In my own experience of traveling with family and parents, often the ticket gets booked with one or two WLs. The remaining WLs do eventually get upgraded to RAC or Confirmed, at Charting time.
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However, in the interim, it relieves my anxiety to know that even in the worst case, the WL people can still travel and share the berth with the others. And so, the travel preparations go full steam ahead, instead of remaining in doubt till the last date. Especially, if it is a multi-City trip with connecting trains, etc.