https://indianmasterminds.com

ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT

Decoding UPSC: A Topper Tells the Secrets

Cracking UPSC in her very first attempt, Shrusti Deshmukh became the women’s topper in 2018. She has a few nuggets of precious advice for all those who want to make a go for India’s toughest exam.
Indian Masterminds Stories

Undoubtedly, UPSC is not only the most prestigious exam in our country but also the toughest. Its allure is all pervasive. IITians, doctors and professionals from various other fields, they all try their best to get into the elite civil services, but even among them very few succeed. 

There may not be an easy `mantra’ to crack UPSC, but it’s not the Gordeon Knot either. If you ask the 2018 women’s topper Shrusti Deshmukh, she secured All India Rank 5, the success is attainable by judicious mix of systematic studying and plain old common sense.

UPSC Preparation is a Marathon

In a string of interviews which Ms Deshmukh has given to the media since her spectacular success, one point by Ms Dekhmukh comes out loud and clear: that the attempt to clear UPSC is a lengthy process. “It’s like a marathon,’’ she point out, adding “One has to qualify for preliminary round and mains and the interview. The whole examination process takes around one year. The success is guaranteed for those who strategize from the very first day and maintain their energy level till the last round. On the other hand, every day that goes into preparation is a sprint.’’

Ms. Deshmukh (second from the right) in a group picture with the Madhya Pradesh’s governor.

Ms Deshmukh stresses that along with hard work & self-determination, an aspirant also needs to be patient and motivated. Some cracks civil services in one attempt while others require few years. It’s a long journey and everyone requires a good guidance. 

Ms. Deshmukh hails from Madhya Pradesh and comes from a middle-class family. She completed  her graduation in chemical engineering. While in the third year of graduation, she made up her mind for joining the civil services. She started preparing for it while simultaneously preparing for the graduation. The hard work paid off fantastically. She cracked the exam in her very first attempt and secured a All India Rank of 5!

The Dilemma

As Ms. Deshmukh points out, one has to make important decisions all along while clearing the UPSC. In her case, she was a chemical engineer graduate but chemical engineering was not available to her as a optional subject for the exam. Choosing between Political science and Sociology was bit of a dilemma, and after some deliberation she went for the former. According to her “everyone should choose the optional subject only on the basis of how much joy they get from that. If someone has confusion between two or three subjects then they should give one week to each and then decide.’’

Important Books

For better understanding of Sociology, Ms Deshmukh recommends ‘ Sociology- Themes and perspective by M Haralambos& RM Herald’ for everyone. This book was published in 1997 and covers almost every aspect of the subject. 

For Paper 1 and Paper 2 of mains exam, she suggests ‘Essential Sociology’ by Seema and Nitin Sangwan. Mr. Sangwan himself is an IAS officer. She also recommends two books of Nadeem Hasnain, one is `Indian society & Culture’, other is `General Sociology’ for better idea of the subject.

Ms. Deshmukh also has a suggestion for polity as it is important in scoring big in the exam. She says ‘Indian Polity’ by M  Laxmikanth and ‘Introduction to the Constitution of India’ by Durga Das Basu is a must read for all aspirants. 

Another important point Ms Deshmukh makes concerns the “dynamic changes’’ in the UPSC exams over the years, and the importance of being very good at current affairs. And to achieve the desired excellence in current affairs, she strongly recommends newspapers (and by implication, not television news!). 


Indian Masterminds Stories
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
Related Stories
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
NEWS
SEBI
SEBI Appoints 3 New Executive Directors: Amit Pradhan, Avneesh Pandey & Sanjay Purao Take Charge
Lateral_entry_resized
No Reservation in Lateral Govt Job Entries, Centre Tells Rajya Sabha Citing Single-Post Rule
DelhiPolice
Top-Level Shake-Up in Delhi Police: 3 IPS Officers Reassigned Amid Security Concerns; Chahal Named DG, Civil Defence
mp
MP’s ₹3 Lakh Crore Infrastructure Boom: 255 km Greenfield Highway, ₹5,500 Cr Tiger Corridor Among Key Road Projects
FINNOVATION 2025
SBI & IIT Guwahati Celebrate FINNOVATION 2025 Winners in Gurugram, Empowering Young Innovators to Solve Banking Challenges
nitish-kumar
Bihar: CM Nitish Kumar Inaugurates Rs 44 Crore Six-Lane Pull-Up Ramp in Patna, Aims to Ease Traffic Congestion- Know More
CM yogi
UP: CM Yogi Inaugurates Two New Kalyan Mandaps in Gorakhpur, Emphasizes Accessible Celebration Spaces- Full Details Inside
CISF
National Security at Risk: Centre Opposes Supreme Court Ruling Curtailing IPS Deputation in CAPFs, Says IPS Presence is Crucial
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
Videos
Dr
Resisted Flawed Schemes, Transferred Thrice In Three Months, Found Solace In Writing
WhatsApp Image 2025-08-11 at 4.48
IAS SVR Srinivas on Mumbai Trans Harbour Link, Tough Calls, and the Real Power of IAS Officers | Video Interview
WhatsApp Image 2025-08-08 at 5.25
Dharavi Redevelopment: IAS Minds Turning 100-Year-Old Slum into a Modern City | Video Interview
ADVERTISEMENT
UPSC Stories
IAS Minnu P M
“Lazy, Sleepy, Yet Determined”: Minnu P M’s Honest Take on Cracking UPSC
Minnu PM, once a clerk in Kerala Police, cleared UPSC with AIR 150 after five years of struggle. Her...
IPS Ashish Tiwari
From IIT and Investment Banking to Public Service, Meet IPS Ashish Tiwari 
Ashish Tiwari, IIT graduate and former investment banker, chose public service over global finance. As...
WhatsApp Image 2025-08-12 at 7.27
First Attempt IRS, Fourth Attempt IPS: The Relentless Pursuit of Jitendra Kumar Yadav Who Cracked UPSC 3 Times
IPS Yadav is originally from Chhattisgarh. He was first selected for the IRS through UPSC and later for...
Social Media
Masahiro Hara
From Go Board to Global Use, How QR Codes Changed the World: IRAS Officer Ananth Rupanagudi Spotlights Masahiro Hara’s Vision
IRAS officer Ananth Rupanagudi shared a video on Masahiro Hara, the inventor of QR codes, highlighting...
IFS Susanta Nanda Video
A Mother’s Duty: Tigress Watches Over Cubs Splashing in Waterhole — Heartwarming Video Shared By Retd. IFS Officer Susanta Nanda
A tender wildlife video shared by Retd. IFS officer Susanta Nanda shows a tigress keeping watch over...
Mohanmala
Kaziranga Mourns: Beloved Elephant Mohanmala Passes Away After Five Decades of Service
Kaziranga National Park mourns the loss of Mohanmala, a beloved elephant who served over 50 years as...
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
Latest
SEBI
SEBI Appoints 3 New Executive Directors: Amit Pradhan, Avneesh Pandey & Sanjay Purao Take Charge
Lateral_entry_resized
No Reservation in Lateral Govt Job Entries, Centre Tells Rajya Sabha Citing Single-Post Rule
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
Videos
Dr
WhatsApp Image 2025-08-11 at 4.48
WhatsApp Image 2025-08-08 at 5.25
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT