An open letter to IAS wannabes By Ranjan Yumnam

An open letter to IAS wannabes
By Ranjan Yumnam

In Delhi where I live, I constantly bump into numerous people who dream of becoming an IAS officer. Of these, there are really serious contenders for the top job and then there is also a larger group of IAS wannabes who simply lulled their parents into great expectations without having any slim chance of succeeding in India's toughest public examination. And to this latter group, that this letter is being addressed.

Every time I see people from the latter lot, I feel guilty as a concerned Manipuri for not being able to stop them in the tracks of their futile exercise. On closer examination, many of them turn out to be academic underachievers who in their frustration choose to take a chance in the Civil Services as the last resort.

To me, it is a weird paradox that these academically-challenged people would even think of stepping into where angels fear to tread. It is nothing less than a willful adventurism at the expense of precious time and other realistic opportunities in other vocations and career avenues.

The profile of a typical IAS aspirant in Delhi can be made out fairly accurately. Most probably, he would be an average graduate. Chances are that if you look at his mark sheet, you will see blood all over it-the kind of mark sheet that no university would accept for enrolment in its Master's program. So, one fine morning, our dreamer wakes up to realize that his salvation lies in clearing the IAS examinations and proving all detractors wrong. The results almost always tell a different story.

What is more pitiful is that these students genuinely believe that they CAN actually pull it off and therefore feed their parents with false promises, hopes and what not. And you know how parents are; they would do anything for their kid who they believe is on the way of becoming an IAS officer. It is a cosy affair-the student in Delhi gets a hefty monthly money order which has recently been hiked in view of his preparations for the Great exam and the parents in return live in eager anticipation of his son/daughter's glowing success some day which will sadly never come. What a chicanery and how disregardful of mutual trust!!!

Giving civil services examination a shot doesn't always guarantee success but it does give a student a foolproof pretext to stay put in Delhi as long as he wishes. This is a tragedy. It would have been far better to try one's hand at something that can yield gainful results than chasing a chimera that will never be realized. Consider this: after years of fruitless preparation for the IAS, if you end up like a vegetable with no marketable skills in the job market….how sad your parents would be and as for you it would be an unmitigated disaster. And don't discount the time factor too.

The "human costs" of Civil Services Examination are rather too high for a poor state like Manipur. The sheer time devoted by aspirants to preparing for the grueling exam is stupendously high which we can hardly afford. We need outstanding people in all fields of life and industry-not only IAS officers. We need lawyers, doctors, journalists, artists, filmmakers, etc. of repute who can compete with their mainstream counterparts in their own respective turf.

If you are not cut out to be an IAS officer, don't lose heart, you may be able make your mark in some other suitable calling. A sarkari bureaucrat is just one cog in the wheel of the nation-building machine; there are many other talented men and women who carry out the equally important tasks of running the country. If you want to become an IAS officer for only the money and the status associated with it, someone can suggest that there are other ways to earn those underpinnings in life.

However, this letter is not directed at those serious and deserving IAS hopefuls who slog it out to beat the battle of nerves. For them, I have only my words of encouragement and pride. Proud because they are the people who in effect are showing to the rest of the country that we also MATTER and are not doormats all the time. Let a thousand IAS officers bloom for that matter.

For the rest of you with nothing better to do than eye washing your parents with promises that can never come true, I have only pity and contempt for most part. Please go home and do something worthwhile. Anything that can give your parents at least a saving face. You are not only damaging your future but also giving a bad name to the serious affairs of civil service exam. While you are advertising yourself as an upcoming IAS officer, serious students are hiding lest they should be ridiculed and mocked as just another specimen of your sort. You are effectively driving bright IAS aspirants and their brilliant efforts underground which is a telling commentary on your credibility.

Won't it be better if you do a reality check today to find out the truth about yourself before falling into the quagmire of ignominy tomorrow? Often, misjudgment of one's caliber and talent is the root cause of unqualified people jumping blindly into the IAS bandwagon. Before taking that irreversible decision, take a self stock of your academic credentials. Our past achievement (or lack of it) is often a pointer to our competence quotient. Take a scan of all your earlier academic record right from your schooldays to the present educational status. Are your performance consistently brilliant or has it been a zigzag roller coaster unpredictable ride. The answer to this can give you an idea about whether to go ahead or retreat from your grandiose wishful thinking while it is still in its formative stage. This reality check is very important; IAS is not for the mediocre and diffident. It is for the guys who have demonstrated their brilliance and mettle and could be relied upon to survive the toughest of all mental and endurance tests.

And excuse me; please don't invoke the name of Abraham Lincoln who had to go through umpteenth failures before he finally kissed success. You and I are not Abraham Lincoln and for that matter nobody else is. Don't get inspired by fairy tales that can only transport you to fanciful trance. By the way, how many failures can you take? Remember there is a limit to the number of attempts you can make in the exam under our consideration. Which means you can't make as many failures as the American idol you look up to for inspiration. Inspiration has limits too.

So buddy, take heart. There is life beyond IAS dreams. Be realistic and all the best in whatever else you do. You might just discover what a genius you are in a particular profession. And last but not the least: don't forget to thank me.

The author is a freelance journalist based in New Delhi.
He can be reached at ranjanyumnam@rediffmail.com

Source: e-pao.net