9 Common Reasons Behind High Failure Rate In UPSC Exams
Is UPSC Tough For Average Students?
March 10, 2023
It is a well-known fact that the Indian Administrative Service (IAS) is one of the most coveted jobs in the country. Every year, lakhs of students sit for the prestigious Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) examination in the hope of getting selected for this highly coveted job. However, only a handful of them are actually able to clear the test.
Yes, although there is a lot of competition for the UPSC exam, only about 0.1% get through, which means approximately 99.9% of the applicants fail it. It is true that the UPSC exam is tough to crack; however, most of the time, candidates fail because of their own mistakes.
The high number of applicants who apply each year and the small number who pass the UPSC exam make our students at the National IAS academy in Bangalore wonder why so many candidates fail to clear the exam. Why do some candidates not succeed even after 2-4 attempts while some succeed on their first attempt?
So, what is it that sets the toppers apart from the others? In this article, we will try to analyze why many IAS aspirants fail the UPSC exam.
Why do IAS aspirants fail the UPSC exam?
As we previously stated, only 0.1% of candidates aiming to join the IAS succeed in this coveted and challenging exam. This does not imply that 0.1% of students possess exceptional abilities. However, they differ from and are wiser than the other candidates who failed to get through this exam.
We are all bound to make mistakes in competitive exams. IAS candidates often learn from their errors and avoid making the same ones again. And many a time, they end up making another one while attempting to fix the initial mistake. You might be surprised to discover that these errors are pretty common in UPSC exams.
Read on to know these common mistakes, so you can avoid making the same mistakes.
Taking the syllabus lightly
If it is the first time you enrolled for the IAS test, you may not think that the Prelims syllabus is too challenging. Well, let us get this straight right away. The UPSC IAS exam syllabus is only the tip of the iceberg.
The IAS prelims syllabus is very extensive. You will not succeed in the UPSC Prelim test if you decide to put off your preparation after reviewing the syllabus.
Choosing the wrong optional subject
Aspirants today tend to choose the optional subjects that are popular or easy or the ones that are chosen by the majority of aspirants. While a subject may be simple for one person, it can be challenging for another.
You may find a subject simple and engaging when reading it for the first time. However, as you get into it, it can become challenging for you to grasp if it was not a subject that excited you in the first place. Those who choose optional subjects without thoroughly researching them lose interest in them rather quickly.
Go through the NCERT books to get a clear understanding of the optional subject before moving on to more advanced books.
Not having a clear strategyPositive outlook
At the National IAS Academy, often called the best IAS Coaching in Bangalore, we stress the importance of preparing a strategy. We advise our students that before undertaking any venture, they need to have a clear plan on how they will navigate the journey.
One of the main reasons IAS aspirants fail in the UPSC examination is that they do not have a clear strategy. A lot of students start preparing for the UPSC examination without any direction and end up wasting a lot of time. It is vital to have a clear strategy in place before you start preparing for the UPSC examination.
Without a plan, an aspirant will not know how many days will be required to cover a paper, the number of topics that need to be covered in a specific amount of time, when to conduct mock examinations, and other similar things. The lack of direction in the preparation prevents an aspirant from finishing anything before the exams, which ultimately results in failure.
So it is essential for you to know what resources to use, how to use them, and when to use them. It will be very difficult to crack the UPSC examination without a clear strategy.
Failure to keep up-to-date with current affairs
Another reason why IAS aspirants fail in the UPSC examination is that they do not give enough importance to current affairs. Many students think they can crack the UPSC examination without paying attention to current affairs. However, this is not true.
Current affairs play a significant role in the UPSC examination. If you are not updated with the latest happenings around the world, it will be difficult for you to crack the UPSC examination.
Lack of passion
Think about your motivations before deciding on IAS as a career.
Is it what you wish to do? Are you pursuing it to please your parents or anyone else? Is it the lure of money, fame, respect, social standing, or other similar reasons?
Although it may seem strange to you, the truth is that your enthusiasm is what drives you most to succeed in any exam. It will be difficult for you to succeed in the exam if you are not passionate about it and are taking it up to impress someone else. If your heart is not truly set on the IAS exam, you are not on the correct path.
At National IAS Academy, known for providing excellent UPSC coaching in Bangalore, we always advise our students that popularity, money, respect, and luxurious life are only a few of the positives associated with the IAS position. Your primary focus should be passing the exam; everything else will fall into place once you do.
Ignoring the importance of making notes
Aspirants for the IAS test habitually read and underline or highlight crucial passages. As a result, when students are required to write lengthy essays for the exam, they are unable to keep pace with the time constraint, which in turn brings about an outcome that is not in their favor.
IAS candidates can benefit from taking notes in 2 ways: first, it helps them write more quickly, and second, the information they note down is easy to retain for a longer time and simple to revise right before the exam. As an IAS aspirant, you should make note-taking a habit in order to succeed in the IAS exam.
Lack of dedication
There is a famous quote – “Determination is nothing without dedication and hard work.”
Countless IAS aspirants fail the UPSC examination because they do not have enough dedication. Many students start preparing for the UPSC examination with a lot of enthusiasm but lose interest in it after some time. If you want to crack the UPSC examination, you need to be highly dedicated. It would be best to stay focused and not lose interest in your preparations as time passes.
You should stay committed and learn to work hard and smart to crack the UPSC examination.
Lack of revision
There is no denying that the IAS exams have a broad syllabus. The majority of applicants continue to study for it up until the last minute because of this. Unfortunately, they do not go back and review what they have learned thus far because they want to keep learning new things.
It is one of the leading causes of IAS exam failure. If you continuously learn new information without reviewing what you already know, you will never become aware of your weak points. No matter how minor your exam mistakes are, they will significantly impact the outcome. The only method to identify and fix exam faults and strengthen your weak spots is through revision.
Not attempting question papers from previous years
Previous year’s questions are crucial for any exam, and UPSC is no different in this regard. Past question papers can provide important information, such as the format of the test, the kind of questions the UPSC will ask, the methodology for allocating marks, and other topics.
Some questions are asked repeatedly because the static part cannot be altered. We can identify the questions that are repeated when we solve exam papers from the past few years. It will help you to better organize your time by using the previous year’s question papers. Ignoring them would be a grave error.
Conclusion
There are many reasons why people go for the IAS UPSC exam. Some people want to serve the country, some want to get a good job, and some want to become an IAS officer.
Whatever the reason may be, there is a long and arduous journey between aspiring for something and attaining it. Out of the several lakhs of candidates who attempt the UPSC exams, only about 0.1% of the aspirants make it through.
We hope this blog has helped shed some light on the common mistakes that cause most aspirants to fail. This blog is to help you understand what you need to do and what to avoid if you wish to crack the IAS exams.
If you are passionate about getting through the UPSC exam, please visit National IAS Academy, a well-known UPSC Coaching Center in Bangalore. You will have a higher chance of reaching your IAS goals through our mentorship.
