16 October 2026
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT

‘If You Are Not Able to Crack CSAT, You Should Reconsider Attempting CSE’

Indian Masterminds Stories

If there is one exam which is most unpredictable, no doubt, a lot of people would exclaim “UPSC CSE!”  Indeed, this one exam tests an aspirant on all levels to the maximum. While some take years to crack it, there are some who clear it in just one attempt. 

Mr. Yogesh Mishra is one such example. He only had one attempt left (because of age) when he decided to leave his job and prepare for the exam. And, he made the best use of this attempt and cleared it in one go.

The officer, who is currently posted as Joint Director in the Ministry of Defence, Delhi, says that all it takes is “one attempt”. If you plan it well and put all your efforts into it, then you do not need a second chance. 

Mr. Mishra is the eldest of four siblings who have all cracked the UPSC Civil Services Exam. While his sisters, Ms. Madhavi and Kshama Mishra, are IAS and IPS officers respectively, his brother, Mr. Lokesh Mishra, is an IAS officer of Jharkhand cadre. It was Mr. Yogesh Mishra’s success that inspired his siblings to crack this highly competitive exam. 

In this exclusive conversation with Indian Masterminds, Mr. Mishra says that his decision to jump into the UPSC fray stemmed from the problem that his sisters were attempting the exam but weren’t being able to crack it. So, he took it up as a challenge and left his job to give the exam, to inspire his sisters. In his first attempt, he made it to the reserve list, and eventually was allotted the Indian Ordnance Services. 

He emphasizes that no aspirants should prepare this exam by making a five year plan. No one benefits from those years. Neither the government nor the candidate. He also mentions that if the aspirants are not able to pass the CSAT exam, in which they have to score 33%, then they should consider if they are cut out for CSE or not. 

Watch this exclusive interview, where Mr. Mishra explains the strategy and the do’s & don’ts for UPSC CSE. 

Here is the link:


Indian Masterminds Stories
Join our WhatsApp Channel
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
Related Stories
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
NEWS
IAS Manish Kumar Gupta
Who Is IAS Manish Kumar Gupta? Arunachal Pradesh Chief Secretary Empanelled for Secretary-Equivalent Posts at Centre
SVPNPA 78RR Director's Parade
SVPNPA to Hold Dikshant Parade of 78th Batch IPS Probationers in Hyderabad on Oct 17; 151 Trainee Officers to Attend
Menstrual hygiene
Supreme Court Orders MHA to Produce Original CAPF Cadre Review Files; Matter Listed for October 27
Who Is Ravi Shanker Goel? 2009-Batch IFS Officer Appointed India’s Next Ambassador to Suriname
Who Is Ravi Shanker Goel? 2009-Batch IFS Officer Appointed India’s Next Ambassador to Suriname
IPS Annu Tatu
Who Is IPS Annu Tatu? 2022-Batch Officer Transferred From Assam-Meghalaya to Gujarat Cadre After Marriage
ACC (PMO)
Centre Appoints IAS Rahul Kumar as Director in Minority Affairs Ministry, IFS Rahul Singh as Deputy Secretary in Food Department
IPS Officers Indian Police Services
Centre Appoints 2 Senior IPS Officers as ADGs: Ashok Yadav in BSF, Rajesh Kumar in ITBP
Powergrid1 Power Grid
POWERGRID Wins ₹199.55 Crore Pune West Transmission Project Under BOOT Model
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
Videos
Dr Saket Badola IFS
Beyond Tigers and Safaris: How Corbett Literature Festival Wants to Change the Conservation Conversation
PK Jena
Why Technology Cannot Replace Human Connection in Governance: P.K. Jena
PK Jena
The IAS Officer Who Put People Before Paperwork: How PK Jena Challenged Corruption and Reformed Governance
ADVERTISEMENT
UPSC Stories
Umar Janj UPSC CAPF
15+ Failures Couldn’t Stop Him: Umar Janj Secures AIR 160 in UPSC CAPF 2025
After multiple SSB setbacks, a CAPF interview miss by 12 marks and more than 15 failures, Umar Janj secured...
Aayush Sharma
Three CDS Attempts, Five AFCAT Qualifications & Medical Setback: How Aayush Sharma Secured CAPF AIR 135
After three unsuccessful SSB attempts, five AFCAT qualifications and a medical setback, Aayush Sharma...
Tushar Chaudhary IRMS
He Left Intel, Built COPAL-19, Spent Months at AIIMS, Ran Half Marathons, and Returned to UPSC—Tushar Chaudhary’s Journey to IRMS
UPSC ESE AIR 4 Tushar Chaudhary left a ₹25 LPA Intel job, built COPAL-19, spent months at AIIMS, ran...
CSR NEWS
NBCC India CSR Award 2026
NBCC India Wins Award for Excellence in CSR at 4th Fortune Leadership Awards 2026
The recognition honours NBCC’s community welfare initiatives and efforts to improve healthcare accessibility...
HURL ALIMCO
HURL Signs MoU with ALIMCO to Support Divyangjans and Senior Citizens in Gorakhpur, Barauni and Sindri
Under its CSR initiative, HURL will support PMD-VK Gorakhpur and facilitate the distribution of need-based...
MDL CSR Support to Divyasha Vayoshri Kendra
MDL Extends ₹3.79 Crore CSR Support to Divyasha Vayoshri Kendra in Mumbai
The initiative will strengthen access to assistive devices, prosthetics and rehabilitation services for...
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
Latest
IAS Manish Kumar Gupta
Who Is IAS Manish Kumar Gupta? Arunachal Pradesh Chief Secretary Empanelled for Secretary-Equivalent Posts at Centre
SVPNPA 78RR Director's Parade
SVPNPA to Hold Dikshant Parade of 78th Batch IPS Probationers in Hyderabad on Oct 17; 151 Trainee Officers to Attend
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
Videos
Dr Saket Badola IFS
PK Jena
PK Jena
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT