Latest news with #UPSCCivilServicesExamination2024
Time of India
08-06-2025
- Time of India
UPSC topper Shakti Dubey shares her inspiring journey on UP Police podcast
Lucknow: The 15th episode of the Uttar Pradesh Police's official podcast series 'Beyond the Badge' features a heartfelt and inspiring conversation between assistant commissioner of police Neha Tripathi and UPSC Civil Services Examination 2024 topper Shakti Dubey, along with her father, sub-inspector Devendra Dubey. Shakti, who secured All-India Rank 1 in one of the country's most prestigious competitive exams, comes from a humble Uttar Pradesh Police family. Launched in Jan 2025 under the direction of Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, 'Beyond the Badge' aims to highlight the achievements, human stories, and exceptional contributions of Uttar Pradesh Police personnel and their families. The latest episode celebrates the remarkable success of Shakti Dubey, who brought national recognition to the state and the police fraternity through her perseverance and grit. During the episode, Shakti's father, Devendra Dubey, emotionally recounted the family's struggles and their unwavering belief in her potential. "We never had computers or printers at home," he shared. "But whenever she needed printouts for her study material, I would get them from a shop to make sure her studies were not hampered. When she couldn't clear the exam in her fourth attempt despite reaching the interview stage, she was heartbroken. Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Walgreens Keeps Quiet About This '9 Pills for $7' Generic Cialis Deal Friday Plans Get Offer Undo But the entire family, especially her brother, encouraged her to try once more—and with God's grace, she succeeded." Speaking candidly, Shakti revealed that 2024 marked her fifth attempt at the UPSC exam. "There were many times I felt like giving up. I even considered choosing another career path," she admitted. "But it was my mother who constantly reminded me why I wanted this job. Her words reignited my motivation each time I stumbled." Giving practical advice to UPSC aspirants, she said, "Do your homework before jumping into UPSC prep. Understand the syllabus thoroughly—what to read, how much to read, and which books to rely on. Also, analyse how much weightage is given to the mains and interview, and align your priorities accordingly. NCERT books and previous years' question papers are vital resources." Importantly, Shakti urged aspirants to always have a backup plan. "Only about one percent of candidates succeed in UPSC. The rest don't. So always have a second career option in mind. That way, failure won't break you—you can still move ahead in life with clarity and confidence," she added. The episode also explores other aspects of Shakti's journey, including how she stayed motivated after repeated failures, her optional subjects, her emotional state on result day, and the values she hopes to bring into her role as a civil servant.
Time of India
08-06-2025
- Lifestyle
- Time of India
Most aspirants flock to Delhi for UPSC preparation, but this 21-year-old did the exact opposite and bagged AIR 61 in first attempt
"I Had to Sit With Myself First" No Coaching, No Pressure - Just Focus From Panchkula to SRCC to Civil Services You Might Also Like: How Virat Kohli's discipline inspired a 22-year-old to crack UPSC with AIR 3 in her first attempt You Might Also Like: What are the odds? Four UPSC 2025 rank holders come from the same DU college, same department and from consecutive batches While lakhs of UPSC aspirants rush to Delhi's Mukherjee Nagar every year in search of coaching centres, shared flats, and hope, 21-year-old Aastha Singh made the bold choice to walk away from the chaos. The result? A stunning All India Rank (AIR) 61 in her very first attempt at the UPSC Civil Services Examination 2024 — without the help of any coaching story flips the script on what it means to chase the civil services dream in India. In an interview with Careerwill App, the Panchkula-born topper revealed that it wasn't the crowded classrooms or peer pressure of Delhi that helped her but a quiet decision to prepare from the comfort and clarity of her asked how she achieved what many fail to do even after years of attempts during an interview with Careerwill App, Aastha's answer was simple yet profound. 'The most important thing I did was to sit with myself and understand who I really am,' she said. She undertook a personal SWOT analysis — studying her own strengths and weaknesses with studied Economics at Delhi University's prestigious Shri Ram College of Commerce (SRCC), Aastha knew the city's distractions well. 'If I stayed in Delhi, I would spend too much time managing laundry, food, or even floods. It would be hard to maintain my mental sanity,' she said, reflecting on the little stressors that add so, instead of staying in the so-called UPSC capital, Aastha returned home, saving time, money, and peace of mind — all while building the discipline required to made another strategic move: skipping the traditional foundation courses. 'I realised I could cover the syllabus faster by tailoring my own study methods,' she shared. With no dependency on coaching centres or batchmates, her preparation was self-paced and sharply focused — helping her complete the syllabus within a year and attempt the exam with full before her UPSC result was announced, Aastha had already proved her mettle. She cleared the Haryana Public Service Commission (HPSC) exam in the same year, securing Rank 31 and serving briefly as an Additional Excise and Taxation Officer (AETO) with the Haryana Government. It was clear that her strategy worked — and and raised in Panchkula, Haryana, Aastha has been a top-performing student since her school days. With her father Brijesh Singh serving as Quality Head at a pharmaceutical company, and family roots in Jaunpur district of Uttar Pradesh, Aastha's upbringing was steeped in discipline and completing her schooling in Panchkula with Commerce, she chose to major in Economics at SRCC. While most of her peers focused on corporate placements or higher studies abroad, Aastha felt a deep pull toward the civil services — a dream she began nurturing even before rank may have made headlines, but Aastha's vision for her IAS career is rooted in ground realities. According to an interview with Zee News, she expresses a strong desire to work for women's empowerment and tackle structural issues that affect marginalised the biggest success stories are written not in crowded libraries, but in quiet rooms with deep self-awareness and discipline. At just 21, she has proved that the path to UPSC success doesn't have to follow the herd. Sometimes, taking a step back is the fastest way forward.
Time of India
28-05-2025
- General
- Time of India
UPSC 2024: How village boy Vibhor jumped from AIR 743 to 19 with grit, game plan and AI
In a quiet village called Utrawali in Uttar Pradesh's Bulandshahr district, dreams often travel far before they find wings. Vibhor Bhardwaj's journey was no exception. From completing his MSc in Physics at Hansraj College to cracking UPSC Civil Services Examination 2024 with an All India Rank of 19, Vibhor's story is one of self-awareness, incremental improvement, and staying grounded through the turbulence of repeated trials. In 2024, Vibhor made the third attempt. He cleared his first UPSC exam in 2022 with a modest AIR 743, missed the final list in 2023 despite reaching the interview stage, and then transformed himself into a top-20 ranker this year. Building a smart study system 'I started my preparation of UPSC CSE after completion of my MSc. from scratch,' says Vibhor. Choosing Physics as his optional subject, he didn't rely on luck or shortcuts. His game plan was clear—lay a strong Mains foundation early on. He completed the entire Mains syllabus—including Optional—in the first seven months, leaning on online coaching and self-curated notes. 'During this time I utilized the online coaching from home for both parts. I prepared the notes on GS subjects from coaching classes and then from studying the reference books of the same,' he explains. Interestingly, he didn't start writing answers at that stage. 'During this period I completed my Optional paper notes without any answer writing,' he recalls. The Prelims pivot: Strategy in action By January, Vibhor shifted gears to focus entirely on the Prelims. With surgical precision, he tackled the static portion, reviewed current affairs magazines, and revised daily summaries. He didn't jump blindly into mock tests—he staggered them smartly. 'After one revision of each subject, in the second revision I started appearing for the sectional tests. Once done with second revision I shifted to the full length tests,' he says. He also swore by Previous Year Questions (PYQs). 'I used PYQs as a guide for understanding the nature of questions asked by the UPSC,' he adds, treating them not just as practice material but as a blueprint for examiner intent. What changed in the third attempt Vibhor's journey wasn't linear. After securing AIR 743 in 2022, and then failing to make the final list in 2023 despite clearing the interview round, he did a full diagnostic on his weaknesses. His biggest upgrade? Answer writing. 'I started to take reference from the toppers' answer sheets and compared my answer to the same question written in their sheets. This worked for me to reduce the time per question as well as in improving the quality of my answers.' He also adopted a micro-level approach to the syllabus. 'I prepared notes on each and every keyword mentioned in the syllabus having different dimensions,' he shares. This helped him gain both depth and breadth—an edge that Mains evaluators look for. He didn't work in isolation either. Discussions with peers became a memory tool. 'Discussion with friends on current affairs topics and magazines, PYQs and other topics in general helped me in retaining the information for long and also in recalling during the Mains exam,' he adds. To further sharpen his understanding, Vibhor turned to previous toppers—notably Shruti Sharma (AIR 1, 2022). He closely studied her notes and used them as benchmarks for conceptual clarity and answer framing. The idea was not to copy, but to calibrate. 'These inputs,' he says, 'helped me deepen his contextual awareness and stay aligned with the evolving nature of the UPSC paper.' Using Google Gemini for interview prep In his second attempt, low marks in the personality test were a stumbling block. Instead of stepping back, Vibhor leaned into innovation. He used AI to simulate mock interviews. 'I used Google Gemini by providing the background and details and asked it to conduct my interview around those topics. It was tremendously beneficial,' he shares. Mentorship matters Vibhor credits Shubham Aggarwal of Vidyapeeth IAS Academy for giving structure to his preparation. 'His one-on-one mentorship and personal touch to cater individual needs enriched my perspectives on current events, controversial issues and helped me frame balanced answers,' says Vibhor. From the mentor's desk For Aggarwal, Vibhor's success was a matter of when, not if. He recalls Vibhor's unique self-awareness and strategic mind. 'From day one, Vibhor knew exactly where he stood. He was aware of his weaknesses and had already mapped out how to overcome them,' says Aggarwal. Describing his approach as 'practical and grounded,' he adds, 'In all my years of mentoring, he is among the most sincere toppers I've seen.' Ready to empower your child for the AI era? Join our program now! Hurry, only a few seats left.
Time of India
20-05-2025
- Business
- Time of India
Archit Dongre (AIR 3) breaks down his UPSC preparation strategy – Strong Foundation with VisionIAS
Archit Dongre , who ranked third in the UPSC Civil Services Examination 2024 , is among the best performers in all India. His achievement shows a path defined not only by intelligence but also by clarity of thought, disciplined effort, and a consistent approach over all stages of the exam. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now Archit, a student of the VisionIAS Classroom Foundation Course, recently spoke with candidates at during a Topper's Talk event. He revealed in this insightful discussion important techniques that influenced his exam readiness. Topper's Talk | Archit Dongre | AIR 3 | UPSC CSE 2024 | Classroom Foundation Course Leap of faith: From corporate career to civil services A careful review of Archit's long-term goals helped him to define his path to civil services. Working in the IT industry, he discovered he was attracted to the larger influence and variety of public service. Following a first effort that barely missed the cutoff, he persisted with fresh intensity and obtained All India Rank (AIR) 153 in his second effort, joining the Indian Police Service (IPS). Driven to help more broadly and armed with insightful knowledge, he gave it another go and came out with All India Rank 3. Underlying this consistent performance was a well-crafted UPSC preparation path anchored in foundation-building, time management, and frequent assessment. VisionIAS Classroom Foundation Course: Developing strong fundamentals Archit credits the disciplined learning and thorough support he received at VisionIAS for a major component of his success. The basics he needed to succeed were regular classroom sessions, planned test series, and tailored mentoring feedback. 'Fundamental concepts and clarity will come from your Foundational Class Notes' - Archit Dongre (AIR-3) at the VisionIAS Toppers' Talk Key insights from Archit's Topper Talk: UPSC preparation strategies ● Time management and discipline are not negotiable: Whether your aspirations are full-time or you balance your job with preparation, careful time management is absolutely essential. If working, strategically schedule study times: early mornings, late evenings, and maximise weekends. Consistent, high-quality study hours should take centre stage. For GS, a set schedule including optional answer writing, even physical exercise, helps build momentum. ● Master Prelims with foundation, practice & revision: Prelims sometimes call for the ability to confidently and accurately attempt a wider range of questions. Although educated guessing is important, it has to be based on thorough practice on rigorous and strong conceptual knowledge. Equally crucial is the extensive post-test analysis , in which the strategy is refined and gaps are found to indicate actual improvement. Using high-intensity simulations like , which improve mental readiness to negotiate uncertainty, helps exam temperament. At last, 's analysis reveals UPSC's main areas of concentration, thus guiding more intelligent and coordinated preparation. ● Fuel your optional choice with real interest : Allow your main compass to be of real interest when choosing your optional subject. Archit chose philosophy since he really enjoyed it, which gave him a natural drive to delve deeply and commit long study hours. ● Embrace consistent answer writing early on: Practice answer writing early and do not wait for the completion of the UPSC syllabus. Start early—even with limited subjects—and develop consistency by means of daily classroom assignments. Emphasise logical structuring of answers, comprehension of the question's demand, and use pertinent statistics and diagrams. While using reference to toppers' copies can help further improve content depth and presentation, regularly practising with PYQs helps match your writing with UPSC's expectations. ● Manage multiple resources with clarity: Archit underlined the need to follow a few primary sources in a time when plenty of new materials and continuous additions keep coming. His approach was simple: depend mostly on foundation class notes for conceptual clarity; add standard book or classroom UPSC study materials; and include current affairs without overwhelming. ● Strategic revision and note-making: Revise old topics as you learn new ones in a cyclical sequence. Revise the pertinent UPSC syllabus carefully before mock tests. Especially for the last weeks, make brief, need-based notes to enable frequent, quick revisions. This method sharpens recall and increases retention. ● Get a resilient attitude and make wellness your top priority: Since UPSC is a marathon and requires constant mental strength, find delight in the learning process, keep the course by scheduling intentional breaks to prevent burnout. With 40–45 minutes of daily exercise and a good diet, keep yourself physically fit, since both directly affect output. Along with disciplined self-study, a supportive peer group helps to increase drive and reinforce learning. ● Approach the interview with genuineness and DAF-centric preparation: Your interview preparation is modelled by your DAF, or detailed application form. Get ready completely on every one of the points your DAF mentioned. Although personality develops over time, committed practice through simulated interviews helps to improve presentation techniques and confidence. It's always better to be honest, even if you don't know the answer. The real confidence comes from being honest and prepared. From a working professional to IPS and ultimately securing AIR 3, Archit Dongre's UPSC preparation path reflects the power of strategic planning, consistent effort, and real passion. His UPSC strategy was based on structure, introspection, and a delight in learning rather than on shortcuts. Archit's timeless UPSC guidance—stay disciplined, enjoy the process, and never stop evolving—applies whether you're just starting or honing your road map. ✅ FAQs: Archit Dongre UPSC AIR 3, 2024 1. How did Archit Dongre take the decision to pursue UPSC? Answer: After reviewing his long-term objectives, he quit his IT job, joined the VisionIAS foundation course and cracked UPSC in his third attempt with AIR 3 after securing AIR 153 in his second. 2. How did Archie Dongre prepare for the preliminary exam? Answer: He focused on conceptual clarity, practised PYQs and mocks like Abhyaas to develop exam temperament, and improved through detailed post-test analysis. 3. How did he approach the preparation of optional subjects? Answer: Archit's sincere interest in philosophy led him to pursue it, which supported extended periods of concentrated study and a deeper comprehension. 4. How did he write his Mains answer? Answer: He started writing answers early, used diagrams and statistics, organised them logically, and improved the content with daily practice and PYQs. 5. How did he balance his well-being and revision? Answer: To stay consistent, he prioritised mental fitness through exercise, breaks, and peer support, used cyclical revision, and took brief notes. To know more about the courses of VisionIAS, please visit: . Disclaimer - The above content is non-editorial, and TIL hereby disclaims any and all warranties, expressed or implied, relating to it, and does not guarantee, vouch for or necessarily endorse any of the content.
Hindustan Times
16-05-2025
- Business
- Hindustan Times
Archit Dongre's UPSC strategy: How AIR 3 cracked the exam with VisionIAS' guidance, smart planning and passion
Cracking a competitive exam like the UPSC is a delicate blend of talent, hard work, and smart strategies. Natural aptitude can provide a strong foundation, but consistent effort and intelligent planning truly make the difference. Hard work builds endurance and deepens understanding, while smart work ensures efficient use of time and resources. Analysing past papers, refining answer-writing skills, and staying updated with current affairs are crucial elements. Talent may open the door, but only perseverance and strategy can lead one through. Ultimately, success in UPSC lies in the synergy of innate ability, relentless dedication, and a well-structured approach. For aspiring candidates, learning how All India Rank 3 Archit Dongre achieved success can offer valuable insights and serve as a true eye-opener. Archit, who ranked third in the UPSC Civil Services Examination 2024, is among the best performers in all India. His achievement shows a path defined not only by intelligence but also by clarity of thought, disciplined effort, and a consistent approach over all stages of the exam. Archit, a student of the VisionIAS Classroom Foundation Course, recently spoke with candidates at VisionIAS during a Topper's Talk event. He revealed in this insightful discussion important techniques that influenced his exam readiness. Watch: Archit Dongre (AIR 3) – VisionIAS Topper Talk A careful review of Archit's long-term goals helped him to define his path to civil services. Working in the IT industry, he discovered he was attracted to the larger influence and variety of public service. Following a first effort that barely missed the Prelims cutoff, he persisted with fresh intensity and obtained All India Rank (AIR) 153 in his second effort, joining the Indian Police Service (IPS). Driven to help more broadly and armed with insightful knowledge, he gave it another go and came out with All India Rank this consistent performance was a well-crafted UPSC preparation path anchored in foundation-building, time management, and frequent assessment. Archit credits the disciplined learning and thorough support he received at VisionIAS for a major component of his success. The basics he needed to succeed was regular classroom sessions, planned test series, and tailored mentoring feedback. Speaking at the VisionIAS Toppers' Talk, Archit Dongre (AIR-3) explained: "Fundamental concepts and clarity will come from your Foundational Class Notes.' VisionIAS General Studies Foundation Course Consistent, high-quality study hours should take front stage. For GS, a set schedule including optional answer writing, even physical exercise helps build momentum. Equally crucial is the extensive post-test analysis, in which strategy is refined and gaps are found to indicate actual improvement. Using high-intensity simulations like Abhyaas, which improve mental readiness to negotiate uncertainty, help exam temperament. At last, PYQ's analysis reveals UPSC's main areas of concentration, thus guiding more intelligent and coordinated preparation. While using reference to toppers copies can help further improve content depth and presentation, regularly practicing with PYQs helps match your writing with UPSC's expectations. From a working professional to IPS and ultimately securing AIR 3, Archit Dongre's UPSC preparation path reflects the power of strategic planning, consistent effort, and real passion. His UPSC strategy was based on structure, introspection, and a delight of learning rather than on short cuts. Archit's timeless UPSC guidance—stay disciplined, enjoy the process, and never stop evolving—offers whether you're just starting or honing your road map. After reviewing his long-term objectives, he quit his IT job, joined VisionIAS foundation course and cracked UPSC in his third attempt with AIR 3 after securing AIR 153 in his second. He focussed on conceptual clarity, practiced PYQs and mocks like Abhyaas to develop exam temperament, and improved through detailed post test analysis. Archit's sincere interest in philosophy led him to pursue it, which supported extended periods of concentrated study and a deeper comprehension. He started writing answers early, used diagrams and statistics, organised them logically, and improved the content with daily practice and PYQs. To stay consistent, he prioritized mental fitness through exercise, breaks, and peer support, used cyclical revision, and took brief notes. Disclaimer: This article has been written in collaboration with Vision IAS.
