By Dr. A. R. Khan
I've always believed that the most defining moments of our lives are often not the grand, expected ones, but the quiet, seemingly insignificant choices we make every day.
You might be in your first year of college, still reeling from the joy of securing that coveted seat, or maybe you're navigating the disappointment of not getting into your dream campus. Either way, the message I have for you today is this: the name of your college is a fleeting label, but the time you have in college is a priceless currency. It is a period of boundless energy, new friendships, and exhilarating freedom—a time when you can truly take ownership of your future, especially if your goal is to serve the nation through the civil services.
For many of you, the dream of becoming a civil servant may seem distant, something to be tackled after your degree is in hand. You might believe that the real preparation begins once you hit the coaching centers, armed with a syllabus and a fresh-from-the-press stack of books. But from my experience of working with countless aspirants, I can tell you a different story. The foundation of a successful civil services journey is not built in a cram session a year before the exam; it is forged, brick by brick, during your three or four years of graduation. It is a period when your behavior can be brought into perfect sync with your ultimate goal, without sacrificing the vibrant life of a student.
The time you have in college is an unparalleled opportunity—a bubble of freedom before the pressures of a career and family life set in. It’s a chance to explore, to make mistakes, and to truly build yourself from the ground up. You can enjoy your friendships, participate in college festivals, and create lifelong memories. The goal isn't to become a recluse or a bookworm, but to become conscious of your time. By making small, consistent investments in your skills, you can turn your graduation into the most productive head start you could ever ask for.
The World is Your Classroom: Cultivating General Awareness
One of the most common pitfalls I see among students who are just starting out is their siloed approach to knowledge. They excel in their academic subjects but remain woefully disconnected from the world outside their syllabus. This is a critical mistake. The Civil Services Examination, especially the Preliminary and Mains exams, is designed to test your general awareness—your holistic understanding of national and global events, and your ability to connect them to historical, economic, and social contexts.
This skill is not something you can build overnight. It requires a sustained, daily effort, and your college years provide the perfect runway. I remember one student, let's call him Rohan (name is changed), who joined us at KSG while he was in his second year of a B.A. program. He was a brilliant student in his subjects, but he confessed that he had never read a newspaper from cover to cover. He saw the news as a confusing jumble of politics and dates, and the idea of memorizing it all seemed daunting. We advised him to start with just a single newspaper every day, focusing on the headlines and a few articles that piqued his interest.
Initially, it was a chore. But over a few weeks, something clicked. He started connecting the dots between a government policy mentioned in the paper and a concept he was studying in his political science class. A debate on climate change in the news suddenly made more sense when he recalled the principles of environmental science. He realized that the world was not a collection of isolated events but a living, breathing ecosystem of interconnected ideas. He began to discuss current events with his friends, turning casual chats in the canteen into lively intellectual debates. By the time he finished his graduation, reading the newspaper wasn't a chore; it was a ritual. His general awareness was not just broad; it was deep and contextual, giving him a massive advantage in the Prelims. He had already built the mental muscle for continuous learning that others would spend months trying to develop.
The key here is not to cram facts but to cultivate a curious mind. During your graduation, make it a habit to read at least one national newspaper daily. You don’t have to dissect every single article. Start with the front page, then move to the editorials and opinion pieces. Don't just read; think about the why. Why is this happening? What are the historical precedents? Who are the stakeholders involved? This practice transforms you from a passive consumer of information into an active participant in understanding the world. By doing this consistently, you are not just preparing for an exam; you are preparing to be an informed and responsible citizen.
The Art of the Pen: Mastering Writing Skills
The Mains examination is, at its heart, a test of your writing skills. It doesn't matter how much information you have in your head if you cannot articulate it clearly, concisely, and persuasively on paper. This is a painful reality for many aspirants who spend years accumulating knowledge but falter when it comes to expressing it under the strict time constraints of the exam. The good news is that writing is a skill, not a talent. And like any skill, it can be honed through consistent practice.
Your college years are the perfect time to work on this. You are already writing for assignments, presentations, and project reports. You just need to be a little more conscious about it. Think of every piece of writing as a practice session for your Mains exam. I think of another student, a young engineering graduate named Anjali (name is changed). When she first came to us, she was brilliant with numbers and logic, but her writing was scattered and lacked structure. Her answers, though factually correct, were difficult to follow.
We advised her to start a personal project: a weekly blog where she would write short articles on current affairs, social issues, or anything else that interested her. She wasn't writing for an audience; she was writing for herself. Initially, her paragraphs were long and convoluted, with ideas spilling over without clear transitions. But with each passing week, her writing became more focused. She learned to use short, crisp sentences, to create clear topic sentences for her paragraphs, and to build a logical flow from one idea to the next. By the time she graduated, her writing had transformed. She could now craft a compelling argument, structure a complex answer, and express her thoughts with a level of clarity that was miles ahead of her peers. She had, through small, daily investments, built a writing muscle that gave her a huge edge in the Mains.
The key to improving your writing is to make it a habit. Start with a daily or weekly commitment. Write about a current event, a debate you had with a friend, or even a book you just finished. The topic doesn't matter as much as the discipline of writing. Focus on three things: clarity, coherence, and conciseness. Can your reader understand your point in a single read? Do your ideas flow logically? Can you express your thoughts in the fewest words possible without losing meaning? Consciously working on these three aspects will make a world of difference.
Beyond the Syllabus: The Art of Intellectual Exploration
I am reminded of a famous movie, 3 Idiots, and the character of Rancho, or Phunsukh Wangdu. In his pursuit of true knowledge, he would often slip into classes in different departments to satisfy his curiosity. This wasn't just a quirky movie plot; it is a powerful metaphor for how you can use your college years to build a multidimensional knowledge base. Your college is not just the building where you attend your core classes; it's a flowing river of knowledge from different departments—physics, history, economics, literature.
Take advantage of this. If your college allows it, sit in on a class that has nothing to do with your major. Attend a guest lecture on a subject that fascinates you. The UPSC doesn’t care if you have a degree in engineering or the arts; it cares about the breadth and depth of your intellect. By allowing yourself to learn from different disciplines, you will not only broaden your knowledge but also train your mind to make connections between seemingly unrelated subjects—a crucial skill for both the Prelims and the Mains. This is a unique opportunity you have in college that may not be as accessible once you enter the professional world.
Seeking a North Star: The Importance of Guidance
In the digital age, information is a commodity. You can find everything you need to know about the syllabus, exam patterns, and study materials with a single search. But while information is abundant, guidance is a rare and precious resource. Many students, in their quest for self-study, get lost in this vast sea of information, spending months and even years on the wrong path. The guidance of a seasoned mentor can be the North Star that keeps you on track.
This is especially critical for those who start early. The early start gives you a huge advantage, but it also carries the vulnerability of getting lost. Without a clear roadmap, you can spend too much time on a single topic, over-prepare for one section at the expense of another, or burn out before the finish line. The goal is to peak at the right time, not to exhaust yourself prematurely.
Your graduation is a great time to find such a guide. It might be a senior who successfully cleared the exam, a professor who has an in-depth understanding of the civil services, or a professional who has spent years guiding aspirants. I remember a young man named Sameer (name is changed) who was a very motivated but confused student. He was trying to do everything on his own, but the sheer volume of information overwhelmed him. He would spend hours researching the "best" books or the "right" strategy, and in the process, he was losing valuable time that he could have spent on actual study.
He came to KSG and was connected with a mentor who had gone through a similar journey. This mentor didn't just give him a list of books; he taught him how to approach the syllabus, how to prioritize topics, and most importantly, how to stay calm and focused. He helped Sameer understand that the goal wasn't to read every book but to master a select few. This guidance gave Sameer a clear roadmap, and with a personalized plan, he was able to use his time and energy with laser-like focus. He wasn't just working hard; he was working smart.
Guidance is not about being spoon-fed; it's about having someone who can provide honest, constructive feedback and help you find your blind spots. It is about accountability, and having someone who can see your potential even when you cannot. A good mentor can help you navigate the psychological roller coaster of this long journey and remind you that perseverance is a skill in itself.
The Sync of Behavior and Goal
The final and most crucial aspect of this journey is the alignment of your behavior with your goal. If your goal is to clear the Civil Services Examination, your daily habits, your choices, and your priorities must, to some extent, reflect that goal. This doesn't mean you have to give up your college life. It simply means being conscious of how you spend your time.
Think of it as a small daily investment. Instead of mindlessly scrolling through social media for an hour, you could spend 30 minutes reading an editorial. Instead of binge-watching a series, you could spend that time practicing your writing skills. These small investments, compounded over three or four years, add up to a formidable advantage. It's the difference between starting the race at the finish line and starting it from the very beginning.
This is a beautiful and powerful lesson that many students only learn much later in life. College is a time of immense growth, and it is a time when you can build the discipline and the resilience that will serve you throughout your life. It is about making the conscious choice to be the architect of your future, brick by small brick, every single day. As the great philosopher and poet, Ralph Waldo Emerson, once said, "The secret of getting ahead is getting started." And for you, that start is now.
