In the UPSC CSE 2021 results that were declared on Monday, 26-year-old Ravi Kumar Sihag, a resident of Sri Ganganagar district in Rajasthan, secured the all India rank 18 to become the topper in Hindi medium.
Indian Masterminds spoke exclusively with him to get details about his journey and UPSC preparation.
CLEARED UPSC THRICE
This is not the first time that Ravi has cleared the UPSC CSE exam, he had cleared it twice before by securing 337th rank in his first attempt in 2018 and 317th rank in his second attempt in 2019.
He was selected for the Indian Defence Accounts Service and was in the process of completing his training at the National Academy of Defence in Pune, Maharashtra.
However, Sihag kept working hard to fulfill his dream of becoming an IAS officer, and this time round, he did it by securing the 18th rank, making him the topper in Hindi medium.
Elated by his success,he said, “It is the result of consistent dedication and hard work that made me the topper across the country in Hindi medium.”
He wants to serve the country by joining the Indian Administrative Services (IAS), he added.
FAMILY SUPPORT
Talking about his UPSC journey, Sihag said this journey involved a lot of hard work all throughout. But this would not have been possible without the support of family and friends,as he had to push himself to keep going. “My sister Poonam was of great support to me all throughout. She always kept me motivated during my preparation.”
HINDI AS MEDIUM
Ravi Sihag topped by choosing the medium Hindi to write his papers and opted for Hindi Literature as his optional subject, securing the 18th rank across the country. He had keen interest in literature and, therefore, choose Hindi literature as his optional subject.
Most of the useful and dependable study materials are in English, which makes it a little difficult for the aspirants who are planning to write in Hindi. Though some of them are now available in Hindi, still they originate from English and are mostly translated into Hindi, which brings into focus the difference between the two, for the aspirants.
Sihag believes aspirants need to be honest and consistent with their preparation,and not allow language to become a barrier.
“If Hindi-medium students can understand basic English, it is not very difficult to clear the exam as they can translate the content into Hindi on their own. Functional fluency in English is a must. During my SSC preparation, I worked hard on my English and read the English materials and was able to understand and translate while writing.So,I did not face much difficulty while preparing now,” he said.
ON INTERVIEW
In the interview, candidates are tested for their analytical and mental abilities. They are also assessed for their capability to make decisions. Sihag’s experience at the interview may prove useful for other aspirants. In the interview, he was questioned about his interest in literature and his agriculture background.
Apart from the agriculture-related questions like “What would you suggest if I were to do farming?” and“How can organic farming be done in order to bring in profit?”, he was asked about the poet Nagarjun.
ROLE OF SOCIAL MEDIA
“Thanks to the online platform for bridging the gap between the aspirants and the coaching Institutions amidst the pandemic. This helped students to be consistent with their preparation. But I am quite an old school person and prefer books over online materials,” Sihag said.
ADVICE FOR ASPIRANTS
Lastly, he added a few suggestions on how to prepare for UPSC CSE for the benefit of aspirants. “Do not look for a lot of study materials. Instead of seeking for many strategies, rather do self-evaluation and prepare accordingly.”
