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Toppers Talk

Atul Prakash (AIR 4, 2017)

 

The journey of Atul Prakash

Atul Prakash was born & raised up in Bihar. He is a brilliant boy since his school days. His father is currently working as a chief engineer in ECR’s construction wing, Mahendru, Patna. As his father’s job is transferrable so he did his schooling from different railway schools.

Atul always wanted to join civil services to do something for the betterment of our country. After completing his schooling he started preparing for IIT. He gave the examination & got selected in IIT. Then he completed his engineering for IIT Delhi.

His younger sister is also an engineer. She has completed her B. Tech. & currently working in ITC, Bangalore. His father always supports his decision for the civil services. His father said that his son always dreamed of becoming a people-oriented civil servant.

This was Atul’s second attempt for UPSC civil services examination. In his first attempt, he was able to clear the prelims as well as mains examination & got recruited in Indian Railway services (IRS). He is currently working in IRS when he gave the examination. He joined the IRS in February 2018. He did not join any coaching classes for his preparation. He prepared on his own & also attempted many mock tests & test series. In the end, his hard work paid off.

 

What was your strategy for the preliminary exams?

The preliminary exam is a process to sort out candidates. If the basic concepts of general studies and practice of civil service aptitude test are up to the mark then there is no reason to fail in the prelims. I joined a test series for practice but the most important thing is I focused more on self-studies.

 

What about the main examination?

For general studies, newspaper-reading is vital because a lot of questions are based on current issues. A good command over prelims syllabus helps a lot in the mains too. Students are required to have not only content, but also a viewpoint that can be comprehended and understood by a layman.

 

How did you prepare for the optional paper?

I decided to go with the subject I specialised in, Mathematics. However, the subject is considered to be very difficult and the syllabus is vast too. But once someone covers the entire syllabus, it is very rewarding. Those planning to go with maths need to practice a lot.

 

What about answer-writing practice?

Answer writing in the main exams is quite different from writing daily routine or personal memories. The aspirants are required to answer what is asked in the question in a specified time limit. Now, UPSC asks questions that present the viewpoint and opinion of the aspirant so it must be developed and be balanced, not biased. Practice helps increase speed of writing answers and also form a readymade structure in the mind of the aspirant. Now there are various forums on which students can upload queries and get feedback from experts for free. Speed of writing answers should be emphasised on, otherwise even possible toppers can miss the bus.

 

What about the last hurdle, the personality test?

The interview is not as horrible as is often made out to be. It is a process to check overall personality of the aspirant such as communication skills, convincing power and analytical ability. My interview took place at the Arvind Saxena Board on March 8. A lot of questions from current issues, which would give an insight into the aspirant's thinking ability and viewpoint, were asked. I had faced various mock interviews and practiced a lot. So, I was neither over-confident nor nervous. I just tried to project a balanced view of my own, neither influenced nor biased.

 

What do you have to say about the myths surrounding this examination?

The greatest myth is whether or not coaching facility is required. I focused more on self-study. Coaching institutions have their own techniques, but nobody can make you succeed. You alone can lead. Students should think about themselves instead of coaching classes.

 

Advice for Future Aspirants

His advice for future aspirants is that the success mantra of the success is consistency, hard work & patience. So always remain consistent with your hard work & always be patient.

You must be hard working & consistent to clear the examination. This is not an easy exam so you have to work a lot for it.

Other than this you should read all the basic books like NCERTs.

Also, focus on current affairs & general knowledge.


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