Gaurav Budania AIR 13 CSE 2020, Journey Of Ordinary Village Boy Becoming An IAS Officer

Mithun Premraj AIR 12 CSE 2020, Answer Writing Practice & Time Management : Secrets To Success

Gaurav Budania AIR 13 CSE 2020, Journey Of Ordinary Village Boy Becoming An IAS Officer

Sarthak Agrawal AIR 17 CSE 2020, Cracking IAS Exam Along With Job

P Srija AIR 20 CSE 2020, Learn From The Mistakes Of Others

Divya Mishra AIR 28 CSE 2020, A Practical Approach Of Answer Writing From A Working Professional

Joshi Mrunalee Avinash AIR 36 CSE 2020, Holistic Approach of UPSC Preparation

Joshi Mrunalee Avinash AIR 36 CSE 2020, Feedback Loop Approach For Public Administration

Varuna Agrawal AIR 38 CSE 2020, Self Analysis & Exam Analysis : Key To Success

Anil Basak AIR 45 CSE 2020, Space Revision Technique For UPSC Preparation

Abhishek Shukla AIR 50 CSE 2020, Consistency and Smart Approach is Key to sucess in Upsc Mains

Ashish Kumar Mishra AIR-52 CSE 2020, Understanding & Knowledge Are Requisite For Prelims Exam

IAS Toppers Story: Yasharth Shekhar, Rank-12 CSE 2021 | Secret of Scoring 306 in Geography Optional – Strategy

IAS Toppers Story: PUSAPATI SAHITYA, Rank-24 CSE-2021 | How I finally Cleared UPSC Exam in my 6th attempt

IAS Toppers Story: Shruti Rajalakshmi, Rank-25 CSE 2021 (Giving Up A High Pay Job for UPSC)

IAS Toppers Story: ANAY NITIN NAVANDAR, Rank-32 CSE 2021|Brief Strategy for the Exam

IAS Toppers Story: Anjali Shrotriya, Rank-44 CSE 2021 | My Strategy

IAS Toppers Story: SHAILJA, Rank-83 CSE 2021 | Strategy Video

IAS Toppers Story: Shrestha Anupam, Rank-19 CSE 2019 “When father could not, the son fulfilled the dream of becoming IAS

In Hindu mythology there is a famous theory of “Rna”. As per the theory, a man is born with debt towards Parents, God and Nature. He has to pay back the debt and he has this as utmost moral responsibility. Story of Shrestha Anupam, AIR-19 squarely fits in this theory.

Story of Shrestha starts from Bhagalpur, Bihar, a historically important city of country. Father of Shrestha, Dilip Kumar Amar had dream of cracking Civil Services Exam. Being from conducive environment of University of Delhi, he attempted the exam but unfortunately he couldn’t clear it. Decades after, his son Shrestha Anupam cracked UPSC with remarkable rank. In words of Dilip Amar, “Cracking UPSC was my dream which remained unaccomplished. I had attempted civil services exam during my student life but could not get success. My son has fulfilled my desire. I am proud over his success and living my dream with his success.”

Shrestha completed his schooling from St. Joseph’s High School, Bhagalpur and completed B.Tech in Chemical Engineering from IIT Delhi. He started his preparation right after his B.Tech and since Chemical Engineering was not among the options, he chose Sociology as his optional.

Shrestha prepared with full dedication and tried hard to crack in the first attempt only. But, destiny had some other wish. He couldn’t qualify in first attempt. He gave his next attempt with holistic homework on strength and weakness. And in his very second attempt, he got All India Rank-19.

Being a part of GS SCORE, Shrestha has outlined his strategy during his interaction with one of our Faculty Members. We can sum up his strategy as following:-

A. Institution of family plays a substantial role in the success journey. If helps us in managing our emotions during the stressful period of preparation. At times, moral pressure of family for success may have unwanted consequences. So, aspirants are suggested to always move with syncing their dream with aspiration of family.

B. Little interest towards humanities during academics itself pays us later. And this suggestion is especially important for people in technical studies. So aspirants in Colleges are advised to develop little orientation in humanities. Reading some novels in non fictional areas can serve the purpose.

C. Interest in a subject should be the fundamental criteria for selection of optionals. Aspirants should choose that optional in which they have high depth of interest. All other factors come secondary.

D. Aspirants having interest in writing blogs, stories, notes should stick to this hobby as it pays later in development of writing skills. In other words, our hobbies can become part of our preparation with little smart work.

E. Limited sources, carving out important areas, making short notes and connecting the dots through multiple revisions is key of memorising and reproducing the vast and bulky syllabus of UPSC. Notes making should not become making the replica of original text. It should be there only for important areas and that too in subsequent readings.

F. Demand of Prelims and Mains is different. Prelims demand factual orientation whereas Mains demand comprehensive conceptual clarity. However, the preparation must be integrated. Preparation of Prelims and Mains should go hand by hand with grasp over demand of both.

G. Test Series in both Prelims and Mains are extremely important part of preparation. Tests should be attempted in maximum possible environment of examination. Any test without rational analysis leaves vacuum in the preparation. To extract maximum output, students should wisely sort out their strengths and weaknesses.

H. As far answer writing is concerned, “part answer writing” should be a regular affair. But after Prelims atleast 10-12 full length Tests for GS mains and 6-8 Full Length Tests for optionals should be attempted.

I. Newspaper should be read smartly. Initially, newspaper reading won’t be much easier but within two months, aspirants would feel comfortable conditioned that it should be read smartly with skimming important out of non important news articles. After two months 45 to 60 minutes are sufficient.

We are proud that Shrestha Anupam was part of GS SCORE in the journey of IAS preparation. GS SCORE has continued the legacy of producing IAS TOPPERS every year.

GS SCORE ( iasscore.in) is a teaching platform for Civil Services Examination, both in classroom and online. Learning in GS SCORE is driven by two predominant objectives- excellence and empowerment. For us, excellence is a drive to challenge yourself to be better. Empowerment for us does not mean only stuffing your mind with facts and information but to ignite your mind for imagination and creativity to respond to all kinds of challenges with wisdom and confidence.

You can watch interview of Shrestha Anupamhttps://youtu.be/Yoj9Su8No4Y

Download Copy of 400 plus Toppers-

https://iasscore.in/toppers-copy

Team
GS SCORE

IAS Toppers Story: Muskan JIndal, Rank-87 CSE 2019

Muskan Jindal- AIR-87: “Limited sources & multiple revision- The Mantra of Success in first attempt”

UPSC Civil Services Examination is an examination which has become a kind of hegemony among young crowd in the Indian Society. Whenever the result comes, a kind of buzz gets rippled among aspirants.

For the last few years, a trend has been set up in the country with regard to UPSC Toppers. This trend is because of young Rankers who crack the Civil Services Exam at a very young age in first attempt. Such Rankers are widely seen as “Rankers among the Rankers”. Infact, the fear of putting many productive years in multiple attempts is one of the major deterrence which bars many talented students to avoid this exam. Hence, one of the much asked questions is how to crack UPSC in first attempt?

This year All India Rank- 87, Miss Muskaan Jindal is one of such Rankers, who is a Topper with interesting profile. Muskan stands tall because she holds the unique distinction of cracking the exam at young age of 22. Interestingly, she couldn’t appear in UPSC 2018 because she could not fulfil the age criteria of 21. She is perhaps the youngest topper who is all set to enter the prestigious LBSNAA.

Muskan belongs to Baddi, a town in Himachal Pradesh. She completed her Schooling from VR Senior Secondary School, Baddi. Muskan has been a bright student since her school days. She had scored 96 per cent marks in Class XII. After 12th, she completed B.Com from SD College, Chandigarh, in 2018. She had also secured the fifth rank in the merit list in Panjab University, Chandigarh. She started her preparation right in the final year of graduation. Muskan says that becoming IAS Officer was her childhood dream and she would say it to everyone since childhood. She nurtured this dream for long and achieved it one fine day.

In her interaction with Team of GS SCORE, Muskan reveals her mantra for success. After a very open and frank discussion, we can decode following strategy of Muskan in her grand success:-

  1. College is the right time to start the preparation. It’s that time when we can atleast build our foundation to crack Exam in first attempt. If we have to give exclusive time after college then we can build atleast a solid bed rock by reading basic books like NCERTs.
  2. Aspirants should “run their own race”. It is the best way to improve ourselves and deal with the intense heat of psychological fear of competition. Competing with self and breaking our own records in perhaps the biggest accomplishment of our life.
  3. Limited standard books and confined sources are best way to handle the bulky and vast syllabus of UPSC. It should be coupled by regular and efficient revision. This is the best way to reproduce such diverse subjects in the paper. One of the best ways for revision is regular attempt of questions. It serve the dual purpose of revision and external audit.
  4. Now a days, many substitutes are there in the market for newspapers. Most of the replacements are like important news, editorial analysis, key facts, etc. But the raw newspaper is non-negotiable and it cannot be substituted by any other stuffs. If aspirants are not comfortable with The Hindu, they can start with some other light newspapers and can switch back to The Hindu after some time. Notes making from the newspaper can be highly tedious job and hence it should be done with word of caution and attention.
  5. Integrated cum segregated preparation is highly suggested. Students should handle all the three stages simultaneously but just before a specific stage exclusive focus should be on that particular stage. For example, few months before the Prelims should be exclusively for Prelims and time after Mains should be exclusively for Mains.
  6. In this exam, self study plays an important role but self study must be open to some external evaluation and hence Test Series is must for both Prelims and Mains examination. It enhances our examination temperament and brings us at par with the bar of competition.
  7. Answer writing skills cannot be developed overnight. It needs a holistic approach and discipline with defined time frame. The people who are totally fresh in answer writing can adopt the strategy of writing rough answers or skimming points before writing an actual fair answer. The skill develops with time. Joining some Test Series is highly recommended.
  8. The purpose of Notes Making should be very clear. The purpose of Notes making is to create a handy tool of quick revision. And so if your notes is bulky then it defeats the very purpose. Hence, notes should be crisp, short and handy. It should never be compiled in first reading but in subsequent readings only. Notes making should be supplemented by the use of highlighters in the books itself.
  9. Selection of optional is a vital part of success. Syncing optional with the subject of our graduation makes the job little easy and this suggestion is more relevant for the freshers aiming to succeed in the first attempt.
  10. If you are weak in any areas then do not commit the mistake of neglecting it entirely but just cover it by some concise and smart sources.
  11. In the digital era, we have plethora of materials available in the market. There are thousands of books. So the best way to select a book is to go for self evaluation like sectional tests after the initial readings of any book. Our performance in tests is directly proportional to the quality of materials, conditioned we read it with quality and sincerity.
  12. UPSC demands a very high level of dedication but it doesn’t mean complete isolation from the society. We just need to have a fine balance among various horizons of life. Distraction and demotivation are part of regular affairs and to deal with these undesirable stuffs, we need to divert our minds to the things we love to do. It can be our hobby or little socialisation with family and friends. At the end of day, our priorities should be in right direction.
  13. Aspirants should enjoy the process of journey. Focus should be more on the journey rather than the result. Focus and consistency is key to success.

We are proud that Muskan Jindal has chosen GS SCORE in the journey of IAS preparation. GS SCORE has continued the legacy of producing IAS TOPPERS every year.

GS SCORE  ( iasscore.in) is a teaching platform for Civil Services Examination, both in classroom and online. Learning in GS SCORE is driven by two predominant objectives- excellence and empowerment. For us, excellence is a drive to challenge yourself to be better. Empowerment for us does not mean only stuffing your mind with facts and information but to ignite your mind for imagination and creativity to respond to all kinds of challenges with wisdom and confidence.

For Full Interview of Muskan Jindal- https://youtu.be/i6cDGjCtMig

Download Copy of 400 plus Toppers-

https://iasscore.in/toppers-copy

 

Team

GS SCORE

IAS Toppers Story: Shikhar Chaudhary, Rank-97 CSE 2019: Cracking UPSC- CSE & IFS in First Attempt

In one of our previous success stories of Muskan Jindal, Rank 87, we quoted a term- “Ranker among Rankers”. We used this term for the aspirants who crack Civil Services Exam in their first attempt at very young age. Story of Shikhar Chaudhary, a young IITian is story of a Ranker who qualifies the category of rarest of rare success story.

The young Mechanical Engineer has cracked two toughest examination of our country conducted by UPSC at one go. Shikhar has proudly notched All India Rank-9 in Indian Forest Services and All India Rank-97 in Civil Services Examination. Earthing the profile of Shikhar is surely going to charge and stimulus us in achieving goal of Civil Services.

Shikhar spent his reasonable part of childhood in a village of Purnia District of Bihar. Being from an underdeveloped area, he developed a good knowledge of socio economic evils of rural areas like poor sanitation, underdeveloped infrastructure, patriarchy, issues of education, etc. Since childhood he developed a sense of societal spirit and public service. Being the son of a Government Servant in Indian Railways, Shikhar got convinced that a Civil Servant can impact lives of millions of people. Policy making roles of Civil Servant further strengthened his sense of conviction.

Shikhar passed class 10th from CMS Lucknow with 95.6 percentage and started preparing for IITs. After passing 12th from CMS Lucknow itself with 97.25 percent, he secured admission in Mechanical Engineering in IIT Patna.

Anyone with a seat in IIT gets immense confidence for his placement in a top MNC. But since Shikhar was extremely firm and decisive over his aspiration of cracking UPSC, he started preparation from the college itself. During college days only, he started light reading of some basic study materials. Specific and focused study started only in final year. He appeared in the placement process during final year but denied the job because he qualified UPSC Prelims 2019 in fresh year only. Along with CSE, he could also clear Prelims of IFS. Since he had to manage UPSC Affairs along with academics, he chose Maths as his optional. And the talented boy cracked both the exam with remarkable rank.

During his interview with one of our faculty members, we could outline following piece of strategy for his outstanding success:-

A. Time management is visa of entry into the elite club of Rankers. We need to first decide upon our own boundaries of time limitations. Once we are firm over available time schedule then the next task should be of “maximising output in limited time”. If someone is very adamant for career in Civil Services in college itself, he can compromise over the college curriculum with perfect and judicious balance.

B. One of the biggest deterrence factors in UPSC is fear of failure and thus majority of people do explore some alternate career plans as backup and corridor to enter CSE. So, with proper planning and little extra efforts, one can also prepare for other pro types exams like UPSC- IFS, UPSC- CAPF, UPSC- APFC, etc. But this should be done with great caution as it might split out focus and attention.

C. All optionals have some pros and some cons which is also true for Science subjects like Mathematics. Our educational background, interest in the subject, time constraint are some of the factors which help us in selection of optional. Science subjects demand more time and also are least helpful in other parts of GS but scale of score is a significant fact. Hence, if all other factors are favourable, they can be choosen for best results.

D. Synchronised preparation can only defeat the the vast, complicated and scattered syllabus of UPSC. Approach towards Prelims should be fact oriented and approach towards Mains should be analysis oriented. Exclusive preparation is required 2-3 months before a particular stage.

E. Answer writing is an art which demands a reasonable amount of time. An answer always has some static and some current part. So, content should be strongly developed. Without content, answer writing is a futile exercise. Analysing Toppers’ copies can help in development of the skill efficiently.

F. Time management in answer writing of Mains is a big challenge. It can be improved by attempting decent number of test papers in any standard Test series. Handy notes should be made in advance for smooth and fluent writing. Collection of facts, figures and data can be very fruitful during the mains.

G. Notes making is important but it should be with the use of rationality and intelligence. If underlining and using highlighters can work, there is no need of separate notes making. So it depends on the source, content and style of written material.

H. Personal Interview is not the test of knowledge but the test of your personality. And hence, being honest in front of the pays you a lot. Politely refusing any question never has any detrimental effect on your performance.

I. Cycle of UPSC is a viscous cycle and every attempt is equally important and unique irrespective of your past attempts. Hence, it’s advisable to warm up yourself immediately for the next stage after you fail in any of the stages.

J. Since, apart from knowledge, temperament, pressure handing, presence of mind, etc play important role in selection during Prelims. And hence, it’s suggested to appear in few offline Tests also. The more Tests we practice in exam kind environment, the more we sharpen our MCQs solving Techniques. It improves our confidence and minimise the examination fear.

We are proud that Shikhar Chaudhary has chosen GS SCORE in the journey of IAS preparation. GS SCORE has continued the legacy of producing IAS TOPPERS every year.

GS SCORE ( iasscore.in) is a teaching platform for Civil Services Examination, both in classroom and online. Learning in GS SCORE is driven by two predominant objectives- excellence and empowerment. For us, excellence is a drive to challenge yourself to be better. Empowerment for us does not mean only stuffing your mind with facts and information but to ignite your mind for imagination and creativity to respond to all kinds of challenges with wisdom and confidence.

For Full Interview of Shikhar Chaudharyhttps://youtu.be/D-DVA9p7R0M

Download Copy of 400 plus Toppers-

https://iasscore.in/toppers-copy

Team
GS SCORE

IAS Toppers Story: Rahul Reddy, Rank-117 CSE 2019 – Learning from the Mistakes

Success in 6th Attempt- Learning from the Mistakes.

UPSC has declared its result and this time there are many rankers who have cracked UPSC in first attempt. It’s really a spark when a young person in first attempt cracks the exam which is considered as most toughest exam of the country.

But amid this euphoria, there are many stories of struggles. Though everyone struggles and fights for UPSC but there are some rankers whose stories remind us of two timeless wisdom of life i.e Patience and Perseverance.

Story of Rahul Reddy, Rank 117 has so many learning experiences and lessons for us. He makes us believe that mistakes at times are not only mistakes but biggest teachers of life.

Rahul belongs to Cuddapah district of Andhra Pradesh. He passed Class 10th from Vidhyamandir High School, Kadapa in 2006 with 93.4 percent marks. He passed Class 12th from Narayan Junior College, Tirupati in 2008 with 96.6 percentage of Marks. Thereafter, Rahul completed B.Tech in Electronics & Telecommunications from Sri Venkateswara University College of Engineering, Tirupati.

Rahul says that he started preparing for UPSC right after his engineering. Being from a remarkable academic background, he was confident enough to crack UPSC but destiny had written a different story. He got success after a long struggle of eight year. Someone righty said that at the end of day the world only sees your success not your struggle or pain.

We found struggle of Rahul as extremely thought provoking and inspiring. We can sum up his strategies as follows:-

A. Selection of optional should be a very cautious decision. Miscalculation in selection of optional can be very costly at later stage. It might distract you with sense of guilt. Hence gauge your genuine interest in selecting any optional.

B. Self and inner motivation is the best source of motivation. Since UPSC is a long and tiring journey and so some source of motivation must be there to keep your momentum upto the mark.

C. Environment plays an important role in keeping pace with the time. We should avoid negative and gloomy environment. Charged positive environment with sincere fellow aspirants keep us upto the mark of race and competition.

D. Though UPSC demands very high level of dedication but complete social cut off from the society is not at all needed. We just need to keep our priorities in right track. Balanced life rather than exclusive life style is needed. Stress buster exercises like meditation, morning walks, socialisation etc should become part of life.

E. Attempts are limited in UPSC and hence it should be used very wisely. Insincere attempts not only exhausts our stock but it also demoralises us.

F. There is a limit of knowledge in UPSC. Every aspirant gains knowledge from standard sources of UPSC and so significant part of our labour should be on the reproduction part of covered materials. Since ultimately we have to reproduce what we have read and so it should be taken very seriously from the Day first.

G. There is no hard and fast rule of starting day of answer writing. It depends on aspirant to aspirant. Some may start from the day 1st and some may start after six months. But in every case, answer writing practice should start only when you have covered enough and sufficient content of Mains.

H. Syllabus and past years papers should be the preparation compass for every student. Directionless and orientation less preparation can make you pay heavy price. Since we have limited time and so time should be utilised and exhausted in very smart way.

I. Time management is a grey area of most of the aspirants. To defeat this, aspirants should attempt decent number of mains papers. Answer framing in the mind can be a good idea especially for the freshers.

We are proud that Rahul Reddy has chosen GS SCORE in the journey of IAS preparation. GS SCORE has continued the legacy of producing IAS TOPPERS every year.

GS SCORE ( iasscore.in) is a teaching platform for Civil Services Examination, both in classroom and online. Learning in GS SCORE is driven by two predominant objectives- excellence and empowerment. For us, excellence is a drive to challenge yourself to be better. Empowerment for us does not mean only stuffing your mind with facts and information but to ignite your mind for imagination and creativity to respond to all kinds of challenges with wisdom and confidence.

For Full Interview of Rahul Reddy

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ycs9-8wSVD4&list=PLQv1MRuNSpgT61V9r26AN4bVSCCwH2VPE&index=17

Download Copy of 400 plus Toppers-

https://iasscore.in/toppers-copy

Team
GS SCORE

IAS Toppers Story: Pawan Goel, Rank-131 CSE 2019: Optional the key to success

Mains Stage of UPSC is entirely a game of answer writing skills. It is said that answer writing is an Art and every aspirant should be an artist. In this context many natural questions arise. What is a good answer? How to mange time limit? When to start answer writing? And many more.

We tried to get the answers all of above questions from Pawan Goel, AIR-131 of UPSC 2019. Pawan is basically an Engineer and was very comfortable in his tech life. But one one fine day he encountered a Civil Servant and that was a turning point of his life. He got to know that impact of a Civil Servant is quite wider and his niche in nation building and societal service is extremely potent in comparison to other jobs. After getting a concrete source of motivation, Pawan started the preparation right in his final year. But he couldn’t get success in his first two attempts.

Pawan believes that General Studies are equally scoring for almost all the candidates and hence if someone has to get success, he should keep optional at different bay. Also, the preparation should be integrated because if you fail in any of the stage you are just out of the race.

In an interview with one of our faculty members, Pawan has outlined the following strategies for UPSC. His emphasis was particularly on Answer writing skill.

  • Though all papers should be given equal weightage but optional subject should be the nucleus of preparation. Optional can be scoring and it can be as scoring as 60 percent and thus a vital factor in success.
  • A good answer has broadly four components i.e a good content, a good structure, a good presentation and above all within the limit of time and space.
  • All answers are unique as per the demand of question. And thus there is no thumb rule of any standard answer. But in a very crude manner, an standard answer should have three components i.e Introduction, Body and Conclusion.
  • Depending upon the demand of question, you can write an answer para wise or point wise. The decision should be keeping in mind the best presentable form of answer. Either can work if produced smartly.
  • Answer writing process is a time consuming process so it should start at possibly early stage but at the same time it should not be in haste. As any answer demands content along with presentation and hence aspirants should put quality time in content enrichment before jumping directly into the answer writing.
  • Toppers’ copies available online should be utilized very efficiently. Fresh aspirants should learn the art of answer writing from the copies and they should learn how to write the best answer.
  • Answer writing should start only after a stage when you have covered some substantial portion of UPSC syllabus but at the same time it should be part of your daily study schedule. Test Series can be explored at later stage of maturity but in the initial stage you can write one-two answers regularly.
  • Handy notes of data, facts, key definitions, etc pays a lot to fetch good marks in Paper. Though approach is almost same for all the papers but paper of Ethics should be done in little different manner. Since in the paper every year many questions are asked from definitions part and hence a notes for definitions can me made.
  • Though the answers are written in academic style but lot of scope is there in self innovation. But innovative examples must be relevant and catchy.
  • To enhance the three hours sitting capacity, you need to join a good test series and should try to attempt paper in exact exam type environment. This can also improve the Time Management effectively which is vital for the exam.

We are proud that Pawan Goel has chosen GS SCORE in the journey of IAS preparation. GS SCORE has continued the legacy of producing IAS TOPPERS every year.

GS SCORE (iasscore.in) is a teaching platform for Civil Services Examination, both in classroom and online. Learning in GS SCORE is driven by two predominant objectives- excellence and empowerment. For us, excellence is a drive to challenge yourself to be better. Empowerment for us does not mean only stuffing your mind with facts and information but to ignite your mind for imagination and creativity to respond to all kinds of challenges with wisdom and confidence.

For Full Interview of Pawan Goel- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4dTkrwOdeZ4

Download Copy of 400 plus Toppers- https://iasscore.in/toppers-copy

Team
GS SCORE

IAS Toppers Story: Khushpreet Kaur, Rank-352 CSE 2019 – Breaking several myths

In UPSC, every topper has a story and that story is unique, interesting and inspiring in its own sense. We have found that every ranker qualifies UPSC with some source of motivation. Motivation of Khuspreet Kaur- AIR 352 of UPSC 2019, is itself a source of motivation.

Khushpreet is from Bhatinda, Punjab and has competed her schooling from Punjab itself. After that she completed graduation from Guru Nanak College, Sunam, Punjab in 2012. Right after her college, she started preparing for Bank PO and got selected in SBI. She worked in SBI for two years and then took Punjab PCS as her next challenge. Holding a successful past track record, Khushpreet cracked Punjab PCS too in 2015 and joined it.

We learned that source of motivation behind her continuous success is the “zeal to prove herself”. She always wanted to break the well established cannons of patriarchy of Indian society. This motivation has been a continuous source of inspiration for her and hence Khuspreet accepted the next challenge of cracking Civil Services Examination, one of the most toughest examinations of our country.

But like every Ranker, she found UPSC the hardest nut to crack. She couldn’t clear the first barrier of Exam i.e Prelims in her first two attempts. It is said that some happenings of human life always go on. And Khuspreet was no exception. She got married in 2017 and she accepted it as part of her destiny and left the dream of UPSC.

However, after sometime, Khuspreet understood the law of nature which is nothing but a series of waves with crests and throughs. She geared up once again for UPSC and started a sincere preparation in 2019. But now she had to manage the preparation along with her hectic job schedule. She maintained discipline and perfect time management and cracked UPSC with AIR- 352.

In her interaction with the team of GS SCORE, she suggested following strategies:-

A. Attempting reasonable number of Prelims tests boosts your MCQ solving skills. It helps in development of elimination skills while solving objective questions.

B. Irrespective of various factors in rumour theory, we should choose the optional in which we have deep interest. Genuine and deep interest in any subject take care of all other revolving factors.

C. Toppers copies available on various platforms can be a best material to get the idea and overview of any subject. For example, if you want to analyse the contour of Ethics then just download few copies and read the copies with fresh mind. This will give you a good overview of the subject.

D. Working professionals can manage UPSC along with their job by efficient and effective time management. They can devote part time during working days and exclusive full time during weekends. Apart from this, they can explore full month leave just before the actual exam.

E. Writing practice skill should be developed in little advance. With attempt of good number of Tests, we can minimise chances of bad attempts.

We are proud that Khushpreet Kaur has chosen GS SCORE in the journey of IAS preparation. GS SCORE has continued the legacy of producing IAS TOPPERS every year.

GS SCORE ( iasscore.in) is a teaching platform for Civil Services Examination, both in classroom and online. Learning in GS SCORE is driven by two predominant objectives- excellence and empowerment. For us, excellence is a drive to challenge yourself to be better. Empowerment for us does not mean only stuffing your mind with facts and information but to ignite your mind for imagination and creativity to respond to all kinds of challenges with wisdom and confidence.

For Full Interview of Khuspreet Kaur- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o1cXR7baYXo

Download Copy of 400 plus Toppers- https://iasscore.in/toppers-copy

Team
GS SCORE

Junaid Ahmed, Rank 3 CSE 2018: IAS Toppers Strategy, Never Give Up!

JUNAID AHMED, RANK 3 – UPSC CSE 2018

“NEVER GIVE UP” 

What’s my motivation behind becoming a Civil Servant?

    • I started my preparation in 2014-15, and it was a long journey of 4-5 years.
    • I failed in many examinations before Civil Services. After graduation I attempted GRE and failed then I aimed for UPSC Civil Services exam.
    • In Civil Services 2017, I secured Rank352 and this year CSE 2018I have secured Rank 3.
    • In my case, one thing which transformed my performance in competitive exam is WHY?. Why do I want to become Civil Servant?Is a very important questions. If you find answer to it your performance will get boost. For all the aspirants I will suggest to Find that WHY? or REASON? then HOW ? will follow.
    • I also believe that the only difference between Successful and not so successful people is NEVERY GIVE Up attitude. We need to set positive perspective towards Failure and keep moving ahead
    • CSE journey is very encouraging and positive as it will change you as a person.

 

How did I approach the preparation?

  • Keep the process very simple. Keep your expectation in check and you will definitely get good results. There was a huge jump of 90-95 marks.
  • During preparation there are so many things to study so the important step is to Concise the sources and Revise often.
  • Competition is too much and preparation is lengthy process therefore HARDWORK and PATIENCEis the key.

GS SCORE extends heartiest congratulations to Junaid Ahmed on his great achievement and we are gratified to have been a part of his journey to Success (Rank 3) in CSE 2018.

 

Srushti Jayant Deshmukh IAS Rank 5: IAS Toppers Strategy

SRUSHTI JAYANT DESHMUKH, AIR 5 UPSC CSE 2018

UPSC ALL INDIA WOMEN TOPPER

“ANSWER WRITING SPEAKS EVERYTHING OF MY PREPARATION”

What’s my motivation behind becoming a Civil Servant?

  • My motivation came through the preparation itself. I felt how to use my learning capacities for the betterment of the unfortunate ones in the society. It pushed my through the entire process.
  • Also, the beauty of this exam is that it helps you evolve you as a better person who is more sensitive, more responsible and who looks forwards to do something good for the society.

How did I organize my studies?

  • First step is the UPSC Syllabus. Syllabus is the guiding light and it was always there on my study table to push my preparation in the right direction.
  • Also Previous Year Questions are very helpful. Many times Themes of Questions get repeated in Optional Subject Papers. So, I made notes on those topics.

How did I make study notes?

  • I divided the syllabus into Topics and organized it into different folders. It helped in REVISION. Specifically, it helps a lot in OPTIONAL Subject.

How important is Answer Writing?

  • Answer Writing is very important because it helps in getting better marks in MAINS and a good Rank in the final list. I made a habit of practicing one question every day.
  • I learnt the Art of Answer Writing by understanding the demand of questions. It will give you edge in marks.
  • I regularly collected FACTS from News Paper and revised them.
  • I referred Government reports like NITI AAYOG three year Action Agenda, Eco Survey, International Indexes and used them in writing Answers.
  • I have also included Flow CHARTs and Maps of INDIA in Answers.
  • To view my answer copies please click on the https://iasscore.in/toppers-copy

What was my approach for GS Paper 2 and GS Paper 3?

  • I did Current Affairs based study for GS Paper 2 and Paper 3 and
  • For Paper 1 – I referred only standard books.

Why TEST SERIES is important for Prelims as well as Mains?

  • It helped in judging my level of preparation.
  • I revised the paper after attempting the Tests(Prelims as well as Mains)
  • I regularly analyzedmy nature of Mistakes:
    • Silly Mistakes
    • Knowledge Gap
  • Further I used to revise and reattempt the tests to correct my mistakes.

GS SCORE extend heartiest congratulations to Srushti on her great achievement and are gratified to have been a part of her journey to success.

Pujya Priyadarshni Rank 11 CSE 2018: IAS Toppers Strategy

PUJYA PRIYADARSHINI, RANK 11 – UPSC CSE 2018

“NEVER GIVE UP”

 Educational Background

  • I am a graduate from Sri Ram College of Commerce.
  • Master in Public Administration from Columbia University
  • I worked with PW coppers for 2 and half years and then Reliance Foundation

How to  manage Professional life with Preparation of Civil services?

  • Always enter into the Civil Services Preparation with Plan B. What if you can’t clear as its very competitive and uncertain.
  • Backup plan will give you sense of security and you will be able to focus well on exam.

What was my strategy for preparation?

  • Keep the process very simple. Keep your expectation in check and you will definitely get good results. There was a huge jump of 90-95 marks.
  • During preparation there are so many things to study so the important step is to Concise the sources and Revise often.
  • Competition is too much and preparation is lengthy process therefore HARDWORK and PATIENCEis the key.

What was my Strategy for Prelims?

  • Prelimsis the toughest step and the biggest roadblock in the journey of Civil Services.
  • Syllabus and Sources –Stick to the syllabus and most important thing is limiting the SOURCES. There are more than 10 sources for every subject. Don’t get confuse.
  • I referred NCERT for Ancient India and Medieval India
  • I referred Bipan Chandra for Modern Indian India Struggle for Independence
  • Tests Seriesis must. I used to attempt Tests Daily – I attempted at least 70 tests before the Prelims. I always aimed for 110+ in my practice tests.
  • TIME MANAGEMENT – Will come with practice.
  • Educated Guessingis very important- In one go you can safely attempt 40 questions in the Prelims PAPER 1. After that you have to take calculative risk by applying the elimination process.
  • CSAT Practice – Don’t take it lightly because it’s a qualifying paper. Practice is very important.

What was my Strategy for MAINS?

  • General Studies: I used to practice 3 hours of GS Answer Writing every day.
  • I have improved a lot between 2016 and 2018 attempt.  I joined Test Series and get it checked from Teachers and Mentors.
  • I understood with time that you need to develop introductions and art of Answer writing for each paper of GS. It helped me a lot. Each paper has its own strategy which you have to understand and practice rigorously.
  •       Ethics– It’s a tough paper as there is no defined syllabus. I focussed on Case Studies and key concepts and terms in Paper 4  like Attitude, Aptitude. Part A needs substantiation with examples. In terms of time managements Ethics is a lengthy paper.
  • Optional– I decided to take Sociology and remained stick with it over the attempts.
  • Sociology helps in understanding Mains Paper 1 and 2 and Essay paper and also Ethics Paper.
  • Sociology was a very practical decision for me.
  • I used to write Sociology Answer writing for 1 hour.
  • Essay– I practiced Essay writing of Previous Year Topics. Focussed on Structuring and flow. Essay was my strength.

Approach for the Interview

  • Scored 176 (2016) to 193 (2018).
  • I have given Mock interview. But I would suggest to not overdo.
  • Take few mocks and be confident.
  • Interview is all about your own Emotional Quotient. Take feedbacks from Mock Interview and learn how you are going to place an answer.
  • Know yourself. Be who you are and play with your own strengths.

GS SCORE extends heartiest congratulations to Pujya Priyadarshni on her great achievement and we are gratified to have been a part of her journey to Success (Rank 11) in CSE 2018.

 

Trupti Ankush IAS Rank 16: True Inspiration! A Working Woman and Married for 8 Years

TRUPTI ANKUSH, AIR 16 UPSC CSE 2018

“TRUE INSPIRATION! A WORKING WOMAN AND MARRIED FOR 8 YEARS”

What’s my motivation behind becoming a Civil Servant?

  • I started to prepare for State PSC exam while I was working in Private Sector. I felt that I was not doing justice to my capabilities while in job. So decided to prepare for public services exam.
  • Once I got selected in State PSC, I thought of aiming for UPSC Civil Services exam.
  • In my CSE 2016 attempt I reached interview stage but couldn’t qualify. While appearing for 2017 Prelims exam I was not feeling up and lost the battle again. I felt very low and drop the idea of preparing. But my family supported at that crucial stage and I prepared my mind again to attempt CSE 2018.

How do I perceive Civil Services Exam, is it tough?

When I look back to my journey of preparation, I realize that it’s a game of Psychology. When I was feeling positive and good, I performed well. So be positive, be determined and you will surely clear the exam.

How did I manage time?

I was married, employed and financially independent. But time scarcity was my only concern. So I had to use my time efficiently and wisely with the support of my family.

How did I make use of News Papers?

  • During preparation I relied much on newspapers which gave me extra edge in Mains exam. I got 460 marks in GS.
  • My suggestion would be that “Keep your eyes open and be aware of your surroundings.”
  • Lakhs of students are attempting the exam so aspirants need to be competitive and think differently to get selected.

How did I improve my Answer Writing ?

  • I used current affairs in GS PAPER 2 and GS PAPER 3 answers.
  • I used my professional and personal experiences in Ethics and Essay Answers.
  • To view my answer copies please click on the https://iasscore.in/toppers-copy

Why TEST SERIES is important for Mains?

  • I joined ETHICS and ESSAY test series in GS SCORE
  • My focus was to solve all the questions in the Mains Exam.
  • I always attempted tests keeping time limits in mind. It increased my speed and performance.

My strategy for Interview

After writing Mains, I was confident to get interview call. I worked thoroughly on my Detailed Application Form (DAF).

My important suggestion to all the Aspirants

  • Leave your attitude of finding excuses.
  • Be Confident !
  • Be Patient !
  • Identify your Strengths and Fight accordingly!

GS SCORE extends heartiest congratulations to Trupti on her great achievement and are gratified to have been a part of her journey to success.

 

 

Rishab C A, Rank 23, CSE 2018: Geography Optional Preparation Strategy, Marks 298

Geography Optional: Preparation Strategy

 “Geography optional being the scoring optional provide you the leverage of getting extra time to prepare other subjects due to overlapping of topics in GS 1 and GS 3”

  • Rishab CA AIR 23

WHAT WAS MY APPROACH TO PREPARE FOR GEOGRAPHY OPTIONAL?

  • Syllabus: First step is to by heart the key words of the Syllabus
  • Integrate Static + Current: Interlink the current related news from different sources (Yojna, kurukshetra, and newspaper) with the topics given in UPSC syllabus.
  • Answer Writing: Identify the possible questions which can be asked from the topics given in the syllabus (for references use past year previous UPSC Geo. Optional paper).
  • Solve previous year mains question to cover maximum topic in less time.
  • Time Management is the key.

WHAT SOURCES DID I FOLLOW?

Paper I

  • Geomorphology: NCERTs, G.C LEONG
  • Geomorphology: Book by Savinder Singh. (Use one note book to practice diagrams)
  • Climatology: Physical geography by Savinder Singh, Physical geography by D.S Lal and use Internet wisely. For the dynamic syllabus: Yojna and Internet (Applied Climatology, Global warming, Urban Heat Island)
  • Oceanography: Savinder Singh (Physical geography) & NOAA book (pdf available on Internet).
  • Bio & Env Geography: Topic Soil by Rupa made Simple and Internet (Current affairs).
  • Perspectives: Book by Majid Husain & Sudipta Adhikari, epgpathshala website (https://epgp.inflibnet.ac.in/).
  • Economic Geography: Internet, Current affairs & recent events.
  • Settlement Geography: Geographical thoughts by Majid Husain.
  • Modern Theories and Laws : Book by Siddhartha & Mukherjee.

Paper II

  • Fully Current affair based, over lapping with Geo. Of India & Interlinking of different chapters.
  • Compile Current affairs related to the topic on Ever note and Revise it several times.
  • Fully Dynamic paper, books I have referred was D.R Khullar and Majid Husain.

KEY HIGHLIGHTS:

  • Stick to Syllabus
  • Solve 25 Years Previous Questions and Revise it Several times.
  • In Answer Writing : Practise Mapping and include 4 maps in 20 marks Q , 3 maps in 15 marks Q, 2 maps in 10 marks Q.

 

GS SCORE extends heartiest congratulations to Rishab on his great achievement and we are gratified to have been a part of his journey to Success (Rank 23) in CSE 2018.

Himanshu Nagpal IAS Rank 26 First Attempt: Tough Journey of an IAS Topper

First Attempt: Tough Journey of an IAS Topper

I opted civil services as a career there was nothing called child-hood dream, some wants to become a doctor and some wants to be a pilot so I decided to become a Deputy Collector”

Positive Attitude and Hard Work are the Stepping Stone to Success
  • I come from a very humble background. I lost my Father just one month before beginning of my graduation classes.
  • I have done my graduation from Hansraj College of Delhi University. During initial phase of my graduation I was very under confident guy, bad in spoken English, very shy to ask any question in class.
  • With the progress of time, I worked hard and gained much confidence to start my preparation of Civil Services examination.
  • With consistent efforts, I have secured AIR 9 Rank in Commerce & Accountancy exam.
  • In 2018 CSE, I secured AIR 26
What was my Approach towards Civil Services Exam?

PRELIMS

  • Build Foundation: I have built my foundation with the help of NCERT as they are very much important to have a basic understanding of topics as mentioned in the syllabus of UPSC.
  • Meticulous Planning: I planned to finish study of UPSC syllabus by the end of February with proper revisions.
  • Test Series: After February, I joined test series, and after giving each test I made a habit of spending at least 3 hours to analyse my answers by grasping relevant information to enhance my knowledge base. (I would suggest to each aspirants do not give test just for the sake of marks, use it as a Learning tool). That’s how I identified my weak areas with the help of test series and worked upon it.

MAINS

  • After prelims, I devoted first 2 months for my optional subject (Commerce and accountancy which was my graduation subject also.)
  • By the end of August I had notes of all the topics which were mentioned in the syllabus in the form of Definition, Main Context And Way Forward.
  • Last 2 months I devoted for revising GS subjects and Answer Writing Practise. (Although due to scarcity of time I was unable to practise much. (Lesson: Start answer writing practise as soon as possible)

INTERVIEW

  • Interview is the test of personality and while preparing for the interview you need to have a right guidance.
  • Enrol yourself for mock interviews; work on the feedbacks that you receive from the panel.
  • What you are as a person should reflect in your answer.
  • Be aware of the happenings in the surroundings.

KEY TO SUCCESS

                                                             “BELIEF IN YOURSELF”

 GS SCORE extends heartiest congratulations to Himanshu Nagpal on his great achievement and we are gratified to have been a part of his journey to Success (Rank 26) in CSE 2018.

Akshay Agrawal, Rank 43, CSE 2018, 1st Attempt, Self Assessment in Preparation is the Key to Success

Amritpal Kaur, IAS Rank 44: Ethics, Essay and Optional are Game Changer, IAS Toppers Strategy

SRUSHTI JAYANT DESHMUKH, AIR 5 UPSC CSE 2018

UPSC ALL INDIA WOMEN TOPPER

“ANSWER WRITING SPEAKS EVERYTHING OF MY PREPARATION”

What’s my motivation behind becoming a Civil Servant?

  • My motivation came through the preparation itself. I felt how to use my learning capacities for the betterment of the unfortunate ones in the society. It pushed my through the entire process.
  • Also, the beauty of this exam is that it helps you evolve you as a better person who is more sensitive, more responsible and who looks forwards to do something good for the society.

How did I organize my studies?

  • First step is the UPSC Syllabus. Syllabus is the guiding light and it was always there on my study table to push my preparation in the right direction.
  • Also Previous Year Questions are very helpful. Many times Themes of Questions get repeated in Optional Subject Papers. So, I made notes on those topics.

How did I make study notes?

  • I divided the syllabus into Topics and organized it into different folders. It helped in REVISION. Specifically, it helps a lot in OPTIONAL Subject.

How important is Answer Writing?

  • Answer Writing is very important because it helps in getting better marks in MAINS and a good Rank in the final list. I made a habit of practicing one question every day.
  • I learnt the Art of Answer Writing by understanding the demand of questions. It will give you edge in marks.
  • I regularly collected FACTS from News Paper and revised them.
  • I referred Government reports like NITI AAYOG three year Action Agenda, Eco Survey, International Indexes and used them in writing Answers.
  • I have also included Flow CHARTs and Maps of INDIA in Answers.
  • To view my answer copies please click on the https://iasscore.in/toppers-copy

What was my approach for GS Paper 2 and GS Paper 3?

  • I did Current Affairs based study for GS Paper 2 and Paper 3 and
  • For Paper 1 – I referred only standard books.

Why TEST SERIES is important for Prelims as well as Mains?

  • It helped in judging my level of preparation.
  • I revised the paper after attempting the Tests(Prelims as well as Mains)
  • I regularly analyzedmy nature of Mistakes:
    • Silly Mistakes
    • Knowledge Gap
  • Further I used to revise and reattempt the tests to correct my mistakes.

GS SCORE extend heartiest congratulations to Srushti on her great achievement and are gratified to have been a part of her journey to success.

Vikram Grewal , IAS Rank 51, First Attempt, Simple Strategy Takes you Higher, Topper’s Story

Rishav Mandal, IAS Rank 58: Politial Science Optional Preparation Strategy

VEER PRATAP SINGH AIR 92 GS Preparation Strategy Marks 412

Dilip Pratap Singh Shekhawat Rank 72 CSE 2018: IAS Toppers Strategy

Jagpreet Kaur, IAS Rank 101: IAS Toppers Strategy, No Standard Strategy but Consistent

AJAY JAIN Rank 141 CSE 2018 Geography Optional Preparation Strategy

Namita Sharma Rank 145: 6th Attempt, UPSC Preparation Strategy of a Working Professional

LAXMAN TIWARI Rank 176 CSE 2018, First Attemp: IAS Toppers Strategy

Kunal aggarwal Rank 211 CSE 2018: Ethics and Essay Preparation Strategy

Anmol Sagar Rank 414 CSE 2018: Geography Optional Preparation Strategy, Marks 274

The Real Hero: K. Lalith, Rank – 626, visually impaired clears IAS Examination, CSE 2018

Alok Singh Rank 628: Time Management in UPCS Preparation for Working Professionals

Deepak Ken Rank 658 CSE 2018: Preparation Strategy of Prelims and Mains

Abhijeet Sinha, IAS Rank 19 CSE 2017 from Bihar & Jharkhand, IAS Toppers Strategy

Political Science Preparation Strategy by Tushar Gupta Rank 113, CSE 2017

IAS Toppers Story: Ishwar Kumar Rank 187, CSE 2017

Pooja Ranawat Rank 258, Highest 319 Marks in Pol Science, Preparation Strategy

Abhishek Surana IAS Rank 10, CSE 2017, IAS preparation Strategy

Fear and apprehension can’t stop us: Garima Agrawal, Rank 241, CSE 2017, IAS Toppers Story

IAS Preparation Strategy by Jagdish Chelani Rank 57, CSE 2017

Life in ORN (Delhi), Sunita Kumari, Rank 269, CSE 2017, Civil Services a Career or a goal

Pol Science Preparation Strategy by Jagdish Chelani 57 Rank, 305 Marks

Youngest topper of CSE 2017, Rank 113 Tushar Gupta, 22 year old, First attempt, pol science optional

Public Administration Preparation Strategy by Dr. Hasrat Jasmine, AIR 226, CSE 2017

First serious attempt, Ekta Khatri, Rank 458, Anthropology optional, IAS preparation strategy

Mayur Suryawanshi Rank 373, 4th attempt, 308 marks in pol science, IAS preparation strategy

Bhavesh Sharma 502 Rank, 286 Marks in History Optional: Preparation Strategy

Highest Score in History Optional 316 Marks, History Preparation Strategy by Ishwar Kumar Rank 187

Public Administration Preparation Strategy by Azar Zia, IAS Rank 97 CSE 2017

Pub Ad Preparation Strategy, Rank 530 Jitendra Pratap Singh, 301 Marks in Pub Ad

‘Be aware of pitfalls’- Abhilash Baranwal, AIR 44, CSE 2017, 4th attempt

All what UPSC demands for, is an awareness of the examination, rather than opting different strategies at a same time.
Avoiding pitfalls can take you to your goal…

A doctor, a diabetic patient and the message for all: Hasrat Jasmine, AIR 226, CSE 2017d

” You are a warrior, warriors don’t give up and they don’t back down.”
Story of Dr. Hasrat Jasmin teaches us how to fight back our weaknesses.
Anything is possible!!!

Yes, it’s possible, if I can why not you!!! Mamta, IAS Rank 45 in 5th attempt CSE 2017

The impossible exists only until we find a way to make it possible!!!
So keep going. Each step may get harder, but don’t stop.

The view is beautiful at the top!

Don’t Repeat Mistakes, Pooja Ranawat Rank 258, 5th attempt, without qualifying prelims in 4 attempts

“Small is beutiful”- follow less resources and gain more…

What you need to get success, is a zeal of achieving it, and that too till end and at your best…

Ankit Pannu, IAS Rank 31 CSE 2017, Notes Making and Newspaper Reading Strategy

Covering every bit of paper is tough, but making small notes and developing self generated ideas are helpful to prove yourself in a better way in this competitive exam.
Learn to make precise notes…

IAS Toppers Interview, Utsav Gautam, Rank 33, CSE 2017

Who you are tomorrow begins with what you do today…

This journey is tough but the ultimate fruit is sweet. So keep fighting!!!

Learning from the mistakes, Aparajita IAS Rank 40 CSE 2017, 3rd attempt, History Optional

It’s not always possible to walk on right track. .. but most important part of it is to learn from your mistakes. ..!!!

So it’s better to learn from other’s mistake! !!

IAS Topper Bipasha Kalita CSE 2017 Rank 41, Topper from North-East States

There is no substitute to self motivation…

Doesn’t matters from where you are, what matters is your destination.

So decide it and crack it…

Holistic Approach of IAS Preparations, Swapneel Paul- IAS Rank 64, from Nagaland

“Being result oriented is good, but if you can make it process oriented, nothing can stop you to achieve it”

So, holistic approach for the exam preparation is the best tool to crack this tough nut.

Managing Resource Effectively, strategy by IAS Topper Rahul Bhat, Rank 68, From J&K

Following too many people and things at a time is like taking too many paths and reaching nowhere.

Learn to manage your resources…

First and Focused attempt by an ‘average student’ Himanshu Kaushik, Rank 77, IAS topper strategy

If you start with the focus on bull’s eye…

Nothing can stop you to achieve it, not even your weaknesses…

IAS Toppers Interview, Amol Shrivastav Rank 83, Ways to Work Smart

Effort is important, but knowing where to make an effort makes all the difference!!!

Make your smart work your tool for this examination…

Strategy of Time Management by Working Professional, Ketan Garg IAS Rank 93, CSE 2017

“Not having time is just an excuse, if you really want to crack it; you can manage your time too.”

How one can judiciously use this time to get his best, Ketan is putting best example for it.
Learn to utilise time.

IAS Toppers Strategy, Ankita Mishra Rank 105, CSE 2017, 3rd Attempt

Patience is not the ability to wait, but the ability to keep a good attitude while waiting.

So work until you no longer have to introduce yourself!!!

IAS Toppers Strategy, Saurabh Sabhlok, Rank 124, Time Management is Key to Success

“Time and tide waits for none”, utilize every second of yours.

Because the art of time management is the key to success!!!

Bounce Back from Low Days, Rao Praveen Singh, Rank 152 CSE 2017, IAS Toppers Strategy

Things may not go the way you planned, but that doesn’t mean you lose hope, stay positive and stay focused.

Always be ready to fight back…

Chasing goal till 6th and last attempt, Lavanya Gupta, AIR 298 CSE 2017, IAS toppers story

Sometimes life is about risking everything for at dream no one can see but you.

Same in case of Lavanya, was like being fearless in the pursuit of what sets your soul on fire.

She kept trying and she made it….

Thanks to Seniors & Elders, IAS Preparation Strategy by Himanshu, CSE Rank 773

Learning from the people who have walked the path before you, can get the best out of you…

And also make you smart to avoid the mistakes what others have committed…

IAS Topper’s Interview 2016 – 2017: K. Dinesh Kumar IAS Rank 06 with Pol Science Optional

IAS Toppers Interview: Suman Sourav Mohanty Rank 9 CSE 2016

IAS Toppers Interview: Sidharth B Rank 15 CSE 2016, Political Science Optional

IAS Topper Interview 2016-2017: Rank 26 Mallika Sudhir IAS Prepraion Strategy

IAS Topper’s Interview 2016: Manuj Jindal IAS Rank 53

IAS Topper’s Interview 2016 – 2017: Shashank Chaudhary IAS Rank 130, First Attempt

IAS Topper’s Interview 2016 – 2017: Brij Shankar IAS Rank 274, 5th attempt, 4 Interview

IAS Topper Interview 2016-2017: Rank 306 Shashank Shekher Singh IAS Prepration Strategy

IAS Topper’s Interview 2015: Jasmeet Singh Sandhu AIR 03

IAS Topper’s Interview 2015: Siddharth Jain AIR 13

IAS Toppers Interview: Amit Suresh Tolani Rank 151

IAS Toppers Interview 2015: Rank 187 Rohan Botre, 113 Marks in Ethics

IAS Topper's Interview 2016

IAS Toppers Interview: EESHA PRIYA Rank 75 First Attempt

Name EESHA PRIYA
Rank in CSE 2015 75
Total Attempts in CSE 1
Optional Subject public administration
Medium English

Education

Class 10 percentage of marks 94
 Class 12Percentage of marks 82
Graduation: College and marks 83 (Btech)
Post graduation: College and marks N/A
Any other course Senior Engineer at Larsen &Toubro

IAS Score: What were the basic mantras of your success?

EESHA PRIYA: Planning , Focus and Hardwork

 

IAS Score: What were your strategies for the lengthy syllabus of General Studies for both Prelims and Mains?

EESHA PRIYA: I tried to merge my preparation for prelims and mains. Referring limited number of books , reading each book 5 times helped..I preferred IGNOU, National open school materials along with online websites like pib.com , prs.in etc

 

IAS Score: Did you integrate your Prelims or Mains preparation or was it separate in the changing scenario?

EESHA PRIYA: No..it being my first attempt, I integrated the preparation.

GS Preparation for Prelims (Summary)

Study material / Guidance
Basic Books NCERT Class 11 , 12 old and new ones Laxmikant for polity, Shankar IAS for ecology, Sriram IAS for economics, GC leong for geography
Current Affairs Online supplements of GS SCORE , IAS Score Current Affairs E-Magazine

 

GS Mains Preparation (Summary)

Paper Study Material/Guidance Current Issues Source Answer Writing Practice
GS Paper 1 GS SCORE Contemporary Issues / SRIRAM IAS GS Score
GS Paper 2 GS SCORE Contemporary Issues / SRIRAM IAS/ Chronicle GS Score
GS Paper 3 Economic survey Summary/Chronicle Magazine GS Score
GS Paper 4 Lexicon Chronicle Chronicle magazine GSSCORE

 

Optional Subject Preparation  (Summary)

Study material / Guidance
Basic Books Sapru admin thinkers and public policy, mohit bhattacharya..entire series, Arora and Fadia
Current Affairs Newspapers
Answer Writing SELF
Any other Not taken any classes for pub ad but Ashutosh Pandey Sir 4 Days Pub Ad Marks Augmentation Classes were very useful for me. Helped a lot in preparing my notes.

 

IAS Score: How did your prepare for essay.

EESHA PRIYA: I enrolled in for the online test series @ GSSCORE…Manoj sir’s remarks on d answer sheets helped me improve.

 

IAS Score: Did you adopt any specific strategy for GS Paper 4?

EESHA PRIYA: No….just that I attempted d case studies first to get ample time to think

 

IAS Score: What were the sources of information for general reading? How did you come to know that which sources of reading materials are standard?

EESHA PRIYA: I searched materials as per requirements of syllabus ..along with previous years questions in mind.

 

IAS Score:  What is your advice on notes-making for other aspirants?

EESHA PRIYA: Mark important points in books….compile them precisely in d notes.

 

IAS Score: How did you manage your time during the preparation?

EESHA PRIYA: Tried to curtail wasting time, gave up social networking sites…divided the time into revision hours and fresh topics to study…writing essay on weekends etc.

 

IAS Score: What was your style (paragraph or point format) of writing in the exam? How was it distinct from the general writing style? How did you develop this writing style?

EESHA PRIYA: I stuck to the point format. Enrolling in a test series helped my develop proper structure and style for writing.

 

IAS Score: So much focus is being given to Test Series, both for Prelims and Mains, in your opinion how useful are they, in the course of a preparation process? Which Test Series did you join and how useful did you find it to be?

EESHA PRIYA: Test series for prelims helped me get accustomed to the MCQ format in a time bound manner. Enrolling in a mains test series helped me develop proper structure and style for writing.

GK Today and SRIRAMS IAS for prelims

GSSCORE for mains

I found all the tests very useful in developing conceptual clarity and analytical thinking.

 

IAS Score: Civil Services Exam process is quite strenuous. It requires long hours of constant study. How did you maintain your tempo and what did you do to break the monotony of preparation?

EESHA PRIYA: A strong internal Motivation is very important to maintain zest and vigour during preparation. 100% Focus helped me maintain my tempo and avoid distractions. Talking to parents and friends helped me break monotony.

 

IAS Score: The trend suggests that professionals or working people are more successful in this exam. Does this exam prove difficult for Humanities and Social Science background candidates?

EESHA PRIYA: I guess working professionals r more successful because they r accustomed to long working hours, performance targets and delivery during stress. Making CSAT qualifying has reduced the advantage that engineers had..But analytical skills and application based approach desired by UPSC is inherent in science subjects.

 

IAS Score: Which sources you referred to prepare for Contemporary Issues.

EESHA PRIYA: Newspaper -The hindu and Indian express, online sites , Civil Services Chronicle etc

 

IAS Score: Given the recent boom in online initiatives to support an aspirant, which were the platforms that you find useful enough during your course of preparation. Please list the sites.

insightsonindia.com

iasscore

prs.com

pib.in

mrunal.com

 

IAS Score: What is your advice to the candidates who is still in the process of preparing for this examination?

EESHA PRIYA: Devote yourself totally towards this exam , Maintain Self Confidence that you can crack this exam…and above all Have faith in GOD that he will definitely reward your efforts one day!

 

IAS Score: Your word for future aspirants

EESHA PRIYA: Develop a habit of reading the Hindu…early on…if you are planning to appear in CSE someday…Dedicated hard work is surely rewarded!

 

EESHA PRIYA Mark sheet

Paper Marks
Prelims 126 PAPER1
Essay (Paper 1) 140
GS 1 (Paper 2) 114
GS 2 (Paper 3) 91
GS 3 (Paper 4) 104
GS 4 (Paper 5) 94
Optional 1 (Paper 6) 113
Optional 2 (Paper 7) 114
Written Total 770
Personality Test 165
Total Score 935

Download test copies of EESHA PRIYA

IAS Topper’s Interview: IAS Rank 89 Sumant Sahay, 137 Marks in Essay

Name Sumant Sahay
Rank in CSE 2015 89
Total Attempts in CSE 4
Optional Subject History
Medium English

IAS Score: What were the basic mantras of your success?

Sumant Sahay: Perseverance, revision, answer writing practice and optimum use of internet to augment the books.

IAS Score: What were your strategies for the lengthy syllabus of General Studies for both Prelims and Mains?

Sumant Sahay: A time bound coverage of syllabus and revision as per the decided plan

IAS Score: Did you integrate your Prelims or Mains preparation or was it separate in the changing scenario?

Sumant Sahay: yes

IAS Score: How did your prepare for essay.

Sumant Sahay: I took essay tests at GS Score.

Download Test Copy of Sumant Sahay (137 Marks in Essay)

IAS Score: What is your advice on notes-making for other aspirants?

Sumant Sahay: Notes should be crisp, concise and in your own language. It should be reduced to a size so that whole syllabus could be skimmed through in 2 days.

IAS Score: How did you manage your time during the preparation?

Sumant Sahay: By sticking to the decided schedule

IAS Score: What was your style (paragraph or point format)Of writing in the exam? How was it distinct from the general writing style? How did you develop this writing style?

Sumant Sahay: A combination of Paragraph and point format. Horses for the courses.

IAS Score: So much focus is being given to Test Series, both for Prelims and Mains, in your opinion how useful are they, in the course of a preparation process? Which Test Series did you join and how useful did you find it to be?

Sumant Sahay: The most important thing that a test series does is that it synchronizes your answer writing to 3 hour time frame and weed out obvious mistakes.

  1. Essay test series at GS Score
  2. GS test series at Vision IAS

IAS Score: Civil Services Exam process is quite strenuous. It requires long hours of constant study. How did you maintain your tempo and what did you do to break the monotony of preparation?

Sumant Sahay: Read novels, watch movies, go out for a vacation

IAS Score: Which sources you referred to prepare for Contemporary Issues.

Sumant Sahay: Newspaper and internet, Mrunal.org

IAS Score: Given the recent boom in online initiatives to support an aspirant, which were the platforms that you find useful enough during your course of preparation. Please list the sites.

Sumant Sahay:

Mrunal.org

Iasscore.in

IAS Score: What is your advice to the candidates who is still in the process of preparing for this examination?

Sumant Sahay: Stick to the schedule that you make, by schedule I don’t mean 8 hours a day or so. A time frame should be decided for a topic beforehand and try to finish it in that.

Sumant Sahay Mark sheet

Paper Year 2015
Prelims 123.67+167
Essay (Paper 1) 137
GS 1 (Paper 2) 99
GS 2 (Paper 3) 83
GS 3 (Paper 4) 93
GS 4 (Paper 5) 95
Optional 1 (Paper 6) 120
Optional 2 (Paper 7) 118
Written Total 745
Personality Test 187
Total Score 932

IAS Topper’s Interview 2015: Rakesh Kumar Minhas AIR 91

Name:    Rakesh Kumar Minhas
Rank in CSE 2015:   91
Optional Subject:  Medical Science

Education:

Class 10 percentage of marks:  93%
Class 12Percentage of marks:  85%
Graduation: College and marks:  65% Baba Farid Univ. of Health Science
Post graduation: College and marks Govt. Medical College (Patiala) MS (Surgery)

 

Marks in CSE 2015

Essay (Paper 1) 141
GS 1 (Paper 2) 81
GS 2 (Paper 3) 72
GS 3 (Paper 4) 101
GS 4 (Paper 5) 101
Optional 1 Medical Science (Paper 6) 124
Optional 2 (Paper 7) 133
Written Total 753
Personality Test 179
Total Score 932

IAS Score: What were the basic mantras of your success?

Rakesh Kumar Minhas : Consistent hard work, blessing of my elders.

IAS Score: What were your strategies for the lengthy syllabus of General Studies for both Prelims and Mains?

Rakesh Kumar Minhas : Stick to the syllabus, be analytical, smart study.

IAS Score: Did you integrate your Prelims or Mains preparation or was it separate in the changing scenario?

Rakesh Kumar Minhas :  Always integrate.

IAS Score: How did your prepare for essay.

Rakesh Kumar Minhas : Regular reading of yojna, kurukshetra + use of facts-figures.

IAS Score: Did you adopted any specific strategy for GS Paper 4?

Rakesh Kumar Minhas :  GS Score material is self sufficient. Write from your heart, follow your intuition. Write tests to develop your answer writing skill.

IAS Score: What were the sources of information for general reading? How did you come to know that which sources of reading materials are standard?

Rakesh Kumar Minhas :  Know the full syllabus, read relevant topics from newspaper & notes.

IAS Score: What is your advice on notes-making for other aspirants?

Rakesh Kumar Minhas :  Notes making helps revise faster. It should be done in point format.

IAS Score: How did you manage your time during the preparation?

Rakesh Kumar Minhas :  Study most of the day. 4-5 hrs on weekdays and 7-8 hrs on weekends. Test yourself regularly.

IAS Score: What was your style (paragraph or point format) of writing in the exam? How was it distinct from the general writing style? How did you develop this writing style?

Rakesh Kumar Minhas :  Point format. It helps the examiners read answer quicker.

IAS Score: So much focus is being given to Test Series, both for Prelims and Mains, in your opinion how useful are they, in the course of a preparation process? Which Test Series did you join and how useful did you find it to be?

Rakesh Kumar Minhas :  It helps in time management and helps increase the speed of yours thought process. I had joined  GS Score test series for mains.

IAS Score: Civil Services Exam process is quite strenuous. It requires long hours of constant study. How did you maintain your tempo and what did you do to break the monotony of preparation?

Rakesh Kumar Minhas :  Maintain your fitness and health. Take breaks.

IAS Score: The trend suggests that professionals or working people are more successful in this exam. Does this exam prove difficult for Humanities and Social Science background candidates?

Rakesh Kumar Minhas :  No, the syllabus is same for everyone. Anyone with the right approach can crack it.

IAS Score: Which sources you referred to prepare for Contemporary Issues.

Rakesh Kumar Minhas :  Newspaper and GS Score contemporary issues material.

IAS Score: Given the recent boom in online initiatives to support an aspirant, which were the platforms that you find useful enough during your course of preparation. Please list the sites.

www.bbc.com
www.mrunal.org
www.iasscore.in
www.forumias.com
rstv, lstv, youtube videos,

IAS Score: What is your advice to the candidates who is still in the process of preparing for this examination?

Rakesh Kumar Minhas :  Determination will get you to your goal.

Click Here to Download Topper’s Test Copy of CSE 2015

Click Here to Read blog on “Perception and Reality Related to Ethics paper” and watch a brief session on Ethics Case Study by Manoj K Jha

IAS Topper’s Interview: Jonnalagadda Snehaja Rank 103

Name Jonnalagadda Snehaja
Rank in CSE 2015 103
Total Attempts in CSE 4
Optional Subject Commerce and accountancy
Medium English

Education

Class 10 percentage of marks 86.3
 Class 12 Percentage of marks 93.8
Graduation: College and marks B.Com, IGNOU – 67.38
Post graduation: College and marks
Any other course CA

 

IAS Score: What were the basic mantras of your success?

Jonnalagadda Snehaja: Consistency, smart work and perseverance along with a tinge of luck

IAS Score: What were your strategies for the lengthy syllabus of General Studies for both Prelims and Mains?

Focused on learning the concepts and for prelims emphasis was on minute details whereas for mains it was building opinions based on the concepts studied.

IAS Score: Did you integrate your Prelims or Mains preparation or was it separate in the changing scenario?

Jonnalagadda Snehaja: Prelims and mains preparation was integrated.

IAS Score: GS Preparation for Prelims Summary

Jonnalagadda Snehaja: I followed the basic ncerts for both prelims and mains. Apart from them I referred the following:

Polity-Lakshmikanth

Envt- Shanker institutes book on envt

History- Ancient India – RS Sharma (NCERT)

Modern India – Bipin Chandra (NCERT)

Geog- NCERT of class XI and XII and Goh chang Leong

Economics- Eco survey and mrunal sir videos

Culture- Spectrum

Current affairs- the Hindu and vision compilations, civils prep.com, insights, GS Score PT Current Affairs compilation

For mains, I followed the same books and worked on more issue based analysis. I referred GS score summaries for mains and personality test.

GS Mains Preparation (Summary)

Apart from the above mentioned books:

Paper Study Material/Guidance Current Issues Source Answer Writing Practice
GS Paper 1 World history-Norman lowe

 

The Hindu, vision, insights, civils prep La excellence mentorship program in hyderabad
GS Paper 2 Aspire material The Hindu, vision, insights, civils prep La excellence mentorship program in hyderabad
GS Paper 3 Eco survey, Aspire material The Hindu, vision, insights, civils prep, gs score contemporary issues La excellence mentorship program in hyderabad
GS Paper 4 Lexicon, Subba Rao book for ethics La excellence mentorship program in hyderabad

IAS Score: Optional Subject Preparation (Summary)

Jonnalagadda Snehaja: For paper 1:

Accounts- ICAI study material

Audit- ICAI study material

FII- ICAI study material

FM- Rustagi

Tax-TN Manoharan book for ipcc students

Costing – ICAI study material

For paper 2: I followed rankers notes and supplemented them with current affairs related material.

OB/OT- Chabbra

HRM-VSP Rao

IAS Score: How did your prepare for essay.

Jonnalagadda Snehaja: There was no specific strategy for essay. I used to ensure that the essay had various dimensions such as constitutional, political, socio economic and historical perspectives included.

IAS Score: Did you adopted any specific strategy for GS Paper 4?

Jonnalagadda Snehaja: Preparation wise, I followed lexicon book for basic definitions and referred Subba Rao book for case studies. In the exam, I used to attempt case studies first. GS4 needs a free flow of thought and does not require bookish knowledge.

IAS Score: What were the sources of information for general reading? How did you come to know that which sources of reading materials are standard?

Jonnalagadda Snehaja: I followed the standard books and one newspaper every day. I tried to analyze questions based on the previous year question papers and tried to understand the nature of questions and the relevant material for the same.

IAS Score:  What is your advice on notes-making for other aspirants?

Jonnalagadda Snehaja: I was not good at making notes. I used to highlight points in the books itself. However the key is to summarize the information in such a manner that it helpful for a quick revision.

IAS Score: How did you manage your time during the preparation?

Jonnalagadda Snehaja: I used to make a schedule of topics to be covered for the month and then simplified it for weekly preparation. I used to ensure that I revised the topics the next day before I started a new topic. In a week, one day was reserved to finish revision of that particular weeks topic and any pending topics. There was always time for enjoyment also J

IAS Score: What was your style (paragraph or point format) of writing in the exam? How was it distinct from the general writing style? How did you develop this writing style?

Jonnalagadda Snehaja: In the previous attempt, I wrote in paragraph format and I realized it didn’t fetch me lot of marks in GS. This year, I changed the answer writing style to point format. I used  intro, points and conclusion. Tried to draw flowcharts where possible. Tried to underline the key terms.

IAS Score: So much focus is being given to Test Series, both for Prelims and Mains, in your opinion how useful are they, in the course of a preparation process? Which Test Series did you join and how useful did you find it to be?

Jonnalagadda Snehaja: I feel test series is important as it gives an idea about our preparation levels. For prelims it gives a lot of practice and also identifies the areas which we failed to cover while preparing. Regarding mains, it helps in time management and also identify whether we are able to write few points for every question asked. Definitely it’s not that these questions will come in the mains exam, however it is for our practice and for our benefit. I joined La Excellence test series for this year preparation.

IAS Score: Civil Services Exam process is quite strenuous. It requires long hours of constant study. How did you maintain your tempo and what did you do to break the monotony of preparation?

Jonnalagadda Snehaja: There was continuous encouragement and motivation from friends and family. This helped me maintain my tempo. Hanging out with friends, watching movies and talking to them did help me in taking a break J

IAS Score: Which sources you referred to prepare for  Contemporary Issues.

Jonnalagadda Snehaja: I referred GS score contemporary issues and vision compilations.

IAS Score: Given the recent boom in online initiatives to support an aspirant, which were the platforms that you find useful enough during your course of preparation. Please list the sites.

Jonnalagadda Snehaja:

Mrunal website

Civilsprep.com

Insightsonindia.com

IAS Score: What is your advice to the candidates who is still in the process of preparing for this examination?

Jonnalagadda Snehaja: Try to correct the mistakes and focus on basic books and materials. Be open to suggestions and feedback. Don’t lose hope and give it your best. There is an element of luck and hence be prepared for everything. Be prepared for the worst and hope for the best.

IAS Score: Your word for future aspirants

Jonnalagadda Snehaja: Don’t enter into this field thinking that ill just give one attempt or 2 attempts and then leave it. One needs to keep in mind before entering that it needs 3 years of your time. 1 year of preparation is a must. One might be able to crack it in the first attempt itself and one might take some more time. However at any cost, give your best and be prepared for the worst and hope for the best. Always introspect and have that self assessment. Avoid same mistakes in attempts and always try to improvise. Be ready to accept suggestions from seniors and teachers. Have a strong back up plan so that even if the UPSC journey is not successful there is something to fall back upon.

Jonnalagadda Snehaja Mark sheet

Paper Year 2015 Year 2014
Prelims 122 94
Essay (Paper 1) 124 154
GS 1 (Paper 2) 94 70
GS 2 (Paper 3) 66 85
GS 3 (Paper 4) 93 64
GS 4 (Paper 5) 99 112
Optional 1 (Paper 6) 124 89
Optional 2 (Paper 7) 123 142
Written Total 723 716
Personality Test 206 165
Total Score 929 881

IAS Topper’s Interview: Rank 145 Preeti Yadav, 146 Marks in Essay

Name Preeti Yadav
Rank in CSE 2015 145
Total Attempts in CSE 3
Optional Subject Public Administration
Medium English

 

Education

Class 10 percentage of marks 80.2
 Class 12Percentage of marks 74
Graduation: College and marks 77
Post graduation: College and marks N/A
Any other course N/A

IAS Score: What were the basic mantras of your success?

Preeti Yadav: Persistence and Revision

IAS Score: What were your strategies for the lengthy syllabus of General Studies for both Prelims and Mains?

Preeti Yadav:

→ Focus on syllabus.

→ Analysis of last year question papers

→ Solve as much mock paper as possible for prelims. It will cover all relevant topics.

IAS Score: Did you integrate your Prelims or Mains preparation or was it separate in the changing scenario?

Preeti Yadav: Yes integrated. In first attempt focus till prelims was on prelims pattern. But in this attempt I tried to cover GS syllabus in integrated manner. This can be done for whole syllabus except GS 4 and few selected portion of other papers.

GS Preparation for Prelims (Summary)

Study material / Guidance Took coaching in 2012 from Vajiram & Ravi. Mock Test of various institutes.
Basic Books NCERT for geography, economy history and few chapters of biology & chemistry.

Polity- Laxmikant

Environment- Shankar IAS

History- Bipin Chandra, Spectrum

Economic Survey, IYB

Current Affairs Newspaper: TheHindu, Indian Express

Magazine: Chronicle, Yojna, Kurukshetra, Vision IAS  (quite helpful)

Channel: RSTV, LSTV, AIR

Compilation: GS Score topic listing and compilation was very handy to cover all topics.

→ The focus during prelims preparation should be to cover the syllabus in its breadth.

→ A lot of energy can be better utilized if proper analysis of previous year questions is done. It gives clear picture as to what areas need more focus and effort.

→ Try to solve as many tests as possible and learn from mistakes. Try different methods while taking test and decide best suited one for the final day.

 

GS Mains Preparation (Summary)

Paper Study Material/Guidance Current Issues Source Answer Writing Practice
GS Paper 1 NCERT + Bipin Chandra + Spectrum + CCRT Contemporary Issues Classes at GS Score + Newspapers + Magazines + RSTV/LSTV Test Series at GS Score
GS Paper 2 Laxmikant + GS Score Material Test Series at GS Score
GS Paper 3 NCERT + Ramesh Singh + Sriram IAS Notes Test Series at GS Score
GS Paper 4 Lexicon + ARC Test Series at GS Score

 

Optional Subject Preparation  (Summary)

Study material / Guidance Class Notes of GS Score. Crash course by Ashutosh Pandey Sir at GS Score. ARC Reports
Basic Books Paper 1: Sharma & Sadana, Prasad & Prasad, few topics form Fadea & Fadea

Paper 2: Arora & Goyal

Current Affairs Extract selected news from newspaper, polity section of magazine, google the topics.
Answer Writing Answer writing is very necessary. Join any good test series and learn from mistakes pointed. I joined GS Score and Lukman Test Series.
Any other Make a small notebook to write any trivial mistakes, current affairs etc and revise it daily. 4 Days Marks Augmentation Class by Ashutosh Pandey sir helped me a lot in increasing my marks in Pub Ad this year which I was lacking in previous years.

IAS Score: How did your prepare for essay.

Preeti Yadav: Vas reading for gs paper helped me. Yojna and books by Amartya Sen

Strictly followed  correction and suggestion by Manoj K Jha sir in GS Score Test Series.

IAS Score: Did you adopt any specific strategy for GS Paper 4?

Preeti Yadav: Tried to incorporate real life examples and to analyse case studies in the light of practicality as well as rational thinking.

IAS Score: What were the sources of information for general reading? How did you come to know that which sources of reading materials are standard?

Preeti Yadav:

→ Internet: there are various blogs and website which can help.

→ Coaching

→ Fellow aspirants

→ Focus should be on government publications, standard books, NCERT and notes of successful candidates.

→ Do confirm from at least 2-3 sources before including new source in your preparation so that wrong decisions and wastage of time and effort can be avoided.

IAS Score:  What is your advice on notes-making for other aspirants?

Preeti Yadav: As GS is quite vast it is not advisable to make notes for each and every topic, better is to make notes of selective topics which need revision many times. Notes of current affairs is necessary. Use mind maps.

IAS Score: How did you manage your time during the preparation?

Preeti Yadav:

→ By setting targets for the day.

→ Make some time table and try to stick to it.

→ Take some time for relaxation too i.e. by watching motivational video or hobbies.

IAS Score: What was your style (paragraph or point format) of writing in the exam? How was it distinct from the general writing style? How did you develop this writing style?

Preeti Yadav:

→ Depending upon nature of question, both paragraph and point or mixed format can be used.

→ Focus should be to give apt answer while including multiple dimensions. Test series can help out here.

IAS Score: So much focus is being given to Test Series, both for Prelims and Mains, in your opinion how useful are they, in the course of a preparation process? Which Test Series did you join and how useful did you find it to be?

Preeti Yadav: The purpose of test series is to streamline the preparation by timely analysis and course correction. If followed regularly it can help a lot. I joined test series in GS Score, Synergy and Lukman IAS.

IAS Score: Civil Services Exam process is quite strenuous. It requires long hours of constant study. How did you maintain your tempo and what did you do to break the monotony of preparation?

Preeti Yadav:

→ First and foremost thing is to develop genuine interest in course ( GS, current affairs etc.) and try to learn not only for exam but take it as an opportunity to enhance your overall personality.

→ Have some good person (family members, friends etc.) who can share and boost your confidence when you are low.

→ Watch motivational videos on youtube.

IAS Score: The trend suggests that professionals or working people are more successful in this exam. Does this exam prove difficult for Humanities and Social Science background candidates?

Preeti Yadav: I don’t think any such generalization is true. This exam requires dedicated effort and patience. Whoever follows the basics his/her chances of success are equally good irrespective of background.

IAS Score: Which sources you referred to prepare for Contemporary Issues.

Preeti Yadav: I joined GS Score classes for contemporary issues. It covered all the relevant current affairs topics along with their comprehensive coverage very well for mains as well prelims.

IAS Score: Given the recent boom in online initiatives to support an aspirant, which were the platforms that you find useful enough during your course of preparation. Please list the sites.

Preeti Yadav:

Mrunal

forumias

Iasscore

Insightofindia

→ PIB

→ RSTV

IAS Score: What is your advice to the candidates who is still in the process of preparing for this examination?

Preeti Yadav: Have faith in your abilities and give your best. Never loose hope, as hard work with persistence always pay off. There will be hurdles but focus on what you want to get, nothing else.

IAS Score: Your word for future aspirants

Preeti Yadav: Do your best, help others and get help from others. Inculcate those qualities which are expected from a future IAS officer will really help you during preparation esp. interview.

All the best…

Preeti Yadav Mark sheet

Paper Year 2015 Year 2014 Year 2013
Prelims 128.66 + 121.66
Essay (Paper 1) 146 118 123
GS 1 (Paper 2) 99 87 53
GS 2 (Paper 3) 89 82 58
GS 3 (Paper 4) 102 65 88
GS 4 (Paper 5) 87 96 80
Optional 1 (Paper 6) 104 92 96
Optional 2 (Paper 7) 104 55 65
Written Total 731 595 563
Personality Test 187 124
Total Score 918 687

Click Here to Download Topper’s Test Copy of CSE 2015

Note: We have uploaded video of  4 Days Marks Augmentation Class by Ashutosh Pandey sir on our youtube channel.
Click Here to watch those classes. It may help you.

IAS Toppers Interview: Asim Anwar Rank 149 with Management Optional

Name Asim Anwar
Rank in CSE 2015 149
Total Attempts in CSE 4
Optional Subject Management
Medium English

Education

Class 10 percentage of marks 83%
 Class 12Percentage of marks 85%
Graduation: College and marks B.E. (Computer Sc) from PES Institute of Technology, Bangalore. Marks: 73%
Post graduation: College and marks PGDM from IIM Calcutta (CGPA: 6.5/9.0)
Work experience Worked as an investment banker for six years prior to writing UPSC

 

IAS Score: What were the basic mantras of your success?

Asim Anwar: Proper planning, perseverance and most importantly, enjoying the preparation journey without too much of stress or worry about outcome.

IAS Score: What were your strategies for the lengthy syllabus of General Studies for both Prelims and Mains?

Asim Anwar:

  • Complete the entire GS mains syllabus (including GS4 concepts), at least a month before prelims. This will ensure that you will focus on writing practice and not waste time trying to research new stuff just a month or two before mains.
  • For prelims, try an extensive approach to study material. Since questions can come from anywhere, you never know which book may help you answer a tricky question, especially from areas like ancient history and culture.

IAS Score: Did you integrate your Prelims or Mains preparation or was it separate in the changing scenario?

Asim Anwar: Integrated approach works best, especially when covering the topics common to both. If the static syllabus of prelims is well covered, then GS Mains becomes a question of just revision and updating the current affairs.

GS Preparation for Prelims (Summary)

Study material / Guidance
Basic Books NCERTs (mainly 11th and 12th) – for Geography, ancient history, Laxmikanth Polity, Bipin Chandra (Struggle for Independence), Economy by Ramesh Singh, Economic Survey
Current Affairs Newspapers: The Hindu, Mint (selective reading of editorials)

Monthly current affairs of Vision IAS

Compilation of GS Score

Any other Regular scanning of online sources: prsindia.org, insightsonindia.com, iasscore.in, mrunal.org

 

Optional Subject Preparation  (Summary)

As my optional was management, I mostly revised what I had already studied during MBA, with selective focus on few topics that are tested frequently as per previous year trends. Due to its wide coverage, it is not possible to start from scratch andread every standard book (listed below) on each topic cover to cover.

Study material / Guidance
Basic Books Standard books from my MBA studies for each topic: Robbins (OrganisationBehaviour), Kotler (Marketing), Brearley Myers (Finance), Levin & Ruben (Statistics), Porter (Strategy) etc.
Current Affairs For economic issues: same as GS 3. Some key corporate developments from business newspapers (eg. Mint) to supplement answers with current examples
Answer Writing Practiced writing a few answers for previous years questions
Any other Some select articles from Harvard Business Review

 

IAS Score: How did your prepare for essay.

Asim Anwar:

  • Having a good reading habit from the beginning covering diverse areas is the only long term strategy that works for essay.
  • A strong hold on current issues (political, governance related and economic) is the key to generating ideas for the essay. For thematic issues (eg. Education, rural development, healthcare, agriculture etc), last 12 months issues of Yojana magazine are a good source to find ideas in a single place).
  • Creating a coherent structure and flow of ideas during the essay is more important than raw content. For this, I would suggest practicing at least 4-5 essays from diverse topicsbefore the mains and getting it evaluated by peers.

 

IAS Score: Did you adopt any specific strategy for GS Paper 4?

Asim Anwar:

  • For the theoretical concepts, I glanced through a book by SubbaRao et al. This was only to developing an understanding and a vocabulary in the topics.
  • Used examples liberally: From personal experiences or from the lives of well known personalities
  • Apart from this, I practiced case studies from mock papers and tried to analyse them from multiple perspectives

 

Here, I should add that I am grateful to Late Sri SK Mishra sir (GS Score) from advising me on the approach to this paper on the occasions when I had an opportunity to meet him.

IAS Score: What were the sources of information for general reading? How did you come to know that which sources of reading materials are standard?

Asim Anwar: The basic books (mentioned earlier) need to be read multiple times for a hold on concepts. As an addition, one can read information online, or in magazines etc. As I did not attend classroom coaching, I relied heavily on standard books based on the advice of senior aspirants.

 

IAS Score:  What is your advice on notes-making for other aspirants?

Asim Anwar: One should make notes if he/she is in the habit of doing so. I did not make extensive notes from the books. I preferred underlining the key points for revision as I read them.

For current affairs, I made short 4-5 line summaries of the newspaper editorials (if relevant) for quick revision at a later date.

IAS Score: How did you manage your time during the preparation?

Asim Anwar: As I was working (or in training) most of the time, I did not have the luxury of long hours of preparation. I preferred breaking down the time available into small bits, of say 30 minute each, and focused on completing a concept or a section within that time.

No topic can be completely covered to one’s satisfaction. It is best to set a limit to the number of hours dedicated to each topic (depending on weightage), and move on to answer writing practice (for mains) at the earliest. There is no point in doing Phd level research on any topic for GS.

IAS Score: What was your style (paragraph or point format) of writing in the exam? How was it distinct from the general writing style? How did you develop this writing style?

Asim Anwar: I have always preferred writing in points. This way, you can clearly express your arguments especially on opinion oriented questions and makethe examiner’s job easier.

Most questions in GS papers consist of sub-parts. I focused on writing, say 2-3 points on each sub-part and then writing a small link paragraph to introduce my answer to the next sub-part. That way, the flow of the answer is maintained.

IAS Score: So much focus is being given to Test Series, both for Prelims and Mains, in your opinion how useful are they, in the course of a preparation process? Which Test Series did you join and how useful did you find it to be?

Asim Anwar: Test series are very important in my opinion, especially for mains. You hardly get 8-9 minutes per answer, so practicing answer writing in an exam environment will help identify if one is bringing out the ideas most effectively within the word and time limit.

I had subscribed to the GS Score and Vision IAS GS test series and found both quite useful.

IAS Score: Civil Services Exam process is quite strenuous. It requires long hours of constant study. How did you maintain your tempo and what did you do to break the monotony of preparation?

Asim Anwar:

  • I never treated the exam as an end in itself. It was a question of balancing preparation with regular work and family life. During preparation in my first two attempts, I worked as a banker (got 486th rank in CSE 2013). In my last attempt, I was in my IRS training during all three stages of the exam.
  • Never spend days focused on getting mastery over any single topic. Once you have covered a concept or two, move on to another subject (eg. optional) to break the monotony.
  • It is equally important, in my opinion, to develop an inquisitive mind by reading general books (that may not appear to be strictly as per ‘syllabus’), watch TV debates (which have more content and less decibel valueJ) and engage in discussions with other serious aspirants.

IAS Score: The trend suggests that professionals or working people are more successful in this exam. Does this exam prove difficult for Humanities and Social Science background candidates?

Asim Anwar: The exam provides an opportunity for people from all backgrounds to showcase their strengths. Students from humanities background have an edge in GS topics with a writing style more suited to subjective analysis (which students from science and engineering may lack). Similarly, working professionals may fall short on factual knowledge, but will make it up with clarity of thought and maturity that will be reflected in opinion oriented questions and in GS-4 case studies.

 

IAS Score: Which sources you referred to prepare for Contemporary Issues.

Asim Anwar: Apart from a daily reading of the Hindu, a few supplementary sources for contemporary issues were: PRS India monthly policy review (available on prsindia.org), Vision IAS current affairs monthly compilation and also write-ups on GS Score website.

IAS Score: Given the recent boom in online initiatives to support an aspirant, which were the platforms that you find useful enough during your course of preparation. Please list the sites.

Asim Anwar: Many sites have useful information and articles from successful candidates etc. It is not possible for a candidate to cover all of them in detail. I personally referred to the following, at various points of time during my preparation period:

 

 

IAS Score: What is your advice to the candidates who is still in the process of preparing for this examination?

Asim Anwar:

  • Never say die: I knew that once I have prepared satisfactorily, getting a decent rank was just a matter of time. It may just take one or two extra attempts for everything to fall in place.
  • Enjoy the journey: If not, you can never sustain yourself in this marathon. Dedicate some time to pursue hobbies etc, which will help you at the interview stage.

 

IAS Score: Your word for future aspirants

Asim Anwar: Be clear of the reasons for entering this race, and the overall success probability. Out of the nearly ten lakh candidates who apply every year, less than 300 candidates can be considered successful in terms of getting the top service of their choice. So be prepared for the long haul. In case you don’t get what you desired, take it as a positive learning experience and move on. After all, luck plays a huge role in the final outcome.

Asim Anwar Mark sheet

Paper Year 2015 Year 2013
Prelims GS: 125;
CSAT: 191
GS: 84;
CSAT: 172
Essay (Paper 1) 128 98
GS 1 (Paper 2) 90 58
GS 2 (Paper 3) 65 68
GS 3 (Paper 4) 88 78
GS 4 (Paper 5) 97 105
Optional 1 (Paper 6) 130 82
Optional 2 (Paper 7) 111 94
Written Total 709 583
Personality Test 209 206
Total Score 918 789

 

IAS Topper’s Interview: Dr.Ravindra Goswami Rank 152

Name Dr.Ravindra Goswami
Rank in CSE 2015 152
Total Attempts in CSE 2
Optional Subject Medical science
Medium English

 

Education

Class 10 percentage of marks 84
 Class 12 Percentage of marks 84
Graduation: College and marks MBBS,65%
Post graduation: College and marks
Any other course

IAS Score: What were the basic mantras of your success?

Dr.Ravindra Goswami: Hard work and smart work to have an edge over the syllabus.

IAS Score: What were your strategies for the lengthy syllabus of General Studies for both Prelims and Mains?

Dr.Ravindra Goswami: For prelims I solved 10000 questions ,3 times before prelims along with NCERT and The Hindu.

For mains, writing maximum number of answers and essays before mains.I wrote almost 30 essays between pre and mains.

For this I took help of GSSCORE online test series for essay and paper 4,along with daily practice of Insightsecure questions.

IAS Score: Did you integrate your Prelims or Mains preparation or was it separate in the changing scenario?

Dr.Ravindra Goswami: It was integrated fully from beginning.

GS Preparation for Prelims (Summary)

Study material / Guidance Mrunal for economy and Geography,Insightsonindia test series
Basic Books NCERT,Laxmikant for polity
Current Affairs The Hindu, Mrunal, Insightsonindia, GS Score Compilation

 

GS Mains Preparation (Summary)

Paper Study Material/Guidance Current Issues Source Answer Writing Practice
GS Paper 1 Internet, Mrunal, insightsonindia, nitin singhania notes for art and culture The hindu, mrunal, insights insightsecure
GS Paper 2 Internet, laxmikant The hindu insightsecure
GS Paper 3 Mrunal, insights The hindu insightsecure
GS Paper 4 Subbarao, GSSCORE material The hindu GSSCORE online test series, insightsecure

IAS Score: How did your prepare for essay.

Dr.Ravindra Goswami: Wrote 30 essays between pre and mains.

Maintained separate register for quotes and event tracking.

Took guidance from GSSCORE online test series and Manoj Jha sir provided necessary critical analysis.

IAS Score: Did you adopted any specific strategy for GS Paper 4?

Dr.Ravindra Goswami: In Last attempt I failed miserably when I got 84 when average was 100, so I decided to take this paper more seriously.

Firstly I started taking daily notes from The Hindu about ethical aspects involved in day to day news, I also joined online test series from GSSCORE and wrote regular test at home but in time bound manner, Here I am really thank full to Manoj Jha sir as his reviews initially seemed bitter to me but ultimately he provided honest feedbacks which I was lacking in my answers. His mantra to make answers close to reality was my mantra for this whole paper.

IAS Score: What were the sources of information for general reading? How did you come to know that which sources of reading materials are standard?

Dr.Ravindra Goswami: Internet and toppers interviews

IAS Score:  What is your advice on notes-making for other aspirants?

Dr.Ravindra Goswami: It is highly individualistic and do the cost benefit analysis by yourself to take the right strategy for you.

IAS Score: How did you manage your time during the preparation?

Dr.Ravindra Goswami: Time management was key to me as I was a working Doctor, I used to give myself target before going to sleep and used to try to stick to them in next day.

IAS Score: What was your style (paragraph or point format) Of writing in the exam? How was it distinct from the general writing style? How did you develop this writing style?

Dr.Ravindra Goswami: It was mix of both, the idea is to communicate well, I used a lot of diagrams in optional and GS1.

Also introduction and conclusion were essential part of my answers.

IAS Score: So much focus is being given to Test Series, both for Prelims and Mains, in your opinion how useful are they, in the course of a preparation process? Which Test Series did you join and how useful did you find it to be?

Dr.Ravindra Goswami: Yes they are useful to give you a real feel of exam and time management is what they tell us the most.

For pre  I joined Insights test series.

For mains I took online test series at GSSCORE (GS4 and ESSAY) and VISIONIAS (ESSAY)

IAS Score: Civil Services Exam process is quite strenuous. It requires long hours of constant study. How did you maintain your tempo and what did you do to break the monotony of preparation?

Dr.Ravindra Goswami: Constant boosting of self by talking to family members.

Usually I didn’t study on Sundays,

IAS Score: The trend suggests that professionals or working people are more successful in this exam. Does this exam prove difficult for Humanities and Social Science background candidates?

Dr.Ravindra Goswami: No I think that everybody has to pass through same level of competition. And one has to master over humanities also to get decent score.

IAS Score: Which sources you referred to prepare for Contemporary Issues.

Dr.Ravindra Goswami: The Hindu.

IAS Score: Given the recent boom in online initiatives to support an aspirant, which were the platforms that you find useful enough during your course of preparation. Please list the sites.

Dr.Ravindra Goswami:

Mrunal

Insightsonindia

IAS Score

IAS Score: What is your advice to the candidates who is still in the process of preparing for this examination?

Dr.Ravindra Goswami: Work Hard and take the failure as an opportunity to improve yourself.

 IAS Score: Your word for future aspirants

“Believe in yourself ,then only you can claim belief of UPSC”

Dr.Ravindra Goswami Mark sheet

Paper Year 2015 Year 2014
Prelims 275 270
Essay (Paper 1) 126 116
GS 1 (Paper 2) 107 91
GS 2 (Paper 3) 68 72
GS 3 (Paper 4) 95 58
GS 4 (Paper 5) 100 82
Optional 1 (Paper 6) 137 137
Optional 2 (Paper 7) 136 121
Written Total 769 677
Personality Test 149 160
Total Score 918 837

 

IAS Toppers Interview: RISHAV KUMAR JHA Rank 162

Name RISHAV KUMAR JHA
Rank in CSE 2015 162
Total Attempts in CSE 2
Optional Subject MAITHILI
Medium ENGLISH

Education

Class 10 percentage of marks 98
 Class 12 Percentage of marks 78
Graduation: College and marks NIT SURATHKAL (6.7 CGPA)
Post graduation: College and marks NA
Any other course NA

 

IAS Score: What were the basic mantras of your success?

RISHAV KUMAR JHA: Hard work and smart work. Besides, consistency and faith in oneself is also important. You have to believe that if someone can do it, you can do it as well.

IAS Score: What were your strategies for the lengthy syllabus of General Studies for both Prelims and Mains?

RISHAV KUMAR JHA: I first started with the basics, viz. Laxmikanth, Ramesh Singh etc. Then, I completed my optional and side-by-side tried finishing the GS syllabus for mains. This way my preparation was streamlined and I never felt any burden. I would make short term goals of 15 days and execute my plans accordingly. The hugeness of GS syllabus will be felt only if the preparation is haphazard and piece-meal. One should always keep the prelims and mains schedule in mind and prepare accordingly.

IAS Score: Did you integrate your Prelims or Mains preparation or was it separate in the changing scenario?

RISHAV KUMAR JHA: Most of the base which needs to be covered for mains forms the core syllabus for prelims. So, I started with basics, then moved on to mains preparation and then before prelims, devoted around a month exclusively for it. So, the preparation was integrated but organized according to the schedule of the two exams.

GS Preparation for Prelims (Summary)

Study material / Guidance Self-study
Basic Books Laxmikanth, NCERTs, Ramesh Singh, Shankar for environment.
Current Affairs Hindu, GK Today, Vision monthly booklets

GS Mains Preparation (Summary)

Paper Study Material/Guidance Current Issues Source Answer Writing Practice
GS Paper 1 Self-study mostly from books No current issues in this paper Vision test series and self-practice at home
GS Paper 2 Mostly from internet and booklets Hindu, Yojana, Mrunal, PRS, Insights Same
GS Paper 3 Mostly from internet and books Same along with Economic survey Same
GS Paper 4 GS Score S K Mishra sir notes Current issues already covered in papers 2 and 3 Same

Optional Subject Preparation  (Summary)

Study material / Guidance Surendra Raut sir (Prabodhan IAS)
Basic Books Syllabus books
Current Affairs No current affairs in this optional
Answer Writing At coaching and at home
Any other

IAS Score: How did your prepare for essay.

RISHAV KUMAR JHA: I firstly went through the strategies of toppers, viz. multi-dimensionality, flow between paragraphs, catchy introduction and conclusion etc. Then I mugged up some quotes by inspirational figures like Gandhiji, Swami Vivekananda etc. Then I wrote down a few essays at home and tried to get them cross-checked by a third person. During mains, I tried to finish the first essay within 1.5 hours and do justice to both the essays.

IAS Score: Did you adopt any specific strategy for GS Paper 4?

RISHAV KUMAR JHA: I firstly joined the classes at GS Score by S K Mishra sir and tried to imbibe the strategies laid out by him. Unfortunately, h fell ill and couldn’t continue with the classes. But, I continued with his strategies, viz. preparing for case studies along with the preparations for the questions in this paper. His overall talisman for this paper was to make our views legal, rational and ethical. I followed this path quite sincerely.

 

IAS Score: What were the sources of information for general reading? How did you come to know that which sources of reading materials are standard?

RISHAV KUMAR JHA: I went through the strategies of numerous toppers and followed the trial-and-error method to find out what suited me most.

 

IAS Score:  What is your advice on notes-making for other aspirants?

RISHAV KUMAR JHA: Notes-making is absolutely important. One, it helps one to save time and effort while revising during exams. Two, it helps one to develop answer-writing skills of one’s own. I made hand-written notes from weight-losing sources like Hindu, Yojana, random internet articles etc. But I would never make notes out of books which need to be read cover-to-cover like Laxmikanth. I personally think it is a wastage of time and effort.

 

IAS Score: How did you manage your time during the preparation?

RISHAV KUMAR JHA: I would plan my studies for the next 15 days and execute them efficiently. So when my target would seem to be in reach, I would take a break and not exert any undue pressure on myself. My typical day would start at 11 in the morning and go up to 4-5 in the morning. There was no strict schedule but I would not waste much time. I would rather sleep or watch a good movie when bored.

 

IAS Score: What was your style (paragraph or point format) Of writing in the exam? How was it distinct from the general writing style? How did you develop this writing style?

RISHAV KUMAR JHA: This is a sticky issue. Usually, body should be written in points and intro-conclusion in paragraphs. But there are questions where we can’t just write in points. Directives are very important to follow. They make differences to make or break your selection.  I developed this style with continuous practice and self-correction.

 

IAS Score: So much focus is being given to Test Series, both for Prelims and Mains, in your opinion how useful are they, in the course of a preparation process? Which Test Series did you join and how useful did you find it to be?

RISHAV KUMAR JHA: Test series is not important for prelims as there is no issue of answer-writing and the number of probable questions is infinite. For mains, I joined Vision. One of my friends had joined GS Score and I would write answers from his papers at home only. I sincerely found these test series as extremely beneficial as there were a lot of questions in mains which had already been asked here and also because practicing answer-writing helped me to develop my own tempo and style.

 

IAS Score: Civil Services Exam process is quite strenuous. It requires long hours of constant study. How did you maintain your tempo and what did you do to break the monotony of preparation?

RISHAV KUMAR JHA: I maintained my tempo through efficient planning and even better execution (at least that is what I tried). I would watch good movies or listen to music to break my monotony. There were days when I wouldn’t feel like studying at all. I would just sleep off or do anything other than studying on those days.

IAS Score: The trend suggests that professionals or working people are more successful in this exam. Does this exam prove difficult for Humanities and Social Science background candidates?

RISHAV KUMAR JHA: I have been completely unemployed since my graduation in 2014, so I have broken the first myth. As I am not a humanities student, I cannot comment on the second part. However, I feel that this exam should, in fact, be difficult for non-humanities people given the syllabus of the exam and the kind of preparation required.

IAS Score: Which sources you referred to prepare for Contemporary Issues.

RISHAV KUMAR JHA: The Hindu, Yojana, PRS, Iasscore free downloads, GK Today, Mrunal, Insights, LSTV and RSTV

IAS Score: Given the recent boom in online initiatives to support an aspirant, which were the platforms that you find useful enough during your course of preparation. Please list the sites.

Mrunal.org

http://iasscore.in/downloads-content.php,

http://www.prsindia.org/,

lstv website,

rstv website,

insighofindia

IAS Score: What is your advice to the candidates who is still in the process of preparing for this examination?

RISHAV KUMAR JHA: Don’t lose heart. The more perseverance you show, the more sweeter your success will taste.

IAS Score: Your word for future aspirants

RISHAV KUMAR JHA: Enjoy the process. The things you learn during this phase will change you as a human being. Competition is tough and seats are limited. So, no matter you fail or succeed, you will always remember this phase. Life gives us many chances, we have to grab just one.

 

RISHAV KUMAR JHA Mark sheet

Paper Marks
Prelims 148 (GS)
Essay (Paper 1) 135
GS 1 (Paper 2) 102
GS 2 (Paper 3) 84
GS 3 (Paper 4) 113
GS 4 (Paper 5) 76
Optional 1 (Paper 6) 122
Optional 2 (Paper 7) 119
Written Total 751
Personality Test 165
Total Score 916

IAS Toppers Interview: Vakul Jindal Rank 174

Name Vakul Jindal
Rank in CSE 2015 174
Total Attempts in CSE 3
Optional Subject Physics
Medium English

 

Education

Class 10 percentage of marks 95
 Class 12Percentage of marks 90.6
Graduation: College and marks B.Tech.(Computer Science)(IIT Delhi)

CGPA-9.12/10

Post graduation: College and marks N.A.
Any other course

 

IAS Score: What were the basic mantras of your success?

Vakul Jindal: Civil services is an exam which requires hard work and patience above everything else. It is a process which teaches a person many things. I enjoyed the process because it gives you an opportunity to learn so many things which you otherwise won’t and which make you a better person.

 

IAS Score: What were your strategies for the lengthy syllabus of General Studies for both Prelims and Mains?

Vakul Jindal: I didn’t do any special preparation for Prelims. I think the preparation for Mains takes care of Prelims. There are some topics like Polity and History which form a large part of GS paper in Prelims in which there are many things like dates, article nos., amendments etc. which can be revised in the last few weeks before prelims which can increase your score.

For mains, it is very important to focus on the optional, and particularly in science optional (physics in my case) because the syllabus is too lengthy. In my opinion, the return on efforts is much more in optional than GS.

Of course, one has to cover the syllabus of GS but one needs to know the amount of time needed to be devoted to every topic. Because time is always limited and you have to cover everything reasonably well. The time to be devoted to each topic depends on the individual and I can’t prescribe any fixed formulae.

Paper 1 has the most lengthy syllabus, so it has to be given more time for static part. For paper 2 and 3, once I covered the basics, the newspapers kept me updated. Most of the questions in paper 2 and 3 are related to current affairs and are analysis based, newspapers were the most important for them.

Paper 4 can give very good returns for your efforts, so it is advisable to give sufficient attention to this paper.

 

IAS Score: Did you integrate your Prelims or Mains preparation or was it separate in the changing scenario?

Vakul Jindal: I didn’t do any separate preparation for Prelims, so it was integrated in my case.

 

GS Mains Preparation (Summary)

Paper Study Material/Guidance Current Issues Source Answer Writing Practice
GS Paper 1 NCERT, Bipin Chandra, Vajiram notes, Synergy and Vision Test Series
GS Paper 2 Laxmikant, Newspaper, Notes of Vision and Vajiram
GS Paper 3 Newspaper, NCERT, Notes of Vajiram
GS Paper 4 Ethics Online Class at GS Score GS Score Ethics Test Series

 

IAS Score: How did your prepare for essay.

Vakul Jindal: There is no separate preparation required for essay in terms of content. But I joined GS Score essay test series for Essay which helped me a lot in terms of writing style and presentation. Manoj Jha sir has been a big help in my preparation.

 

IAS Score: Did you adopt any specific strategy for GS Paper 4?

Vakul Jindal: I think doing answer writing and case studies is the best strategy for paper 4

 

IAS Score: What were the sources of information for general reading? How did you come to know that which sources of reading materials are standard?

Vakul Jindal: I got to know the standard sources from the successful aspirants, seniors and people preparing for the exam.

 

IAS Score:  What is your advice on notes-making for other aspirants?

Vakul Jindal: Every person has their own way of studying. I didn’t make notes as I personally don’t find them very helpful. It is a personal choice.

 

IAS Score: How did you manage your time during the preparation?

Vakul Jindal: I was preparing full time for the Mains as I hadn’t joined IRPS till mains in which I got selected last year. But I made sure that I find some time for some exercise and relaxation always.

 

IAS Score: What was your style (paragraph or point format) Of writing in the exam? How was it distinct from the general writing style? How did you develop this writing style?

Vakul Jindal: I wrote in a mix of paragraphs and points. I developed this style keeping in mind the advice of successful aspirants and teachers and the need to communicate in a limited space and time.

 

IAS Score: So much focus is being given to Test Series, both for Prelims and Mains, in your opinion how useful are they, in the course of a preparation process? Which Test Series did you join and how useful did you find it to be?

Vakul Jindal: I think the Test Series are very important in the process as they help you in developing the ability to express your knowledge and ideas in the given space and time. I joined vision and synergy test series for GS. GS Score’s test series for ethics and essay.

 

IAS Score: Civil Services Exam process is quite strenuous. It requires long hours of constant study. How did you maintain your tempo and what did you do to break the monotony of preparation?

Vakul Jindal: It is very important to maintain your motivation and drive in the process. It was the prospect of making a difference in the lives of people and the fact that I had left a very lucrative career in Computer Science that kept me going.

I usually broke the monotony by going out, watching movies etc.

 

IAS Score: The trend suggests that professionals or working people are more successful in this exam. Does this exam prove difficult for Humanities and Social Science background candidates?

Vakul Jindal: This exam is not difficult for Humanities and Social Science students and there are many examples of successful candidates from these fields.

 

IAS Score: Which sources you referred to prepare for Contemporary Issues.

Vakul Jindal: Newspapers were the main source to prepare for contemporary and current issues.

 

IAS Score: Given the recent boom in online initiatives to support an aspirant, which were the platforms that you find useful enough during your course of preparation. Please list the sites.

Vakul Jindal: I occasionally referred to mrunal.org and insightsonindia.com

 

IAS Score: What is your advice to the candidates who is still in the process of preparing for this examination?

Vakul Jindal: I would advise them to work hard and give it their best. Try to be calm and patient. This exam is not the end of the world. There are many other opportunities in life which come in a person’s life. Being calm will only enhance their performance.

 

Vakul Jindal Mark sheet

Paper Year 2015
Prelims 158.66, 186.51
Essay (Paper 1)  121
GS 1 (Paper 2)  88
GS 2 (Paper 3)  76
GS 3 (Paper 4)  94
GS 4 (Paper 5)  71
Optional 1 (Paper 6)    137
Optional 2 (Paper 7)    131
Written Total   718
Personality Test   195
Total Score   913

Click Here to download test copy of Vakul Jindal

IAS Topper’s Interview: Rank 548 Ashish kumar senapati, 109 Marks in Ethics

Name Ashish kumar senapati
Rank in CSE 2015 548
Total Attempts in CSE 2
Optional Subject Public administration
Medium English

 

Education

Class 10 percentage of marks 84.4%
 Class 12 Percentage of marks 72%
Graduation: College and marks B. tech (8.5 cgpa)
Post graduation: College and marks N/A
Any other course N/A

IAS Score: What were the basic mantras of your success?

Ashish kumar senapati: Strong determination towards the goal and staying happy so as to take huge burden effectively.

IAS Score: What were your strategies for the lengthy syllabus of General Studies for both Prelims and Mains?

Ashish kumar senapati: Integrated study for both pre & mains conceptual clarity about the subjects from NCERTS & practicing questions for both pre and mains.

IAS Score: Did you integrate your Prelims or Mains preparation or was it separate in the changing scenario?

Ashish kumar senapati: It was integrated though pre requires more conceptual clarity & main requires comprehensiveness & analytical ability.

GS Preparation for Prelims (Summary)

Study material / Guidance Vajiram & ravi , GS SCORE , lukmaan for optional.
Basic Books NCERT , Laxmikant , gcleong.
Current Affairs Vision ias, gs score compilation, news paper

GS Mains Preparation (Summary)

Paper Study Material/Guidance Current Issues Source Answer Writing Practice
GS Paper 1 Ncert , spectrum , normas lowe Gs score Gs score
GS Paper 2 Optional paper- 2 , gs score Gs score , vision ias Gs score
GS Paper 3 Eco. Survey, tmh Gs score, vision ias Gs score
GS Paper 4 Lexicon, gs score

 

Gs score Gs score

Optional Subject Preparation  (Summary)

Study material / Guidance Vajiraam & ravi coaching for pub add
Basic Books m. bhattacharya, fadia &fadia, goyal & arora , arc
Current Affairs News paper , vision ias gs score
Answer Writing Lukmaan test series
Any other

IAS Score: How did your prepare for essay.

Ashish kumar senapati: Writing practice for essay at gs score.

IAS Score: Did you adopted any specific strategy for GS Paper 4?

Ashish kumar senapati: Done test series at GS Score.

IAS Score:  What is your advice on notes-making for other aspirants?

Ashish kumar senapati: It should be concise as it will help for quick revision before the main exam.

IAS Score: How did you manage your time during the preparation?

Ashish kumar senapati: Equal division of the time for gs and optional .

IAS Score: What was your style (paragraph or point format) Of writing in the exam? How was it distinct from the general writing style? How did you develop this writing style?

Ashish kumar senapati: It was a combination of both paragraph & point according to the demand of the question . after joining test series I analyzed the demands of question & developed the skill .

IAS Score: So much focus is being given to Test Series, both for Prelims and Mains, in your opinion how useful are they, in the course of a preparation process? Which Test Series did you join and how useful did you find it to be?

Ashish kumar senapati: Its very useful as it compels students to study & perform well. It also makes revision. I joined gs score test series for gs, ethics and essay.

IAS Score: Civil Services Exam process is quite strenuous. It requires long hours of constant study. How did you maintain your tempo and what did you do to break the monotony of preparation?

Ashish kumar senapati: Watching movies , listing songs talking with friends.

IAS Score: The trend suggests that professionals or working people are more successful in this exam. Does this exam prove difficult for Humanities and Social Science background candidates?

Ashish kumar senapati: This is an equal platform for everyone. But to get success one needs to be focused & determined he/ she should enjoy the process of hard work.

IAS Score: Which sources you referred to prepare for  Contemporary Issues.

Ashish kumar senapati: Gs score material , vision ias & news paper.  insightonIndia is also a good source.

IAS Score: Given the recent boom in online initiatives to support an aspirant, which were the platforms that you find useful enough during your course of preparation. Please list the sites.

Ashish kumar senapati:

Mrunal

Iasscore.in

insightonIndia

PRS India .

IAS Score: What is your advice to the candidates who is still in the process of preparing for this examination?

Ashish kumar senapati: Stay focused be determined , take the challenge &enjoy the process.

Ashish kumar senapati Mark sheet

Paper Marks
Prelims 120
 Essay (Paper 1) 137
GS 1 (Paper 2) 89
GS 2 (Paper 3) 72
GS 3 (Paper 4) 99
GS 4 (Paper 5) 109
Optional 1 (Paper 6) 105
Optional 2 (Paper 7) 125
Written Total 736
Personality Test 143
Total Score 879

 

Download Ethics, Essay and GS Test Copy of Ashish kumar senapati

 

IAS Toppers Interview: Ananya Sinha Rank 259, First Attempt

Name Ananya Sinha
Rank in CSE 2015 259
Total Attempts in CSE 1
Optional Subject Law
Medium English

 

Education

Class 10 percentage of marks 94%
 Class 12Percentage of marks 96.75%
Graduation: College and marks 64.7% Shri Ram College of Commerse
Post graduation: College and marks 61% Faculty of Law, University of Delhi
Any other course N/A

 

IAS Score: What were the basic mantras of your success?

Ananya Sinha: Success is getting what you aim for… I haven’t achieved my aim so far. However, as far as cracking this examination goes, I feel that there is no substitute for consistent hard work with a focused approach.

 

IAS Score: What were your strategies for the lengthy syllabus of General Studies for both Prelims and Mains?

Ananya Sinha: Prelims: Practiced as much MCQs and test paper as possible because more or less, every candidate has the same sources of study.

Mains: I don’t know about strategy but I know where I lacked. I lacked answer writing practice in Mains.

 

IAS Score: Did you integrate your Prelims or Mains preparation or was it separate in the changing scenario?

Ananya Sinha: My preparation for prelims and mains portion of the examination was integrated and I linked it particularly with newspaper and daily govt. reports.

 

GS Preparation for Prelims (Summary)

Study material / Guidance
Basic Books Laxmikant, economic survey, budget, ncert for history and geography, XII bio, Shankar ias for environment.
Current Affairs Hindu, Indian express and any good monthly magazine. GS Score Prelims current affairs classes and material was very helpful for me at last time of my PT preparation.

GS Mains Preparation (Summary)

Paper Study Material/Guidance Current Issues Source Answer Writing Practice
GS Paper 1 NCERT, Bipin Chandra The Hindu Biggest loophole and mistake of my preparation
GS Paper 2 Laxmikant for Polity, Governance ARC The Hindu Do
GS Paper 3 Summary reports, Datt & Sundaram + TMG on security issues+ ARC on disaster management The Hindu Do
GS Paper 4 Various thinkers + few case studies + Michael sandel videos on youtube Do

 

Optional Subject Law Preparation  (Summary)

Study material / Guidance
Basic Books Law – Stake + S. K. Mishra, Pillai (crime), Bangia, Avatar Singh (conhacts), M. P. Jain

 

IAS Score: How did your prepare for essay.

Ananya Sinha: No preparation. I worked mostly with material that I had acquired during my mains exam preparation. Again a mistake.

 

IAS Score: Did you adopted any specific strategy for GS Paper 4?

Ananya Sinha: I can’t comment on any strategy for paper 4 as I scored 72/100 –  one of the lowest.

 

IAS Score: What were the sources of information for general reading? How did you come to know that which sources of reading materials are standard?

Ananya Sinha: In my opinion summaries of government reports are the most reliable sources for facts and figures. We have to focus on issues that are current and link them with our preparation. All the other reading material is fairly common to almost all aspirants.

 

IAS Score:  What is your advice on notes-making for other aspirants?

Ananya Sinha: No advice as I never made notes.

 

IAS Score: How did you manage your time during the preparation?

Ananya Sinha: Time management was one of my strengths in this preparation as I completed law in June 2015 and wrote the examination in Aug – Dec 2015. Focus on few key sources and do them multiple times. Utilize every moment effectively.

 

IAS Score: What was your style (paragraph or point format) of writing in the exam? How was it distinct from the general writing style? How did you develop this writing style?

Ananya Sinha: If you get bored then watch videos or solve papers.

Again – Can’t comment on writing style as I didn’t writhe any answers.

 

IAS Score: So much focus is being given to Test Series, both for Prelims and Mains, in your opinion how useful are they, in the course of a preparation process? Which Test Series did you join and how useful did you find it to be?

Ananya Sinha: Test series are absolute must for this examination now as they help develop precision and pithy answer writing. I didn’t join any for mains. For prelims I did gs score and vision ias test series.

 

IAS Score: Civil Services Exam process is quite strenuous. It requires long hours of constant study. How did you maintain your tempo and what did you do to break the monotony of preparation?

Ananya Sinha: All work and no play makes jenny a dull girl. Always find time to do what you love. It maximizes your efficiency in the rest of the time.

 

IAS Score: The trend suggests that professionals or working people are more successful in this exam. Does this exam prove difficult for Humanities and Social Science background candidates?

Ananya Sinha: I am a humanities background student. I had humanities right from 11th – 12th. In fact, I feel that subjects like history, political science, economics, etc. should be a cake all for students with humanities background. I took humanities in +2 because I aspired to write the civil services examination. Also most professional and working people take up subjects which are humanities subjects.

IAS Score: Which sources you referred to prepare for Contemporary Issues.

Ananya Sinha: GS Score contemporary issues, vision ias monthly magazine and The hindu.

IAS Score: Given the recent boom in online initiatives to support an aspirant, which were the platforms that you find useful enough during your course of preparation. Please list the sites.

Ananya Sinha:

Insightofindia.com

Iasscore.in Downloads

Rstv videos

 

IAS Score: What is your advice to the candidates who is still in the process of preparing for this examination?

Ananya Sinha: Those who dare to fail are the ones who achieve greatly. If you have achieved thing in your mind, you will achieve it in reality as well so long as you are committed to your dream. So just go on.

 

IAS Score: Your word for future aspirants.

Ananya Sinha: Just believe in yourself and work towards your goal.

 

Ananya Sinha Mark sheet

Paper Marks
Prelims
Essay (Paper 1) 133
GS 1 (Paper 2) 100
GS 2 (Paper 3) 72
GS 3 (Paper 4) 100
GS 4 (Paper 5) 72
Optional 1 (Paper 6) 120
Optional 2 (Paper 7) 110
Written Total 707
Personality Test 195
Total Score 902

IAS Toppers Interview: Kirodi Lal Meena Rank 248

Name Kirodi Lal Meena
Rank in CSE 2015 248
Total Attempts in CSE 3
Optional Subject Anthropology
Medium English

 

IAS Score: What were the basic mantras of your success?

Kirodi Lal Meena: Believe in yourself. Find the inner strength.

IAS Score: What were your strategies for the lengthy syllabus of General Studies for both Prelims and Mains?

Kirodi Lal Meena: As syllabus is very wide stick to standard books. Make/Get notes for vague topics like internal security, disaster management etc. Save detailed study for optional.

IAS Score: Did you integrate your Prelims or Mains preparation or was it separate in the changing scenario?

Kirodi Lal Meena: Did not divide prelims and mains preparation but prelims require more factual memory so one month before prelims focus on memorizing little details whereas after prelims focus on answer writing.

GS Preparation for Prelims (Summary)

Study material / Guidance
Basic Books NCERT for Geography, Economy, History, Culture and few chapters of Biology & Chemistry.

Polity- M. Laxmikanth

Environment- Shankar IAS

History- Spectrum

Economic Survey, IYB

Current Affairs The Hindu

GS Mains Preparation (Summary)

Paper Study Material/Guidance Current Issues Source Answer Writing Practice
GS Paper 1 NCERT + Bipin Chandra + Spectrum Test Series at GS Score
GS Paper 2 Laxmikanth + GS Score Material The Hindu, RSTV Test Series at GS Score
GS Paper 3 NCERT + Sriram IAS Notes The Hindu, Mint Test Series at GS Score
GS Paper 4 GS Score Notes Test Series at GS Score

Optional Subject Preparation  (Summary)

Study material / Guidance Coaching
Basic Books P Nath for Physical Anthro, Nadim Hasnain for Indian Anthro.
Current Affairs Newspaper, Ministry Websites
Answer Writing

IAS Score: How did your prepare for essay.

Kirodi Lal Meena: Joined GS score test series. Write, Read, and Write again. When you read your own essay you will realize how bad or good it is. So introduce those missing points and write again. Cover all dimensions of given topic (as I learned at GS score test discussions). Avoid grammatical errors.

IAS Score: Did you adopt any specific strategy for GS Paper 4?

Kirodi Lal Meena: Test discussions at GS score helped. Include real life/ historical examples. Do case studies in the light of practicality.

IAS Score: What were the sources of information for general reading? How did you come to know that which sources of reading materials are standard?

Kirodi Lal Meena: Relied on sources mentioned by senior friends. Newspaper and a few official websites were the standard sources for basic information.

IAS Score:  What is your advice on notes-making for other aspirants?

Kirodi Lal Meena: This is highly individual choice. Many will write on margin of books. Other will prepare soft copies. It is advisable to have limited things to read just before exams so better to make/get notes.

IAS Score: How did you manage your time during the preparation?

Kirodi Lal Meena: Set targets and stick to them. Devote certain hours to current affairs sources like Newspaper/News Analysis on FM/RSTV programs.

IAS Score: What was your style (paragraph or point format) Of writing in the exam? How was it distinct from the general writing style? How did you develop this writing style?

Kirodi Lal Meena: Para-points-para. Earlier had habit of writing complete thing in para format but changed to new pattern to save time.

IAS Score: So much focus is being given to Test Series, both for Prelims and Mains, in your opinion how useful are they, in the course of a preparation process? Which Test Series did you join and how useful did you find it to be?

Kirodi Lal Meena: Test series help you judge your standing. In case of prelims it helps in finding out missing areas. For mains it helps strategize your attempt at paper in terms of length of answers.

IAS Score: Civil Services Exam process is quite strenuous. It requires long hours of constant study. How did you maintain your tempo and what did you do to break the monotony of preparation?

Kirodi Lal Meena: Had personal commitments to motivate. Going out with friends once in a while helps. Watch documentaries/sensible cinema/read books/visit family to break monotony.

IAS Score: The trend suggests that professionals or working people are more successful in this exam. Does this exam prove difficult for Humanities and Social Science background candidates?

Kirodi Lal Meena: I don’t think any such generalization is true. This exam requires dedicated effort and patience. Whoever follows the basics his/her chances of success are equally good irrespective of background.

IAS Score: Which sources you referred to prepare for Contemporary Issues.

Kirodi Lal Meena: Regularly updating newspaper info with RSTV programs. Daily dose of News Analysis on Radio. Online Notes published by GS Score just before mains for revision.

IAS Score: Given the recent boom in online initiatives to support an aspirant, which were the platforms that you find useful enough during your course of preparation. Please list the sites.

Kirodi Lal Meena:

iasscore.in

mrunal.org

IAS Score: What is your advice to the candidates who is still in the process of preparing for this examination?

Kirodi Lal Meena: Seek guidance to dispel doubts and find right pace to continue preparation. Do not bother about everything that everyone says.

IAS Score: Your word for future aspirants

Kirodi Lal Meena: Believe in yourself and evolve your own strategy and you will make it for sure.

Kirodi Lal Meena Mark sheet

Paper Year 2015
Prelims 106
Essay (Paper 1) 146
GS 1 (Paper 2) 92
GS 2 (Paper 3) 77
GS 3 (Paper 4) 95
GS 4 (Paper 5) 97
Optional 1 (Paper 6) 110
Optional 2 (Paper 7) 126
Written Total 743
Personality Test 160
Total Score 903

Click Here to download test copy of Kirodi Lal Meena.

IAS Score

IAS Toppers Interview: Anupam Rank 221

Name Anupam
Rank in CSE 2015 221
Total Attempts in CSE 3
Optional Subject Sociology
Medium English

Education

Class 10 percentage of marks 89%
 Class 12 Percentage of marks 80%
Graduation: College and marks 84%

 

IAS Score: What were the basic mantras of your success?

Anupam: My teachers guidance, regular 5-6 hours study, revision of syllabus several times and patience helped me in achieving success.

IAS Score: What were your strategies for the lengthy syllabus of General Studies for both Prelims and Mains?

Anupam: I studied basic books for both Prelims and Mains along with a monthly current affairs magazines and relied on internet for latest updates.

IAS Score: Did you integrate your Prelims or Mains preparation or was it separate in the changing scenario?

Anupam: I integrated prelims and mains preparation as syllabus overlaps to some extent and it saves time for revision.

GS Preparation for Prelims (Summary)

Study material / Guidance
Basic Books Standard syllabus books for each subject like history of Bipin Chandra , polity of Lakshmikant etc and coaching classes notes
Current Affairs Any monthly current affairs magazines and internet
Any other Sir S. Nagpal( senior Bureaucrat) helped me a lot during this journey. I am really thankful for his constant support , motivation and guidance.

GS Mains Preparation (Summary)

Paper Study Material/Guidance Current Issues Source Answer Writing Practice
GS Paper 1 Basic books and coaching study material Monthly magazines and internet GS SCORE test series
GS Paper 2 Do Do Do
GS Paper 3 Do Do Do
GS Paper 4 Do Do Do

Optional Subject Preparation  (Summary)

Study material / Guidance Upendra’s class notes for sociology
Basic Books Haralambos ,ram ahuja and Anthony giddens
Current Affairs Internet
Answer Writing none
Any other

IAS Score: How did your prepare for essay.

Anupam: I practiced only 2 or 3 essays before final essay. I would suggest not to follow this strategy. Do practices as many essays as you can .

IAS Score: Did you adopt any specific strategy for GS Paper 4?

Anupam: Its entirely different subject and specially one should focus on learning from day to day ethical issues for case studies. I practiced by writing 20 or 30 case studies before exam.

IAS Score: What were the sources of information for general reading? How did you come to know that which sources of reading materials are standard?

Anupam: I adopted diverse reading on different topics from internet, magazines and books  and made summary of  them for future revision. After going through the whole syllabus  for 2 or 3 times one can easily understand the requirement of this exam and can compile different topics of syllabus at one place .

IAS Score:  What is your advice on notes-making for other aspirants?

Anupam: Notes making are very crucial for quick revision of entire syllabus and also helps in remembering important data and facts .

IAS Score: How did you manage your time during the preparation?

Anupam: I had enough time for preparation as I was not working/job during  preparation.  So there was ample time available for reading and revision.

IAS Score: What was your style (paragraph or point format) Of writing in the exam? How was it distinct from the general writing style? How did you develop this writing style?

Anupam: It was mix of both paragraph and point format. However, when I was running behind the time I preferred only points format. I followed general writing style – introduction-body-conclusion . I joined GS SCORE for answer writing and it really helped me in improving my writing skills.

IAS Score: So much focus is being given to Test Series, both for Prelims and Mains, in your opinion how useful are they, in the course of a preparation process? Which Test Series did you join and how useful did you find it to be?

Anupam: Test series benefits a lot. It helps in revising entire syllabus within specific time period. It also enhances speed of answer writing and one learns from mistakes by writing tests only. I joined GS SCORE for general studies  and found it very helpful.

IAS Score: Civil Services Exam process is quite strenuous. It requires long hours of constant study. How did you maintain your tempo and what did you do to break the monotony of preparation?

Anupam: Routine walk, yoga and following my hobbies helped me in being stress free.

IAS Score: The trend suggests that professionals or working people are more successful in this exam. Does this exam prove difficult for Humanities and Social Science background candidates?

Anupam: This exam gives chance to everyone to succeed no matter what is the background of the candidate . Hard work, patience and dedication can bring success to anyone despite any trends .

IAS Score: Which sources you referred to prepare for  Contemporary Issues.

Anupam: Newspapers , monthly current affairs magazines and internet are really helpful for covering diverse topics of contemporary issues.

IAS Score: Given the recent boom in online initiatives to support an aspirant, which were the platforms that you find useful enough during your course of preparation. Please list the sites.

Anupam: Internet really boosts the performance of a candidate. I would suggest candidates to go through Wikipedia for any topic , govt websites for various polices and schemes, PIB, websites of coaching institutes like GS SCORE , gktoday , mrunal’s blog etc

IAS Score: Your word for future aspirants. What is your advice to the candidates who is still in the process of preparing for this examination?

Anupam: I would like to quote swami Vivekananda  “ Arise, awake and stop not till the goal is reached .”  Never loose hope and work hard.

Anupam Mark sheet

Paper Marks
Prelims 112.3
Essay (Paper 1) 127
GS 1 (Paper 2) 93
GS 2 (Paper 3) 76
GS 3 (Paper 4) 114
GS 4 (Paper 5) 93
Optional 1 (Paper 6) 131
Optional 2 (Paper 7) 99
Written Total 733
Personality Test 173
Total Score 906

Download Test Copy of Anupam

IAS Toppers Interview: Rhea Joshi Rank 425

Name Rhea Joshi
Rank in CSE 2015 425
Total Attempts in CSE 3 (Did not clear prelims in previous attempts)
Optional Subject Law
Medium English

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IAS Topper’s Interview 2015: Govind Mohan Rank 245

Name Govind Mohan
Rank in CSE 2015 245
Total Attempts in CSE 04
Optional Subject Philosophy
Medium English

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IAS Topper’s Interview 2015: Sharat Chandra Pawar AIR 632

 

Name Sharat Chandra Pawar
Rank in CSE 2015 632
Total Attempts in CSE 2
Optional Subject Anthropology
Medium English

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IAS Toppers Interview: Nagender Bhukya Rank 733

Name Nagender Bhukya
Rank in CSE 2015 733
Total Attempts in CSE 3
Optional Subject Anthropology
Medium English

Education

Class 10 percentage of marks 88
 Class 12 Percentage of marks 94
Graduation: College and marks JNTU Campus Hyderabad. 70% in Electrical stream.
Post graduation: College and marks N/A
Any other course

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IAS TOPPERS INTERVIEW 2014: Shefali Gupta AIR 601

IAS Score: Which is the most difficult part of this exam and why? What was your strategy for tackling this difficult part?

Shefali Gupta: The most difficult part while preparing included the scope of study and how to cover the most of syllabus in given time. So the planning and right strategy to have time bound targets helped me the most.

IAS Score:  How did you manage your time for both Prelims and Mains examinations?

Shefali Gupta: Bifurcate time for both Prelims and Mains while preparing and study in integrated manner.

IAS Score:  GS Mains was altogether new, as current pattern is only two years old. How did you prepare for that?

Shefali Gupta: For Mains I focused on answer writing and practiced by writing answers in tests conducted by GS Score and thereby enhancing speed and form. The pattern of papers were very much on lines of UPSC and thus in real exams, it didn’t seem very new.

IAS Score:  Can you share some idea/strategy about attempting GS paper as it is not easy to write answer of all questions in given time-frame?

Shefali Gupta: While preparing for answer writing I tried 2-3 strategies, like in one focusing on quantity and in other on quality to see which one works. Thereby try built up on your own strategy.

IAS Score:  What were the sources of information for general reading? How did you come to know about the standard sources of reading materials?

Shefali Gupta: From friends who also were preparing for civils,

IAS Score:  What should be the basis of selecting optional?

Shefali Gupta: The familiarity with subject like educational background is important.

IAS Score:  Did you follow the myth that only so called popular optional should be opted?

Shefali Gupta: No

IAS Score:  How did you prepare for interview?

Shefali Gupta: For interviews the best way is to read newspapers and be updated. The mocks conducted by institutes helped the most in preparing for interview. The mocks were on very similar lines and it made me feel more confident about real interview at UPSC.

IAS Score:  Which types of questions were asked in the interview?

Shefali Gupta: Related to background, budget related schemes, optional and hobbies. Questions were mostly focused on Current affairs.

IAS Score:  What is your advice to the candidates who have failed in this exam?

Shefali Gupta: UPSC is very unpredictable, so hope for best but be prepared for worst and keep giving your best!

IAS Score:  Can you disclose your marks in detail?

Optional (Commerce)- 245
Essay- 130
GS PAPER-1- 82
GS PAPER-2 91
GS PAPER-1 88
Ethics 100
Interview 160

IAS TOPPERS INTERVIEW 2014: Joginder Singh AIR 419

IAS Score: Which is the most difficult part of this exam and why? What was your strategy for tackling this difficult part?

Joginder Singh: For me difficult part was to get success in Prelims as this was my grey area. I was more confident in mains.
My strategy: mainly I read on polity, modern history, economics, ecology from one source that too repeatedly.

IAS Score:  How did you manage your time for both Prelims and Mains examinations?

Joginder Singh: I started prelims oriented preparation 60 days before the prelims exam, rest of the duration I used to focus on mains , because it is the marks of mains exam that matter most.

IAS Score:  What was your strategy for covering the lengthy syllabus of General Studies for both Prelims and Mains?

Joginder Singh: Prelims: I gave emphasis on revision. For prelims one need to be confident and it is the revision that gives much needed confidence.

Mains : I used to write The Hindu on daily basis apart from this I prepared sector specific notes like education, health, women issues, etc. From the syllabus on each topic I prepared at least one page notes.

For optional: Apart from my coaching notes I preferred standard books since everything is not covered in such notes.One has to add current issues ,as my optional was geography. So it was much needed.

IAS Score:  Did you integrate your Prelims or Mains preparation or was it separate?

Joginder Singh: Yes it was integrated. Though, before 60 days from prelims you should be in mode of prelims.

IAS Score:  What would be the best strategy to tackle negative marking in Prelims?

Joginder Singh: I followed elimination rule and took chance where I had eliminated two options.

IAS Score:  GS Mains was altogether new, as current pattern is only two years old. How did you prepare for that?

Joginder Singh: For paper 2 and 3 one should follow current issues religiously even you can quote such issues in ethics for example Malala issue, etc

Paper 1 is more about static syllabus….one should prepare everything . This is the paper I found where one can score as maximum as he can.

IAS Score:  Have you completed the GS mains papers?

Joginder Singh: I planned to give around 7 min for every question. Apart from this a test series and writing practice at home is must. Simple mantra is “write as much as you can”.

IAS Score:  Can you share some idea/strategy about attempting GS paper as it is not easy to write answer of all questions in given time-frame?

Joginder Singh: One should follow point and paragraph format answer writing simultaneously along with flow charts.

IAS Score:  What was your style of writing in the exam? How was it distinct from the general writing style? How did you develop this writing style?

Joginder Singh: I wrote my answers in combined format of point and paragraphs.

IAS Score:  How did you prepared for essay paper.

Joginder Singh: For essay paper one should focus on optimistic and constructive writing. My last year score in essay was 90 and this year I got 138. It was because of above strategy.

IAS Score:  What should be the basis of selecting optional?

Joginder Singh: Optional choice depend upon three things…..Interest – Aptitude – Attitude

IAS Score:  Did you follow the myth that only so called popular optional should be opted?

Joginder Singh: NO

IAS Score:  How did you plan your optional strategy?

Joginder Singh: I gave value addition to my notes from standard books. Apart from this issues from current affairs that were related to Geography were added.

IAS Score:  How helpful are the notes? What is your advice on notes-making?

Joginder Singh: Notes making is very helpful as it helps in revision. Thus one can save time.

IAS Score:  Civil Services Exam process is quite strenuous. It requires long hours of constant study. How did you maintain your tempo and what did you do to break the monotony of preparation?

Joginder Singh: I used to go for movies to break the monotony.

IAS Score:  How helpful is one’s educational background in his/her success?

Joginder Singh: To some extent but not that much.

IAS Score:  How did you prepare for interview?

Joginder Singh: We formed a group of 5 aspirants and conducted mock session. Some other techniques like mirror speech was very helpful.

IAS Score:  Which types of questions were asked in the interview?

Joginder Singh: Question were from my Hobby,graduation, subject(biotechnology) and current affairs like NJAC issue,AMRUT scheme, etc

IAS Score:  What is your advice to the candidates who have failed in this exam?

Joginder Singh: Go for next attempt without hangover of last year exam.

IAS Score:  Can you disclose your marks in detail?

Joginder Singh: Essay 138
GS 352 (109+93+71+79)
Geography 269 (131+138)
Interview 151( Vinay Mittal sir)

TOTAL 759+151=910

IAS Score:  What is your suggestion/advice for future aspirants?

Joginder Singh: Have faith in hard work.
Don’t break your continuity.
Stay away from negativity.

IAS Toppers Interview 2014: Shashikant Mehta, AIR 352

IAS Score: Which is the most difficult part of this exam and why? What was your strategy for tackling this difficult part?

Shashikant Mehta: Uncertain nature of the exam pattern and vast syllabus is the most challenging part. Planned approach and answer writing practice can tackle this.

IAS Score: How did you manage your time for both Prelims and Mains examinations?

Shashikant Mehta: Mains and prelims preparation are not separate and should be done in an integrated manner from the beginning.

IAS Score: What was your strategy for covering the lengthy syllabus of General Studies for both Prelims and Mains?

Shashikant Mehta: Time bound and target based approach towards covering the syllabus and regular writing of tests was my strategy.

IAS Score: Did you integrate your Prelims or Mains preparation or was it separate?

Shashikant Mehta: It was integrated.

IAS Score: What would be the best strategy to tackle negative marking in Prelims?

Shashikant Mehta: Don’t make wild guesses and attempt only those questions where you are sure of the answer. Though intelligent guesses also work sometimes.

IAS Score: GS Mains was altogether new, as current pattern is only two years old. How did you prepare for that?

Shashikant Mehta: Didn’t took much tension about it and focused on regular answer writing of GS as well as optional and essay

IAS Score: Have you completed the GS mains papers?

Shashikant Mehta: Yes, I completed all my papers. Writing answers at GS Score Test Series helped me the most in this part.

IAS Score: Can you share some idea/strategy about attempting GS paper as it is not easy to write answer of all questions in given time-frame?

Shashikant Mehta: It is better to attempt most of the questions in Mains exam. For this test series after prelims can play a big role. During those test series, one must ensure that they try and maximize their attempts.

IAS Score: What was your style of writing in the exam? How was it distinct from the general writing style? How did you develop this writing style?

Shashikant Mehta: I tried to write maximum answers in bullet format. I switched to paragraph where bullet points were not feasible.

IAS Score: How did you prepared for essay paper.

Shashikant Mehta:  There was no specific preparation for essay. I just wrote 3-4 essays at GS Score and I must say they helped a lot in my essay. Specially Manoj Sir guidance in essay helped me a lot.

IAS Score: What were the sources of information for general reading? How did you come to know about the standard sources of reading materials?

Shashikant Mehta:  The Hindu and Indian Express along with Yojana and some basic books are enough to crack this exam if followed religiously.

IAS Score: What should be the basis of selecting optional?

Shashikant Mehta: Personal interest is the most important part while selecting optional.

IAS Score: Did you follow the myth that only so called popular optional should be opted?

Shashikant Mehta: There is no popular optional in the current pattern.

IAS Score: How did you plan your optional strategy?

Shashikant Mehta: Regular study of basic material and taking tests regularly was my strategy for optional.

IAS Score: How helpful are the notes? What is your advice on notes-making?

Shashikant Mehta: I never maintained notes as I believe in reading from the original text.

IAS Score: Civil Services Exam process is quite strenuous. It requires long hours of constant study. How did you maintain your tempo and what did you do to break the monotony of preparation?

Shashikant Mehta:  My hobby is playing basketball which I never left while preparing. It helped me to rejuvenate after tiresome study sessions.

IAS Score: How did you prepare for interview?

Shashikant Mehta: I took some mock interviews and prepared my DAF well.

IAS Score: Which types of questions were asked in the interview?

Shashikant Mehta: Almost all the questions were related to my DAF.

IAS Score: Can you disclose your marks in detail?

Essay- 142

GS1- 90

GS2- 86

GS3- 89

GS4- 100

Sociology 1- 130

Sociology 2- 108

Interview- 171

IAS Score: What is your suggestion/advice for future aspirants?

Shashikant Mehta: Stay determined and focused during the course of preparation and you can clear this exam in your first attempt itself. Base most of your preparation around newspapers and NCERT.

IAS TOPPER’S INTERVIEW 2014 : Raja Gopal Sunkara, AIR 49

IAS Score: Which is the most difficult part of this exam and why? What was your strategy for tackling this difficult part?

Raja Gopal Sunkara: The most difficult part is identifying the right books/material/coaching centre. Identifying the same is

half the job done. This is difficult because not everyone has access to guidance by well-meaning

seniors, mentors and tend to go by hearsay.

There is no strategy as such. I made some mistakes on the way. Just choose your friends and seniors wisely.

IAS Score:  How did you manage your time for both Prelims and Mains examinations?

Raja Gopal Sunkara: The results of Mains 2013 (my first attempt) were declared in March 2014. I failed. I was pretty confident about my preparation for Prelims. So, in March 2014, I started off with Mains preparation and continued with the same till around 10th July, 2014. I then started revising for Prelims 2014. After Prelims 2014, I started off from where I had left my Mains preparation on 10th July, 2014.

Having said that, I would like to make a point. Do not compartmentalize your preparation into Prelims and Mains. Some part of the syllabus is common to both exams. What is needed is a change of orientation, not change of preparation.

IAS Score:  What was your strategy for covering the lengthy syllabus of General Studies for both Prelims and Mains?

 Raja Gopal Sunkara:

Prelims

The main topics are Economy, Modern India, Culture, Polity, Geography, Environment, S&T. You have to complete revision at least a week before the exam. For the last week, I had made a list of important topics along with my friend. I revised only those topics.

Mains

I joined an online test series in March 2014. I planned my preparation in accordance with the test series schedule. This helped me in structuring my preparation. I narrowed down my sources (books, material) to the bare minimum through trial and error. I relied on the sutra (rule) – “less material, more revision”.

IAS Score:  Did you integrate your Prelims or Mains preparation or was it separate?

Raja Gopal Sunkara:  As I mentioned earlier, preparation is same, orientation is different.

IAS Score:  What would be the best strategy to tackle negative marking in Prelims?

In Prelims 2014, I knew the answers for around 35-40 questions. I attempted around 70 questions. So, the additional 30-35 questions were educated guesses. I ended up getting 128 in Paper I.

If your preparation is good, you can go for educated guesses. Otherwise, they’ll backfire. So, concentrate on preparation from the right books, sources.

IAS Score:  GS Mains was altogether new, as current pattern is only two years old. How did you prepare for that?

Raja Gopal Sunkara: The change in new pattern hardly matters because it is the same for everyone. I used internet extensively for GS II, III and some books.

IAS Score:  Have you completed the GS mains papers?

Raja Gopal Sunkara: I attempted 95% of the questions in most papers. Sometimes, even 100%.

IAS Score:  Can you share some idea/strategy about attempting GS paper as it is not easy to write answer of all questions in given time-frame?

Raja Gopal Sunkara:  Answer questions in the order given in the paper. Some people answer questions that they know better first and others later. This method didn’t work out for me during the test series. So, I stayed away from it.

The rest is mathematics. If there are 20 questions, you have to answer 6-7 questions per hour and this comes with practice. Don’t leave too many questions to the end. In ethics, answer the case studies first.

IAS Score:  What was your style of writing in the exam? How was it distinct from the general writing style? How did you develop this writing style?

Raja Gopal Sunkara:  I had written a brief introduction to form a context for what is coming next. It consisted to some facts or some recent news.

The questions, this year, had 3-4 sub-questions. I wrote the keywords in the sub-question as a side-heading. I then wrote 3-4 points to answer the question. I used to underline keywords.

For some questions, I included side headings like Pros, Cons, Way Forward and Measures. For other questions, I used to write a brief conclusion if the question demanded it.

I feel, side-headings give structure to my thought as well as my answer. This makes it distinct from the paragraph form of answering.It also might help the examiner in better comprehending my answer.

I experimented with this style during the test series.

IAS Score:  How did you prepared for essay paper.

Raja Gopal Sunkara:  I believe that we can never guess the topics. So, making a list of expected topics is futile. Our GS preparation should be more than enough. A friend of mine had taught me a structure which he had learnt in a coaching centre.

Introduction – It could either be a context (some recent news) or a narrative (some anecdote). Introduction should not be more than one sheet.

Body – I would have 4-5 questions regarding the topic. If you have good questions, half the job is done.

For the topic, “Is tourism the next big thing in India?”, I had the following questions:-

  1. What is the current big thing in India?
  2. What scope does tourism have to become the next big thing in India?
  3. What are the obstacles that prevent it from becoming the next big thing in India?
  4. What are the steps that need to be taken to help tourism become the next big thing in India?

By answering these questions, I would not deviate from the topic.

Conclusion – I didn’t summarise what I had written earlier. It should be different. It should have a long term view or a futuristic perspective.

IAS Score:  What were the sources of information for general reading? How did you come to know about the standard sources of reading materials?

Raja Gopal Sunkara: I came to know about the standard sources through seniors as well as trial and error.

IAS Score:  What should be the basis of selecting optional?

Raja Gopal Sunkara: I am an Agricultural and Food Engineer who chose Anthropology. Agricultural and Food Engineering is not available as an optional. Agriculture is available but it is more of a science than an engineering subject. So, I went along with the crowd and chose Anthropology. At the same time, I know people who have taken Law, Mathematics and have done exceedingly well. So, to each his own.

IAS Score:  Did you follow the myth that only so called popular optional should be opted?

Raja Gopal Sunkara: As I mentioned earlier, I did go with the crowd. But I ended up getting extremely good marks in Anthropology. At the same time, nothing should stop you from going for any optional you like but be the best at it.

IAS Score:  How did you plan your optional strategy?

Raja Gopal Sunkara: My strategy was very simple. Stick to one coaching centre material/notes rather than running after many coaching centres. Read the same material again and again. PRACTICE WRITING ANSWERS. Further add value to your answers with diagrams, flowcharts, side headings, underlining, examples, statistics, etc.

Optional and Interview fetched me this rank. So, don’t leave optional preparation to the end. You should have some level of proficiency at least one month before the Mains exam.

IAS Score:  How helpful are the notes? What is your advice on notes-making?

Raja Gopal Sunkara: There are two stages in note-making. When you read a text book, you condense it into a shorter version. This is the first stage. The second stage is to further condense it in such a way that you can refer to it in 5 minutes before the exam.

Prepare notes. I believe note-making calls for more concentration that underlining. Greater the concentration, greater the retention.

IAS Score:  Civil Services Exam process is quite strenuous. It requires long hours of constant study. How did you maintain your tempo and what did you do to break the monotony of preparation?

 Raja Gopal Sunkara: Human brain has its own limitations. During the course of preparation, there would come a day when nothing gets into your head. Take a break. Watch a movie or do whatever interests you. I used to take 1-2 days off every week.

On any given day, I used to have 3-4 things to read – Newspaper, Subject 1, Subject 2. This will help in breaking the monotony.

IAS Score:  How helpful is one’s educational background in his/her success?

Raja Gopal Sunkara: Everyone can attempt civil services and achieve success. But if you are from a reputed institution, you can fall back on it in case you fail. My personality was shaped by my family, friends and college. So, that’s how my college helped in my success.

IAS Score:  How did you prepare for interview?

Raja Gopal Sunkara: I prepared 5-6 questions on each point in my DAF along with my friends. I tried answering them to myself. Also, my friend and I had daily Q & A sessions. I attended 4-5 mock interviews in Hyderabad and Delhi. I have a habit of twitching my eyebrows while listening intently. One mentor told me that I look tensed when I twitch my eyes. He said I should smile more. I consciously tried to implement these suggestions. I used to watch Rajya Sabha TV Big Picture everyday.

IAS Score:  Which types of questions were asked in the interview?

Raja Gopal Sunkara: Questions were from my DAF. They asked about my home state, hobbies, educational background, etc. There was no question from current affairs. There was one question on disarmament which came out of the blue.

IAS Score:  What is your advice to the candidates who have failed in this exam?

Raja Gopal Sunkara: I have failed in the exam once. I was low for a couple of days. Then, I found a friend who was in the same situation. We assessed our mistakes. We had no writing practice. We followed some wrong sources. We joined a test series and slowly and steadily, my preparation picked up pace.

So, assess your mistakes and work on them and you’ll fare better.

IAS Score:  Can you disclose your marks in detail?

Prelims

Paper I – 128, Paper II – 123

Total – 251

Mains

Essay – 111

GS I, II, III, IV – 97, 79, 76, 101

Optional I, II – 142, 151

Written Total – 757

Interview – 212

Total – 969

IAS Score:  What is your suggestion/advice for future aspirants?

Raja Gopal Sunkara: I’ve seen many people who cheat themselves and their parents by staying in Delhi and wiling away their time. Assess yourself. Do not put all eggs in one basket. Work hard, work smart.

IAS Score

IAS Topper’s Interview 2014 : Shruti Pandey, AIR 114

IAS Score: Which is the most difficult part of this exam and why? What was your strategy for tackling this difficult part?

Shruti Pandey: Conquering Main Examination was the most difficult part for me. I could clear preliminary exam with relative ease and with good margin but I failed to clear main examination in my first three attempts.

SHRUTI PANDEY

In my fourth attempt, I tried identifying my strengths and weaknesses. I knew that my content portion was strong but my presentation was very weak. My handwriting was very bad and writing speed was slow.

I joined GS SCORE test series because it offered 20 tests including Essay. During the course of the test series, I worked hard on my presentation of answers. I tried out various techniques and saw how they fared. Of course model answers and class discussion helped to fine-tune my content. Over a period of time, my hand writing and writing speed improved. And writing large number of tests helped me prepare the whole spectrum of probable topics.

IAS Score: How did you manage your time for both Prelims and Mains examinations?

Shruti Pandey:  Since I had taken multiple attempts in this examination, I did dedicated prelims preparation only in my first attempt. I realized that preparation for prelims and mains exam should not be separated. The nature of questions, of course, varies but matter or topics essentially remain same.

I started doing objective type of questions (as many as I could) a month before prelims for both paper 1 and paper 2 to get into the groove. Immediately after prelims, I took a week’s break and started preparation for mains.

Similarly for mains exam, I wrote 8 to 10 answers daily on whichever topic I studied that day (GS and optional both) to get the habit of quickly framing, structuring content on any topic and be able to write down under 7-8 minutes.

IAS Score: What was your strategy for covering the lengthy syllabus of General Studies for both Prelims and Mains?

Shruti Pandey: I had one standard reference book for each topic and I read them multiple number of times. Questions from even static topics also have some contemporary basis. So it is very important to read newspaper and prioritizing important areas and thus streamlining the preparation.

IAS Score: Did you integrate your Prelims or Mains preparation or was it separate?

Shruti Pandey:  Integrated. Books and other material to be read are same, only format of questions differ. So I practiced accordingly.

IAS Score:  What would be the best strategy to tackle negative marking in Prelims?

Shruti Pandey:  Do not make random guesses. You’ll have to take some risk but it should be done not before eliminating less probable options.

IAS Score: GS Mains was altogether new, as current pattern is only two years old. How did you prepare for that?

Shruti Pandey:  I tried not to leave out any topic untouched. I made notes of topics which were contemporary and dynamic in nature (like IR, environment) from internet and revised them. For GS paper 4, I joined GS Score classes. .

IAS Score: Have you completed the GS mains papers?

Shruti Pandey:  Yes.

IAS Score: Can you share some idea/strategy about attempting GS paper as it is not easy to write answer of all questions in given time-frame?

Shruti Pandey:  It is indeed difficult to answer all the questions. There can be various ways to approach the paper.

One is to devote equal time to each question (7 mins). And try not to exceed the time limit. This can be done through repeated practice. Longer answers can be written in points. Schematics and flow charts can also be used.

The other can be attempting the easy and best known questions first because there is a better chance of scoring. Not being able to attempt them could be detrimental. Attempt ambiguous questions or questions on unknown topics in the end.

Most importantly, maintain a reasonable time limit and not devote out of proportion time on some questions at the cost of other questions.

IAS Score: What was your style of writing in the exam? How was it distinct from the general writing style? How did you develop this writing style?

Shruti Pandey:  I tried to stick to introduction-body-conclusion format while writing answers. Introduction and conclusion combined usually did not exceed 50 words. The main body of the answer covered the central theme of the question. It may have points, small paragraphs, flowcharts etc. depending on the demand of the question.

I experimented with these things during the course of test series.

IAS Score: How did you prepared for essay paper.

Shruti Pandey:  GS Score Test series included essay tests as well. I tried to follow the improvements that were suggested in evaluation. Although I never scored more than 100 in those essay tests. My score of 137 in mains exam is the highest I have ever got in essay.

IAS Score: What were the sources of information for general reading? How did you come to know about the Standard sources of reading materials?

Shruti Pandey:  From various websites, blogs etc. For general reading, I referred to the newspapers, Yojana, Kurukshetra. I regularly wrote answers to the Secure IAS questions given on insightsonindia.com.

IAS Score:  What should be the basis of selecting optional?

Shruti Pandey:  It should be absolutely based on personal interest and one’s capacity to handle a subject.

IAS Score: Did you follow the myth that only so called popular optional should be opted?

Shruti Pandey:  Some optional are more popular than others but I strongly believe that if the aspirant does not enjoy studying the optional, he won’t have deep understanding on the topic.

Questions asked in the exam today are not direct. They seem difficult but with in-depth knowledge about the subject, they can be answered.

Every year, top 10 selected candidates are from every category of optional (science, humanities, literature, other professional subjects etc) which clearly shows that hardworking individuals get selected and not popular optionals.

IAS Score: How did you plan your optional strategy?

Shruti Pandey:  My optional was geography. I referred to standard textbooks and prepared contemporary issues from internet. I also practiced making lots of diagrams and maps which help in getting better marks in geography.

IAS Score: How helpful are the notes? What is your advice on notes-making?

Shruti Pandey: Notes help in compressing the large syllabus into manageable form. They also help in quick revision if they are in the form of points or mind-maps.

I made notes mostly on topics for which there is no standard textbooks and have to be compiled from newspaper and internet like IR, environment, science and tech etc.

IAS Score: Civil Services Exam process is quite strenuous. It requires long hours of constant study. How did you maintain your tempo and what did you do to break the monotony of preparation?

Shruti Pandey: I maintained tempo by setting up short-term targets (for a week or so) and achieving them. Test series also helped me structuring my preparation.

I watched RajyaSabha TV debates, listen to AIR news analysis or any other informative video on the Youtube in between to break the monotony.

IAS Score: How did you prepare for interview?

Shruti Pandey: I focused on the information I had mentioned on my DAF – about my education background, my home town, home state. Also I brushed up current affairs esp. on international relations.

I also gave mock interviews at some places to get the feel of the interview. I worked on the feedback and modified body-language, articulation etc.

The questions asked to me in the interview were primarily on my DAF. I got David sir’s board and members were very cordial. There were no stress questions and I was able to handle about 70% questions well.

IAS Score: What is your advice to the candidates who have failed in this exam?

Shruti Pandey: It is certainly not the end of the world. I believe anyone with right amount of hard work and correct strategy can clear this exam. But it is important to know one’s strengths and weakness. Plug-in the gaps and further your strengths. Make a genuine self assessment and proceed with the correct strategy.

IAS Score: Can you disclose your marks in detail.

Marks Obtained

Subjects Marks
Essay (Paper- I) 137
General studies- I (paper- II) 100
General studies- II (paper- III) 084
General studies- III (paper- IV) 077
General studies- IV (paper- V) 101
Optional- I (Geography)(paper- VI) 125
Optional- II (Geography)(paper- VII) 136
Written Total 760
Personality test 190
Final total 950

 

IAS TOPPER’S INTERVIEW 2014 : Aman Mittal, AIR 20

IAS Score: Which is the most difficult part of this exam and why? What was your strategy for tackling this difficult part? 

Aman Mittal: I think the most difficult part of the exam is certainly the mains part because of the length and importance in the final result. Tackling this requires dedicated effort and sufficient written practice before the day of the exam.

IAS Score: How did you manage your time for both Prelims and Mains examinations?

Aman Mittal: Most of the portion of prelims and mains are common. And moreover, due to CSAT, last year it was simpler to clear the prelims part.

IAS Score: What was your strategy for covering the lengthy syllabus of General Studies for both Prelims and Mains?

Aman Mittal:  It is important to study the areas regularly and take the help of topic wise notes wherever possible. It must be realized that it is not possible generally to cover all portions of the syllabus. In the changed pattern, what is rather more important is the articulation of the answer which can fetch higher marks.

IAS Score: Did you integrate your Prelims or Mains preparation or was it separate?

Aman Mittal:  My preparation for the prelims and mains was largely integrated. However, the small topics that are specific to prelims were covered in the month prior to prelims and those specific to mains were covered after the prelims.

IAS Score: What would be the best strategy to tackle negative marking in Prelims?

Aman Mittal:   It is always best to avoid questions that one is not aware of and focus on those in which one can make a sufficiently intelligent guess.

IAS Score: GS Mains was altogether new, as current pattern is only two years old. How did you prepare for that?

Aman Mittal: Written practice is the mantra for the changed pattern of the mains examination. The focus is more on opinion and articulation rather than knowledge.

IAS Score: Have you completed the GS mains papers?

Aman Mittal:  Yes. All of them.

IAS Score: Can you share some idea/strategy about attempting GS paper as it is not easy to write answer of all questions in given time-frame?

Aman Mittal:  Time management is the key to success in this exam. Please divide the time as per availability and attempt the best questions first in order to provide quality answers to these.

IAS Score: What was your style of writing in the exam? How was it distinct from the general writing style? How did you develop this writing style?

Aman Mittal: I used to follow a structured approach to answer writing including an introduction, body and conclusion. I guess it was not very different from the standard way of writing.

I developed this approach during the preparation phase only when I was giving the mock tests for the mains examination.

IAS Score: How did you prepared for essay paper.

Aman Mittal: Essay is a paper that requires regular practice and feedback. I took a test series with GS Score in which essay was a part. Apart from this, I also tried to write an essay once every fortnight.

IAS Score: What were the sources of information for general reading? How did you come to know about the standard sources of reading materials?

Aman Mittal: My sources of general reading were NCERT as well as the standard texts available for the exam. Mostly, I consulted my friends for advice in choosing the study material.

IAS Score: What should be the basis of selecting optional?

Aman Mittal: The optional must be selected on the basis of one’s interest and area of strength. I had graduated in Electrical Engineering, and hence it was a natural choice of optional for me.

IAS Score: Did you follow the myth that only so called popular optional should be opted?

Aman Mittal: No

IAS Score: How did you plan your optional strategy?

Aman Mittal:  I prepared my optional with the help of my father who is a professor in the same field. I also relied on the previous year’s papers to prepare the areas of greater importance.

IAS Score: How helpful are the notes? What is your advice on notes-making?

Aman Mittal: Notes are really useful during revision, though I personally did not make many of them.

My advice on note making is that it should be done topic wise and should be constantly updated and revised to avoid last minute anxiety.

IAS Score: Civil Services Exam process is quite strenuous. It requires long hours of constant study. How did you maintain your tempo and what did you do to break the monotony of preparation?

Aman Mittal: It is important to remain motivated during the course of preparation and to enjoy the studies themselves. I would seldom go out to eat with my friends or family which was a great way to break the monotony. Apart from that, I used to meditate whenever I felt that my energy levels are going down.

IAS Score: How helpful is one’s educational background in his/her success?

Aman Mittal:  This exam is independent of educational background, which can only be a morale booster to have job security in case UPSC does not work out.

IAS Score: How did you prepare for interview?

Aman Mittal: I took a few mock tests (including one at GS Score) and prepared for the interview with my

friend. It is important to point out the weaknesses in each other and be able to work on them to rectify the same.

IAS Score: Which types of questions were asked in the interview?

Aman Mittal:  My interview was diverse and covered many broad areas. It was quite long and exhausting. In fact the interview went tangentially into US politics, Indian foreign policy etc. for a long time (I had gone to US for a competition)

IAS Score: What is your advice to the candidates who have failed in this exam?

Aman Mittal:  UPSC exam is a lot about luck and perseverance. Sometimes we feel that life is harsh on us, but connecting the dots backward we would realize in the future that those moments are important learning points in our life. Analyse what went wrong in this attempt and move on to the future, next attempt or a new venture, whatever you may choose. Never lose hope.

IAS Score: Can you disclose your marks in detail?

 Prelims –

 GS 101.34

CSAT 155

Mains –

Essay – 136

GS 1 – 91

GS 2 – 96

GS 3 – 91

GS 4 – 91

EE 1 – 128

EE 2 – 163

Interview – 193

IAS Score: What is your suggestion/advice for future aspirants?

Aman Mittal: My simple advice is that hard Work, perseverance and faith are the most important friends in the UPSC exam. There are moments of anxiety throughout the course of preparation. I always advise aspirants to learn some form of de-stressing

Interview : Aman Kumar, IPS

What were your strategies for the lengthy syllabus of General Studies for both Prelims and Mains?

Ques. What were your strategies for the lengthy syllabus of General Studies for both Prelims and Mains?

Ans. Dont study a lot of books and materials. Stick to some basic materials and revise them again and again. It is very important to enjoy the subjects which you are studying because it is the only thing which will help you in completing the syllabus with ease.

Ques. GS paper was altogether new. How you prepare for all the 4 papers?

Ans. All Subjects were not completely new. For the subjects which were added we followed standard books like NCERT and class notes. Paper 4 was made easy with the help of S.K.Mishra sir.

Ques. What should be the basis of selecting optional?

Ans. Avoid those subjects which are not scoring marks for last few years. If you have grip over your graduation subject, you can go for it. For the last few years technical subjects like engineering papers, PCM etc are also doing good. But what ever subject you choose, make sure that you are comfortable while studying it and not forcing onto yourself.

If you are choosing a graduation subject, first download the last 5 years question paper of UPSC CSE Mains and see that the command you are claiming is good enough or not , or can you make it upto that level.

Ques. Did you follow the myth that only so called popular optional should be opted?

Ans. No, If you have command over a non popular optional, you can go for it. But as i said if some subject is not scoring well in last few years, try to avoid it.

Ques. How did you plan your optional strategy?

Ans. Clear your basic concepts and orient yourself towards application based questions. Dont study a lot of material, go for standard ones. Try to feel the subject and matter. Do writing practice for mains and go for a good test series if you can.

Ques. What were the sources of information for general reading? How did you come to know that which sources of reading materials are standard?

Ans. Internet and standard books and magazines.

Standard doesnt mean that there is only one standard book. It means that any good book matching the level of exam recommended by a good teacher or senior who cleared the exam. There are more than one good book in every subject and you cant read all. For example- for history some read spectrum, some read bipin chandra and both are good books.

Ques. Tell us something about preparation of essay paper.

Ans. After studying general studies paper you will gather a lot of knowledge to write content of eassy but it is very important that how do you write an eassy. Do write eassy on some topics and show it to you teachers. Essay has three parts- Introduction, body and conclusion and all the parts have special purpose that you should understand. Improve your grammar if possible.

Ques. How did you manage your time in both prelims and mains examinations?

Ans. Fix the targets and complete them on time. It is not that you should not enjoy your life rather you should fix the timing that you want to study for “x” hours and will go out for some y hours and stick to the plan. Consistent smart work is necessary. Managing time will not be a problem when you know your priorities.

Ques. Which is the most difficult part of this exam and why? What was your strategy to tackle this difficult part?

Ans. I think its clearing mains with good marks. Study smartly and consistently for this. Go for revisions as many times as you can. Give tests and evaluate yourself to improve after each test.

Ques. Did you integrate your Prelims or Mains preparation or was it separate?

Ans. The subjects which were in both stages need a integrated approach of preparation. The subjects which are only in mains can be prepared for separately.

Ques. How helpful are the notes? What is your advice on notes-making?

Ans. It depends upon the student and the time he/she has. I never made notes apart from class notes. But if you have problem in remembering things and if you are not able to keep the knowledge in a systematic way, you should go for notes making.

Ques. What was your style of writing in the exam? How was it distinct from the general writing style? How did you develop this writing style?

Ans. I started every question with small introduction showing the relevance or background of the question and supporting with data if required. I wrote in point wise format and concluded with opening different dimensions which are possible for the question other than asked one.

Test series under the guidance of Manoj Jha sir and team was very helpful.

Ques. Did you take Mock Test. Is it of any help?

Ans. Yes. It will help you in gaining confidence. Leave giving mocks when you develop a good level of confidence. Personality cant be changed in few days so work on it from begining if you can and interact with different people you come across during you preparation.

Ques. Civil Services Exam process is quite strenuous. It requires long hours of constant study. How did you maintain your tempo and what did you do to break the monotony of preparation?

Ans. If you have the deep desire to crack the exam, you will enjoy it. I enjoyed my evening with my friends everyday. Group of good and supportive friends itself is a source of relief.

Ques. What should be the best strategy to tackle negative marking in prelims?

Ans. Dont bluff blindly. One cant be 100% accurate but if you have studied well, your accuracy level itself will go up.

Ques. The trend suggests that professionals are more successful in this exam. Does this exam prove difficult for Humanities and Social Science background candidates?

Ans. No. One can find many example where students from all background are excelling in those exam. So dont worry for any such thing and focus on your preparation.

Ques. How helpful is one’s educational background in his/her success?

Ans. I belong to a small village in Jharkhand. I studied upto class 9th in my village in government hindi medium schools and was not able to write or speak in good english even in class 10th. My family is also not rich. Even then I passed 12th board with 94.4% marks and cleared IIT and Civil services in my first attempt which no one was expecting. It was possible due to support of my family and my smart work. So educational background may put some difficulties before you but it cant stop you from achieving what you want.

Ques. How did you prepare for interview?

Ans. I prepared for possible questions which can be asked from DAF form and also gave some mocks. Pay attention on the way you dress up, you walk and talk.

Ques. Which types of questions were asked in the interview?

Ans. Some questions were related to may state and also national and international affairs. They asked my opinion on issues like reservation, right to education, Jammu Kashmir issue etc.

Ques. Was there any specific area they emphasized upon?

Ans. My state but not a lot of emphasis.

Ques. What is your advice to the candidates who have failed in this exam?

Ans. Evaluate why one has failed, identify where the problem lies and improve those areas. Dont lose confidence and keep patient. For such candidates.

असफलता एक चुनौती है, इसे स्वीकार करो,
क्या कमी रह गई, देखो और सुधार करो।
जब तक न सफल हो, नींद चैन को त्यागो तुम,
संघर्ष का मैदान छोड़ कर मत भागो तुम।
कुछ किये बिना ही जय जय कार नहीं होती,
कोशिश करने वालों की कभी हार नहीं होती।

IAS Score

TOPPERS’ TALK with ISHANI PAUL, IPS

TOPPERS’ TALK with ISHANI PAUL, IPS

“ Civil Services are perhaps the spine of the machinery driving this country”- Ishani Paul

” Civil Services are perhaps the spine of the machinery driving this country”- Ishani Paul

IAS Score : What were your strategies for the lengthy syllabus of General Studies for both Prelims and Mains?

Ans. Preparation for GS for prelims and mains has to go on simultaneously, they cannot be compartmentalized. Also as per the current trend I focused more on the issues of current importance (Current Affairs as we popularly call them) and tried to develop conceptual understanding of them.

IAS Score : what were the sources of information for general reading? How did you come to know that which sources of reading materials are standard?

Ans. The Hindu-Newspaper, competitive magazines and Class notes of Sri S. K. Mishra sir and notes provided by Manoj sir were my sources of general reading. This along with consulting faculties, especially Manoj sir and following the blogs of previous years’ toppers gave me information about the standard reading material.

IAS Score : Tell us something about preparation of essay paper.

Ans. Did not prepare anything specifically for the essay paper, however the broad range of knowledge gathered during preparation of general studies ultimately helped in the essay paper.

IAS Score : How did you prepare for CSAT?

Ans : In my opinion CSAT mainly requires practice, more you can practice, especially in real-time, more it is going to help you.

IAS Score : How much time one should devote for PT /Mains etc

Ans. One year of preparation before the prelims is required for the exam.

IAS Score : How did you manage your time in both prelims and mains examinations?

Ans: From the very beginning, one should prepare keeping in mind both the prelims and mains. However a couple of months before the prelims the preparation can be focused exclusively towards it.

IAS Score : Did you integrate your Prelims or Mains preparation or was it separate?

Ans. I followed an integrated strategy for prelims and mains.

IAS Score : How helpful are the notes? What is your advice on notes-making?

Ans. Notes are really helpful during revision period if one can constantly prepare them during studying.
However personally I was not able to prepare notes and relied on the notes provided by Manoj sir.

IAS Score : What are your suggestions for fresher ?

Ans. Nowadays a lot of candidates are clearing the examination in their first attempt itself, so the freshers should in no way consider themselves to be in a disadvantageous position. Rather by keeping a positive approach they can easily crack this exam.

Name: Ishani Paul, IPS
Rank: 269
Year of examination: 2012-13

IAS Score

Interview: Mridul Choudhary, CSE 2013

What were your strategies for the lengthy syllabus of General Studies for both Prelims and Mains?

Mridul- Prelims: With the introduction of csat , prelims have become more about scoring high in aptitude paper so as to ensure success

Continue reading

IAS Score

IAS Interview Strategy Series – VII

FACING THE INTERVIEW BOARD

TOPPER SPEAKS: Ishani Paul, IPS, 2013

FACING THE INTERVIEW BOARD

TOPPER SPEAKS: Ishani Paul, IPS, 2013

Chairman of the Interview Board: Rajni Razdan
Marks obtained in Interview: 210

List of Questions:
1. Based on my hobby of cooking I was asked what are the specialities of Bengali cuisine and out of the dishes I mentioned, recipe of one of the dishes
2. About the Nirbhaya issue and the International Woman of courage award
3. What is Hawala? Different issues related to it.
4. As a woman DM what are the measures I would take to ensure women safety and security in my district
5. Cartoonists were in news those days, what were the different incidents regarding cartoons which created national furore, My opinion about those incidents
6. What were the different means though which i kept myself updated about the incidents in my home state, was questioned about an incident that had occurred in west Bengal.
7. As a social work student what were the projects undertaken by me in college and I was asked to describe my research project

Focus of the Interview & Area of cross Questioning:

I felt my interview focused on my bio data and current affairs. It was mostly a free flowing interview in which the next question was focused on what I said. It tested my presence of mind, knowledge about my profile, current affairs and my opinion on issues of current relevance.

I was hardly cross questioned, in fact I felt that the board was very cordial and they tried to give me hints in questions in which i was not sure about the answer.

Mistakes:

I became nervous when I did not know the answers to certain questions. But the interview tests the interviewee’s aptitude rather than their factual knowledge so it was a mistake I should have avoided.
Suggestions:
• Keep your calm, as the examiners do try to make you a bit nervous by cross questioning and throwing questions which you least expecting. For e.g. I was shown my photograph and said that I didn’t resemble the photograph, I had to convince them that it was actually my photograph.
• Keep your current affairs and your bio data updated.
• Be honest and admit in factual questions if you are unaware of the facts.

Ishani Paul, IPS

IAS Score

IAS Interview Strategy Series – V

FACING THE INTERVIEW BOARD

TOPPER SPEAKS: Krishna Chaitanya K., IRTS, 2013

FACING THE INTERVIEW BOARD

TOPPER SPEAKS: Krishna Chaitanya K., IRTS, 2013

Chairman of the Interview Board: Sri Purushottam Agarwal
Marks obtained in Interview: 165

List of Questions:

Chairman
1. Why did you take Pali and not chemistry or physics. ( Pali was the subject of my cousin)
2. Which news paper do u read? Name a few authors of the OpEd page?
3. What was the significant shift in India’s foreign policy in the last 10 years? One specific event? (Traditional answer of fall of soviet union and multi polar world.. followed by Indo US Nuclear Deal..Look east.. look west..) Chairman was not convinced by the answers.. he was insisting upon one specific event.. one specific event? I couldn’t give the answer.

M1
1. what is the difference between food security and food safety? Is there any authority to ensure food safety in india? What are the provisions regarding food for women and children in the food security Bill?
2. what is PCI and it’s functions?

M2
1. What is the average size of nano particles? Give a few examples where they are applied?
2. What was the recent issue with pharmaceuticals and patents? Important changes in the patent laws? Difference between process patent and product patent?

M3
1. Opinion on Telangana?
2. Rank the languages in terms of number of people speaking the language?

M4
1. You are from Guwahati, what is it’s speciality?
2. Which rivers flow in Punjab province? (Confusion regarding Punjab state of India or Punjab province of Pakistan). Should have asked for clarification regarding this question. Assumed Punjab state and gave the answer. The member gave a smile and tried to explain something. Chairman immediately told me that my interview was over.

Focus of the interview:

No specific focus. One member asked questions in technical areas as I am an engineer. Another asked from my place and another from the place of my graduation (Guwahati)

Areas of cross questioning:

Shift in foreign policy. Started off with the end of cold war era for which I was told that my answer was outdated and he needed a specific instance. I replied as nuclear deal.

Suggestions for aspirants:

Though i prepared from my side, I always looked nervous in mock interviews and the main interview also. Keep discussing fruitfully (answering the friend’s questions or topics completely) with your peer friends, so that your answering method also looks pleasant and convincing to others.

Krishna Chaitanya K., IRTS

IAS Score

IAS Interview Strategy Series-IV

FACING THE INTERVIEW BOARD

TOPPER SPEAKS: Suman D. Pennekar, IPS, 2013

FACING THE INTERVIEW BOARD

TOPPER SPEAKS: Suman D. Pennekar, IPS, 2013

Education Qualification: BAMS

PT Date: 12th march 2013, afternoon session

Panel: I.M.G. Khan
List of Questions:

Chairman:

• “Are you practicing Ayurveda?”
• “Is the Ayurveda fraternity still following the ancient manuscripts or are there any research works being undertaken, if so then what are the latest developments in Ayurveda?”
• “Full form of AYUSH, origin of Unani, founder of Homeopathy, How to mainstream Ayurveda?”

M1:

• “Types of dosas(as my hobby is cooking!), name some rice varieties(actually it was to name some rice recipes which was later clarified and redirected by khan sir himself!).”
• “Rules of volleyball game, difference between volley n beach volley ball.”

M2:

• “Homeopathy a boon to India, justify ( I could guess only one reason while the other one he added himself).”
• “Why Karnataka and TN always conflicting?”
• “Any conflicts historically in the region?”

M3:

• “Any conflict (another Q on conflict) between lingayats n vokkaligas in Karnataka , any visible distinction between the 2 communities?”
• “Social reforms by Basavanna., number of Jnanpiths to Karnataka and latest Jnanpitha winner from Karnataka.”

M4:

• “Present status of Hyderabad Karnataka region and background of it.”
• “Question on JNV academic assessment system implemented in 2000 by some personality and his name which I couldn’t answer.”
• “During which CM’s time PRI was implemented in Karnataka?”
• “Tell about Nazir Saheb(I only knew that there is a programme named after him in Karnataka)?”

“The 30 minutes Interview was concluded with a question on Food Security Bill by Khan sir.”

Focus of the interview:

• The main focus of the interview was the occupation/ educational qualification.
• The ‘Home State’ was also given due attention.

Suman D. Pennekar, IPS, 2013

IAS Score

IAS Interview Strategy Series-III

FACING THE INTERVIEW BOARD

TOPPER SPEAKS: Rohit Dev Jha, IRS (IT), 2013

FACING THE INTERVIEW BOARD

TOPPER SPEAKS: Rohit Dev Jha, IRS (IT), 2013

 

My profle:

• BE(electrical and electronics) from MIT, Manipal;
• From Madhubani, Bihar;
• Working in TERI as Research Associate in renewable energy;
• First Attempt;
• Optional – Pub. Admin. & Maithili

Chairman of the Interview Board : Sri Vijay Singh
Marks obtained in Interview: 195

List of Questions:

Chairman

1. You have been associated with TERI. What have you done there?
2. What is this Smart Mini-Grid ?
3. Has it been deployed any where?
4. Does it has any utility ?
5. Is it financially viable ?
6. Any other place apart from TERI ?
7. Has it been deployed anywhere in the world other then TERI ?

Member 1

1. What type of organisation TERI is?
2. Have you heard about any document published in 1972 about sustainable development ? ( I couldn’t answer)
3. What is sustainable development ?
(A couple of other questions I am not remembering)

Member 2

1. You are from Madhubani, what is the most famous thing about it ?
2. What are the features of Madhubani painting ?
3. Is it earning any revenue ?
4. Is there any scope of further growth ?
5. Do you support toll collected foll roads ?
6. Who fixes the toll ?
7. What are the different forms of investment in projects ?
8. Do you think PPP is viable ?

Member 3

1. Why do you want to become IAS ( My answer was rhetorical ) ?
2. Similar answers are given in miss Universe competition, do you think they do anything what ever they say there ?
3. Does every Indian has access to banking facility ?
4. What government is doing for this ?
5. Have you heard about government inviting private people in banking sector ?
6. How it is going to bring financial inclusion ?

Member 4
(I couldn’t answer most of the questions)

1. To reach Manipal you must have traveled from Mangalore to Manipal; Five banks have been founded in this region, name them ( I could answer only two).
2. All the five banks are associated with one community, name them ( I could answer only one).
3. Apart from education TMA Pai, the founder of Manipal university has contributed in other ways, what are those ?
4. Dr Pai, initially returned back to his native, because he couldn’t find any earning in Manipal; Can you tell me what brought him back to build such a big institution?
5. Do you remember things you read as an electrical engineer ?
6. Which wave is used in TV signal transmission ( I said electromagnetic; he said be specific; I said, I am sorry, I don’t know; I added though I am an electrical and electronic engineer but electrical was my major) ?
7. (He continued) Have you heard about DSP?
8. What is this DSP?
9. Give example of amplitude modulation and frequency modulation ( I could only say about amplitude modulation being used in AM radia, FM radio didn’t strike me).
10. Have you heard about FM ?
11. What is frequency range of it ( usually it is 87.5 to 108 Mhz but i said 90 to 120 hz(later corrected it as Mhz)) ?
12. Why FM has such a small band width ( I said, I don’t know) ?

Chairman:

1. You often go to your village; what changes you find in Madhubani ?
2. Does only national highways have improved or even state highways?
3. You have seen Madhubani and Mangalore; What disparities you find between the two districts, do you think Madhubani can ever become as good as Managalore ?
4. What developments you would bring in your district ?

Focus of the interview:

• “There were 4-5 factual questions in around 50 questions I was asked in a time duration of 25 minutes which I couldn’t answer to the full satisfaction, apart from that, I think, i am satisfied.”
• “Most numbers of questions were asked about my job experience at TERI. In fact Chairman and first member asked me questions only about TERI, which was on the expected lines. A volley of questions about my Alma mater, that too of this level was perhaps not expected. Questions about electronics were simple but I couldn’t answer satisfactorily because I was not in touch with them.”

Area of Cross questioning:

• “There was very less cross questioning. They don’t like rhetorical answers, even in trivial questions even if you mean that. Questions like why civil services, why IAS etc. can always be cross questioned.”

Message for the future candidates appearing in interview:

• “I think I got bit perplexed when M4 started me asking some very unexpected questions. Though, I tried hard but I couldn’t hide my perplexity. I also intervened and said, that I am electrical engineer not an electronics engineer. Had i not committed this may be I would have got 5 more marks, but there is always a big question mark.”

“I would suggest following things are very important.

1. Every xyz in your biodata
2. Your previous job experience
3. Your Alma mater
4, Academy qualifications
5. Be conversant with current affairs
6, Never lose your patience”

Rohit Dev Jha, IR (IT), 2013

IAS Score

IAS Interview Strategy Series-II

FACING THE INTERVIEW BOARD
TOPPER SPEAKS: Maneesh, IPS, 2013

FACING THE INTERVIEW BOARD

TOPPER SPEAKS: Maneesh, IPS, 2013

Chairman of the Interview Board : Sri Purushottam Agarwal
Marks obtained in Interview: 190

List of Questions:

• Brief personal background
• Questions on hobbies
• Earlier job’s profile
• Reason for appearing in civil services exam
• Views on declining economic growth of the country
• Couple of engineering questions (I am an electrical engineer)
• Questions on psychology optional ( IQ vs EQ, exam related stress)
• Bills related to higher education pending(at that time) in the parliament
• Opinion based questions on current educational system, education in IITs, technocrat vs bureaucrats, research etc.

Focus of the interview:

• “The focus of the interview was on both factual and opinion related aspects in almost equal proportions. The interviewers asked questions on a variety of topics to get a deep understanding of the thinking pattern of the interviewee. Questions were also related to the biodata/application form filled by the candidate.”

Area of Cross questioning:

• “Cross questioning occurred in opinion related questions and in those in which I had to take a stand/ state my position, such as those of economic growth and education system in IITs.”

Message for the future candidates appearing in interview:

• “Refreshing of the graduation subject (particularly if it is different from the optional subject). Being fairly conversant and having an opinion on the current important events.”
• “Be calm and composed during the personality test. Do not try to bluff. If you don’t know answer to any question, accept it gracefully. Do your homework on the biodata well. And remember, in the end, this is just a simple personality test and not an investigation, so don’t panic.”

MANEESH, IPS

IAS Score

IAS Interview Strategy Series-I

FACING THE INTERVIEW BOARD

TOPPER SPEAKS: Rahul Arya, IPS

FACING THE INTERVIEW BOARD

IAS INTERVIEW STRATEGY SERIES-1

We are starting with the interview series for the candidates appearing for the interview this year. This is an initiative by the Toppers to share their interview experiences with the aspirants. This will be of immense help to design candidates their preparation for the IAS interview. In this strategy series we would try to share toppers experience on the following points:

• list of important questions asked in interview
• what was the focus of interview
• what were the areas of cross questioning
• Do you think, any mistake done in the process of facing interview board
• Suggestions for future aspirants..Etc…

TOPPER SPEAKS: Rahul Arya, IPS

Chairman of the Interview Board : Manbir Singh, IFS (Retd.)
Marks obtained in Interview: 189

List of Questions:

• Since I worked in McKinsey & Co. in Brussels, they asked me about significance of Belgium for India, the EU-India relationship etc.
• Why civil services after such an illustrious career in investment banking and strategy consulting?
• Difference between tactics and strategy?
• Issue of Rajat Gupta and SEC in New York? My take on the issue.
• Comments on loss of ethical standards in commercial practices.
• Since my hobby was cricket, I was asked questions on why IPL was successful and not IHL (Hockey), comments on Tamil Nadu banning SL cricketers in IPL, favorite cricketers etc.
• Some questions related to M&A (mergers & acquisition) in India….why there was slowdown in inward M&A and surge in outward M&A deals.
• Basic questions related to aircraft engines design as I had worked with GE Aircraft Engines in US for about 2 years after graduation from IIT Delhi.
• Questions related to IIM Bangalore and IIT Delhi. Specifically, the issues related to JEE entrance exam and difference in pedagogy methods between IIM B and IIM A.

Focus of the interview:

• “Why I was keen on joining civil services after such an illustrious career in investment banking?”

Area of Cross questioning:

• Ethics and contemporary business practices

Any mistake done in the process of facing interview board:

• “Was quite diplomatic related to Rajat Gupta issue, I could have been more forthright admitting that anyone involved in insider trading should be punished?”
• “Could have been more articulate in expressing contemporary ethical issues with respect to business practices in India. Forgot to include pharma patenting (Nexvar Issue), Cyber security related issues (alleged collusion between Microsoft and NSA) etc.”
• “Used highly technical language in both engineering and management related questions. Could see their faces turning blank and they never questioned back on many issues. Not sure, if it was right or wrong to do.”

Message for the future candidates appearing in interview:

• “Be thorough with your facts and CV.”
• “Be yourself……it’s good to think for 10-15 seconds, jot your thoughts together on the piece of paper and answer articulately in a logically coherent and structured manner.”
• “In most cases, your knowledge is better than the panel member’s knowledge, so, be humble yet confident.”

RAHUL ARYA, IPS