Lazy Beginnings

It has been nearly a month since I started studying for CSE-2014. I have started with the NCERT's, Laxmikanth and Bipin Chandra. I find them really helpful as I could solve past years prelims problems by reading their few chapters.And one good thing that I decided to take "Mechanical Engineering" as my optional. This will save my precious time and recent results of aspirants getting high marks in "Engineering Subjects" have given me much needed confidence to take this chance. 

Meanwhile I have been reading Gita and  its "Nish-kaam" philosophy has greatly influenced me. It talks about doing your work without worrying about the results and that becomes your "Dharma". It suggest that desires are superior to dead things, your mind is superior to desires, your intelligence is superior to mind and your soul is superior to intelligence. You need to control your "desires" while pursuing your goals through "karm-maarg". Thus your will power takes a central role in any of your pursuits.

On lighter note, I have been watching episodes of "Aapas ki Baat" with Nazam Sethi. He gives frank and unbiased opinion of India-Pakistan history. The episodes on "Murder of History in Pakistan" ,"Ten Blunders of Pakistan" and "Kargil War" are educating and eye-opening. If we could have few more intellectuals and independent thinkers like him on the other side of border, Pakistan's fundamentalism could be contained and several young generations will be prevented from brainwashing. Big take way from these episodes are  importance of  principles of "secularism", "judicial independence", "civilian rule over army" and "Free Press" for sustaining a strong and democratic government. 

I will end with a beautiful poem by an acquaintance:

हे मन !

घन वट-वृक्षों पर नीड़ बहुत, 

निष्कंटक-पथ पर भीड़ बहुत,

दुस्साहस ही अब साहस बस,

है दुर्लभ जीवन क्षीण बहुत । 

तू यशोगगन का वासी बन, 

कण्टक-पथ का अभिलाषी बन, 

भय-मोह तुझे छू भी न सके, 

तेजस्वी मन ! संन्यासी तन !

Cheers.

IES Experience-2012

On 30th June, the IES exam finally got over. I had expected it to go better as I was confident (rather overconfident) after going through previous year papers. But what could I expect from 60 days part time preparations while competing with thousands of regular students of Made-Easy and similar coaching institutes. After going through keys given by Made Easy, I could only score something like 270/600 in objective, which is far below my competence. Nonetheless, I do expect call for interview if could manage 130-140 odd marks in subjective papers. But no one knows about vagaries of UPSC, so time will tell.....

My next target is CSE 2014. For the past two days, I have been searching the internet, trying to gather the materials and relevant books for UPSC. I have already ordered two books, India struggle for Independence by Bipin Chandra and Indian Polity by Laxmikanth. There are many sites in the web advising civil service aspirants, but none comes closest to http://mrunal.org/ in its comprehensiveness, relevence and selfless service to help aspirants. It provides a detailed analysis on the new pattern of UPSC and gives various "weapons" to tackle civil services examination. Being a beginner, I will start with NCERT's, standard books, newspaper(The Hindu) and will then move on to prepare from reference books for mains.

I have still not figured out my optional subject for the mains examination. Till the IES exam, I was of opinion to go with Mechanical Engineering as option for CSE-2013. But seeing the uncertainty and the depth of questions in the Conventional IES papers, made me think again.

Till Then I have to live with the quote,"Aut inveniam viam aut faciam"

Cheers