Mayur Hazarika, an MBBS doctor from Tezpur, Assam, who wants to be a future IFS, juggled between his medical profession and preparation for UPSC for over a year to secure an All India Rank 5 in the UPSC 2022 examination in his very first attempt.

Like any other aspirant, this soccer enthusiast and ace rubik’s cube solver faced his fair share of challenges in one of the most difficult of competitive exams the Union Public Service Commission’s CSE.

Well known for its rigorous nature, testing limits of candidates, the Civil Service Examination came into Hazarika’s radar after 2020, when the Don Bosco alumnus had just passed out of Gauhati Medical College.

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Fresh off the pan, Dr Hazarika chose Anthropology as his optional as it is related to the study of the development of humans, their societies, and cultures. Coming from a medical background, he resonated well with the ideas it offered, besides being a scoring subject.

At 26, this young doctor was motivated to take a break from his regular profession for his Mains after his Prelims turned out to be great.

Juggling Work Study

During his UPSC preparation, Dr. Mayur Hazarika faced the daunting task of managing his medical profession work and preparation for the CSE. The immense pressure and anxiety he endured balancing the seesaw are unimaginable for most individuals. However, fuelled by his unwavering determination, Mayur managed to carve out 4-5 hours daily after his job to carry out dedicated UPSC preparation initially.

This display of relentless commitment paid off when he cracked the UPSC Prelims with an impressive score. The taste of success only motivated him to work even harder, knowing that his efforts were leading him closer to his ultimate goal.

Speaking to the media, Mayur stated, “I did not expect to get such a good rank. I am satisfied with the result now.” He also shared that his first preference is the Indian Foreign Services.

Tackling Stress

Mayur openly shared that he too grappled with stress during his UPSC journey. Nevertheless, he adopted a positive mindset, focusing on finding solutions rather than being overwhelmed by it. Mayur’s resilience and unwavering dedication enabled him to adhere to his preparation strategy, ultimately leading him to secure an impressive AIR 5 in the UPSC Mains examination.

Work Smart

Talking about his preparation strategy, Mayur emphasised on the importance of simple smart work. While many UPSC aspirants believe that no amount of time is ever enough to prepare completely for this prestigious exam, Mayur debunked this notion by advocating for a focused approach.

His preparation strategy encompassed the following key elements:

Self-Study: He opted to forgo coaching and embraced self-study for all subjects. He firmly believes that by adopting a disciplined and focused approach, one can successfully crack the UPSC examination without external guidance. This approach allowed him to tailor his study sessions to his individual strengths and weaknesses.

Online Video Lectures: Recognizing the value of A/V medium, Mayur utilized free online video lectures as a valuable resource during his UPSC preparation. These lectures provided him with a comprehensive understanding of complex concepts, and aided retention. The audio-visual engagement offered by video lectures proved to be an effective tool in his learning arsenal.

Smart Work: Mayur Hazarika, like numerous other successful UPSC candidates, firmly believes that smart work is the key to cracking competitive examinations. Rather than drowning in an overwhelming sea of study materials, he emphasises the importance of prioritizing topics and focusing on areas that carry greater weightage in the examination.

By strategically managing his time and resources, Mayur optimized his preparation, enabling him to excel in the UPSC exam. Despite the challenges he faced, Mayur’s ability to balance work and studies, handling stress, and adopting to smart and simplified preparation got him an outstanding rank in the UPSC CSE.