Massive Aspirant Pool: Every year, 9–10 lakh candidates register for the UPSC Civil Services Examination, but only 1000 posts are available. This means less than 0.2% get selected — even tougher than the IIT or IIM entrance.
Years of Preparation: Most serious aspirants prepare for 3–5 years. Many leave jobs, delay higher education, and rely heavily on family financial support.
High Financial Cost: Coaching in Delhi or other hubs can cost ₹2–4 lakh per year (including living expenses). Over multiple years, some families spend ₹8–15 lakh without guaranteed returns.
Long Exam Cycle:
- Prelims in June, results in August
- Mains in September, results in December
- Interview in Feb–March, final result in May
-> One complete year for one attempt — and you only get 6 attempts (General category).
Repeat Candidates Dominate: Around 80–85% of selected candidates are repeaters. Freshers clearing UPSC in their first attempt are rare.
Career Gap Risk: Spending prime years (22–30) only on UPSC without a backup leads to a resume gap that makes private-sector hiring difficult.
Mental & Emotional Pressure: High expectations, peer comparison, and financial strain lead to stress, anxiety, and burnout for many aspirants.
Need for Alternatives:
- Candidates should also prepare for State Civil Services, SSC CGL, Banking, and PSU jobs alongside UPSC.
- The government could create more administrative posts or parallel services to absorb trained aspirants who clear certain UPSC stages (like Mains or Interview).
Harsh Reality: For every 1 candidate who becomes an IAS/IPS/IFS, 999 others face rejection — often after years of hard work and sacrifice.
Conclusion:
The disparity between the huge number of aspirants and the limited posts makes the UPSC journey extremely competitive and uncertain. A more secure approach would be to have alternative career options alongside preparation, ensuring that years of effort do not go to waste if the dream remains unfulfilled.
