CSC: Achieving top slot in the Judicial Services Examination is no small feat; accept our heartiest congratulations on your splendid success.
Abhinav: Thank you, I would like to especially thank Alok Kumar Ranjan Sir and entire Team members of Ambition Law Institute, Delhi.
CSC: Can you recall the exact moment when you realized the importance of Judicial Services?
Abhinav: Yes. It is due to the fact that I was closely engaged with State Legal Services Authority and National Legal Services Authority; I had the opportunity to meet various judges. They inspired me about the profession and life of a judicial officer.
CSC: Finally, at what point of time did you make up your mind to make career in ‘Judicial Services’?
Abhinav: Initially, I was preparing for UPSC. Eventually, through proper counselling I was convinced that I can be a good judicial officer.
CSC: Was JSE a planned decision or your parent’s wish? Did you keep in mind some time frame, for the examination preparation and number of attempts?
Abhinav: Never, It was my first sincere effort which resulted into success.
CSC: Describe the exact moment when you came to know about the importance of Judicial Services?
Abhinav: It was during the Covid 19 pandemic that posed unprecedented stress to career prospects for many people. That was the time when I genuinely realized how crucial it was for me to clear judicial services examination which is indeed the 1st priority for every law student. Thus, it was the exact moment for me.
CSC: About Interview Boards, many candidates have set impressions. Do you consider such thoughts help or hinder one’s performance in Interview?
Abhinav: Yes, it does. In fact, in my case, it was very important and effective as well.
CSC: What was your first step when you were really serious about making a career in Judicial Services?
Abhinav: I started with the fundamental concepts of law and sticking to the planned strategy that was made by me during the course of the preparation.
CSC: Were you confident of your success in this examination and how did you react to this news of your success?
Abhinav: Yes, I was sure that I will clear the examination just after the interview got over. It was definitely a wonderful news that brought moment of joy for all my loved ones. I convey my sincere gratitude to my professors and seniors for helping me throughout this journey.
CSC: In how many attempts have you achieved this success? How do you visualize your preparation/previous attempts?
Abhinav: This was my first sincere attempt where I was dedicated and focused towards my goal and accordingly I prepared for my examination. The only key to success was religiously following the self- made strategies which was made during the course of preparation.
CSC: Were you preparing for other career opportunities as well while preparing for your ultimate goal i.e. Career in Judicial Services?
Abhinav: Yes, I was pursuing PhD in law. Simultaneously, I was also associated with teaching and working as columnist for various reputed newspapers.
CSC: While the changing economic environment offers immense lucrative career opportunities in various sectors, still what kept you motivated towards Judicial Services?
Abhinav: Economic hindrances do not stop you from achieving what you strongly desire when your efforts are made in the right direction.
CSC: What's important and what's not? Share your thoughts and opinions.
Abhinav: According to me, it is your self-made strategies and the preparation framework that you consistently follow to achieve your desired goal.
CSC: List some of the Magazines, News Papers, Books, etc. which you read for 'General Studies’ preparation.
Abhinav: I was reading Indian Express, Civil Service Chronicle Magazine for Current Affairs and some statics books related to various topics and subject matter regularly.
CSC: How did you prepare yourself for Interview? When and which Board did you face? How did your interview go on, how much time it lasted and what were the questions asked during the Interview?
Abhinav: I have taken the guidance from Ambition Law Institute that really helped me to understand the intricacies of how to prepare for an interview. I also worked personally on my resume and issues related to law that are currently in news, latest Judgments and recent legal development for the interview.
CSC: What is the importance of medium of examination for exams like JSE?
Abhinav: My medium was English and it totally depends upon an individual and his ability to understand and learn the subject matter. Thus, the medium of examination did not pose any hindrance for me.
CSC: Does the educational, financial and demographic status of the family of an aspirant have any impact on the preparation?
Abhinav: I don’t think so. Your passion, efforts and ability to never give up on your dreams ultimately make it possible to achieve your goals.
CSC: According to a recent report published by reputed survey agency, Civil Service Chronicle is the largest read Career & Competition Magazine. What is your opinion?
Abhinav: Civil Service Chronicle is one of the best magazines for current affairs and it definitely helps the students to simplify their current affairs preparation.
CSC: What is the secret of your success?
Abhinav: My secret is to stay positive, being very confident, trying to have clarity over subject matter and the ability to never give up on my dreams.
CSC: To whom would you like to give the credit for your success?
Abhinav: There are many people in my list. First of all, my parents, my friends, some of the seniors and Ambition Law Institute that constantly helped me in staying positive and to stay focused towards my goal; and I would specially like to acknowledge the contribution of Alok Kumar Ranjan Sir who through their innovative methods of teaching developed the proper understanding of law in us.
CSC: Any suggestion/advice you would like to give to the future aspirants.
Abhinav: Focus on every stage of your preparation, be thorough with your bare acts and simultaneously prepare for answer writing. Take good care of your mental health and prepare with a positive attitude.
CSC: Thank You very much and wishing you all the best for your future endeavours.
CSC: Achieving top slot in the Judicial Services Examination is no small feat; accept our heartiest congratulations on your splendid success.
Shraddha: Thank you.
CSC: Can you recall the exact moment when you realized the importance of Judicial Services?
Shraddha: From childhood, law always fascinated me as a tool which keeps our social and individual interest in a harmony and when I thought of pursuing it as a career, I got to know about Judiciary and what all it stands for.
CSC: Finally, at what point of time did you make up your mind to make career in ‘Judicial Services’?
Shraddha: In my 10th Standard, I decided that I would pursue law and go for Judicial Services. Since no one in my family has ever pursued law and me being of State Board topper in senior secondary exam (science stream), everyone expected me to pursue engineering or medicine; but I was confident about my decision.
CSC: You must have read Toppers’ interviews in newspapers/magazines; what inspired you the most? Any particular success story which has influenced your journey to this result?
Shraddha: Yes, I do read toppers’ interviews in newspapers/magazines and the thing that inspired me the most was their determination and hard work. One such story which inspired me was of Akanksha Tiwari Ma’am (Rank-1, UP Judicial Services 2018).
CSC: Was JSE a planned decision or your parents’ wish? Did you keep in mind some time-frame for the preparation and number of attempts?
Shraddha: It was my decision for which I had to convince my parents who were initially skeptical because I had no background in legal field but later on they firmly stood by me. I was not sure about the time-frame but I always desired to clear it in my very first attempt.
CSC: What was your first step when you were really serious about making a career in Judicial Services?
Shraddha: As I had already decided my goal during school days, I embarked upon that path. I joined Banaras Hindu University for BA.LL.B (Hons.) and after that I joined Ambition Law Institute for my preparation.
CSC: Were you confident of your success in this examination and how did you react to this news of your success?
Shraddha: I had a feeling that I would pass the exam but anxiety and fear before the result is a common tendency among all the aspirants. And after the results, it was like dream come true. I was filled with joy and my years of hard work had finally been paid off.
CSC: Were you preparing for other career opportunities as well while preparing for your ultimate goal i.e. Career in Judicial Services?
Shraddha: No, I was not preparing for other career opportunities.
CSC: While the changing economic environment offers immense lucrative career opportunities in various sectors, still what kept you motivated towards Judicial Services?
Shraddha: It was not a career opportunity for me but it was my dream to become a Judicial Officer which shaped my life accordingly; and I was not deviated by other things.
CSC: 'Time Management' is a key factor while making preparations as well as in writing examination papers. Did you come across such a problem during this period? If yes, then how did you manage things?
Shraddha: I used to divide the time to each subject according to its weightage in the examination. Mock papers helped me to overcome the problem of time management in writing mains.
CSC: List some of the magazines, newspapers, books, etc. which you read for 'General Studies’ preparation.
Shraddha: I referred Civil Services Chronicle, Indian Express, The Print, Live Law and Frontline.
CSC: How did you prepare yourself for Interview? When and which Board did you face? How did your interview go on, how much time it lasted and what were the questions asked during the Interview?
Shraddha: For Interview, I used to have discussions with my fellow aspirants on legal topics, jurisprudence and current scenarios. I faced Hon'ble Justice Sandeep Mehta's Panel. My Interview went on for 20-25 minutes. They asked me questions from law subjects and general awareness.
CSC: What is the importance of medium of examination for exams like JSE?
Shraddha: Since RJSE is conducted in both languages (Hindi and English), language is not a barrier; but one must choose the language in which he/she is comfortable.
CSC: Does the educational, financial and demographic status of the family of an aspirant have any impact on the preparation?
Shraddha: Yes, it does. The environment you grew up in, your cultural belongings and demography, etc. becomes part of your character and stays with you.
CSC: According to a recent report published by reputed survey agency, Civil Services Chronicle is the largest read Career & Competition magazine. What is your opinion?
Shraddha: I found Civil Services Chronicle very informative and precise. It helped me immensely in preparing the G.S. part of JSE.
CSC: What is the secret of your success?
Shraddha: Hard work, determination, supportive family and friends and healthy competitive spirit.
CSC: To whom would you like to give the credit for your success?
Shraddha: I would like to give the credit for my success to God, my family, friends and teachers & entire Team of Ambition. I want to extend my special gratitude to Mr. Alok Kumar Ranjan Sir (The Headmaster, Ambition Law Institute, Delhi).
CSC: Tell us about some basic things an aspirant should give emphasis to?
Shraddha: Writing Skills, Time Management, Conceptual Clarity and Learning Ability.
CSC: Any suggestion/advice you would like to give to the future aspirants.
Shraddha: Solve previous year questions and practice answer writing and read the Judgments of Hon'ble Supreme Court.
CSC: Thank you very much and wishing you all the best for your future endeavors.
CSC: Heartiest congratulations to you from Civil Services Chronicle for your success. How are you feeling about it?
Uttam: Thank you very much sir. I am quite happy and feeling is beyond description- a combination of excitement, joy, nervousness for upcoming transformation in life.
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?
Uttam: My inspireation for opting civil service is social service - lessening sufferings of people, helping them to achieve their dreams. I would give credit of my success to my family (parents, siblings). They supported me throughout this journey. During my preparation, my teachers (special mention here for Sunil Gupta Sir) gave me proper direction and motivated me.
CSC: What strategy one should follow for preparing General Studies - Prelims & Mains? Did you integrate your Prelims and Mains preparation or was it separate?
Uttam: General Studies, being the most important component of both the stages (49% in mains and 100% in prelims), requires special focus. I would say revising, and practicing regulary is the key for both the stages. Regular writing for mains, daily practice of MCQs would be helpful. I prepared for prelims and mains in an integerated manner. Only three months before prelims, I dedicatedly worked for prelims only.
CSC: What was your optional? What was the basis of selecting this optional? What strategy one should follow for preparing?
Uttam: My optional was Public Administration. Basis for selection of this was – my interest for knowing all about administration, short syllabus, and comparative advantage (overlapping with general studies syllabus). Fore preparation, my strategy was joining a good coaching (I joined INSPIRATION IAS ACADEMY), revising coaching notes, daily answer writing and doing test series.
CSC: What was your strategy for preparation and books of Ethics Paper-IV?
Uttam: Ethics Paper-IV is the area where one can score very high with little effort. I did two readings of Lexicon book, practiced a lot of case studies and added a number of examples from Ramayana and Mahabharta.
CSC: Tell us something about preparation of Essay paper.
Uttam: Essay again is an area where little efforts can fetch you good marks. I followed a strategy of writing essay every Sunday on INSIGHTS ON INDIA platform.
CSC: 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?
Uttam: My style of writing comprised a good structure (Introduction- Body- Conclusion), filled with data, substantiated with examples and case studies (for instance, if I have to write something about Urban Planning , I used to refer Indus Valley Civilisation). I developed my writing style with practice (I wrote four answers per day since the beginning of my preparation).
CSC: How did you prepare for interview? Which types of questions were asked in interview? Did you answer them all? Was there any specific area they emphasised upon?
Uttam: Interview preparation for me was most scary one (because UPSC CSE Interview was first interview of my life). So, I dig a lot from internet and listened to a number of toppers’ videos. I prepared a list of questions (personal questions, questions from current affairs and optional). I prepared those questions in front of mirror every day, gave 2 mock interviews also.
In my interview, questions were asked about my name (Uttam – How your name motivates you?) my hobbies, questions on optional paper, J&K Issue, Russia – Ukraine war and India's stand, two situation-based questions.
They also asked me 4-5 questions from Chemistry (my academic background).
I answered all of the questions except the name of chief minister of J&K at the time of drafting of Constitution of J&K.
CSE: What is the importance of coaching in the preparation of this exam?
Uttam: For me, I would say, coaching from INSPIRATION IAS ACADEMY has played an important role. Coaching decides a path for you. It draws boundary line, so that student does not drift here and there.
Mentorship of Sunil Gupta Sir (Director of INSPIRATION IAS ACADEMY) has helped me sail through this exam. He has supported and guided me during coaching and even after that for public administration preparation.
CSE: What is the role of Civil Services Chronicle in your success?
Uttam: Civil Services Chronicle has helped me for preparing Ethics (Paper-IV) and following magazines every month for Model MCQs (Prelims) and exclusive topics for mains. Chronicle has helped me for General Studies & Current Affairs.
CSE: What is your source of preparation? Which books, magazines, news papers and online sources were used by you during your preparation?
Uttam: My preparation was based on standard books for each subject, following magazines like Civil Services Chronicle, Yojana, Kurukshetra, reading The Hindu newspaper and following INSIGHTS IAS for daily answer writing.
CSE: Suggest a book list for Prelims, GS & CSAT and Mains Paper (1 to 4) and Essay.
Uttam:
Booklist for GS (Prelims + Mains)
- Polity – M. Laxmikant
- History – Spectrum
- Economy – Sri Ram Notes
- Geography – 11th & 12th NCERT
- Environment – Shanker IAS
- Disaster Management – Current Affairs
- Internal Security – Class Notes
- International Relationships – Current Affairs
- Ancient & Medieval History – Class Notes
- Essay – Ultimate Cheatbook for Essay written by IRS Ravi Kapoor
- Ethics – Lexicon by Chronicle
CSE: Suggest a book list for Optional (Public Administration Paper 1 & 2).
Uttam:
- Class notes + Handouts given by Sunil Gupta Sir (Inspiration IAS Academy)
- Prasad and Prasad (for thinkers)
- R.K. Sapru
- Mohit Bhattcharya (for selected topics)
- Aribam books for both - Paper 1 & Paper 2