Focuses on Industry 4.0 Transformation - All Details Here
Shailendra Nath Gupta IDES
Senior IDES Officer Shailendra Nath Gupta Assumes Charge as Director General of Defence Estates - Know About Him
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
Videos
IAS Tushar G Nikhare
Modernising Governance: A Digital Transformation in Gangtok
IMG-20250523-WA0036
Abhishek Singh's SECRET: Vipassana, Anthropology & Smart Answer Writing | Video Interview 
Madhav Agarwal UPSC
From Gwalior to the Top 20: What Drove Finance Pro Madhav Agarwal to Crack UPSC CSE 2024 with AIR 16? | Exclusive
ADVERTISEMENT
UPSC Stories
ANUBHAV SINGH UPSC IFS 2024
9 Years, 8 Attempts, 7 Failures: How Anubhav Singh Cracked UPSC IFS 2024 with AIR 3 Against All Odds | Exclusive
Anubhav Singh’s inspiring journey to UPSC IFS Rank 3 showcases relentless perseverance, strategic preparation,...
Jogender Sihag
“I Cleared UPSC, But My Grandfather isn’t Here to Hear it,” Jogender Sihag, AIR 521, UPSC CSE 2024
"Life is short; make the most of it, whether in civil service or any other field. Just have a clear vision...
WhatsApp Image 2025-05-28 at 18.56
Didn’t Clear UPSC But Found Something Greater: A Story That Will Change How You See Success
She left a top finance job for UPSC, did not clear but built a thriving wellness brand instead. Veda's...
Social Media
parveen kaswan elephant
Elephant Outsmarts Electric Fence! IFS Parveen Kaswan Shares Incredible Video!
In the now-viral 51-second clip, the intelligent giant approaches a wooden pole supporting high-voltage...
UPSC Latest IAS IPS IFS
UPSC CSE Prelims 2025 Tomorrow: ICLS Officer Altap Shaikh Shares Last-Minute Motivation for Aspirants
His five-post thread offers encouragement, practical advice, and emotional support - not just for those...
Anupam Sharma IFS
#BoycottTurkey: IFS Officer Anupam Sharma Sparks Nationalist Call to Action
IFS Sharma urged citizens to avoid Turkish agricultural imports
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
Latest
PNB Housing Finanace
PNB Housing Finance Elevates Bhavya Taneja as Chief Marketing Officer (CMO) - Know More About Him
Air Marshal Jasvir Singh Mann
Air Marshal Jasvir Singh Mann Takes Over as Senior Air Staff Officer, Western Air Command - Know More About Him
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
Videos
IAS Tushar G Nikhare
IMG-20250523-WA0036
Madhav Agarwal UPSC
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT