Swastic Yaduvanshi, like many UPSC aspirants, initially focused on the Civil Services Examination (CSE) without knowing much about the Indian Forest Services (IFS) exam. As he learned more about IFS, he found it better suited to his lifestyle and interests. Despite attempting both exams multiple times and writing Mains four times without success, he eventually chose to prioritize IFS over CSE. This decision paid off when he cleared UPSC IFS 2023, securing 3rd rank and earning the highest marks in the interview.
In an exclusive conversation with Indian Masterminds, he shared his strategy for scoring 225 out of 300 in the interview.
UPSC JOURNEY
Mr. Yaduvanshi, hailing from Pitampura, Delhi, was raised in a family of professors. After finishing high school, he pursued a civil engineering degree at Jamia Milia Islamia and landed a job at Mash Project Foundation in 2016. While working, he realized his potential to become a civil servant and began preparing for the exam alongside his job in 2018. However, after two failed attempts, he recognized the need to dedicate more time to preparation and decided to quit his job in 2019. Despite clearing the prelims in 2020, he didn’t receive an interview call. This pattern repeated in 2021 and 2022. This journey underscores the challenges and determination required in the pursuit of a career in civil services.
TURN TOWARDS FOREST SERVICES
Mr. Yaduvanshi has loved animals since he was a kid. He doesn’t just feed the cows and dogs in his area; he even takes them to the hospital when they’re hurt. He and his family also live in a way that’s good for the environment. They separate their trash at home and do lots of other things to help nature and protect animals. However, once he started preparing for the exam and took his first shot at it, he learned more about the service and its role in protecting the environment and animals.
He told IM, “I applied for forest services in 2020 without much prior knowledge about the field. It was through conversations with my seniors and friends who were selected that I became aware of the responsibilities of an IFS officer, which drew me in.”
In 2020 and 2021, he didn’t pass the first round for IFS. Then, in 2022, he had to do both the CSE and IFS main exams at once. It was exhausting because he had to study three different subjects: Philosophy for CSE and Geology & Forestry for IFS. It was tough, and he couldn’t finish some of the papers. When he had to choose between CSE and IFS, he decided to focus on IFS. In 2023, he did the main exams again and even had his first UPSC interview. He passed the exam, securing a top three spot and getting the highest marks in the interview.
HOW TO SCORE BIG IN INTERVIEW
The UPSC interview can be tough, even for the best candidates. Sometimes, even the toppers struggle to score high marks, but Mr. Yaduvanshi did exceptionally well in his first interview. When asked about his secret, he simply said, “I just tried to be honest and practical with my answers.” His interview lasted about 25 minutes and covered a wide range of topics, from international affairs to forest conservation. He remained calm and composed throughout, even when asked about the unusual spelling of his name, which led to a discussion about historical events. Despite the challenging questions, he stayed cool and continued to give thoughtful responses. He thanks his mentor Mr. Mahesh Bhagwat who is also an IPS officer for providing him the right guidance which helped him score big even though it was his first interview.
He learned from experience that it’s better to say “no” than to give incorrect answers. Many people overlook preparing for questions like ‘Why do you want to join the IFS?’ or ‘Why are you leaving your corporate job?’, but these answers can really impress the panel. Despite taking a job at Mash Impact again, Mr. Yaduvanshi handled these questions by comparing Forest Services with his current role, which mainly focuses on Sustainable Development. He explained to them how his current job as a program manager enhanced his passion for IFS. His response was genuine and resonated with the panel, ultimately leaving a positive impression.
