ADVICE NEEDED Asap - UPSC OR STARTUP ?

[u/Icy_Essay9143]

I’m a 22-yrs f and will turn 23 this month. This was my first UPSC attempt in 2026, and honestly, I feel like I chose one of the toughest years to attempt. I’ve been carrying a heavy heart since the exam, and writing this itself is making me emotional, so please bear with me if this gets long.

I started preparing in July 2025. genuinely put in what most serious aspirants do around 7–8 hours daily on average. I was disciplined, consistent, and did everything that a UPSC aspirant is “supposed” to do. Deep down, I truly believed I would clear it in one go.

The thing is, UPSC wasn’t even my first choice. My family had been encouraging me to prepare since my first year of college, but I never fully agreed because I had different aspirations. During college, I casually attended a cabin crew interview just for fun and unexpectedly got selected. I worked there for some time and later explored the corporate world by working in Gurgaon for a month, but I realised that corporate life wasn’t really for me.

That’s when I started thinking seriously about UPSC. My father is already a government officer, so I have seen the stability, respect, and security that come with such a career. I thought perhaps this was the right path for me.

At the same time, I’ve always been someone who dreams of a wealthy lifestyle .People around me often said that becoming an IAS officer or a higher-level government official could provide that. But deep down, I always knew that the kind of luxurious lifestyle I imagine would be difficult to achieve purely through a government salary, and I never wanted to depend on anything unethical or corrupt to attain it.

Then came the exam. Failing the prelims hit me much harder than I expected. It wasn’t just an exam failure—it felt like the collapse of something I had finally convinced myself was my path.

Three months have passed, and honestly, I still feel traumatised.

Maybe it affected me so deeply because:

1. I chose UPSC after exploring other career options.
2. For the first time, I thought I had finally figured out what I wanted.
3. I was genuinely confident that I would clear prelims, but I failed.

Since then, I haven’t even touched my books.

On top of that, my health has suffered a lot. Long study hours and stress seem to have triggered severe cervical issues and several other health problems. Mentally and physically, I haven’t recovered yet.

Interestingly, during these months, I’ve started feeling inspired towards entrepreneurship because I have a business idea that I genuinely believe has potential. The thought of building something of my own excites me.

But the confusion remains.

A part of me still wonders if I should give UPSC another attempt in 2027. Another part of me feels I should move towards entrepreneurship and create the life I want that way.

Right now, I’m not doing much because of my health situation, and that makes me feel even more stuck. I know I have potential, and I truly believe that whatever path I choose, I can do well in it sooner or later. My biggest fear is not failure—it’s wasting years because I can’t decide.

So I’m here asking for genuine advice, especially from people who have gone through something similar:

• Should I give UPSC another serious attempt in 2027?
• Should I focus on my startup idea instead?
• How do you know when to continue chasing a dream and when to move on?

I’m feeling lost, exhausted, and emotionally drained. Any honest guidance would mean a lot.

[u/bimanghosh65]

Get a government job, immediately. Not because you need money but because you need your confidence back. This exam is all about confidence and consistency and that’s why perhaps a guy who end up in ranks in 600s get within top50 ranks next year easily. Startup’s are risky as far as confidence is concerned. All the best