• 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.

#AboutMe

• Hello Everyone, My name is SANJITA MOHAPATRA. I am an old ForumIAS Community Member with the username “BeTheChange”. I was born in Rourkela. I have done my schooling from Chinmaya Vidyalaya (E.M), Rourkela, ICSE Board.
• After that I had done my college from my graduation from College of Engineering and Technology, Bhubaneswar, 2012 batch passout. This was my 5th attempt at Civil Services, but my second serious attempt.
• Before this, I had secured 2nd Rank at OPSC (Odisha Public Services Commission) and had got State Rank 2. I am from a middle class family with my father who is not working anymore, mother who is a housewife. My elder sister Sarita Mohapatra is presently Manager in BHEL, Bangalore.
• I myself have been working as an Assistant Manager in Rourkela Steel Plant ( SAIL ) from 2013-2018.
• I took Sociology as an Optional.
• The Civil Services Examination was a Childhood dream for me. Started preparation while in college with baby steps. Reading newspapers. After joining job started with basic NCERT books, polity, geography. Gave 2 attempts while in college with no preparation. 3rd attempt did not revise.
• First 3 attempts could not clear prelims . 4th attempt failed in mains . 5th attempt I have been successful. However, I would not advice this long path to anyone. It is better to have your first or at least second attempt as a prepared attempt. My fifth attempt was my second prepared attempt.

My Prelims Strategy

• I have been focussing on building up the foundation by repeated revisions, covering basics from NCERT . Also what is important that 2 months before Prelims no answer writing practice should be there. I did solve numerous test series for Prelims
• Weekly twice I used to solve the daily quizzes on various online platforms

My Prelims Booklist

The Mistakes I made in previous attempts

• This was my 5th attempt and 2nd serious attempt . I did not qualify Prelims in 3 attempts, 4th attempt failed in mains.
• The first 2 attempts I gave while I was still in college, so I had basically zero idea about the UPSC examinations. In my 3rd attempt I did not revise well for Prelims. Fourth attempt could not complete the mains paper. This year I was able to manage things better.
• In my earlier attempts , the notes I made from editorial were too huge and I couldn’t revise them completely before mains. Also I had numerous sources and did not stick to the syllabus. There was also lack of revision. This time I tried to fix all these issues.

My General Studies ( Mains ) Approach

• For GS. my constant companion was newspaper. I religiously read The Hindu and Indian Express certain editorials and Explained page
• I had 4 copies (GS 1,2,3,4). I arranged all editorials most relevant under those copies. Wrote the editorials in very crisp, revisable manner, which can be read for mains revision. This note-making was the key of my preparation. Whenever new value addition would come, you can always staple a page to add up the content.
• I was not very regular with Monthly current affairs.
• I made notes for every topic mentioned in the syllabus. The notes could be handwritten, digital, bookmarked sites, but my aim was that when I sit for revision I don’t struggle for sources. I should have everything at one place. And then value addition as and when new topics or CA arises
• I had joined ForumIAS Current affairs class for Mains 2019. I personally found it very helpful because of the teaching way of Sir. I think that for the first time I realised how to prepare a topic and summarily and make it concise. If I had known about it three years back, I would have been in a much better situation.
• The Concise notes of the class helped in quick last minute revision. That was the icing in the cake.

Answer Writing is Important

• Answer writing is irreplaceable and of utmost importance
• I started writing answers from December 2018 for mains 2019. People can start even earlier.
• I wrote answers in bullet forms.
• I used two inks for heading and main content. I have this habit since childhood from school so it has stayed.

My exam hall strategy for GS Mains

• Out of 80 questions of all GS, I attended nearly 78. Some question I dint know, so wrote half a page kind of thing. For optional this time I completed the paper . Strategy was to complete the paper anyhow.
• I start writing answers from Q1. In first one-hour finish 8 questions (10 marks)
• In 2nd hour 7 questions (from Q11 – 20 markers), 3rd hour rest. Focus was to follow this as much as possible.

My Interview Preparation

• I studied Economic times for a while to gain a different perspective. I gave in total 5 mocks before interview. I had gotten Sujata Mehta ma’am Board.
• My interview was on July 23rd. So it was very different with mask, shield and all that. It was alarming at first.
• I belong to Odisha so many questions were focused on the same like issue of migration in Odisha and how to tackle it like
  • Olive ridley turtle
  • How to make Puri a global tourist destination
  • Questions on child labour and its reason for persistence
  • Women issues in Odisha
• I couldn’t answer maybe 20% of the questions.
• They were mostly factual details about Odisha and politely replied I’m unaware

Qualities that are being tested in Interview

• I am not an expert on it so I can’t say it exactly. But my focus was to be “ME” not fake myself, staying composed, saying NO politely to something you don’t know .
• They actually try and test you in-depth knowledge about an issue. The questions except for the factual ones are always answerable. They want to understand your mindset.

Do you thing marks in school or college and the job experience can impact one’s score in the Interview?

• No I don’t think so.

How was the interview experience? Was it predictable? How much did your preparation help?

• It was unique and different. I had not predicted anything. I went to the interview with an open mind. It was cordial and a great discussion
• My preparation helped in correcting many of my mistakes. I used to talk very fast, I did not think before responding, I was too lengthy in answering. These are things that I had fixed.

How much internet did you use for your preparation? How much value did it add

• I completely relied on internet as I did self study.
• Starting from collecting sources my own notes, to solving online quizzes, CA I was completely dependent on it.

Did you make notes? Why yes or no? Did you find them any useful (if you made them).

• Yes I made self notes. I completely relied on them for my whole preparation.
• My revision was based on the notes which acted like my one-stop destination

What do you think is the most essential quality/qualities needed to clear this exam?

• Patience, Perseverance, Consistency and above all Hard work ( it should be smart as well )
• Couldn’t think of one… they form an inseparable group.

Did you join any offline and/or online coaching? What relevance do you find of coaching in preparation of this exam?

• I joined Upendra Gaurs’s 3 months course for Sociology which made my foundation very strong.
• I joined ForumIAS Current affairs class post prelims which helped in quick wholesome revision of CA

What is your advice to the young aspirants who look up to you?

• Hardwork has no substitute and Consistency is the key.
• Stay focused

What is the best advice that you have received?

• Don’t think if you would crack it or not, just give your best shot

What did all hurdles you face while preparing for it? And how did you tackle them

• Depression and helplessness. Feeling that I am not good enough. Self-doubts. But I think that this is something that we face in every walk of life when we are not able to get what we want.
• Self-reflection on what motivated me in the first place to choose this career path, self-motivation, talking to friends was how I tackled it.

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

Dipankar Choudhary : I am very happy. I am also very excited for new challenges and opportunities. Finally all my hard work and patience has paid off and I can take a sigh of relief.

C.S.C. : 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 (teacher, friends) in your preparation and success?

Dipankar Choudhary : My father who is a retired civil servant was my primary inspiration. I could see myself working like him. Civil services give you diverse opportunities and the chance to grow to your full potential. That itself was a huge inspiration for me.

I give credit to my parents, my elder sister, my mentor Mr Smar Ranjan he is associate members of indian institute of public administration. He has always stood besides me throughout my preparation. He is truly my mentor in all respect.

my friends and my fiancé (Tanwika) for my success. Family, friends and your mentor are your support systems, your pillars of strength and a source of constant motivation and guidance in this long and arduous preparation. They help in every possible way be it mental support, emotional support, financial support or guidance of any sort.

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

Dipankar Choudhary : Yes, the strategy should be integrated but there are times when you need to prepare separately too. 3 months prior to prelims, you should be more prelims oriented and after prelims you have to be Mains oriented.

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

Dipankar Choudhary : I started preparing in 2016 and in 2018 I was selected with a rank of 166 and was serving as an IPS in Kerala. So almost 2.5 to 3 years of dedicated preparation. Intially, like I said my preparation was integrated. For optional, it took me 5-6 months to finish it once and cover my basics. Thereafter I polished it; added more material, examples, theories; wrote test series and kept discussing with Smar Ranjan Sir.

I used to put in 8-10 hours of dedicated study everyday after I left my job.

C.S.C. : Did you prepare notes? How helpful are the notes? What is your advice on notes-making?

Dipankar Choudhary : Yes, I prepared notes for optional, ethics and modern history. For current affairs and everything else, I relied on the books and magazines but I used to scribble at the margins, cross reference everything and highlight using a marker. They served as my notes and I revised them over and over again for, maybe, I guess 7-8 times. I also prepared diagrams and flowcharts for many topics in my notes.

Notes are very important. They help you to revise speedily. As far as my advice goes, you can and should make notes specially for optional. The notes should be as concise as possible. You should be able to revise the entire paper 1 or paper 2 of your optional with the help of those notes in 2-3 hours.

The same goes for any subject you choose to make notes for. Making notes for current affairs can get very bulky in my opinion, so better rely on magazines and newspapers. But if one feels that some topic for current affairs is difficult to follow and understand then one can make notes for it.

C.S.C. : What was your optional?What was the basis of selecting this optional? What strategy one should follow for optional?

Dipankar Choudhary : My optional was Public Administration. I chose it because I had a very good mentor and the syllabus was simple. Moreover it overlapped with GS Paper 2, Indian economy, social issues and ethics.

For optionals it is very important to make notes and read good books. One shouldn’t completely rely on readymade notes but make it for oneself. Also keep reading Yojana, newspaper, NITI Aayog website etc for case studies, examples etc. Write test series to gauge your level of preparation.

C.S.C. : What was your preparation strategy and books which you referred for Ethics Paper?

Dipankar Choudhary : I relied on class notes of Mr Sanjeev Kumar, my public administration notes wherever they overlapped and examples from various sources like newspapers and Yojana. I also wrote test series for it.

C.S.C. : Tell us something about preparation of Essay paper.

Dipankar Choudhary : For essay I practiced a lot and focused on my flow and lucidity. The essay shouldn’t look abrupt and bumpy. The connection from one paragraph to another should be smooth. You don’t have to prepare extra GS topics for essay. All you should do is practice and focus on your writing skills.

The trick is moderation. Use of examples, stories, anecdotes, facts, case studies, personal life examples, quotations from eminent people, poems or couplets etc, but all in moderation. To develop these practice a lot and get it reviewed from peers and mentors. Read good essays written by toppers.

C.S.C. : 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?

Dipankar Choudhary : I focused a lot on presentation i.e. use of diagrams and flowcharts. I used it in almost 8-9 questions in every paper. Don’t overdo it though. Interlink your content by using cross referencing when revising as I have already mentioned. Focus on an edge of 1-2 marks in each question. Write answers point wise and also number all your points. You can use paragraph for introduction, conclusion and to connect two different parts of the answer but these should be brief, to the point and crisp. Avoid flowery and flamboyant language.

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

Dipankar Choudhary : I prepared my DAF in detail and went for some mock interviews. They asked me questions mostly about my engineering background, my home-state and hometown and some situation based questions like-

If you have to make one amendment in the constitution of India, what would it be?

If you were asked to explain Fourier transform to a student of 9th standard, how would you do it?

What should India emphasize on, education budget or defense budget?

No, I didn’t answer a few questions. I simply said that I don’t know and I will look them up for the questions I didn’t know the answers to.

C.S.C. : Importance of coaching in the preparation of exam.

Dipankar Choudhary : Test series and the guidance of a good mentor is vital. You don’t have to join classroom classes necessarily.

C.S.C. : What is the role of Civil Services Chronicle in your success?

I have referred it for current affairs and a few other topics. I read topper’s strategies from it and used it to enrich my preparation.

C.S.C. : What is your source of Preparation? Which Books, Magazines, News Papers and Online Sources were used by you during your preparation?

Dipankar Choudhary :

C.S.C. : Suggested Book list for Optional paper 1 & 2.

Dipankar Choudhary :

Paper 1

• Nicholas Henry
• Stephen Robbins for selected topics,
• BL Fadia,
• MP Sharma,
• Prasad and Prasad administrative thinkers,
• Three books by Mohit Bhattacharya-Restructuring Public Administration, Public Administration: New Issues and Perspectives, Social theory and development administration.
• The public administration theory primer by H George fredrickson and Kevin smith,
• The public policy theory primer by Kevin smith and Christopher Larimer
• Post Modern Public administration by Hugh T. Miller and Charles J. Fox
• Selected IGNOU material.

Paper 2

• 2nd ARC report,
• Punchhi Commision report,
• Yojana which are relevant.
• RK Arora,
• BL Fadia,

Current Affairs,

Updates from NITI Aayog website

• Books: Ancientand medieval history: IGNOU Material.
• Modern history: Bipan Chandra andS.Chand publication BL Grover- A new look at modern Indian History.
• Geography: DR Khullar and Savinder Singh.
• Economics: NCERT of class 11 and 12; and current affairs of 2.5 years.
• Social issues: current affairs of 2.5 years and Public administration material.
• Polity: Covered in Public administration.
• Ethics: Sanjeev Sir's notes and Lexicon.
• International relations: current affairs of 2.5 years and online material to look up background.
• Art and culture: IGNOU and CCRT.
• Environment: Self made notes, NIOS and current affairs of 2.5 years.
• Newspaper: Indian express and Mint.
• Online news portals like: Scroll, HW News English, WIRE, Firstpost, The Print etc.