Overview

• IAS officer Neha Byadwal cleared the 2021 UPSC Civil Services Exam with an All India Rank of 569 after abstaining from phone and social media for three years.
• On June 29, X user @sharklaka labeled UPSC prep a “toxic cult” that breeds bureaucratic detachment from real-world India.
• Critics underscored the privilege of skipping smartphone use in a system reliant on OTP-based authentication for daily tasks.
• Defenders argued that extreme discipline and focus are essential to tackle one of the country’s toughest exams and do not indicate disconnect.
• As of July 1, the debate continues on X with voices calling for mandatory work experience before senior government roles, yet no official response has emerged.