‘Good mentor makes a huge difference… helps cut through the noise': Indian Forest Service exam topper
After three attempts and multiple setbacks, Kanika Anabh secured Rank 1 in the Indian Forest Service exam. After the results, which were delayed by over 10 days, were declared, she talks with indianexpress.com about her failures, strategy, and the long road to success. Excerpts:
This was my third attempt. I began preparing in 2021 after leaving a PhD program. In my first attempt, I cleared the Civil Services interview but didn't make it to the final list. I couldn't even clear the Forest Service prelims that year — the cutoff is higher. In my second attempt, I didn't clear prelims at all. This third attempt, I cleared both Civil and Forest prelims and mains. I didn't make the final Civil list, but I topped the Forest one.
For both Civil and Forest Services, my optional subject was Zoology. For Forest, I added Forestry as the second optional — a common choice for science students since the service is technical in nature. I chose these based on my academic background; it aligned well with the exam pattern.
For the first attempt, I focused about 70–80% on prelims. By the third, I planned better. Until December, I focused on mains. From January to May, I shifted to prelims prep — solving questions, reading current affairs and revision. After the Civil mains ended in September, I had six weeks for Forest Services mains and started Forestry from scratch. It was intense, but focused.
Challenging, but not impossible. I didn't just rely on books — that would have taken too long. I took an online course to grasp concepts quickly. I also used topper notes and previous year questions. It was all about smart work.
Not in the traditional sense. For prelims, I relied on online resources, YouTube, and test series. For mains, I took targeted help— value-added notes, test series, mentorship. A good mentor makes a huge difference in this journey. There's too much information now — a mentor cuts through that noise.
I'm not a 5 am person. I usually woke up around 7 or 8 am. On a study days, I put in 8 to 9 hours- subject study, newspapers and solving MCQs or CSAT questions. I feared CSAT – math isn't my strength – so I gave it 30–40 minutes daily in the last few months. The schedule intensified as exams approached
I was on Instagram and Facebook, but I deactivated both between March and December last year, just before the prelims. I'd sometimes reinstall them post-interviews, just to see what people were up to. Social media isn't bad, but you have to know when to disconnect.
Definitely. After each failure — the interview in the first attempt, the prelims in the second, and not making the Civil Services list in the third — there was disappointment, and self-doubt. I'd left my PhD and taken a risk. But I never seriously thought of quitting. I'd ask myself, 'What more can I do?' Then rebuild from there.
There's no formula, but there is persistence. Every attempt teaches you something. If you're honest with yourself about what went wrong and work on that, success will come. You don't have to study 14 hours a day. You just need clarity, consistency, and some resilience.
Service training will begin soon. Beyond that, I'm just grateful. I know how uncertain this journey can be. And I'm thankful it ended with this result.
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Founded by environmental lawyer Nadeem Qadri, this grassroots movement unites volunteers across the region to protect wetlands, forests and lakes. Their efforts include regular cleanup drives and educational campaigns to raise environmental awareness. The Jammu and Kashmir government has also initiated significant dredging and cleaning operations in Dal Lake. These efforts aim to improve water circulation, manage solid and wet waste and control aquatic weed growth, thereby restoring the lake's ecological health. Looking ahead At 69, most people would choose to slow down. But Ellis shows no signs of stopping. 'As long as I have strength in my arms and breath in my body, I will keep rowing,' she smiles. 'Dal Lake gave me peace when I needed it. Now it's my turn to give back.' Ellis Hubertina Spaaanderman, on her boat, Dal Lake, Srinagar. Photo: Shakeel Her story serves as a gentle but powerful reminder that sometimes, the most meaningful change doesn't come from grand gestures or institutions. Sometimes, it comes from a single boat on a quiet lake, steered by a woman who refuses to look away. In a world that often feels too big to fix, Ellis Hubertina Spaaanderman shows us that the ripples of individual action can, indeed, travel great distances. Kanwal Singh is a policy analyst and columnist from Jammu and Kashmir.
