 Dr. Anand, welcome to this program, Success Speaks and a lot of congratulations to you for securing all India 62 rank in civil service exams in 2018. How are you feeling after getting this wonderful rank? Thank you sir for the wishes, I am feeling very great and also feeling very blessed that after all my hard work of four years and all the blessings of my family and parents have finally paid efforts and I am able to secure for 62 rank in CST 2018. When you say finally you got it, it means you have gone for more than one attempt in the past. So, I think the audience those who are now going to try for civil service examination or future experience, they would be keen to know about your whole journey about this exam. So, how many attempts you have taken? Sir, it took me around four attempts. So, first attempt I was not able to qualify prelims, I missed it by a narrow margin. Second attempt I secured 371 rank and got IRS income tax. In third attempt I went till interview but was not able to make in the final list and finally in the fourth attempt I got. You got in that right. So, it means that after getting your selection for IRS you are under training right now. Yes sir. So, you might have taken an extraordinary leave? Yes sir, I took extraordinary leave. And then you went for again the fourth attempt. So, naturally this whole drilling sake efforts and a lot of experience which you have gathered that that would be going to be useful for the future candidates. Let me know something about your family background, where from you are, who are your parents, what they do? Sir, I am from Agra district of Uttar Pradesh. My father is a veterinary doctor and he is working with the government of Uttar Pradesh and my mother is a homemaker and she takes institutions at home. So, she was a professor she took voluntary retirement from that and now she takes two institutions at home and also manages home. So, how did this idea of coming into civil services came in your mind? So, there were multiple reasons behind it. So, it started with it that in during my internship in medical college. I realized that I need a greater opportunity to bring a change in the healthcare system. Okay. And health and education being my very close to my heart. So, I was looking for opportunities to work in that and also there were many seniors from my college who were working in the field of civil services. I talked to them and then I decided that this can be the platform to work on my interests. So, it is during your medical college study you formed this idea. Yes. See, this is a very natural question even in the civil services interview and curiosity for many. If at all you had to go for civil services, then why did you join medical? Why not humanities at that time? Sir, actually in 1112, you are not that much mature enough to decide which which interests you have to pursue and what are your interests. So, that time being inspired from my father and also my sister. So, I went for a medical profession. It's a very noble profession. So, for that time I went for medical profession, but during my medical profession after having exposure to various aspects of and various professions, I realized that I should look for a greater platform and that during that exposure only I realized that I should go for it. It means that at the level of 12th, that was the best career option you could understand and moreover in place of getting just graduation degree in any kind humanities, you preferred to have a professional degree in medical. And of course, now you have become IS. So, before we move on to the details of preparation, how you did. So, what kind of vision you have in your mind for serving the country in Indian Native State Service? Worked to the best of my efforts to and to address the local needs of the people. But my personal interest lies in the healthcare system and the education system. In order to have to give my whatever efforts I can make to improve the healthcare and the education system of the country, that is my personal interest. But other than that, I will work for the local needs as well. See, as you have gone through four attempts and of course, it must have been a very, very drilling experience all through. So, how do you see this examination? Is it really very tough? Is it easy or you find you have some other word for this exam now to give? Sir, see generally my friend used to describe UPSC as an Unpredictable Public Service Commission. Certainly, there is a level of unpredictableness in that. But I believe it is a mixture of 80% hard work and 20% luck. But for that luck to work, you have to do the hard work. So, you cannot totally rely on luck and no hard work cannot be replaced. You have to do hard work and but what basically understand is, first you have to understand the demand of the paper. After all, after all it is said, God helps those who help themselves, right? Now, see, many people have their in mind that of course, you have to go through so many attempts to make it there. Some people qualify in the first attempt, some qualify in the second, third or fourth, even in the last attempt, maybe second attempt also. So, to be relatively confident to qualify in initial attempts after so much experience, what do you suggest to the future experience should be the effort and how the pressure should begin so that there is a certain amount of stewardship to qualify in the initial attempt itself? So, I will tell you from my experience that why I was not able to clear problems in the first attempt and what mistakes I made. So, first thing is that you need to understand the demand of the paper that whether go through the syllabus, go through the last year papers understand that what type of questions are coming, what do you know and based on that analysis, like for the first prelims I flunked because I didn't know I was not aware about the syllabus even started preparing by the random books whatever was there in the market and just got went through it. You were just preparing subjects without knowing the syllabus without knowing the syllabus and also a well-planned strategy. Planning is very essential and planning has to be at various level, micro planning, macro planning, both for a day, for a week, for months, a well-planned strategy is very important without a strategy and planning it will be very difficult to clear the exam. So, you need to have a proper planning and strategy that what are your sources from where are you going to study, what are the test papers you are going to solve, what are the tests you are going to give, at what time you are going to give. So, I believe that the key is the planning and a well-thought-out strategy, detail strategy which will help you to clear the exam. Without that it will not be possible. See, now you have used two basic concepts here and which you also always frequently tell the candidates because when you are going to appear in this examination, you should know in detail rather you should go frequently to study your syllabus. UPSC takes a lot of time to frame a syllabus and they have a purpose behind the syllabus. But this common mistake is the students they do not bother to go through the syllabus and the basic guidelines of syllabus they start simply jumping into the subject study and take volumous books and they end up nowhere. This is what you felt also there. So, the audience those who are watching you they should be very clear on this point here that UPSC has given a scientifically designed syllabus. So, you should sufficiently spend time to understand whatever the subjects have been prescribed within the subjects, what are the different topics, modules, where is the focus of the examiner and then accordingly you can start your study. The second thing you said you must understand strategy of your own, right? So, this strategy is always going to be individual. Of course, the basic objective of this particular program, the success speaks is also the same. Yes, sir. That to let the student understand that every candidate has his or her own strategy. But of course, you can get reference from the previous stoppers and the successful candidates. But you can make one which suits to you that is very important there. So, now let's discuss a bit on this particular thing. When the syllabus is comes, just let us understand in brief. What did you do with the understanding of syllabus which you would like to share with others? So, first thing what I started with is download the syllabus and the last five years of prelims and main paper. I gave around one week for that to understand how what type of questions are coming, how much is the form the syllabus in what order are they coming. This you did in the second attempt. Yes, second attempt. First attempt I was not in the second attempt I started with this. Downloaded the syllabus, downloaded the five year papers and give around what seven to ten days to understand the whole syllabus and to be specific to memorize the syllabus so that I'm aware what I have to study and what I have not to I don't have to study. Then spend time on understanding the papers. Then after that I started with having that got down my sources that this topic I'll study from this this topic. For the whole syllabus for each and every topic I was aware about my sources that this will be my sources and I repeat have single source then and multiple revision rather than having multiple sources without any revision. So, now one thing is clear that syllabus has to be taken you went to the extent of memorizing that so that is always in your mind. Secondly, by referring to the previous year's questions you got guideline. What is the scope of questions? How the questions are being framed so that when you study that segment of syllabus you know what could be the possible range of questions asked in the question and the third thing identifying the source. So, in place of having multiple sources you should prefer to revise from one source time and again. Now let's talk about the initial source which most of the candidates even we guide always that you should start with NCRT books right you might also have done the same thing. So, now the question is how to begin the study for NCRT. Some students have questions should they study old NCRT or they study new NCRT. What you have to say on that? I have gone with the new NCRTs only they are my believe that they are more updated one and the things change with time to time. So, the new NCRTs are much more a reference book for me and I also advise to go for the new ones. This is a very clear concept because there is unless we can fusion old or new when the books have come well revised in the new version it is better to do that but to understand any particular topic if it has been elaborated in previous there is no thing wrong to see that also. The second thing is from which standard to which standard this is another question which comes in what do you have to say on that. Well sir for that I personally believe that it has to be a person specific approach. First you have to understand what are your basics for like I started with around a 10 11 12 NCRTs because I had a good basics and awareness about it but if you personally feel that your basics are not that strong then I think you should start from 8th. It depends on the subject in which you are more prepared or you are less prepared. If you don't have background you can pick up the book about 6th level itself and go otherwise how many times you read NCRT books. Specifically the book which I made a reference for the long term some books were helpful in understanding and they were not the reference books and some were my reference books like geography NCRTs history NCRTs economic NCRTs. So time and again you were going through the pages. So that NCRTs I am 7 to 8 times I personally believe. See this is wonderful thing to understand sometimes students do the mistake. You feel that it is 10 plus 2 books so one reading is enough. Yes. Whereas when you read the second third time you find more and more insight and understanding about the whole subject there. And preferably there should be underlining and if in the space some brief notes can be made that is also I think welcome. We appreciate that. Yes. I used to how to read NCRT book is a question because people might take it lightly they may not understand that. So I think discussion a few minutes on that will also help. So what do you have to suggest? One key to read NCRT is that every word of NCRT and every line of NCRT is itself a question that can come in UPSC. Be it in prelims be it in maze. So every line you have to understand it. Every line says a lot. There might be four words but it might have explanation of 400 words. So for that you have to read it thoroughly. Every line you have to understand again and again. If you don't understand go for some explanation videos all around or maybe old NCRTs. But I mean to say is that every NCRT for the first attempt you go through the read and read the whole NCRT and eventually you will understand that with every reading you'll get a new aspect. Yes that is the new aspect you'll get it. So my key is at least give six to seven readings to NCRT so that eventually you'll be able to realize that you have a better and Is it in the first go itself you will say six seven reading or you say that when you evolve with some more study and later on you come back again to repeat that. Yeah see earlier I was also not aware that I'll have to go for seven and seven eight readings of NCRT. But when I realized I flunged in my first attempt and then I matched the question they were directly from NCRT. Similarly in the second attempt the questions came then I realized that every line of an NCRT is itself a question for UPSC and for that every line to understand and to remember you need a multiple readings. So that's the concept here that UPSC takes NCRT books as a major source or any government source as a major source for the question also. So it is as visible to the students in the beginning itself for the beginners that they should go through the syllabus very thoroughly. They should go through the previous year questions and then they should take the initial studies from NCRT books and related books that way. In the strategy preparation how much time you give to think over whatever you read? Did you apply enough time to think and correlate subjects for that? Yes sir. So though my planning whatever plan I used to have for a day so what I used to do is that suppose if I have a plan of eight to ten hours of a study which means eventually I will effectively study for seven to seven and a half hours and for there on two hours that will be my thinking process and that two hours is what distributed over the day like for example I feel bored while studying and I have to go for lunch so I take fifteen minutes just walk around and think over whatever I have read. Similarly while I'm traveling from one place to another that time I used to utilize for thinking or maybe on the dinner time I used to like dinner or lunch I used to what I used to do is I don't understand some topic so I was thinking about it and I was not able to understand I'll search for some video about it. So I define this time as voids so whatever the voids is when you are traveling somewhere or you are having your lunch you are having your dinner but sometimes you are in bathroom so that time I used to utilize for thinking whatever I have read or what I have not been able to understand. So this is basically for the future experience to understand which I always emphasize on read and think and write so you must have enough time rather when you finish your study if you remain focused to a lot of in the back of mind you have something always going so you should process mind takes time to process whatever you read that and then writing you also practice that whenever you got time you to note down the points recall that reading thinking and writing if these things are taken in a proper balanced way then you can have depth of that. Here is a question which I would like to ask you why UPSE asked or he has suggested to read so many subject what is the purpose of so see UPSE one of the thing is that there are multiple services which is going through the UPSE you have to get through and as a administrator you need to be aware about all the things right say people look up to you for the solutions if you are not aware about for example there was a debate going on between my friend that what is the purpose of having an irrigation as a topic in UPSE. So I like the answer which one of my friend gave he suppose if you are a posted as a district magistrate in a in a district and one of a farmer comes that I have I am facing this problem can you help me in providing the solution but if you are not aware about the irrigation types so if you are not aware how will you look for solution before going for specialist you need to have a general understanding. And a general statistician. So that is why the syllabus is so diverse and so there is a very well thought syllabus. And basically one more important reason is to develop multiple perspectives because you might be student from science background humanities or maybe from commerce any discipline but after a point of time you might get a specialized. Whereas in several services when you take a decision you think about any solution you have to take from holistic perspective which is also you can say lateral thinking you're talking about your problem any solution you think from economics you think from politics you think from society you think from science and technology in one matter you can have several such concepts coming there. So it is basically developing a wide range of thinking and solution for that this is right. Here just we have to take a break and then we'll continue our discussion right that is all. Hello this is Junaid Ahmad and my experience with Chanakya for my mock interview was really good. I met the board they were very experienced and the kind of questions they asked were very diverse. The questions they asked were from DAF plus current affairs. So they gave a holistic idea of the kind of questions that may be asked in my interview. Plus apart from the questions the things which they focused upon was the presentation how you need to present yourself in front of the interview board. So your verbal non-verbal traits which are there your setting posture the way you enter and all these things they are they also play an important role during your interview. So the suggestions which were there regarding this they were also very helpful. I wish Chanakya and its team all the best and I hope in the future also they will keep helping the future aspirants in getting their goal. Thank you. Welcome back. Dr. Ranand we are talking about this whole strategy of preparation. So we just discussed about the how to begin the study and also the preparation strategy from NCRT box. Now let us talk what is the correct and right way to prepare for preliminary examination. You could not qualify in the first attempt but in all the next three attempts you qualified in the and finally your air Pithol India's 60 second rank. So what do you think would be a sure shot or correct way of preparing for preliminary examination? What do you have to say for that? Sir for the prelims I divided the prelims into two part. So one is the static portion and one is the dynamic portion for it. Static you have standard books with you and for the dynamics the current affairs, international organization then the reports and the map based questions. Now reading will discuss that when it is just a question for any beginner a fresher who is going to appear first time in the examination. So we going to what would be the study? First of let us discuss is it the separate preparation which you will suggest pre and main separately or you would suggest integrated preparation? I would suggest an integrated preparation. Correct. So that is the most relevant way to prepare for the examination because most of the syllabus part is common also in pre and mains. And mains preparation gives you a more broader and holistic perspective use. So your knowledge base and horizon also get widened which helps you. So what I understand from your experience is that although you are preparing for pre but you always have to make an integrated preparation for mains and pre both. And you should read keeping mains in mind but you should have some clarity about what kind of question after the pre-examination. So we would like to discuss something about the pre especially pre what is the expectation of the examiner in the pre-examination? What are the basic factors you think and examiner is testing in the pre? See fun thing is the examiner is testing is the general awareness. That how much are you aware about the general see if you look at the current affairs question. There must be 20 to 25 question which are only on the general awareness base. Okay. With this place which is very famous currently support for example South Sudan was famous for the conflict. So they might ask with this place is located in which country. So the general awareness that how much regularly are you generally aware about the incidents happening in the country and outside the country. Then the basic understanding not just very in-depth knowledge the basic understanding of all the subjects like history, geography, polity and specifically in polity like your parts which are the form of the foundation of the constitution fundamental rights, DPSP fundamental duties focus on these areas. Similarly on history the focus on the independence movement. Right, right. So these areas then geography about Indian geography map based questions and then the international organization related questions. How much is relevance and importance is to the current efforts in pilgrimage ambition? So it has changed with every year's question but I believe that it has to be given equal importance as you give to the static portion. Right, right. Because you are not aware which type of paper it will be as current efforts dominated or a static dominated and many a times even the current efforts are based on the static portion. Right, right. Current of course has some at the other relation with the static portion always. Right. So I think equal weight should be given to both the paper and you should be prepared for both. So as we say that more you sweat in peace less you bleed in the war. Right, right. That is wonderful concept which you are using. Now we let us take a segment voice in the preliminary examination. There are different segments like history of India and also the culture part of that we have also Indian constitution and polity and economy and such subjects. Where in history the subject where is the focus of the examiner in the ancient medieval modern or in culture where you do find with your experience Modern history has been significantly important for the prelims exams. Right. There are around 7 to 8 questions generally from the modern history. Right. And it is much more objective. So approach should be that to have a better understanding of modern history and then the weightage could be given to medieval ancient or the art and culture. But even ancient in medieval is it focused on political history or the cultural economy would you find a more focus on that? More on the cultural aspect. Cultural aspect. Art and culture would be I think more and more important. So what the students would understand is like this in history of India they must have a fundamental study of the entire history of India maybe from the NCRT books. But there should be some focus more on the art and culture maybe administration economy right like that and especially in modern India. That is very going to be important. Right. So what books do you suggest to read for history for the preliminary examination? Basics is NCRT I will go for. Then what I have read is spectrum but some people go for Vipin Chandra also. So that is your individual call if you want to have a good time if you have enough time then you can go for Vipin Chandra also. It is possible that you should read some fundamental books and then also you can improvise on like reading Indian independence movement by Vipin Chandra and such kind of books also there. Regarding geography as subject world geography which is the question where is the focus of the examiner in world geography? More on the Indian physical geography that the focus has been on the Indian physical geography that relate to the climate vegetation or the physical forms around the country. So for that I think NCRT is several it suffice. Which from which to which is standard you feel? I focused on four NCRTs of 11th and 12th two NCRTs of 11th and two NCRTs of 12th. That you found is enough to take care of the and there would be always a some support from the current efforts if any incident or anything has happened. Geographical location of the area. That will be serving the purpose for geography portion of that. What about the constitution and Indian governance part? See sir the standard book generally people follow is the Lakshmi Kant and the part one of the the Lakshmi Kant they like fundamental duties preamble, fundamental rights, directive principle. These are parliamentary procedures. These chapter forms around 70% of the quality questions. So the focus should be on these questions. And which source you find will be relevant for that? I will prefer if you go on Bear Act then it's the best thing to do but I preferred Lakshmi Kant. Okay. Anyway, whichever I think whether it is going to be Lakshmi Kant or any book which is relevant which any candidate can understand some people study Subaskar's proposal. From D. D. Basu also. Yeah, that is an individual. Idea is that if you are careful about the syllabus segments and also previous question and whichever book you feel you can release to study you can go through that but you must be able to remember retain most of the things there. Right. And what about general science and science and technology? Do you feel the question is more on the traditional type or it is more on the application side? The more type of questions have been coming for traditional type like on the basis which of the following is a chemical reaction something related to biotechnology but as well as the application like the science program the space program the missile program of the country nuclear program of the country these questions have been coming. So I think it's a mix of both but more on the application part is much more important than the basic. And what source do you suggest for general science and science and technology to read? I had a little different approach for science and technology I used to focus on the current and the first portion as well as what I used to do is to go on the websites of this thing like for the nuclear program I used to go on the official website for that for the space program I used to go for ISRO's website like for these programs I used to go for the official website and gather data from there. So government sites especially for the concerned departments of course you must have been very aware and conscious about what things are going on so the question of sources are quite a lot but you have to go for relevant sources and it is better to go for the government sources that will be more authentic on that. And how do you have more of traditional type questions in general science? Now I think application based questions application based on small things there is just a section ecology and environment also yes sir which sometimes become very difficult for the students what is the focus of examiner in this segment of syllabus? The focus has been much more on the relevant aspect going in the current affairs position earlier they used to be some questions based on the static portion but now the current like which climate change is happening which events are happening for the Paris climate change event is happening or if is there any development regarding to any summit is happening or some aspects of what damage is being caused to that area or what are the new pollutants is rising so I think more on the application based especially based on the current affairs okay that you can focus on the current affairs portion but to those who do not have background of such subject what kind of book they should read? NCRT these things are covered by the NCRT also ecology and environment is there any specific book on ecology there? Yeah 12th biology the whole second half of the book is on the ecology ecology and what about environment section? That covers both that is also in the biology part? Biology part okay that is there and plus what you can do is go on the ministry of environment there is annual report by the ministry so in month of I think May or June they comes with the report of annual report you can just have us just overview of that report that is a very good report that is a very good so basically going to the authentic source diamond source that can be again relevant for ecology in the environment for that all there now what do you think about economy section? Indian economy because those people who do not have background of economy how much of economics is required in the subject? I think the basic understanding of economics which a layman could understand specifically while reading the newspapers or the general understanding of the economics is much more the sufficient for the paper particularly the economic terms which are quite frequently used one should be clear about that basic terms of that inflation MSP all these aspects this thing is appearing in the newspaper also right but there should be some fundamental clarity so I think in CRT level book of Indian economy should also be sufficient for that right and then of course more and more practice on the question would help right that that so this way I think the audience would be in a position to understand to where this should pick us in pre of course the approach has to be integrated but when you are keeping in mind a pre there should be focus on the facts figures the basic concepts and a very important thing is retention of relevant facts how to remember the relevant tax conceptual clarity and then also acumen to select best of the given option this is normally when you go in job you have always some options there but which according to situations what best option you going to choose and even the preliminary examination this is the same thing examiner is asking they are giving the guidelines in the question and then asking which is the best possible option that way right there one important thing which comes in mind to the student is they say that okay they will forget after some time it's difficult to remember so what did you do for that for that I used to have a periodic revisions that's very like doing it how quickly do you did the revision at least three weeks or four weeks at least like yeah I used rather it could be ideal that every week that you have some time yes that depends upon see even the revision used to depend on what subject I am doing it if I am very good at some subject then the revision was less frequent if subject was which I am not very strong at then the revision was more frequent and I think you would also suggest that there should be some brief notes on the material not very elaborate notes but those you can I use your codes qualification to remember these are all things there and after all there are a lot of practice on the question so test series and test practices at least 50 to 60 papers for the problems you need to know if I ask you to give three the most important things to take care for civil services preliminary exams and what will you say one thing is don't be overconfident don't think that this exam is going to be easy one for you I believe that prelims is the most difficult exam out of the three right why did you show that because the number of candidates who are appearing very large and the selections are very less and plus at even with the one marks difference it's going to cost and after all it is screening test so he can be screened out so you can be screened out easily second thing is practice as much as possible around practice around 50 to 60 papers with your comfort because see eventually in around paper out of 100 you will be aware about the 60 to 65 questions surely yeah right rest 20 to 25 is more on the guesswork smart work smart guessing in the acumen and that acumen you can develop only by practicing correct right and third thing which I keep on saying is don't go for multiple sources have a single source do multiple revisions have a single source limit your sources but do it with more clarity more clarity with more reputation and what about the examination is killed on the day of exam when you solve the paper in the examination hall what precautions has to be taken for that that two three precautions is don't panic if you don't know starting three four questions shift to another page the question paper is going to be difficult for you then it's difficult for everyone so don't panic just because you don't know for five right right keep yourself calm think read the question at least twice or thrice before marking it because there is words game they have been playing for the last two three years so read it at least twice or thrice before marking it keep yourself calm and at least do two readings of the papers like in first attempt solve the question which you have been able to do in the second attempt then go for again once one more reading so that you are sure before marking the answers and also before the exam don't try to study everything focus on more important parts so that and keep your maintain your calm there focus on the important part just go through the headings just go through the important aspects and and go for the exam with the positive attitude because my first attempt it was fun one is the lack of knowledge and second is the anxiety three four questions I was not able to solve I got anxious that now I will not be selected you don't know you have wondered question and any way you are not going to just make solve all the questions there differently score 50 percent math right you'll get through so keep yourself calm in the exam that is the most important key I believe the idea is that you have to go through the all the questions and keep trying with the same amount of seriousness and patience patience on the entire and what do you have to say about seaside because although it is qualifying in nature but this year's paper is showing that it is going to be tough more and more with the time there so how one should get ready for seaside sir I believe that you go for at least last five years papers right solve them and at least one month before the exam start solving for half an hour what I used to do is I used to give half hour to 45 minutes one more before the exam so that my mind is prepared for all that I have certainly there's a whole thing is going on the GS suddenly you have to shift from maths to English that takes time you don't have to do that you are doing it first time in the seaside paper only in the UPSC exam only so one month before the exam I used to solve seaside papers for around 45 minutes per day so like like five to seven years papers that will help you out in solving I hope your inputs on preliminary examination and also the start-up revision will help a lot to the beginners and also those who are struggling for success this time related to the main examination and other there but at the moment I think this should be fine and I hope the audience would be available to take the best out for the starting and also for the preliminary study so thank you very much for joining me today and the best for that