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

Simranpreet Kaur: Thank you Sir. It's a great feeling as the hard work put in has reaped fruits.

CSC: What is your inspiration behind your success? Whom do you give credit for your success? What is the role of family and others (teacher, friends) in your preparation and success?

Simranpreet Kaur: My inspiration for becoming a PCS officer was my parents who introduced the idea of Civil Services to me. This was further realised when I was awarded for representing India in the World

Cup in Skeet Shooting on the Sports Day of my School and the chief guest was a sports person and a Civil Servant. This really inspired me to take up Civil Services.The role of my family has been a major one given the fact it's the family support which gives emotional strength in this journey and teachers who motivate you and help you become better in the respective subjects.

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

Simranpreet Kaur: The preparation of Civil Services is an integrated one for both Prelims and Mains. Step one is thoroughly understanding the syllabus and analysing the previous years’question papers.

Followed by that one has to decide whether one requires coaching or not and depending upon their strengths and weaknesses formulate a strategy accordingly. Tests are really important for each stage of the examination as it helps one identify the areas which need more attention.Both mains and Prelims are covered together, however a few months before each stage of examination one has to shift the focus of preparation to the exam specific stage.

CSC: How much time did you devote for Prelims, Mains, Interview, and Optional? How did you manage your time in both prelims and mains examinations?

Simranpreet Kaur: It is nearly two years of preparation. I decided to prepare in an integrated way hence initially I prepared for both mains and prelims together. As my prelims was scheduled on 13^th February, 2021, I gave three months before the exam completely to it.Followed by that in 1st April, 2021 to 8th April 2021, I had my mains hence a dedicated focus to it.Followed by that on 15th May, was my Interview hence the focus was to more an interview specific preparation.

CSC:Did you prepare notes? How helpful are the notes? What is your advice on notes making?

Simranpreet Kaur: For some subjects I had prepared notes like the mains specific topics and some even for Current Affairs, however they were prioritised on the basis of importance of the issues with regard to the exam.They were really helpful as the revision before the exam became quite easy.I believe, making notes or not is a personal choice, however in my opinion they are important as some days before the exam it becomes extremely difficult to revise from a large number of sources.

CSC: Tell us something about preparation of essay paper.

Simranpreet Kaur: I had practiced certain essays before the Mains exam and got them evaluated by my teachers and incorporated their suggestions in the exam. The knowledge of other four papers can be beautifully utilised in the paper with a touch of literature.

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?

Simranpreet Kaur: My writing style was of - Introduction, Body, and Conclusion. However I used paragraphs, points, diagrams, etc. depending upon the demand of the question.I had developed the writing style by practicing a few questions after every subject was completed, then getting my answers evaluated by the teachers and incorporating their suggestions.

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

Simranpreet Kaur: My interview was mainly focussed on the Detailed Application Form (DAF) and on newspapers, along with some important contemporary issues and State specific information.I had prepared for the same and attended a few mocks and incorporated few suggestions. The questions were mostly State-oriented and factual and very less opinion-based.I was able to answer most of the questions and they asked some village specific questions which I was not able to answer.

CSC: What do you think about importance of coaching in the preparation of this examination?

Simranpreet Kaur: Coaching plays a very important role in giving direction to prepare for this examination and after that it's the self-study which helps one consolidate the learning on subjects. However, again, it’s a personal choice. One has to decide depending upon his/her abilities.

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

Simranpreet Kaur: I referred to Civil Services Chronicle magazine for some topics of current affairs to fill in the gaps.

• Hello Everyone, I have always read interview of toppers, and here I am, now with an opportunity to write one myself.
• I am Shubham Aggarwal. I am 22 years old. I am from New Delhi itself. I have done my schooling from St Francis De Sales School in Janakpuri. Then I went on to study at Shri Ram College of Commerce.
• This was my first attempt at Civil Services Examination. My optional was commerce and accountancy.
• Becoming an IAS came to mind in the second year of graduation and hence my journey began from there. I gave my first and only attempt right after graduation i.e., without a gap year since I was already 21. Preparation included shifting to campus despite being a Delhiite to ensure complete focus on the exam and managing college studies, classes along with CSE preparation. It all culminated into me giving college final exams in May 2019 and prelims on 2nd June 2019.

Tell us about your Tryst with UPSC.

• Becoming an IAS came to mind in the second year of graduation and hence my journey began from there. I gave my first and only attempt right after graduation i.e., without a gap year since I was already 21. Preparation included shifting to campus despite being a Delhiite to ensure complete focus on the exam and managing college studies, classes along with CSE preparation. It all culminated into me giving college final exams in May 2019 and prelims on 2nd June 2019.

Preliminary examination

PLEASE MENTION YOUR STRATEGY AND BOOKS/NOTES DID YOU REFERRED TO FOR GENERAL STUDIES AND CSAT?

• For CSAT, I just gave 2018 CSE paper as a mock in 2 hours time and was scoring 140+ so I did not prepare for it. If someone faces difficulty in doing the same, then recommended books can be referred to.

GS (STRATEGY AND BOOKS)

BOOKLIST:

HOW MANY QUESTIONS DID YOU ATTEMPT IN GS? HOW MANY DID YOU GET RIGHT?

• I attempted 83 questions in my final exam – I believe I got 62 right

WHAT DO YOU THINK IS THE OPTIMAL NUMBER OF QUESTIONS TO ATTEMPT IN PRELIMS? DO YOU ADVISE ACCURACY OR MAXIMUM ATTEMPTS?

• It really depends what the candidate is more comfortable with. More often than not it is number of attempts due to low accuracy of the multiple correct options type questions.

IF YOU HAD TO PREPARE AGAIN WOULD YOU CHANGE YOUR STRATEGY IN ANY WAY?

• Focus more on art and culture

Mains Examination

HOW DID YOU PREPARE GS/GK?

• Picking up the generic books which every toppers reads from and complimenting them with certain dedicated websites for topics which are not covered in such books. Having a 6 monthly, monthly, weekly and daily time table helped to keep my preparation on track and me being aware of the portions left to cover. It gives a sense of control over the prep and is hence, highly recommended to all candidates.

WHAT’S YOUR OPTIONAL SUBJECTS AND WHY?

• Commerce and Accountancy because of my Commerce and Economics background in graduation

PLEASE SHARE YOUR STRATEGY AND BOOKLIST FOR EACH OF THE OPTIONAL?

• Booklist for both the papers of Commerce and Accountancy were limited to the coaching material provided by Rankers Coaching Classes.

Optional 1

• STRATEGY: Practicing practical questions in a timely fashion and making notes of the theory aspect. Taking a lot of tests along with the coaching classes is a key to get accustomed to finish the paper in the prescribed time.
• BOOKLIST: Coaching Material of Rankers Classes

Optional 2

• STRATEGY: Made comprehensive notes out of the coaching material so as to have my own concise material to revise from. Took as many tests as possible to write quality answers within the given time limit.
• BOOKLIST: Coaching Material of Rankers Classes

HOW IMPORTANT IS ANSWER WRITING? WHAT WAS YOUR STYLE OF ANSWER WRITING?

• Good answer writing is one of the key requirements for scoring high marks in Mains exam. Utilising the space to one’s advantage and writing crisp answers is key.
• My strategy included using diagrams and schematics to write points. Every page had at least one flow chart/diagram/infographic

HOW MANY QUESTIONS DID YOU ATTEMPT? WHAT STRATEGY DID YOU FOLLOW FOR MAINS EXAMINATION IN THE EXAMINATION HALL?

• All questions. I did not skip a single question in any of the 9 mains papers. Writing briskly while thinking continuously is important. Keeping an eye on the clock helps to allot equal time to each answer.

IF YOU HAD TO PREPARE AGAIN WOULD YOU CHANGE YOUR STRATEGY IN ANY WAY?

• Probably do more answer writing practice

ROLE OF FORUMIAS ACADEMY

• Here, I would like to bring to note the role of forumias academy in my preparation. I had joined ForumIAS MGP with a test series of 11 tests – 8 for GS and 3 for Essay.
• Their answer checking is genuine and gives one detailed analysis which helped me a lot in altering my writing style for the better. Keep doing the great work team!
• Whatever GS Mains Answer Writing Practice I had was with ForumIAS only.

Interview

HOW DID YOU PREPARE FOR THE INTERVIEW? DID YOU ATTEND ANY MOCKS?

• I did not give any mock interviews. I prepared for possible questions from my DAF and also my Optional Subject. Since I graduated last year i.e., 2019, I prepared for subjects studied in college too. Having knowledge of recent happenings is important. Overall, keeping a balanced view point but having a strong opinion on things is what is required. Indecisiveness is not a trait of an aspiring bureaucrat.

WHICH INTERVIEW BOARD DID YOU FACE?

• Ms. Smita Nagaraj

PLEASE SHARE YOUR ENTIRE INTERVIEW LIKE WHAT WAS ASKED AND WHAT WAS YOUR REPLY? WERE YOU ABLE TO ANSWER ALL THE QUESTIONS?

• My interview started with mocking me being 22 years old and in what rush was I in becoming a civil servant. The rest of the questions were from the sectors of micro-finance, rural banking, informal moneylending, farmer credit issues, NBFCs, demonetisation, etc. There were some questions on foreign policy. The interview ended with a personalised discussion on Dowry.

WHAT QUALITIES DO YOU THINK ARE BEING TESTED IN THE INTERVIEW? SOME STRICT DO’S AND DON’TS FOR THE INTERVIEW FOR ASPIRANTS AND INTERVIEW CANDIDATES?

• In my opinion, qualities tested are commitment to rule of law, dedication towards the upliftment of the underprivileged sections of the society, ability to take bold decisions, stick to one’s own opinion and not being succumbed under pressure. Having belief in what one says is crucial.
• Be yourself. Do not try to be someone you are not. Don’t for a second appear disinterested in the chairperson or the panellists. Stay attentive. Be upright about things you do not know. One bluff and game over.

DO YOU THING MARKS IN SCHOOL OR COLLEGE AND THE JOB EXPERIENCE CAN IMPACT ONE’S SCORE IN THE INTERVIEW?

• A good score can positively impact the boards opinion about you but a low score will definitely not lower their opinion of you. I’m not sure if it translates into the actual score achieved.

HOW WAS THE INTERVIEW EXPERIENCE? WAS IT PREDICTABLE? HOW MUCH DID YOUR PREPARATION HELP?

• It was more of a conversation with a lot of back and forth in the discussion. It wasn’t entirely predictable given very limited (almost none) questions were asked related to the DAF. Anyway, Preparation always helps as it puts you in the right frame of mind before the big day.

Miscellaneous Questions

HOW MUCH INTERNET DID YOU USE FOR YOUR PREPARATION? HOW MUCH VALUE DID IT ADD

• Preparation in this day and age without internet is simply not doable nor it is recommended. Using and limiting oneself to the right sources is key. Otherwise, one can be lost in the ocean of information that is available out there.

HOW DID YOU BALANCE SO MUCH RESOURCES AND DATA? WHAT SMART TECHNIQUES DID YOU USE TO MANAGE YOUR PREPARATION IN A BETTER MANNER?

• Making time-tables for different time durations, keeping a track of everything I was doing and everything that was left to be done. Limiting the resources and having trust on your own decision to chose the books you did is important. Having very few (0/1) co-aspirants helps to defend yourself from over-load of information.

WHAT DO YOU THINK IS THE MOST ESSENTIAL QUALITY/QUALITIES NEEDED TO CLEAR THIS EXAM?

• Perseverance, inner motivation to serve the society, smart work

WHAT IS YOUR ADVICE TO THE YOUNG ASPIRANTS WHO LOOK UP TO YOU?

• Hang in there. It is a roller coaster ride with a lot of mood swings. There will be days when you will think you will achieve rank 1 and days when you will question whether this profession is for you. Rudyard Kipling’s lines sum this up
• If you can dream – and not make dreams your master;
• If you can think – and not make thoughts your aim;
• If you can meet with Triumphs and Disasters
• and treat those two imposters just the same;

WHAT IS THE BEST ADVICE THAT YOU HAVE RECEIVED?

• Be truthful to yourself

WHAT DID ALL HURDLES YOU FACE WHILE PREPARING FOR IT? AND HOW DID YOU TACKLE THEM

• I lost my aunt on the day of the first mains exam (essay) and the news came in while we were on our way to the centre. I told my mother that she was in my heart but not in my brain. I would not let if affect my exams.
• I was tested positive with Covid-19 a mere 20 days before my Interview. Having read about how to respond to it, I self-isolated myself and recovered in the 15 day time period.

My name is Ayushi Jain. I am from a very small town named Sironj in Vidisha dist of MP.I have done my schooling from Nirmala Convent Higher Secondary School Sironj.

• I have a nuclear family consisting of my mother, father, younger brother, and a younger sister. My father is a Kirana shopkeeper and my mother a homemaker.
• I had scored 91.2 % marks in 10th std and 90.4 % marks in 12th std. I have done engineering in Computer Science from Lakshmi Narain College of Technology Bhopal, with 8.68 CGPA.
• I have work-ex of around 2 years as a Data Centre administrator in Trident Ltd. I had my 1st attempt in 2017 and this was my 3rd attempt. In the 1st attempt, I couldn’t clear prelims, in the 2nd attempt, I couldn’t clear mains.
• In the 3rd attempt I had changed my optional from Mathematics to Anthropology, which I had prepared in 2 months period (Jan, Feb 2020) after the results of mains came out.
• I didn’t write any other exam apart from UPSC. But was thinking to write state PSC exam as a backup option after this attempt.
• To become a civil servant was not my childhood dream. I realized this during my job period while participating in various CSR activities. Then I left my job in 2016 and started dedicated preparation of the exam since then.

Preliminary examination

PLEASE MENTION YOUR STRATEGY AND BOOKS/NOTES DID YOU REFERRED TO FOR GENERAL STUDIES AND CSAT?

• STRATEGY: Limited sources + note-making + practice mock tests. Newspaper reading was very important for me, I read Indian express and a friend of mine read The Hindu and we used to share notes through a Google doc file.

BOOKLIST:

WHAT WAS YOUR STRATEGY FOR PRELIMS EXAMINATION?

• I had solved around 50 test papers in both my attempts in which I cleared prelims. Solving test papers helps in understanding the elimination strategy for options, and finding out which strategy works for us on the basis of our accuracy.

HOW MANY QUESTIONS DID YOU ATTEMPT IN GS? HOW MANY DID YOU GET RIGHT?

• In this attempt, I attempted 93
• On the basis of different answer keys, I was getting around 110-112 marks.

WHAT DO YOU THINK IS THE OPTIMAL NUMBER OF QUESTIONS TO ATTEMPT IN PRELIMS? DO YOU ADVISE ACCURACY OR MAXIMUM ATTEMPTS?

• There are 2 strategies for prelims – attempt around 70 questions, which one is very sure to be correct. And second is to attempt more than 90 questions when the accuracy is not that good. I fell in the later category, thus in both my last 2 attempts, I attempted more than 90 questions.

IF YOU HAD TO PREPARE AGAIN WOULD YOU CHANGE YOUR STRATEGY IN ANY WAY?

• I wouldn’t change my strategy in any way. I will just read a few books more and check new editions of some books to find out if there is anything extra.

IF THIS WASN’T YOUR FIRST ATTEMPT WHAT MISTAKES YOU THINK YOU MADE IN THE PREVIOUS ATTEMPT IN PRELIMS?

• 1st attempt – I read contents from so many sources, couldn’t revise properly before the exam. I also solved less number of test papers therefore couldn’t develop a strategy for prelims.
• 2nd and 3rd attempt – I limited my sources, focused more upon revision, solved more number of test papers. Therefore, could qualify prelims in these 2 attempts.

Mains

HOW DID YOU PREPARE GS/GK?

• I covered every term in the syllabus through static sources and tried to connect them to current affairs topics through newspapers and magazines.
• Newspaper reading – one of the foundational pillars of my UPSC Through newspaper reading I collected examples, case studies, imp data etc
• Going through answer copies of toppers available on internet .
• Practicing mains answer writing through full length tests in proper exam type environment. I had joined Forum MGP 2018 and
• Notes making is very important – helps in quick recall of points as it gets saved in our pictographic

HOW DID YOU COVER CURRENT AFFAIRS FOR MAINS?

• Through 2 sources – 1st is Newspaper which was one of the foundational pillars of my UPSC preparation and 2nd is current affairs magazine.

WHAT’S YOUR OPTIONAL SUBJECTS AND WHY?

• My optional is Anthropology. I changed my optional from Mathematics to Anthropology in my 3rd attempt.
• I chose it because it was one of the few optionals which I could do on my own in the 2 months time period after the results of mains of my 2nd attempt came out.
• This subject has a good blend of both science and humanities.

PLEAS SHARE YOUR STRATEGY AND BOOKLIST FOR EACH OF THE OPTIONAL?

• I had just 2 month period to prepare for a new optional after the results of the mains (2nd attempt) came out on 20th Dec 2018 .
• I had to decide a new optional, I tried reading basic class notes of 3 optionals in the 10 days after the results. I decided to take Anthropology as my optional.
• I am very much thankful to Anudeep Durishetty sir for his blog on “How to Ace Anthropology Optional”. I followed each and every word in the blog while preparing for my optional.

Optional 1

STRATEGY:

• Note making for every
• Updating current affairs from newspapers and current affairs
• Daily answer writing practice for optional after
• Tried to incorporate diagrams, examples, case studies etc wherever

BOOKLIST: Anudeep Durushetty sir book list + Examples from newspaper

Optional 2

STRATEGY:

• Read XAXA report and made notes .
• Watched Mai Bhi Bharat Documentaries (in my free time) and collected case studies.
• Note making for every
• Updating current affairs from newspapers and current affairs
• Daily answer writing practice for optional after
• Tried to incorporate diagrams, examples, case studies etc wherever

BOOKLIST: Anudeep Durushetty sir book list + XAXA + Mai bhi bharat case studies + examples from Newspapers.

DID YOU JOIN ANY CLASSES FOR YOUR MAINS PREPARATION .IF YES THEN HOW USEFUL DID YOU FIND THEM?

• No, I didn’t join any classes for mains preparation. I joined test-series for the same.

HOW IMPORTANT IS ANSWER WRITING? WHAT WAS YOUR STYLE OF ANSWER WRITING?

• Answer writing practice is very important because attaining knowledge is different while reproducing it on paper is different .
• Answer writing is an art which consists of some basic rules which can be brought into practice only through regular answer writing.
• I didn’t practice answer writing daily but used to writing at least 1 full-length test every 3-4 days.

HOW MANY QUESTIONS DID YOU ATTEMPT? WHAT STRATEGY DID YOU FOLLOW FOR MAINS EXAMINATION IN THE EXAMINATION HALL?

• I attempted all the questions in all the papers of mains examination. I did 15 marker questions first and then the 10 marker questions.
• I turned my watch 5 mins ahead, it had a psychological impact on me that I could complete my papers 1 min before time, which was not the case otherwise.

IF YOU HAD TO PREPARE AGAIN WOULD YOU CHANGE YOUR STRATEGY IN ANY WAY?

• Revise my optional better as in this attempt I had a paucity of time to do that.

IF THIS WASN’T YOUR FIRST ATTEMPT WHAT MISTAKES YOU THINK YOU MADE IN THE PREVIOUS ATTEMPT IN MAINS?

• My optional which I had changed in this attempt.
• I added more value to my answers through case studies, examples, diagrams, maps, data etc.

WERE YOU PART OF FORUMIAS CGP / PTS / MGP / IGP / CURRENT AFFAIRS? HOW DID THEY HELP YOU IN YOUR PREPARATION? HOW WAS IT DIFFERENT FROM OTHER PROGRAMS?

• I joined MGP 2018 and MGP 2019 for mains test series and IGP 2019 for interview preparation. At a time during the lockdown, not many options were available, I was lucky to get ForumIAS support for online mocks.
• MGP had helped me in practicing answer writing in proper exam type environment. Copy checking was on time, grievance readdress was seamless.
• IGP helped me in forming crisp and effective answers.
• I had also taken up ForumIAS Anthropology ATS ( Augmented Test Series ) for Mains 2019

Interview

HOW DID YOU PREPARE FOR THE INTERVIEW? DID YOU ATTEND ANY MOCKS?

• I am from a very small town and my schooling was such that I was very hesitant in delivering my answers well. I looked very under-confident. So, for me working on the presentation part was as important as the knowledge gathering and DAF preparation. To address this situation, I did daily mock interview sessions with different groups of people, it also gave me diverse view-points.
• I prepared my DAF thoroughly. As my interview was after the lockdown so a detailed study of current affairs related to corona pandemic had to be done, I also tried to connect it with things in my DAF.
• I saw a lot many toppers’ mock interviews.

WHICH INTERVIEW BOARD DID YOU FACE?

• Bharat Bhushan Vyas

PLEASE SHARE YOUR ENTIRE INTERVIEW LIKE WHAT WAS ASKED AND WHAT WAS YOUR REPLY? WERE YOU ABLE TO ANSWER ALL THE QUESTIONS?

I couldn’t answer 2 questions – those were very objective questions. I simply replied them like “I am unable to recall/ I am not aware but I’ll read about it”.

My interview transcript

M1:

• Why Anthro after engg
• Did u enjoy reading anthro
• Which is ur fav part in anthro (I said Tribal anthro)
• Why do u like tribal anthro (I mentioned Gadiya lohar tribe in my area)
• More questions on gadiya lohar
• Issues with nomadic tribes
• How will make provision for education of nomadic tribes
• Questions on Budapest Convention. Why did India not join it?
• Any positive learning from covid

M2:

• What is Anti ragging committee
• How it came into being (Raghavan committee more questions on that)
• Do you know about place named Patalkot (Bharia tribe – more questions on that)

M3 :

• How do u see the recent Indo-China conflict – is it just the border tension
• Covid and these tensions
• Implications of Brexit for India ? What are the opportunities for us ?

M4:

• About the company that I worked in
• As a Data Centre administrator what should be ur response to any mistake committed by ur subordinate?

M5 :

• What documentaries did u see last?
• Is there any uncontacted tribe in India? (I said Sentinalese)
• Any documentary on Sentinelese tribe?
• What is reflective diary writing (my hobby)

WHAT QUALITIES DO YOU THINK ARE BEING TESTED IN THE INTERVIEW?

• Honesty, Integrity, and objectiveness.

DO YOU THINK MARKS IN SCHOOL OR COLLEGE AND THE JOB EXPERIENCE CAN IMPACT ONE’S SCORE IN THE INTERVIEW?

• UPSC gives a level playing field for all aspirants irrespective of the background they have.
• The better the academics record and other positive things in the DAF about a candidate the higher are the expectations of the panel. If one is able to meet those expectations get good marks I think.

HOW WAS THE INTERVIEW EXPERIENCE? WAS IT PREDICTABLE? HOW MUCH DID YOUR PREPARATION HELP?

• It was very nice, the board was very cordial.
• Much of my interview was related to my optional, hobbies, work experience, IR and current affairs, so I had some knowledge of the things asked.
• While some questions came as a surprise for me so my daily mock practice helped in that.

IF THIS WASN’T YOUR FIRST ATTEMPT WHAT MISTAKES YOU THINK YOU MADE IN THE PREVIOUS INTERVIEWS?

• It was my first interview.

Miscellaneous

HOW MUCH INTERNET DID YOU USE FOR YOUR PREPARATION? HOW MUCH VALUE DID IT ADD?

• Very less. Preparation was very old school.

HOW DID YOU BALANCE SO MUCH RESOURCES AND DATA? WHAT SMART TECHNIQUES DID YOU USE TO MANAGE YOUR PREPARATION IN A BETTER MANNER?

• I limited my preparation to a few sources and tried to revise them well.
• If I follow multiple sources then I made notes combining the required data. It made easy to revise just before the exam.
• I did goal wise studies, a bigger goal may be of a month, I divided it into many smaller goals. It helped me in better utilization of my time.

DID YOU MAKE NOTES? WHY YES OR NO? DID YOU FIND THEM ANY USEFUL?

• I believe note-making was one of the foundational pillars of my entire preparation. I made notes for prelims, mains as well as interview.
• For prelims, all my notes were offline except my newspaper notes which I was a google doc file which I shared with one of my friends who used to read The Hindu while I read Indian Express.
• For mains – offline notes
• For interview – Online notes on OneNote.