A mixed method investigation of psychological distress among UPSC CSE aspirants

The present study explores psychological distress among UPSC Civil Services Examination (CSE) aspirants using a convergent parallel mixed-methods design. Quantitative data were collected from 90 aspirants using the GHQ-12 and analyzed through descriptive statistics, t-tests, and ANOVA. Results revealed that a significant proportion of aspirants experienced moderate to severe psychological distress, with financial difficulty emerging as a significant predictor. No significant differences were found based on gender, place of living, or number of attempts. Qualitative data from 20 aspirants were analyzed using descriptive content analysis that highlighted the themes such as emotional exhaustion, isolation, performance pressure and the importance of support systems. The findings underscore the need for targeted mental health support and structural reforms in exam to reduce psychological burden among CSE aspirants.