https://indianmasterminds.com

ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT

Read Books by Bureaucrats to Know What Civil Service is All About Before Attempting CSE, Says this Topper

Indian Masterminds Stories

Cracking UPSC CSE in the first attempt is a big thing and getting one or two-digit rank in it is an added achievement. When the results for UPSC CSE 2021 were announced, the list had Saksham Goel’s name at 27th position. Since it was his first attempt, so securing AIR 27 was like the cherry on the cake for him.

His success was possible because of his focused attention on the exam and consistent preparation. Indian Masterminds presents his UPSC success story today.

PARENTAL SUPPORT

Many of Saksham’s family members are in government services, including his grandfather and father. So, the seed of becoming a government officer was sown in him at a very early age and, gradually, he explored the civil services and made it his dream. 

After completing his schooling from Agra, he studied humanities for 11th and 12th from DPS, Vasant Kunj, Delhi. Talking about this in a media interview, he said, “I was a good student and scored above 96 % in my 10th. Generally, if a student scores that much, he is expected to take Maths or Science, but when I said I want to go with Humanities, my parents showed full support. They always pushed me to do what I like to do.” 

He then went to St. Stephens College for his graduation.

UPSC PREPARATION IS A MARATHON

As every aspirant has his own strategy, Saksham chose the one which suited him best. Since 12th, he started reading some conventional books for UPSC preparation like ‘Laxmikant’. After joining college, the first year, he focused on his academia and in the second year, he read some more books advised for UPSC. “My approach was to do this with ease. Someone told me once that UPSC is not a sprint, it’s a marathon. So, exhausting yourself in the early stage of preparation is not advisable,” he said. 

He adds that since one of the subjects in his graduation was Political Science and he chose it as his optional for UPSC, so, in the last year he focused on his college studies more. “College syllabus and UPSC syllabus for Political Science were in sync. So, I thought it best to focus on college studies.”

Just after his graduation, Covid lockdown was announced. He used this time to be with family and prepare for UPSC simultaneously. He said, “I used to study between 10pm to 3-4 pm in the morning. That was it for me. The day time was to spend time with family and play ludo with them,” he said smilingly.

ADVICE TO ASPIRANTS 

During his college days, he attended many lectures of alumni who were serving bureaucrats. This helped him to explore about the kind of job they do and be sure that civil services can provide job satisfaction to him. “Every aspirants should prepare the strategy according to their strength and weakness. 

Taking too many advices can go wrong. What I would suggest is to read books by former bureaucrats. This will help you to understand the job because in normal understanding, people choose UPSC to become a collector. But, the job of an IAS officer doesn’t end with collector, it might start with that,” he said. 


Indian Masterminds Stories
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
Related Stories
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
NEWS
Ministry of Coal (resized)
Centre Signs Agreements with key Players to Accelerate Coal Gasification Projects
Indian Army Chief
Rule 33 Invoked: Centre Grants Army Chief Sweeping Powers to Mobilise 14 Territorial Army Battalions Amid Border Escalation
India logo
Amid Rising Tensions on Western Borders, Centre Appoints Senior Officers as Mentors in J&K Border Districts
India at UN Forest
India Leads the Way with Groundbreaking Forest Initiatives at UN Forum, Unveils International Big Cat Alliance
Defence Ministry
Govt Bans Live Coverage of Defence Ops to Safeguard National Security – Key Do’s and Don’ts Explained
accounting-fraud_505_022612034947
Maharashtra: Retired IPS Officer Duped of ₹50 Lakh in Dubai Investment Scam; Main Accused a Repeat Offender
IRS Officer Indian revenue Services
CBI Launches Extensive Search Operation in Disproportionate Assets Case Involving IRS Santosh Karnani
Canara Bank
Canara Bank Q4 Profit Jumps 28% to ₹5,070 Crore on Lower Provisions, Higher Non-Core Income
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
Videos
IPS Sandeep Tamgadge
IPS Sandeep Tamgadge’s Two Decades of Service in Nagaland
IMG-20250429-WA0019
How Mission IAS is Transforming Dreams of Underprivileged UPSC Aspirants
Aakash Garg
Computer Engineer Aakash Garg Takes AIR-5 in UPSC CSE 2024 Through Sheer Discipline And Hard Work | Exclusive
ADVERTISEMENT
UPSC Stories
iqbal-ahmad-upsc-2024
From Cycle Repair Shop to UPSC Rank 998: UP's Iqabal Ahmad’s Inspiring Journey Against All Odds
Iqbal Ahmad, son of a handyman from Sant Kabir Nagar, secured 998th rank in UPSC 2024, fulfilling his...
IPS Sandeep Tamgadge
IPS Sandeep Tamgadge’s Two Decades of Service in Nagaland
For over 20 years, IPS officer Sandeep Tamgadge has served Nagaland, navigating its unique cultural landscape...
Shubham Kaurav UPSC
Four Attempts, One Dream: How Shubham Kaurav Cracked UPSC CSE with AIR 291
With determination, self-study, and a strategic mindset, Gwalior’s Shubham Kaurav turned years of hard...
Social Media
Fakenews
Be Aware: Fake Videos and Propaganda Cloud Public Discourse After India’s Cross-Border Strike
In the aftermath of Operation Sindoor, numerous false and doctored videos claiming to show the strikes...
Indore Road Safety Campaign by Air Hostesses
The Cleanest of India, Indore, Launches Inclusive Road Safety Campaign Featuring Air Hostesses - Know More!
In a unique civic initiative, Indore Traffic Police deployed air hostesses using sign language at key...
Shakti Dubey AIR 1
UPSC Rank 1 Shakti Dubey's Success Sparks Debate on Civil Services Examination System, Ex-IPS Officer Raises Questions
Shakti Dubey’s UPSC Rank 1 success has sparked debate after ex-IPS officer Yashovardhan Azad questioned...
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
Latest
Ministry of Coal (resized)
Centre Signs Agreements with key Players to Accelerate Coal Gasification Projects
Indian Army Chief
Rule 33 Invoked: Centre Grants Army Chief Sweeping Powers to Mobilise 14 Territorial Army Battalions Amid Border Escalation
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
Videos
IPS Sandeep Tamgadge
IMG-20250429-WA0019
Aakash Garg
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT