Sisters Ankita Jain and Vaishali Jain from Delhi managed to ace UPSC exam after overcoming Covid 19 first. Both of them contracted the virus just before the exams. Yet, overcoming all odds, they succeeded and how! Ankita secured 3rd and Vaishali 21st ranks. Ankita is second in the woman category.
UPSC is considered to be the toughest examination in India. After the results of UPSC exam-2020 were out, many success stories are coming to the fore. One such inspiring story is of the Jain sisters.
Ankita Jain contracted Covid before the Mains Exam
Elder sister Ankita contracted Covid19 before her mains examination. Family members were tensed, but Ankita’s courage and grit kept her going. In an exclusive interview with Indian Masterminds, Ankita said, “It was a challenging time for us, mentally as well as physically. My whole preparation schedule was disturbed due to Covid. But I motivated myself and studied as per my capacity. I tried giving my 100% and wrote whatever I studied. In the end, my result was up to the mark.”
Journey: Ankita’s UPSC journey is quite long as this was her fourth attempt. Her first attempt was in 2017, when she didn’t get selected. Ankita is currently posted in Mumbai as Indian Audit and Accounts Service Officer. She got married few months ago, and her husband is Abhinav Tyagi, a resident of Agra, who is also an IPS officer in Maharashtra.
Family: Ankita’s father Sushil Kumar Jain is a businessman and mother Anita Jain is a homemaker. Her family has always supported her in achieving her goals. Even after her marriage, her husband continued to encourage her to go for further studies.
Education and Preparation: Ankita studied in Computer Science in Delhi Technological University. She did coaching in Delhi for her optional subject, Philosophy. She says, “This time I have worked on my weakness. I prepared those topics in a better way, which earlier made me fall behind.” Ankita started studying online after recovery from Covid. She is of the view that aspirants should take the advantage of online studies. “If you are unable to study alone, then you must make a group online and study along with others.”
Message: Her message to UPSC aspirants is: “Limit your sources, focus on them and read them properly. The journey of UPSC if full of uncertainties. At times it makes you tired, but you have to keep your spirit up. Think why you wanted to come to the service. If you have achieved that goal, leave it, and if not, then work hard till you achieve success.” She advises to keep oneself mentally strong, strategies effectively, target small goals and complete them. She also stressed on the need to exercise daily to keep oneself mentally fit and positive.
Vaishali Jain contracted Covid before the interview round
Like Ankita, her sister Vaishali Jain also came out with flying colours in the UPSC examination. While talking with Indian Masterminds, Vaishali said, “Like my sister, I too had many ups and downs during my UPSC journey. But it was really important to keep up the courage, and that’s what I did. This is my second attempt. In my first, I was unable to clear the prelims.”
Education and Preparation: Vaishali Jain did her B. Tech. from Delhi Technological University. She was a gold medalist. She has also done M. Tech. from IIT Delhi. She was a gold medalist there, too. In 2019, she passed the prestigious Engineering Service examination. She started preparing for UPSC after completing her M. Tech. Her optional subject was mechanical engineering.
She started aspiring to become an IAS officer while she was working in the health sector for a M. Tech. project. Vaishali says, “I felt like doing something better and bigger.” She got guidance from her sister and brother-in-law from time to time on how to prepare herself for UPSC. “I haven’t done any coaching for my preparation. I only focused on my strength and weakness. I devoted equal attention to both mechanical engineering and GS. There were four paper of GS and two papers of mechanical and both carried 250 marks each. I divide my studies accordingly and gave my best,” she revealed.
How to find old question papers, how to practice and how to write their answers…she did it all. “I always felt that toppers do not do things differently. They just do small things which create big effects and make them seem bigger,” she said. Since she had to prepare for both engineering and civil, she studied engineering for half day and civil in the next half. She came down with Covid just before the interview. But, luckily, the dates of interview got postponed because of the Covid situation in the country.
Family: “My family has always encouraged me to become an IAS officer. My biggest inspiration is my sister. And I have been learning from her experiences,” Vaishali said.
Message: Vaishali believes that the UPSC journey is full of uncertainties but one has to keep moving ahead. She said, “Up until the result was out, we didn’t even know whether we would get selected, whether we would get such good ranks. That is why, there is only one formula: Keep your eyes on the goal, believe in yourself, and just keep moving. It’s okay to get tired, but don’t stop.”
