[NEW YEAR] Wish you all a Happy and Successful New Year 2021!!

Dear Babaites,

2020 is gone and we have entered 2021! We witnessed a period of untold misery and chaos in 2020. At the same time, we could also experience the power of human will and perseverance to sustain against all odds. 2020 gave us many lessons and perhaps the most important is the message that humanity can collaborate against challenges of any scale or extent. It also inspired individuals to stand firm in the face of testing circumstances. Perseverance as a virtue always gets the upper hand in the tussle between human grit and perceived threats to humanity.

As civil service aspirants, you must take a clue or two to continue your journey with fresh energy and vigour. Although change in the calendar year doesn’t mean anything substantial in terms of circumstances prevailing around us, it reminds us that every moment in the life is a fresh beginning. It is in this light that you chart out your plans for the upcoming year. You have the opportunity to put all the frustrations behind you and clean up your slate for a reinvigorated start.

However, don’t overcommit to yourself. We have the tendency of promising too much to ourselves and when we fall short of the target, we start feeling dejected and listless. This must be avoided. Make smaller and achievable targets. It will give you the confidence to expand your targets and approach them with much confidence. Great leaders and achievers from all around the world recognise the importance of small and incremental targets. It would help you a great deal in the long run. 

As you are aware, COVID-19 has altered the cycle of UPSC exam. It effectively means that you need to adapt to the new cycle quickly. As COVID-19 has taught you to adapt by doing what you hardly did before the outbreak, like wearing masks or maintaining social distance, for UPSC also you need to acquire new habits. For example, you must start your answer writing practice immediately and adapt to the compressed timelines. You will have to continue the habit of studying in isolation. Gone are those days when you could assemble in closed spaces and rub shoulders with your classmates. Now the solitude of the confines of your room is going to be your partner for the next few months. 

As things return to normal, you may be tempted to unshackle the boundaries imposed by the pandemic – both physical and psychological. We want you to be safe and secure however. Focus on your studies and imagine yourself watching the T20 Cricket World in LBSNAA. If the vision of this imagination motivates you, imagine living it in reality!

All the Best and a Happy New Year 🙂

IASbaba Team