Industrialist Anand Mahindra is known for engaging in interesting discussions with people on social media. In a recent post on Twitter, Mahindra shared the perspective of an IIT graduate who had also appeared for the UPSC civil services exam. This individual stated that in their view, the UPSC exam was much more difficult to crack than IIT JEE. 

Mahindra’s comments sparked a lively debate among netizens on whether UPSC or IIT JEE is the tougher exam in India. As per the discussion, here are the key factors considered from both sides:

UPSC is Tougher:

  • Very few seats available, with success rate under 1%. IIT seats are more. 
  • UPSC tests vast syllabus of current affairs, history, polity, geography, economy, science etc. 
  • Predicting questions is difficult due to subjective, essay-based paper. 
  • Requires self-study for 2 years without formal coaching. 
  • Competition includes candidates from all streams, increasing difficulty.

IIT JEE is Tougher:

  • Requires innate problem-solving abilities, not just rote learning. 
  • Tests advanced concepts in physics, chemistry and maths which are challenging.
  • Time pressure makes it difficult even for PhD holders sometimes.
  • One mistake can be costly as selection is based purely on merit/rank.

However, most agreed that UPSC is a longer preparation requiring consistency, while IIT is more about aptitude at a younger age. An IAS officer pointed out that UPSC sees candidates from all fields jointly competing, increasing the challenge. 

The debate highlighted the unique difficulties of both exams. While IIT tests for early specialization in STEM streams, UPSC evaluates well-rounded knowledge and suitability for public service. With lakhs writing each exam annually, even a small difference in pass percentage makes UPSC relatively tougher to crack.

Ultimately, both exams play a key role in nation-building by selecting the best talent. The discussion helped appreciate the rigorous preparation required, irrespective of the perceived difficulty levels. It also reminded aspirants that persistence and hard work can help achieve success against any odds.

In summary, Anand Mahindra’s post on UPSC being tougher than IIT-JEE sparked debate among netizens. He shared a view from an IIT graduate who had also taken UPSC that the latter exam is much harder. Most agreed with reasons like unpredictability of UPSC, vast syllabus and fewer seats. However, some argued JEE tests unique problem-solving skills while UPSC relies more on memorization and current affairs. The perceived difficulty of the exams continues to be discussed.