Interview - Deeksha Chourasiya

Csc: Heartiest congratulations to you from Civil Services Chronicle for your success. How are you feeling about it?

Deeksha: Thank you! It felt unreal when I saw my name in the Pdf. As the initial excitement settled, I felt a deep sense of gratitude towards everyone who supported me throughout this journey. I am excited to finally begin the journey of public service.

Csc: What is your inspiration for becoming an IAS officer? Whom do you give credit for your success? What is the role of family and others (teachers, friends) in your preparation and success?

Deeksha: My mother first inspired me to consider a career in the civil services. As I grew older, witnessing Indore's transformation into India's cleanest city under the leadership of dedicated civil servants strengthened my aspiration to become an IAS officer.

It made me realise that the civil services offer a unique opportunity to create meaningful change in society. I owe my success to my family, friends and teachers, whose constant encouragement, guidance and belief in me helped me overcome challenges and stay motivated throughout my UPSC journey.

Csc: What strategy one should follow for preparing General Studies - Prelims & Mains? Did you integrate your Prelims and Mains preparation or was it separate?

Deeksha: I believe the key to UPSC preparation is understanding the demand of the examination. Beyond the syllabus and previous years' questions, aspirants should develop analytical thinking, logical reasoning and the ability to connect different aspects of an issue. UPSC tests not just knowledge but its effective application. I followed an integrated approach, as the knowledge base for Prelims and Mains is largely common, though the nature of the questions differs.

Csc: Did you prepare notes? How helpful are notes? What is your advice on notes-making?

Deeksha: Yes, I did prepare notes. Given the vast syllabus, my notes did become bulky. But in my last attempt I tried to condense them into very short notes.

I used to make one pager notes for all topics and also used sticky notes. While most of my notes were handwritten, I made digital notes for current affairs on Evernote as they are dynamic in nature.

My advice will be to make smart and handy notes that you can revise quickly. Focus more on active recalling.

Csc: What was your optional? What was the basis of selecting this optional? What strategy one should follow?

Deeksha: I had History Optional. I did my graduation in History from Miranda House (Delhi University). So, I was already well versed in the basics of the subject.

History optional syllabus is quite extensive. My strategy was to break down the syllabus into multiple small parts, analyse the Pyqs, make notes on the topics and then appear for a test. This should be followed by at least 2 revisions.

After clearing prelims, one must focus more on brainstorming questions and writing. Value addition in answers helps in fetching more marks and so focus more on writing various opinions of historians, improving presentation through maps and providing various dimensions to your answer.

Csc: What was your strategy of preparation and books for Ethics (Paper-IV)?

Deeksha: For Ethics, I prepared my own concise notes for every topic, incorporating relevant examples, philosophers, quotes, and case studies.

I found that originality of thought and the use of contemporary examples are particularly rewarding in section A.

For case studies, I focused on providing practical, balanced, and implementable solutions. I also drew upon examples from Indian philosophy to enrich my answers.

Since time management can be challenging in Ethics, I practiced answer writing extensively to improve both content and speed.

Csc: Tell us something about preparation of Essay paper.

Deeksha: I used to write two essays every weekend and get them evaluated. I believe that structure is the most important aspect of a good essay, so I devoted the first 10–15 minutes to brainstorming and preparing a framework before writing.

I also focused on making my introductions and conclusions creative and impactful. For philosophical essays, I prepared short notes on important values and themes. Additionally, reading newspaper editorials, quality articles, and previous years’ model essays helped me improve both content and presentation.

Csc: What was your style of writing in the exam? How was it distinct? How did you develop it?

Deeksha: I wrote in point format. I tried to incorporate flowcharts, graphs and maps to break the monotonous tone of answer writing.

Since the Mains examination requires writing continuously for nearly six hours a day, I focused on building both my writing speed and stamina by regularly attempting full-length mocks under exam-like conditions.

Csc: How did you prepare for interview? Which type of questions were asked? Did you answer them all? Was there any specific area they emphasised upon?

Deeksha: My interview preparation was broadly divided into three parts: my graduation subjects, current affairs, and the Detailed Application Form (DAF).

The questions covered a wide range of topics, including history, international relations, current affairs, as well as my hobbies and personal interests. I attempted to answer all the questions to the best of my ability. Whenever I did not know an answer, I honestly acknowledged it and expressed my willingness to learn more about the subject.

Since I had completed a Visharad degree in Kathak, the board showed particular interest in cultural topics, and several questions were related to Indian art, culture, and dance forms.

Csc: What is the importance of coaching in preparation?

Deeksha: I believe the role of coaching varies from person to person. If an aspirant feels the need for guidance in understanding certain subjects, maintaining consistency, or getting regular feedback, coaching institutes and mentors can certainly be helpful.

However, coaching is not a mandatory requirement for success in UPSC. It depends on your consistency and hard work.

Csc: What is the role of Civil Services Chronicle in your success?

Deeksha: I read a lot of interviews of toppers in the past year from this magazine. That motivated me a lot and I hope my journey can prove to be helpful to other aspirants as well!

Csc: What was your source of preparation? Which books, magazines, newspapers and online sources were used?<

Deeksha: I read the newspaper every day - Hindu or Indian Express. Apart from this, I relied on current affair magazines for prelims. I extensively used ChatGPT and Youtube for further value addition in my preparation. I also read Economic Survey, Budget and government magazines like Yojana and Kurukshetra for some topics.

Csc: Suggest your preferred book list for Prelims, GS & CSAT, Mains Paper I–IV, and Essay.

Deeksha: For Prelims, I primarily relied on NCERTs and standard reference books such as Indian Polity by M. Laxmikanth, Indian Art and Culture by Nitin Singhania, along with other commonly recommended sources. Regular revision and solving PYQs were equally important components of my preparation.

For Mains and Essay, I did not depend on any single source. Instead, I prepared my own notes by consolidating information from multiple resources, including standard books, current affairs, reports, and newspaper articles.

Csc: Suggest your preferred book list for Optional Paper I & II (History).

Deeksha:

Paper 1 - VK Jain, Upinder Singh for Ancient India, Satish Chandra and MA history material from IGNOU for medieval.

Paper 2 - Sekhar Bandyopadhyay’s From Plassey to Partition and After and BL Grover for modern history and Mastering Modern World History by Norman Lowe and History of the World by Arjun Dev for world history.

CSC: Thank you for sharing your inspiring UPSC CSE journey and valuable insights with us. We wish you success in your future endeavours.