https://indianmasterminds.com

ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT

This IFS Topper Suggests Not To Take UPSC As A Journey, But Why?

Sai Charan Reddy cleared the IFS-2022 with AIR 38 He was working in Coal India Limited since 2016 His journey is very different from the usual UPSC aspirant
Indian Masterminds Stories

“Never take UPSC as a journey. Never lose your prime years and time in taking up UPSC as the only goal. If you really want to prepare for this, have a plan B and give some attempts. If you pass, then celebrate the success, and if not, then don’t waste your time. If you are not learning any new skills and succumb to the mental pressure of UPSC, then your life ruined.” These are the exact words of DV Sai Charan Reddy from Andhra Pradesh, who cleared UPSC IFS-2022 in his 3rd attempt.

Living up to what he has said, he had made up his mind that this was going to be his last attempt, whether he gets through or not. He also did not leave his job for preparation and had a plan ‘B’ from the starting. Unlike other aspirants, Charan strongly reaffirms what he said about aspirants – that they should not waste their time for long on such an unpredictable journey. And without being pessimistic, he gave true examples of lakhs of aspirants who are still preparing for over 7 to 8 years and have never thought of doing something else.

Indian Masterminds spoke to the topper to know about his IFS journey, and how he got through.

DV Sai Charan Reddy, UPSC IFS-2022, AIR 38

UPSC WAS JUST ANOTHER GOAL

Working in Coal India as deputy manager, Sai Charan Reddy has done many things in a short span of time. Alongside his job, he not only prepared for UPSC, but also started a political startup. Unlike others, for him UPSC is not an ‘only goal’, but just another goal. He thinks that India is a land of opportunity and one should always look for his share here, avoiding sticking to one and only destiny.

Unlike others, he was sure that his rank would be in top 10, and when results were out, he only checked the top 10 roll numbers in PDF. And when he did not see his name there, he thought that had not cleared the exam. But, later, when came to know that he had secured AIR 31, he accepted it with happiness.

With his wife and mother

BACKGROUND

He completed his graduation in 2016. After that, he joined Coal India limited. Then, he started his UPSC preparation towards 2017 end and gave his first attempt in 2018. This attempt was only for UPSC CSE, not for IFS. But, he could not qualify Prelims. After that, for two yearss he did not give any UPSC attempt as he focused on a different project which was politics related. Then, he gave another attempt in 2021. This time he also appeared for IFS, but still could not clear Prelims again. But, in his third attempt in 2022, he cleared Prelims for both CSE and IFS. Though he could not clear Mains for CSE, he cracked the IFS with AIR 31.

Speaking to Indian Masterminds, he said, “While working for Coal India, I observed coal mining and deforestation for a long time. The kind of pollution it causes in the environment and the kind of remedial measures that the company has taken. These things motivated me to do something for nature. I found IFS as a platform where I can do something for nature and the environment.”

With Ex-CBI joint director Lakshmi Naarayana – during Politics With Standards project

STARTUP

Alongside his job, he started working on a politics related project in 2018 with 5 of his friends from college. It was like a political consultancy, a platform where they worked for people’s political aspirations and created a system for their win. He said, “We wanted to give a platform to people who are motivated and wanted to join politics.”

With his wife

EDUCATION

He belongs to Kurnool, Andhra Pradesh. His father was a police personnel, who passed away in 2021. His mother is a homemaker. He has an elder brother.

He is married and considers his wife as his closest friend, who helped him a lot while managing the job and preparation.

He did his basic education till 10th from Kurnool and 12th from Hyderabad. After that, he did his graduation (B.Tech) in electrical engineering from IIT Madras in 2016.

Coal India limited induction programme in 2016

Then, he joined Coal India Limited, a government PSU. He is still working there, and never left his job for preparation, only took leave for two months.

He said, “It was a very difficult journey for me. In Coal India, I am a deputy manager and it is a field job. So I had to manage many things at one time.”

Screen grab from a short film that he made during IIT Madras days

UPSC

“UPSC demands more logical aspects than knowledge. Earlier, I was only focusing on the knowledge aspects, but later, I got the point and started focusing on logical aspects as well,” he said.

His preparation was in two parts and focused on many innovative steps. First preparation was in the last months of 2017 but after the 2018 failed attempt, he lost momentum and left the preparation. He started preparing again towards 2020 end. This time, he started again from zero. But, he focused more on Prelims as he was not able to clear it till then.

“In UPSC, this is so true that if you lose your preparation momentum even for one week, then, you will be far behind. Earlier, I could not give the amount of time that this exam preparation needs.”

With his mother

In, 2020, when he started preparing again, he got a lot of help from the book ‘Prelims Simplified’. He said that he understood the demand of examination process with it as it excellently points out the intricacies of solving a particular question.

He prepared with one of his IIT Delhi graduate friend and discussed with him each and every topic. He tried reverse engineering in preparation, like if this was the answer, why not the other one?

For CSE Mains, his optional was Physics and for IFS, his optionals were Physics and Forestry. He took coaching only for Physics’ second paper. Rest, he prepared by himself.

With his father who passed away in 2021

For all GS papers, he did not do anything extra and only focused on understanding the demand of the paper. Solved test papers and PYQs and used diagrams and maps in Mains. He also said that aspirants should focus on the English paper as it provides good marks.

He said, “I analyzed questions from PYQs and tried to figure out what they are going to ask. It is necessary to adopt an analytical approach for studying PYQs.”

INTERVIEW

His interview was focused on DAF and his job profile. Charan said that in the interview, the panelists are not there to reject you, but select the better candidates from the entire pool of candidates.

There were questions from behavioral insights as this is his hobby. One member asked him to ‘link Physics and spirituality’. To which he replied that if we don’t find any answer for a question, it is a human tendency to go towards spirituality for an answer.

Friends during graduation (left)

MESSAGE

Giving suggestions to the aspirants, he said, “I am not discouraging anyone, but my message is, never take it as the only goal. There are millions of people who are not taking up any job and not looking for any other opportunity, just focusing on UPSC. I will never ever encourage this kind of thing. Always look for many opportunities and if after few attempts, you are unable to pass the exam, then move on and do something else. But, don’t waste your prime years for just UPSC. Life does not end there.”

In fact he advises not to take UPSC as a journey as it does not make any sense if you don’t do reality checks. “Ask yourself after two attempts, whether you are prepared enough and really want to do this. Then take the decision.”


Indian Masterminds Stories
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
Related Stories
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
NEWS
India’s Missile Strikes on 11 Pakistani Airbases Forced Islamabad Into Panic: Ex-UK Envoy Reveals Secret Saudi Defense Pact
India’s Missile Strikes on 11 Pakistani Airbases Forced Islamabad Into Panic: Ex-UK Envoy Reveals Secret Saudi Defense Pact
Devendra Kumar Tiwari Alka Tiwari  IAS Jharkhand
First IAS Couple in India to Hold Both Chief Secretary & State Election Commissioner Posts Consecutively - Know This Powerful Pair
Policing, Trust, and Investment: Insights from IPF - Indian Masterminds
Indian Police Foundation Marks 10 Years, Discussion on How Policing Builds Investor Confidence
Madhya Pradesh football training
Mini Brazil to Germany: Vicharpur’s Young Footballers Get CM Mohan Yadav’s Blessings on Vijayadashami Week
bureaucracy news
Centre Announces Key Bureaucratic Appointments & Deputation Extensions: Neeraj Surendran, Arun G, Anand Mohan Among Key Names
PM Modi CM Nitish Kumar
Bihar Receives Rs. 10,219 Crore from Centre: A Festive Gift On Vijayadashami to Fuel Development & Welfare, Backed by GST Reforms
Chhattisgarh government
Chhattisgarh CM Charts Development Roadmap: Push for Capital Expenditure, Biometric Attendance, & Transparent Governance
Vishnu Deo Sai CM
Chhattisgarh Gets Rs. 3,462 Crore Boost from Modi Government: Here's How CM Sai Pledges To Spend It!
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
Videos
IFS Ravikant Meena UPSC IFS
Ravikant Meena on IFS Preparation, Optionals, and Life in Forest Service
Siddhartha Saxena UPSC CAPF
How Siddhartha Saxena Cracked UPSC CAPF AIR 326 Against All Odds
Dr. S.K
Technology Meets Ecology: IFS Dr S K Srivastava’s Game-Changing Innovations in Forest Management | Eco Warrior Awards 2025 Interview
ADVERTISEMENT
UPSC Stories
UPSC Chairman Ajay Kumar Live Interaction
From Cut-off Dates to Coaching & Reforms: UPSC Chairman Ajay Kumar Assures Aspirants of Fairness, Transparency & a Future-Ready UPSC | UPSC@100
A Century of Service: The UPSC’s Landmark Year Begins. Chairman Ajay Kumar on UPSC’s Centennial: “Merit,...
Giriraj Parihar MPPSC 2024
From Constable to Deputy Collector: Giriraj Parihar’s 9-Year MPPSC Journey | Farmer’s Son, Brother to Five Sisters
From a jail guard to MPPSC 2024 Rank 8, Giriraj Parihar’s nine-year journey of self-study, hard work,...
Ankit MPPSC 2024 Rank 3
From Village Dreams to Deputy Collector’s Chair: Meet Ankit, MPPSC Rank 3 Hindi Medium Topper
Ankit, a Hindi-medium aspirant from Balaghat, secured Rank 3 in MPPSC 2024 and became Deputy Collector...
Social Media
World Rhino Day India
On World Rhino Day, IFS Officer Parveen Kaswan Shares Rare Insights - India Now Hosts 80% of the World’s One-Horned Rhinos
September 22 Marks Global Call for Rhino Conservation; India Holds 80% of World’s Greater One-Horned...
Parag Madhukar Dhakate
Relentless Rains Wreak Havoc in Dehradun: IFS officer PM Dhakate Warns Citizens Amid Flash Floods
Cloudbursts in Dehradun triggered flash floods. IFS officer Dr. PM Dhakate warned citizens to stay indoors...
Forest Guard Tiger Encounter
Tigers Clash in the Wild as Forest Guards Capture Rare Footage , Retired IFS Mohan Pargaien Posts Viral Video
Retired IFS officer Mohan Pargaien shares viral video of three tigers brawling in Ramnagar, as forest...
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
Latest
India’s Missile Strikes on 11 Pakistani Airbases Forced Islamabad Into Panic: Ex-UK Envoy Reveals Secret Saudi Defense Pact
India’s Missile Strikes on 11 Pakistani Airbases Forced Islamabad Into Panic: Ex-UK Envoy Reveals Secret Saudi Defense Pact
Devendra Kumar Tiwari Alka Tiwari  IAS Jharkhand
First IAS Couple in India to Hold Both Chief Secretary & State Election Commissioner Posts Consecutively - Know This Powerful Pair
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
Videos
IFS Ravikant Meena UPSC IFS
Siddhartha Saxena UPSC CAPF
Dr. S.K
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT