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Mains 2019 Preparation and Discussion Thread

Now that 1 week is over, it is time to shift focus to Mains. With barely 103 days left there is no time to waste.

curious_kid,rootand2 otherslike this
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@BulbulSen
same here
ekdam unexpected hogya bahar hona

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@jmanivenkatesh8165In my philosophical opinion, any subject per se is not under-performer or over-performer. It's we the aspirants who make it so. Yes, Pub Ad has seen crest and trough in past few years, but in years of crest, people still have scored low and high, in years of trough.

The structural faults somewhere deep down lies in our preparation or approach. We might not figure even after 5 attempts, some figure before attempting (while practicing and learning).

Rest, the uncertainty and unpredictability makes this Mains very challenging, not the subjects.

..

In my practical opinion, if one is not comfortable in one optional despite giving it enough chances, and can altogether give substantial number of hours to another subject, the optional MUST be changed. The only thing is needed : NOT to repeat the mistakes of previous optional and courage of conviction too.

If at all you want to change optional, please go through detailed syllabus of every optional (among your choices). If the very syllabus gives you some hope, then search for its Ease Of Content Availability (EOCA) and skeletal strategy from selected and NON SELECTED ONES TOO (mains appeared though).

After all this, if it gives a sense of confidence, go ahead with the NEW OPTIONAL, else stick to the previous one and try looking at it from altogether a different perspective.

(Albert Einstein : It is insane to expect different results, by repeating the same mistakes.)

All the Best !

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The journey that started in 2016 comes to an unexpected end today .Clearing prelims in my 1st attempt with 2 months preparation in 2016 ,I thought myself to be smart and intelligent .Left the job in 2017, returned to India and decided to become a full time CSE aspirant at the age of 27. It was a tough decision but still I was hopeful to clear it in one full fledged attempt .But , this time again it was December 20 2018 that ended my attempt with 2nd failure in Mains .I gathered myself with a hope to correct my mistakes .With all hard work, the story of failure repeated itself and with this dream of CSE comes to an end .

This journey is a great teacher in itself .It gave me some lessons in life that I will carry with me forever .It has made me humble.

All the best to those who made it to PT.

And for those of us like me - "Kya haar mein kya Jeet mein,kinchit nahi bhaybheet main,kartavya path pe jo bhi Mila yeh bhi sahi wo bhi sahi"...

Newton981,
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@TETRACYCLINEwhich attempt?

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@BulbulSen
4 attempts 2 mains

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medical sc optional ka

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@shubhamjain9024495"..It has made you humble". This is the best takeaway. Moreover, in the same state of emotions. Let this result get digested. In my humble opinion,give a thoughtof giving one more effort, if it is PRACTICALLY possible (if job is the first priority at this juncture, then go for it first).

Few in the recent past have qualified in their 5th/6th attempts. They did rectified their mistakes, revamped their plan, restructured their strategy and reignited their confidence.

All The Best in any of your action/endeavours ahead.

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mera ek hi bach rha not sure ki appear honge

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@Abraham-MaslowBhai , With a gap of 2 and a half years and age nearing 30 I am not sure if it will be easy to secure a job again.But , I will give it a try .Moreover , sufferings associated with the failures in this exam are increasing day by day .Seeing your parents in pain and agony because of an exam is terrible. I don't think that with the constant fear of failure and insecurity , I will be able to give my hundred percent .For me it seems better to give up and search for some happiness in life ,happiness beyond being an IAS ....I know it will be tough for me ..but still jo beet gai wo baat gai ...
All the best to you too ...
Thanks for your advice ...

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@Abraham-Maslow4 attempts khatma ho gye! 5th k lye himmat jutane me kafi taklif ho rahi h!

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@VivekanandSsaid inMains 2019 Preparation and Discussion Thread:

@Abraham-Maslow4 attempts khatma ho gye! 5th k lye himmat jutane me kafi taklif ho rahi h!

do you have any backup?

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While most of my classmates left to US for masters i left to Delhi in Nov 2014 after quitting a job in IT. Underwent Political Science coaching which took too long to get completed ( got over a month before prelims) and i failed miserably in prelims 2015 (didn't know i had to study laxmikant also). Returned to Bangalore, Changed optional to Kannada literature in '16, worked hard but missed prelims '16 very very marginally. Dejected ,recouped myself to give one last attempt full time n worked even harder solving multiple institutions' question papers for '17. But this time i failed in exam hall itself with self created pressure that if i wouldn't clear it this time when i'm full time aspirant, i would never be able do it with job ever. Missed marginally again. 3 years gap pushed me to take up job in IT as i feared doors to get closed in backup career too. Joined IT in early Jan'18 and made a room near company to save commuting time although my parents stayed at Bangalore itself. it took time for me to get acquainted with the work n i had to concentrate properly as i feared lay off. With much lesser time in hand i prepared how much ever i could but failed in '18 prelims again. I had decided to move on. But my inner heart wanted to give one last try as in 3 of 4 attempts i had failed due to adverse situations n not because of my inability. So gathered courage, prepared for optional n mains more in 2018 post prelims, and cleared prelims'19 with job itself. Management didn't provide 3 months leave so resigned,, served notice period and studied my best in remaining 85 days. I had left only one 10 mark question across all papers, had written good answers in many n below average in few. was very much expecting an interview call but failed again.

Now I'm 28, done with 5 attempts, 0 savings (infact living on debt after investing 13lakh into this for 6 years), exhausted mentally completely. I am definitely not in a state of mind to give the remaining 1 attempt. My dream chase has come to an end. I feel so bad for not being able to achieve my dream and After so much of exposure about this profession i have to go back to a smaller world IT n start liking a job which i don't by heart. All that this exam process taught me was to live with humility n to never let the courage, spark in you ( to do anything) die down. I'm happy to have learnt that so many souls fight hard to get what they want in life despite having an easier route to settle down in life.

Remember, certain goals are so so great that even failing at achieving it also makes one great . And i proudly say that CSE is one such.

Good luck to each one of you!

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@NadigVinayby the way please let me know other good professions which i can look at, other than IT. Not interested in any state PSC exams / banking.

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@NadigVinaybro...Itna jb kar hi lia h;To ek attempt aur dedo!!You are quite an inspiring person!!
Please prepare for your last attempt sincerely.

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@VivekanandSBro, I do not want to exhaust my 1 last attempt without any improvement in mains as I didn't read anything after '19mains + mental fatigue of 6 years of studies. So if at all if my life provides me a conducive atmosphere n opportunity to attempt in 2021 or 2022 for one last time, I would attempt it with complete preparation. I'm definitely not a person who would give up on something despite being competent. But you know it's life. At times I have to bow down before something that's not in my control. I'll see what's there in my destiny box. Thank you for your suggestion.

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@NadigVinayJust one word on your journey : Respect.

Remembering this :

It is not the critic who counts; not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles, or where the doer of deeds could have done them better.

The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood; who strives valiantly; who errs, who comes short again and again, because there is no effort without error and shortcoming; but who does actually strive to do the deeds; who knows great enthusiasms, the great devotions; who spends himself in a worthy cause; who at the best knows in the end the triumph of high achievement, and who at the worst, if he fails, at least fails while daring greatly, so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who neither know victory nor defeat.

  • Theodore Roosevelt
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@Abraham-Maslowsaid inMains 2019 Preparation and Discussion Thread:

@NadigVinayJust one word on your journey : Respect.

Remembering this :

It is not the critic who counts; not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles, or where the doer of deeds could have done them better.

The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood; who strives valiantly; who errs, who comes short again and again, because there is no effort without error and shortcoming; but who does actually strive to do the deeds; who knows great enthusiasms, the great devotions; who spends himself in a worthy cause; who at the best knows in the end the triumph of high achievement, and who at the worst, if he fails, at least fails while daring greatly, so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who neither know victory nor defeat.

  • Theodore Roosevelt

Thank you very much for this one dude. It 'll help me move on completely (if i decide to) with great self-satisfaction!

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@NadigVinayThat was my only intention while sharing this with you. This was delivered at the Sorbonne, in Paris, France on 23 April, 1910.

Full speech :http://www.worldfuturefund.org/Documents/maninarena.htm

This is so motivating as a speech that one finds it relatively easier to digest the defeat. So powerful !

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@Abraham-MaslowThanks for the link!

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@NadigVinay
Massive respect.
Here is a couplet to you and everyone who is feeling low after mains result.
IMG_20200116_020007.jpg

(Roughly translates to
Ugly silence may be prevailing now,
But many happy songs are remaining.
Have patience and carry on fellow human,
Many parameters of your success story are remaining)

Integer,
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