No UPSC journey has certainty written all over it. Yet, Delhi-resident Aakash Garg was confident of making it to the cut off list after interview. However, Computer engineer obtained All India Rank (AIR) 5 in UPSC CSE 2024. “You know that you have given your best. But, you never know what other aspirants are capable of. Their best might have be better than your best”. So true.
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Aakash set his eyes on the UPSC during final year of his engineering. Besides looking for best resources for study, first thing he did was to embark on a strict diet regimen. He shed 30 kgs before he completed his B. Tech. in Computer Science. Reason: he wanted to appear before the UPSC interview panel in prim and proper shape. He wanted to devote full time to studies and had no time for work out. Hence, strict dietary regime. Such foresightedness!
He took Sociology as an optional subject because computer science was not an option. The first attempt was to test waters. He couldn’t clear the prelims. Next year, he worked hard and one by one cleared prelims, mains and the interview. A six on the second ball itself!!
His preparation may be gauged from the fact that he had taken almost a dozen mock interviews. “I was not good at speaking. My mains result had been declared in December and interview was scheduled for April 4. I had enough time and hence took as many mock tests as possible,” he told Indian Masterminds. Besides, he had also joined some online groups to discuss current affairs and interview strategies. Several of his group friends too would be joining Akash in Lal Bahadur Shastri National Academy of Administration (LBSNAA).
Should one have Plan B too? “My only plan B was to make plan A work”, he chuckles. He obviously believed in his abilities. “I used to do targeted studies. Every morning I used to set targets and wouldn’t stop for the day before achieving those targets”, he said. A good advice for the aspirants!!!
