From Rank 47 to IAS — How Our Alumnus Cracked UPSC on the Second Attempt
The First Attempt — A Valuable Failure
"I cleared Prelims easily in my first attempt," says Arun Nair (IAS, Rank 47, 2024 batch). "But I had completely underestimated Mains. I wrote answers like essays — long, flowing, with no structure. My GS score was 380 out of 800. That is when I realised I was preparing wrong."
What Changed in Year Two
After his first Mains result, Arun joined Photon IAS Academy and restructured his entire approach. Three things changed fundamentally:
- Answer writing structure: Every answer, no matter the topic, now had a defined intro, body paragraphs with headings, and a three-line conclusion. "My writing went from a narrative to an administrative communication style."
- Current affairs integration: Instead of reading news in isolation, he started linking every news item to a syllabus topic on the same day. "My faculty here taught me this — and it transformed my coverage."
- Mock test discipline: He attempted a full UPSC mock test every Sunday and reviewed his performance on Monday. "No skipping, no excuses. Even if I had a family function on Saturday."
Essay Paper — The Unexpected Star
Arun scored 148 out of 250 in the Essay paper — one of his best performances. "I wrote two essays that I genuinely believed in. I was not trying to impress — I was trying to think clearly on paper. That seems to be what the board wants."
Final Advice
"Stop comparing your Day 200 with someone else's Day 500. Trust your process. Get a mentor who gives you honest feedback, not just encouragement. And write. Write every single day."
Arun is currently posted as an IAS probationer in the Kerala cadre. He still visits Photon IAS Academy to mentor current aspirants.
