How the Indian Economic Service Test Series Changed the Way I Prepared

When I first began preparing for the Indian Economic Service (IES), I had no grand plan.Honestly, I was a little lost.

I printed the syllabus, looked at it for ten minutes, and thought — how am I ever going to finish this?There were moments I’d sit with my notes, read a page, and still feel like I didn’t know anything.

At that stage, I didn’t even know what “strategy” meant.I was studying randomly — a chapter of microeconomics one day, a bit of macro the next.

Then someone told me to try a Indian Economic Service Test Series, and I’ll admit, I joined out of curiosity more than confidence.That decision quietly changed everything.

The first mock? A complete disaster.I ran out of time halfway through.My handwriting looked like an ECG report, and when I reread my answers, I could barely understand my own logic.

For a day or two, I was frustrated.Then, weirdly enough, I felt grateful — because for the first time, I knew what I was doing wrong.That paper was like a mirror I didn’t want to look into, but needed to.

From that point, every mock became a small test of courage.And each one made me a little better.

I started noticing patterns.My introductions were too long.My diagrams weren’t labelled clearly.I kept jumping between theory and examples without connecting them properly.

Once I saw those patterns, fixing them wasn’t that hard.I’d read feedback from the evaluators, highlight what they said, and rework the same question again.That’s when things began to click.

It’s funny — you think you’re studying, but until someone evaluates your paper, you have no idea how you actually write.

After a few weeks, I realised something else: these mock tests weren’t just about checking knowledge.They were training my brain to think under pressure.

When you’re staring at a blank page in a timed setting, your mind behaves differently.You learn how to calm yourself down, how to recall points quickly, and how to keep writing even when your brain starts to panic.

That mental training became my biggest asset later.

And the feedback… oh, that was gold.It wasn’t the usual “needs improvement” stuff.At Arthapoint Plus, the mentors actually explained things.

They’d write small comments in the margins —

“Add an example from this year’s Economic Survey.”“Explain this graph in one line.”“Cut down this paragraph — too wordy.”

Those tiny suggestions made my answers cleaner and sharper.Over time, my writing stopped sounding like a college essay and started sounding like an economist.

By my fifth mock, something interesting happened — I stopped fearing the paper.It didn’t matter whether it was tough or unpredictable.I’d already been through so many variations in the test series that nothing really surprised me anymore.

That quiet confidence is priceless.You walk into the exam hall not nervous, but calm.And that calmness changes the way you perform.

Another underrated thing? Endurance.Writing for three straight hours sounds easy until you actually do it.

In my early mocks, my brain would start zoning out after an hour and a half.But the more I practised, the more natural it became.By the final exam, I barely noticed the time passing.

It’s like building a muscle — consistency does all the magic.

The test series also gave me a small community — people I could talk to, complain to, laugh with.IES prep can get lonely, and sometimes you just need someone who gets it.

We’d discuss questions, swap notes, and share our “I messed up this answer” stories.Those little conversations kept me sane.

If there’s one lesson I’d give anyone reading this, it’s this:don’t wait until you feel ready to take your first mock.You’ll never feel ready.Start anyway.

Because those messy first attempts teach you far more than perfect notes ever will.They push you out of the comfort zone that keeps most people stuck.

And bit by bit, you’ll notice the change — in your timing, in your confidence, in how naturally your thoughts flow when you write.

Looking back now, I can honestly say that the Indian Economic Service Test Series wasn’t just a part of my preparation — it was my preparation.It shaped how I studied, how I thought, and how I wrote.

The team at Arthapoint Plus deserves credit for that.Their mocks felt realistic, their evaluations were thoughtful, and their mentors actually cared about our growth.

They didn’t just hand me papers; they helped me understand myself as a candidate.

So, if you’re somewhere in that uncertain stage — wondering if a test series is worth it — my advice is simple: do it.Don’t wait for the “perfect moment.”The earlier you start testing yourself, the faster you’ll grow.

When the real exam finally comes, it won’t feel terrifying.It’ll feel familiar — like déjà vu.Because by then, you’ve already done it many times before.

And trust me, that feeling of calm confidence? It’s worth every single mock test.