You have checked CL keys; No luck. Then you check Vajiram keys; slight improvement in your score. Now again check Shankar’s, Agarwal’s, Mrunal’s etc etc; fate fluctuates so is your tension. The final outcome is – more uncertainty. By the time you settle for a final figure of your prelims score, you would have already spent 10-15 days on this exercise. Add to this 4-5 days of ‘rest’.

The Prelims-2014 is over. It is natural to start worrying about final cut-off now. There are only two outcomes: Either you pass or you fail. This truth was sealed the very moment you handed over OMR sheet at 4.30 pm on 24th August 2014. You can do only two things now: continue with your exam preparation, or quit the preparation and go back to old job or seek a new one.

But once you plunge into this exam’s preparation, the second option is ruled out unless you have exhausted all your attempts. It’s a great trap. You escape from this only if you pass this exam; or if you accept the fact that life is bigger than UPSC; or if it was your last attempt (unless you get two more attempts as parting gifts).

Then you are left with only one option: To continue your exam preparation – no matter how well or bad you have performed in Preliminary exam.

Whether you have scored 150 or 250, you should still continue your preparation. If you are very sure about not clearing this time, then start afresh. Read all the basics thoroughly. Practice lots of questions from both papers. Try to complete your optional subject by December. Learn lessons fast and move on.

You may want to check ten websites for answer keys and expected cut-off marks to know whether your marks is above cut-off or not. You will check again and again to see if your marks has increased from one answer key to another. No matter how satisfied you are, you will keep visiting discussion forum to see if the predicted cut-off has come down.

All you get back is more anxiety. You have just 100+ days to go for Mains. If you are worried about cut-0ff, next 45 days will just vanish before your eyes like flash. On the day of official result you will realize that you have wasted 45 days. And in remaining few days you dream about topping this exam. That will remain a dream.

Please stop worrying about what already happened. Your entire energy should be focused on coming exams. Optional subject, Essay and Interview marks hold key for your rank and at the same time getting 300+ from all four GS papers is also very important in Mains. You can get good score only if you start practising from today itself.

Last it year it was proved beyond doubt that those who practised writing grabbed all top ranks. It’s time to move on and step into their shoes.

Let UPSC alone decide your fate. Don’t worry about all the answer keys and cut-off predictions.

If you want to know answers to all the questions, solve on your own and then forget it.

Just realize that you do not have options. Sooner you realize the better – someone somewhere is already preparing for Mains with an aim to get the top rank. Decide whether you want a rank in the range of 1 to 100 or 900-1200, and act fast. Because time is less.