Idols? Wait a second!

To all my friends, family, kin, kith etc it's no secret whatsoever regarding where my heart lie and for that matter where my mind lie too (Serving my nation! #UPSC). But I am not alone in this quest. About 3 lakh plus try their luck every year and only a select few make the cut (this year the number reached a new high of 1122!).

So what's the catch? What's the problem? Why this post? Well it's regarding a very deleterious trend that has some catastrophic potential. It's regarding the most fundamental qualities that a civil servant "must" possess. And it's regarding a trend that has probably outlived many patterns, procedures, methods etc that UPSC has tried its hand at, to select the very best playing the game.

So, here it is! Every year, right after UPSC declares the final list for the services, there's a gamut of advertisements in various forms of media by various coaching institutes regarding their results. So what exactly the problem is? The problem is with the claims made by them and the part played by the successful candidates in the process. Just look at the following set of adverts (and the encircled spaces) taken from a reputed daily and you will understand the game.

The man under scanner here is none other than the AIR 1, UPSC 2013, Mr. Gaurav Agarwal. He and his likes are easily the most suitable candidates for becoming idols for millions. At the same time they are also the most apparent targets for the sharks cohabiting the ocean called "IAS Coaching market" (as everybody wants the topper coached by them!). This is where their true test of character lie. It's no rocket science that one candidate cannot study at so many institutes simultaneously. It's also no rocket science that given the resources (time, money etc.) available, one cannot be associated with so many institutes (even if he/she happens to be an alien or possess a time machine!) at once.

So how does this happens? Yes, you guessed it right. It's all about the damn money. These candidates get paid to sell their name! One can only wonder how much but that's not the real issue.

The main problem is that if they are cheating the same species (IAS aspirants) to which they themselves belong then what will they do with others. After all they have been selected for some of the most important posts which make them responsible for many! At the same time, this raises some serious questions about the selection procedure (as the UPSC itself couldn't catch such mentality in the candidates!) and their activeness (as they do not question the candidates on such acts).

This so-called business and in turn trend is only becoming stronger by the day. Wonder when will someone take any action. It's important someone raises his/her voice. And I am not going to remain mute.

In between, let me say that the successful 1122 are my heroes. They've achieved what I desire. But the above mentioned act by some is simply unacceptable to me. Nation expect honesty and integrity of the highest order from them. Hope they and with them, the trend will change. Last but not the least, if I get selected one day then my picture won't be occupying much space in media for sure! That's something I know and can guarantee. That's one quality desired from our representatives. In the meantime, the black clouds persist. Unfortunately! Jai hind.