UPSC prelims result 2026: How many attempts are too many? The hidden cost of chasing India’s toughest exam
The UPSC Civil Services Preliminary Examination 2026 results will be announced any time now, bringing relief for some and disappointment for many others. While thousands of candidates will clear the first stage, lakhs will fall short in what remains one of the toughest competitive examinations in the country.Government exams continue to be one of the biggest career choices in India, and among them, the UPSC Civil Services Examination remains the most coveted. Every year, lakhs of aspirants appear with the hope of becoming IAS, IPS or IFS officers. But the ratio of selection remains extremely low, less than 1%, making the journey long and uncertain for most candidates.In many cases, even those who have cleared earlier stages or secured strong ranks face setbacks in subsequent attempts. Such is the exam’s unpredictable nature.The problem is not in dreaming, but in giving year-on-year attempts for an exam that is one of the world’s most difficult. Many candidates continue preparing for years, often without realising the emotional, financial and professional cost of prolonged preparation, till it’s too late. In places like Mukherjee Nagar and other coaching hubs, many aspirants continue to stay in the same cycle without fully understanding what is going wrong.For many families and students, UPSC is often seen as one of the most prestigious career options, overshadowing other professional paths.Many aspirants spend years in coaching ecosystems where persistence is strongly emphasised as a key ingredient for success- “jab tak todenge nahi, tab tak chhodenge nahi” (until I crack it, I won’t leave it). In most cases, aspirants are told that hardship, isolation and sacrifice are necessary steps towards success. While discipline is important, this constant reinforcement can emotionally isolate candidates, making them feel that their entire worth depends on clearing one exam.But The TVF web series Aspirants teaches us that failure in UPSC is not the end of life, but rather a part of life that builds character and offers valuable lessons.
When to continue and when to stop
Career experts say the decision to continue or quit UPSC preparation should not be driven by pressure or fear, but by clear signs in performance and mental well-being.Ms Naghma Khan, Strategic College Advisory Lead and Career Counsellor at Dharav High Schools, Jaipur, says consistency in improvement is a key indicator.“An aspirant should continue if their scores are improving, they are clearing stages or coming close, and their preparation is structured. Strong answer writing skills, conceptual clarity and regular mock performance are positive signs,” she said.However, she warned against continuing blindly despite repeated setbacks.“If an aspirant is continuously failing at the same stage without improvement, feeling emotionally exhausted, financially dependent or isolated, then it may be time to explore alternative career paths,” she added.She also pointed out that when preparation begins affecting mental health, relationships or long-term employability, it becomes a serious concern.“A major warning sign is when people around you start expressing concern for your wellbeing,” she said.
Impact on employability
Long-term UPSC preparation can also have an impact on employability and salary, especially when candidates do not have work experience, internships, certifications or other practical skills alongside their studies.In job interviews, employers may question career gaps, but Naghma says this can be handled if aspirants present their UPSC journey in a positive and structured way. She points out that preparation does build useful skills such as research, writing, analysis, discipline, current affairs awareness and communication.However, these need to be backed with additional job-ready skills like Excel, digital tools, policy research, content writing, data analysis, management or teaching to improve employability. Career counsellors also stress that gaps should be explained honestly rather than apologised for.“Instead of apologising for the gap, candidates should highlight the skills gained during UPSC preparation such as analytical thinking, discipline, writing, research, time management and awareness of public issues. They should also clearly show that they are now career-focused and have upgraded relevant skills for the role they are applying for.”A suggested way to frame this in interviews is: “I prepared seriously for UPSC, gained strong analytical and communication skills, and now I am ready to apply them professionally,” she added.
When success changes direction
Interestingly, not all UPSC journeys end in bureaucracy. Some candidates choose to leave even after clearing the exam.Roman Saini, who resigned from the Indian Administrative Service in 2016, co-founded Unacademy to focus on education and wider impact.He stepped away from the civil services, saying he wanted to democratise access to quality learning and create a larger social impact outside the system.Such examples show that success in UPSC does not always follow a single direction.
‘If young explored other fields’
Economist and member of the Economic Advisory Council to the Prime Minister, Sanjeev Sanyal, has previously highlighted this imbalance.“Lakhs of people are spending their best years trying to crack an exam which has only a tiny number of people getting in,” Sanyal said in a podcast discussion.He added that if more young people explored other fields instead of focusing only on UPSC, India could potentially see stronger outcomes in sectors like sports, films and creative industries.“Life in bureaucracy isn’t meant for everybody. A large part of it is just passing files up and down,” he remarked.
