Exams finally over

At last the exams have come to an end and i have to comment on a few respects with regard to the exam per se..
First, the exam was designed to make the role of coaching centres obsolete. I mean that, the questions were not those kind which are usually tackled in the coaching centres..
Secondly, the pattern of the papers changed tremendously in GS and to some extent in a few optionals.. This brought a huge surprise and to some, shock.
Thirdly, the marks allotted to questions were reduced and this resulted in a catch 22 situation wherein all had to write more than what would have been necessary in normal circumstances..
Finally, the UPSC has proved to bring a level playing field where those who had assisstance were drawn equal with others..
with regard to my exam, i felt that the GS papers were very competitive.. History aspects were challenging but the 2 markers were disastrous.. Similarly the S&T part was also filled with a few surprises.. Saving graces were in the form of international relations and statistics.. Geography had a set of questions which an optional student would be comfortable with, and the polity questions dealt with contemporary events..
Pub Ad was relatively easy with the second paper throwing some challenges.. Thirty marker questions meant that we had to think twice for 60 maarks..
Anthropology should have been a breeze for most but i screwed it up.. One reason was i had not studied the second paper well.. Even then i feel it was a decent performance by me..
Essay paper had some of the recent developments being highlighted with regard to issues like globalism and international relations.. I answered the question on "Soft state". The paper went fine and in the end managed to get an essay of around 1200-1250 words..

With all these i now plan to start the preparation for the prelims 2010, as i feel my performance was not as i had expected it to be.. But i just have to keep my fingers crossed as a miracle can also happen..

So start preparations everyone.. Awaiting the notification in the first week of dec..