Last year, when the UPSC CSE-2023 results were announced, a young man from Lucknow, who had left his job at the world’s second-largest investment bank to pursue his UPSC dream, achieved an impressive AIR-236 rank and became an IPS officer.
Fast forward to April 16, 2024, and that same young man – Aditya Srivastava – now finds himself being hoisted onto the shoulders of his fellow trainee IPS officers in a moment of pure jubilation, at the Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel National Police Academy, the premier institution for Indian Police Service training. And why not? He has once again cracked the UPSC CSE-2023, this time securing the coveted top position with AIR – 1. This accomplishment is a dream realized by only a select few aspirants in history.
In an exclusive interview with Indian Masterminds, Mr. Aditya Srivastava expressed his disbelief at the turn of events, describing the atmosphere as celebratory.
Despite the excitement surrounding him, his dedication to his service and goals shines through. When Indian Masterminds called him, he was on his way to an IPS training class and was unwilling to miss it. In a joyous tone, amidst the celebratory mood, he shared how his fellow trainee IPS officers celebrated his success and transformed the atmosphere at the training institute.
FROM IPS TO IAS: JOURNEY SO FAR
After graduating in 2019, Aditya joined Goldman Sachs, an American investment bank in Bengaluru. He worked there for only 15 months.
As he wanted to pursue UPSC, he quit his job in 2020 and began preparing for the Civil Services Examination (CSE).
His initial attempt was in UPSC CSE-2021, but he did not succeed. In his second attempt in UPSC CSE-2022, he secured AIR-236 and was assigned the IPS. He was allotted the West Bengal cadre.
Now, in his third attempt, he has successfully cracked the UPSC CSE-2023, achieving the much coveted All India Rank 1.
This journey was full of mistakes and tough decisions, but Aditya’s dedication towards his goal was permanent.
He said, “I would say that there is a lot to be learned in this journey. Some mistakes also happened, like when I failed in my first prelims, life taught me a lesson. Leaving the job for preparation was also a very tough decision for me.”
BREAKING OUT OF COMFORT ZONE
Aditya always dreamt of becoming an IAS officer since his college days. However, after completing his engineering degree, he opted to secure his path by initially pursuing a job in the private sector.
Yet, as a wise man once said, “You will not fulfil your purpose in life without stepping outside your comfort zone.” Aditya internalized this idea while working in the investment bank. He decided to step out of his comfort zone and take a risk that could potentially change his life forever.
Believing in the notion that if one truly desires something, the universe conspires to make it happen, Aditya left his well-paid MNC job in pursuit of a career in civil services.
BACKGROUND
He originally hails from Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh. His father serves as an assistant audit officer in CAG, while his mother is a homemaker. His father served as the primary source of motivation all throughout his journey.
Aditya completed his primary schooling from CMS, Lucknow. Following this, he pursued his graduation (B.Tech) in Electrical Engineering from IIT Kanpur.
UPSC PREPARATION
During his third attempt in the UPSC, he was undergoing IPS training in Hyderabad. Balancing this training with CS exam preparation and revision was undoubtedly challenging, but he managed it efficiently.
For the most part, his preparation took place in Lucknow. He chose not to attend any coaching classes except for test series and mock interviews. His strategy relied heavily on solving previous years’ question papers (PYQs) and taking numerous test papers for mains. His optional subject was electrical engineering.
Aditya meticulously studied the previous years’ papers and structured his preparation accordingly for both prelims and mains. He diligently made notes for every topic in the syllabus.
Reflecting on his past mistakes, he acknowledged, “In my first attempt, I was merely accumulating information without analyzing PYQs or understanding how UPSC constructs statements to test analytical skills. I failed to discern the patterns of incorrect statements and lacked a strategic approach. I realized the importance of working smarter rather than harder, and this was a valuable lesson learned from my first attempt.”
INTERVIEW
Both his interviews, CSE-2022 and CSE-2023 were an interesting mixture of DAF and current affairs.
Last year, from DAF, he was asked questions about his hobby, reading about Dinosaurs, and evolutionary theories. “What does he know about dinosaurs? Some months back, DNA of dinosaurs were found, how can he elaborate that?”
Some surprising questions were also asked like did he believe in ghosts.
He said, “This was an interesting question which I replied by saying, “Yes, I believe.” Then they asked why? I said that I believe in God who is the positive energy that guides us towards light. And we have seen that where there is positive, there is high probability that negative also exists. So I believe in negative energy as well.”
There was a question on international relations too. “How India was benefited by Saudi Arabia and Iran deal?”
MESSAGE FOR ASPIRANTS
Giving suggestions for all UPSC aspirants, Aditya said, “Following your nose every time is not good. Take suggestions from seniors and experts. Do smart work rather than hard work. Consider PYQs your God in this preparation. Make your strategy according to that and analyze your syllabus well.”
