reminds me of this video of Arpit Bala
this is what happens when you build your identity around consuming something and that thing becomes accessible to masses
अक्षरधाम मंदिर अंदर से तो बहुत सुंदर है पर इन्होंने जो पार्किंग बनाई है उस पूरी पार्किंग में सिर्फ एक पेड़ है और ना ही कोई शेड बनाया है। रत्ती भर भी इन्हें ख्याल नहीं आया कि धूप से बचने के लिए कुछ और पेड़ लगा देते या कोई शेड बना देते।
The exam was tough. Let's just accept that first.
This year's papers were unconventional, and UPSC created a surprise for everyone. But honestly, UPSC is known for this. They are constantly finding ways to eliminate, and this approach works for them too. We cannot sulk over it.
When I used to write the exam, we felt exactly the same way. The difference was that social media wasn't so powerful then; it didn't overwhelm our senses the way it does today. Today, social media aggravates everything and makes it bigger than it is. More power is given to the loudest voices, the ones saying the exam was absurd, ridiculous, irrelevant. Don't let that noise become your reality.
This is what UPSC is about. It is a challenge. I have experienced and taught for this exam for 15 years, and they do this every 4-5 years. Then things normalise at the new level. That is precisely how the difficulty has been raised over time. The questions you see in GS today are similar to what optional paper questions looked like 15 years back. UPSC is a transformative body, and they know how to surprise everyone. They beat their own standards every single time.
The UPSC exam is about grind. About hard work. About preparation and quality. Do not let anyone fool you that there is a shortcut to success in this exam. If Prelims doesn't catch you, Mains will. If Mains doesn't, the Interview will. There is no escaping the depth this exam demands.
Here is something I want you to think about. Ask anyone what is the easiest thing to do in a cricket match. They will say, "to leave the ball." It looks easy. But it isn't easy. Ask Virat Kohli, who lost the later half of his Test career figuring out how to leave deliveries outside the off stump. The art of leaving is deeply underestimated.
A smart candidate plays conservative in an exam like this. You do not go the extra mile when the bowling is hostile. You leave what needs to be left, you defend what needs defending, and you score where the gaps open up.
Keep faith in your preparation. If it's tough for you, it's tough for everyone. So just relax and trust the process.
It will work.
#CSE2026 #Prelims