Do you remember the moment you looked at a marksheet and saw an unfavourable outcome? You feel gutted, and for some, it leaves a big question mark about the future. Feeling this way after a result is normal, but what makes a world of difference is what we choose to do next.
In a country where marks and success in competitive exams are often seen as the ultimate measure of achievement, the pressure can be immense. Thankfully, things are changing and there are a few harbingers of hope on the horizon.
Jigyasu Agarwal had tears in his eyes when he saw the results of the UPSC Mains in 2022. He couldn’t find his name on the shortlist. Several kilometres away, in another city, Gargi Gupta too faced the same dejection. She missed out on clearing the UPSC Prelims by a few marks.
Across the country, every UPSC result leaves several aspirants heartbroken. While some decide to give it another shot, others try to find different paths. The problem is that most aspirants seldom have a Plan B in place.
Jigyasu, 27, a committed rationalist, had already decided that he wouldn’t give more than three attempts. After deciding to look beyond UPSC, he waged a lone battle to find a good job for himself.
His cousin, Akshat Agarwal, also walked a similar path a few years ago. Both brothers, who underwent tumultuous journeys before finding their niches in the professional world, established a venture named Rebounce. Born out of a vision to help ex-UPSC aspirants transition smoothly into successful careers, Rebounce offers a second chance for aspirants.
A second chance for aspirants
Hailing from a village in Bishnoi, Uttar Pradesh, Jigyasu pursued electrical engineering from NIT (National Institute of Technology) Patna. He was placed in ABB Ltd, a Swedish–Swiss multinational corporation. Despite having a good job, he felt a sense of ‘purposelessness’.
The search for purpose led him to pursue civil services, quitting his job in the process. “I wanted to create an impact through my work,” Jigyasu tells The Better India.
From 2019 to 2021, he prepared for the UPSC with his whole heart and soul. In the first attempt, he couldn’t clear the Prelims, while he was able to make it to the Mains in the next one. He then chose to join his family business, a books and stationery shop.
However, after a third attempt, he decided to look elsewhere. Why he decided to do this is a lesson in pragmatism. “After three attempts, the sunk cost fallacy kicks in, and you always feel that you are very close to clearing the exam. You keep wanting to give it one more attempt. This process can consume your twenties, making it very difficult to transition to something else later,” explains Jigyasu.
He further adds that the selection rate in civil services is about 0.1 percent, so even the best candidates have a high probability of not making the cut.
“Thinking in your early twenties that you will do whatever it takes to become an IAS officer, no matter how many years it takes, might sound courageous. But if it doesn’t work out, and you’ve spent six to seven years preparing for UPSC, it becomes very hard to do something else,” he says.
The journey to transitioning to a different career was not a smooth one for either Jigyasu or Akshat.
Akshat had harboured a dream of becoming a civil servant since Class 9. He completed a master’s degree in economics, worked for a year and resigned to focus on UPSC exams. After two unsuccessful attempts, he decided to return to a corporate career. Both brothers recall reaching out to friends, college mates, former colleagues and ex-UPSC aspirants. To their dismay, none of them really helped out.
“I reached out to hundreds of people and applied to hundreds of organisations. Very few were kind enough to respond. What I struggled with was finding my niche. Deciding an alternate career was difficult as I was an engineer by education, who worked in business strategy and later fell in love with policy and politics,” says Jigyasu.
After narrowing down on public policy and political consulting as areas of interest, he spent about six months upskilling himself through online courses like Coursera and YouTube videos.
In August 2023, he secured a job in a political consultancy firm. When the two brothers met after this, the conversation turned heavy when they shared experiences about the difficult road they embarked on to reach here. A lack of guidance and mentorship jarringly stood out.
A smooth transition to a corporate career
In an attempt to create impact, the duo launched Rebounce in October 2023. The social enterprise aims to render robust support to fellow aspirants transitioning from UPSC preparations to alternative fulfilling careers. Its mission is crafted around offering these individuals a ‘second chance’ by opening doors to numerous opportunities and guiding them towards satisfying career paths.
Gargi (25) worked towards UPSC for nearly four years after completing her undergraduate degree. When she couldn’t clear the exam after three attempts, she decided to look at greener pastures. But what they would be remained a question mark.
While unsure about her next steps, she heard about Rebounce. She reached out and received a mentorship session from Akshat and Jigyasu. “I was very confused about what path to take next. While I was interested in the development sector, I didn’t know how to get in, which NGOs to apply to, which fellowships I should aim for. I had nobody to guide me. Rebounce helped me by charting a path for me,” she shares.
Jigyasu explains that when an ex-UPSC aspirant approaches them, they first conduct a free mentorship session to help them envision a path. “The biggest question in most of their minds is what to do next,” he says.
Rebounce helps them by understanding their interests, aspirations and skills. Based on these, they give them certain options for possible careers. Their flagship market readiness programme offers support at five points.
Support provided by Rebounce
- What to do next: Decided based on skills, aspirations, and interests.
- One-on-one guidance: Co-founders guide candidates with whatever doubts they have.
- Upskilling: Courses and upskilling programmes to bridge skill gaps.
- Portfolio building: Projects, fellowships, and volunteering to gain hands-on experience.
- Building a Resume/LinkedIn Profile: Creating an industry-recognised resume and compelling cover letter.
- Interview readiness: Preparing candidates to convert their skills into jobs.
- Corporate referrals: Connecting candidates through a professional network.
So far, Rebounce has helped over 300 former UPSC aspirants, many of whom are now working in public policy, impact consulting, NGOs and other corporates, shares Jigyasu.
The enterprise mainly helps ex-aspirants showcase the skills they bring to the table. Jigyasu opines that the market does not recognise the unique skills that an ex-UPSC aspirant has.
“Instead of looking at it as a blank gap of four to five years, recruiters should look at the skills that preparing for this exam builds in you. These candidates have a lot of transferable skills, that include resilience, persistence, hard work, perseverance, holistic thinking and much more,” he says.
Besides their market readiness programme, which is paid, Rebounce also conducts free webinars and master classes on public policy, impact consulting, political consulting, the development sector, resume writing, and more.
They have also started a podcast called the ‘Plan B Diaries’ where they speak to successful ex-UPSC aspirants who now work in places like the World Bank. They plan to launch upskilling courses soon. Their aim is to help aspirants shine in any boardroom. “We are fighting in boardrooms of various organisations by explaining what we bring to the table,” says Jigyasu emphatically.
He wants ex-UPSC aspirants to realise that this exam is a means and not an end. “When you start your civil services preparation, have a number of attempts in your mind. If you can’t make it, find another path to reach your final goal. We are here to support you in making a smooth transition to a satisfying and fulfilling career,” he adds.
Gargi, who secured positions in two well-known fellowships, Teach For India and SBI Youth for India, thanks to Rebounce, says that while UPSC aspirants are well-versed with current affairs, they are usually cut off from the world in terms of current skills.
“I found someone to back me up and boost me. They even messaged HRs asking for the reason for my rejection in some cases. They gave me a different perspective and helped me move on from an exam that drained me emotionally and financially. Most importantly, they made me confident,” says Gargi.
Life always gives you a second chance. It’s up to us to grab it and make the most of it.
Edited by Khushi Arora; Images Courtesy Jigyasu Agarwal
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