https://indianmasterminds.com

ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT

“In Case of Anti-State Activity in Girl’s Institution, As SDM What Will You Do?”

Satwik Srivastava cracked the UPPCS-2023 with Rank 3 He passed the exam after two and half years preparation He suggests sticking to syllabus and focus on PYQs is key to success
Indian Masterminds Stories

“Whenever you find breakers on the road, just slowdown, but never stop. Breakers show that you are on the right track. There will be many bad days in your life. But you have to work harder in those days and bounce back. The capability of bouncing back will put you ahead of everyone,” said Mr. Satwik Srivastava in an exclusive interview to Indian Masterminds.

At one point, he quit a Railways job to chase his dream. And even then, he failed to clear UPSC to join his dream service.

However, he kept his focus on his dream and now, he is going to become a SDM. Coming from rural background, Satwik’s story is an example of how determination and ambition can help you achieve your goal.

JOURNEY: FROM NIT to SDM

Till graduation, he never thought of Civil Services and focussed only on engineering. But during the Covid pandemic in 2020, he changed his mind after seeing the layoffs in the private sector.

Then, in July 2021, he started his preparation for UPPCS. He made three attempts at UPPCS and in his first and second attempts, he could not crack even the prelims.

But, in his third attempt in UPPCS-2023, he cracked the exam with Rank 3.

In the meantime, he had cleared GATE exam in 2022 and got a job in the Railways as Junior Technical Associate. But, he chose not to join it.

Satwik (middle) with his parents

BACKGROUND

Satwik originally belongs to Hardoi district in UP. His father Jagdish Srivasatava is a document writer in the Registrar Office in Hardoi, while his mother is a homemaker. He is the only child of his parents.

He studied till 12th in Saint Xavier’s Senior Secondary School, Hardoi. After that, he completed his B. Tech in Civil Engineering from NIT, Jaipur in 2020.

CIVIL SERVICES PREPARATION

In his third attempt of UPPPCS, he prepared more strategically. He joined an online coaching in Lucknow, and focussed on syllabus and PYQs specifically.

He never counted the hours while studying, but still made sure to study a minimum of 5 to 6 hours daily with a focussed mind.

He said, “I made many mistakes in 2022 attempt and could not focus properly on prelims exam due to my Railways job procedure.”

For mains, he says that the examiner don’t want you to be a perfectionist. They just want to see how beautifully you write your answers. Hence, one should practice answer writing daily.

He completed his 70 per cent of mains syllabus before the prelims exam so that after his prelims, he can give time to revision for the mains exam for 3 months.

He urges aspirants to fully devote almost one and half year to the preparation of this exam. “If you want to clear this exam then, please don’t do anything apart from it. And, make your plan carefully. Take 15 days for planning, but do it well and strategically.”

The smile of success

THE INTERVIEW

His Interview was more situation based. He was asked various questions from his background to and from current affairs. He was asked a question on ‘One Nation, One language.’

One member asked him: “If you are a SDM and in your area, Internet has been shut down in a girl’s institution due to anti state activities, what will you do?”

Some questions were asked on ethics, like: “Those who do not learn from history, become history. This had to be answered in the current international context.” To which he replied with the example of Israel-Hamas and Ukraine-Russia conflict and the UN’s failure in these matters. “If they had learned from India-Pakistan conflict, then they would not have repeated the same mistake again.”

One more interesting question he was asked was about the importance books have in our life. He said that this might seem like a simple question, but it came from the board after much deliberations.

He had replied, “Just as a child is brought up by his parents, similarly, books fulfill the desires of a person who is seeking knowledge. Later, we have to go out to get practical knowledge and make some observations too. But, at the initial stage, this work is of books.”

SUGGESTIONS

He advises everyone, not only those in Civil Services, but all who are seeking to achieve certain goals to be focussed on these. “It is human nature to get distracted after some time. But, you have to tell yourself that without achieving your goal, life will not be meaningful for you.“

He added that one should never break consistency. “It would be blunder. If any given day, you don’t want to study, then still study for an hour. It will give you further motivation and boost your morale, as although you did not want to do it, you still did it!”


Indian Masterminds Stories
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
Related Stories
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
NEWS
Delhi High Court-resized-DelhiHC
Faith vs Discipline: Delhi HC Backs Army in Termination of Officer, Upholds Dismissal For Refusing Religious Parade Participation
IRS Officer Indian revenue Services
Senior IRS Officer Caught in Bribery Case: ₹25 Lakh Seized at Mohali Residence, ₹45 Lakh Demanded – Know the Full Story
PNB Housing Finanace
PNB Housing Finance Elevates Bhavya Taneja as Chief Marketing Officer (CMO) - Know More About Him
Air Marshal Jasvir Singh Mann
Air Marshal Jasvir Singh Mann Takes Over as Senior Air Staff Officer, Western Air Command - Know More About Him
Rajgir Sports
Bihar’s Mega Sports Push: Playgrounds, Stadiums & Talent Hunt Transform State; Over 50 Lakh Students Join
Indian Oil IOCL
Indian Oil (IOCL) Finalizes LCOH for India’s Largest Green Hydrogen Plant at Panipat Refinery - Details Inside
RECPDCL Handover WRNES Talegaon Power Transmission Limited SPV to Adani Energy
RECPDCL Hands Over WRNES Talegaon Power Transmission SPV to Adani Energy Solutions - All Details Inside
Liquor Scam
Suspended IAS Officer Vinay Kumar Choubey, Former Excise Commissioner Gajendra Singh Sent to Judicial Custody in Jharkhand Liquor Scam - All Details Inside
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
Videos
IAS Tushar G Nikhare
Modernising Governance: A Digital Transformation in Gangtok
IMG-20250523-WA0036
Abhishek Singh's SECRET: Vipassana, Anthropology & Smart Answer Writing | Video Interview 
Madhav Agarwal UPSC
From Gwalior to the Top 20: What Drove Finance Pro Madhav Agarwal to Crack UPSC CSE 2024 with AIR 16? | Exclusive
ADVERTISEMENT
UPSC Stories
ANUBHAV SINGH UPSC IFS 2024
9 Years, 8 Attempts, 7 Failures: How Anubhav Singh Cracked UPSC IFS 2024 with AIR 3 Against All Odds | Exclusive
Anubhav Singh’s inspiring journey to UPSC IFS Rank 3 showcases relentless perseverance, strategic preparation,...
Jogender Sihag
“I Cleared UPSC, But My Grandfather isn’t Here to Hear it,” Jogender Sihag, AIR 521, UPSC CSE 2024
"Life is short; make the most of it, whether in civil service or any other field. Just have a clear vision...
WhatsApp Image 2025-05-28 at 18.56
Didn’t Clear UPSC But Found Something Greater: A Story That Will Change How You See Success
She left a top finance job for UPSC, did not clear but built a thriving wellness brand instead. Veda's...
Social Media
parveen kaswan elephant
Elephant Outsmarts Electric Fence! IFS Parveen Kaswan Shares Incredible Video!
In the now-viral 51-second clip, the intelligent giant approaches a wooden pole supporting high-voltage...
UPSC Latest IAS IPS IFS
UPSC CSE Prelims 2025 Tomorrow: ICLS Officer Altap Shaikh Shares Last-Minute Motivation for Aspirants
His five-post thread offers encouragement, practical advice, and emotional support - not just for those...
Anupam Sharma IFS
#BoycottTurkey: IFS Officer Anupam Sharma Sparks Nationalist Call to Action
IFS Sharma urged citizens to avoid Turkish agricultural imports
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
Latest
Delhi High Court-resized-DelhiHC
Faith vs Discipline: Delhi HC Backs Army in Termination of Officer, Upholds Dismissal For Refusing Religious Parade Participation
IRS Officer Indian revenue Services
Senior IRS Officer Caught in Bribery Case: ₹25 Lakh Seized at Mohali Residence, ₹45 Lakh Demanded – Know the Full Story
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
Videos
IAS Tushar G Nikhare
IMG-20250523-WA0036
Madhav Agarwal UPSC
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT