18 October 2026
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‘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:


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