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Why I (or any other selected candidate) might not be the best person to advise if you should join the civil services?
I receive some messages from working professionals seeking my opinion on whether they should join the service.
When considering a career in civil services, it seems logical to seek advice from those who have succeeded. However, our reasoning may not be as rational as we'd like to think. We are subject to hidden cognitive biases in our thinking.
Firstly, average number of attempts required to get into civil services is 3! This is roughly equivalent to 4 years of dedicated preparation. Surviving this lengthy preparation phase takes more than simple passion. Candidates need to mentally justify that their efforts are valuable to sustain their drive, even when it may not always seem rational or logical. Those who are unable to convince themselves of this are often the ones who opt out of the process.
Consequently, the group of individuals who successfully pass tends to have a natural positive bias towards a career in civil services. Therefore, if you're seeking opinions from us, bear in mind that they might not be completely neutral.
The second bias that most successful civil servants suffer from is akin to the IKEA effect. This bias reflects our tendency to overvalue outcomes that require significant effort. In UPSC, years of rigorous preparation often lead candidates to place an unnaturally high value on their achievement. The outcome – securing a position in UPSC – is perceived as more valuable than it might objectively be, simply because of the extensive effort invested.
For instance, if a candidate could attain equivalent utility through another career with less effort, they would still rate the UPSC higher – just to compensate for the additional years invested!
I am not saying that one should not join civil service. But please be wary of the advice from recently selected candidates, including myself. Our views are often unintentionally skewed by our experiences and the cognitive biases we foster. Instead, seek a holistic understanding of both the challenges and rewards, and make an informed, independent decision that aligns with your personal goals and values.
Co-Author: Gourav Sharma, IFS
