This is Life, You Haven’t Lost, You Have Experienced Another Chapter of Your Own Biography: A Message From Agam Jain, Rank 133 CSE 2015

Hello Friends,

First of all, congratulations to all who have been selected, do work with IASBABA team, you will surely do good in mains. But this article mainly is for those who have missed the cut off.

I want to ask you something.

How much the marks of your 8th or 10th class now mean to you? I guess very little.

The marks of first semester? again, very little.

And the reason behind is, with the passing of time, we forget the sufferings which might look big during that time. This unfortunate result might seem the biggest loss to you right now but believe me, the life has a lot of cherishing moments waiting for you and 30-40 years down the line, you yourself will laugh at this day and tell the story to your grandchildren.

I am not telling you to not learn from this failure but don’t take things too seriously. There are many aspects which aren’t in our hand. I know many such deserving students who aren’t able to make to the list even after 3-4 attempts. And there are many who aren’t happy (for various reasons like cadres, service allotment etc) even after getting selection in UPSC.

From my example, I can tell you that there was a time when I used to tell myself that if I get the 1000 rank, I will be the happiest person in the world, and now even after getting the 133 rank, I at times feel that had I got few marks in this or had the interview board not discriminated against me, I might be in top 100 and then top 50 and then top 10. So, this is never ending process.

Thus, if you are or were doing this for yourself, you will feel dejected one day or the other but if you are preparing for the cause of serving the nation, you might succeed someday. And even if you don’t succeed, you will find many other ways to do that. Prepare keeping the fact in mind that if you pass, you will become an officer but if you don’t pass, you still will have the knowledge of Great India with you, you still will have the experience with you.

Allow me to tell you that the real success doesn’t lie in the selection in some vaguely and improperly designed examination but it lies in our character.

How we talk to the rickshaw walla, do we throw the garbage in the bins, do we respect our teachers and elders, do we care to think about a poor sitting on the platform?

The character might not be visible to people suddenly, but once it will come in front, people will love you, they will admire you and that’s what I think the real success is. And even after becoming officer, if we have the pride, people will not love us but abhor us.

Consider this. “Do you know that for each thing you do, you are ahead of at least 50 crore people of India”?

If you eat at restaurant, if you celebrate your birthdays, if you have holidays, if you have family, if you have working physical and mental body and even if you using hot water in winters- you have the amenities which many Indians could only dream of. In the race of going ahead, proving relatives wrong, we haven’t realized that we are already blessed.

We have to understand that for those who matter us (our parents, friends, girl/boyfriend (if have any)) will never leave us no matter what and those who don’t matter will raise questions even after your selection.

I would suggest you one thing. Go to some village and live there for few days. You will realize what the real life is. How much happy people are there even while sitting in sweat, in small huts and how much stressed are we in the air conditioners?

They listen the chirping of birds, voice of water, smell the sand and eat the fresh fruits and we are living on chemicals and breathing pollutants. You will find out the true meaning of life. You will find that life is not very fast and even in paucity of resources people help each other. You will also realize that this is the inspiration for me to go into the services. Now whenever you will waste a day in preparation, you will have a thought of betraying these people for whom you have promised to bring the reforms.

I wish that if you truly long to come into the services, take a break, enjoy some holidays and then get along with the books. They should be your best friends. Like the phoenix rises from the ashes, you will fly high in the sky. Don’t give a damn to anybody, it should be your decision and you should adhere to it completely. But at the same time, never forget to have some laughs, meet friends, call the dear ones because believe me, even after your selection, these friends will be the ones who will say-“you must be the most stupid among all those who got selected” and your parents will call you to ask-“beta, what did you have for lunch today” and your siblings will ask-“bhaiya, what gift will you bring for us from Mussoorie?”

I also want to tell you that there surely will be many instances including this when you will be at your low. In such situations, don’t be alone. Either be with yourself and find the best solution or talk to IASBABA team, they are amazing people. And I am also always there for you. I have gone through the process and I know how much is at the stake for us. I can guarantee that most of you might be better than me. But still if you feel anything, always talk to me on agam612@gmail.com.

In the end, will share a thought which my father told me when I first came out of the home in 9th class. He said, “If you win, take the looser with you and if you loose, accept the defeat and congratulate the winner with a smile.”

Fellas, this is life. you haven’t lost, you have experienced another chapter of your own biography. Open your arms and be ready for the unexpected instances which life will shower on you.

Smile please 🙂 

Jai Hind.

AGAM JAIN