In my case I think the following factors contributed the most to my success.
- Family: My family and my girl friend, both were very supportive of my preparation and waited patiently for me to clear the exam .They did not simply wait, but they firmly believed that I could clear this exam. Even when I was in doubt, they would tell me about my potential to clear this exam. This helped me in no small manner. Without a proper support system, it will be very difficult to clear the UPSC exam.
- Financial independence: I had worked as a software engineer before delving into UPSC preparation. Even after quitting my job, I was able to support myself, even though I had to live frugally. This financial independence made sure that I could follow my goals according to my own plan.
- Perseverance: In the first attempt, I did not clear the prelims. The second attempt I went till the interview stage. The third and fourth attempts I cleared comfortably. It was my perseverance alone that made sure that I stayed long enough in the game to see it through.
- Hardwork: I won’t elaborate on this, but hard and smart work played a major role.
- Luck: This is no small element in UPSC exam. The exam, being a subjective one, it is chance alone that would determine how much marks you score. I am not saying that it is completely luck. For example, the top five hundred candidates would have marks that differ by a very small margin and this small margin is determined mostly by luck. One mark here and one mark there. You do not control this outcome.
These alone are not the sole factors in my success, but the top five. Ultimately, I firmly believe that clearing the civil service is the result of a lot of factors falling into place at the right time, some of which are under your control, some of which aren’t. The only thing you can do is to put in your time and then hope for the best.