Winning Strategy By An Officer Who Bagged AIR 150 In UPSC While Juggling Family Obligations & Full-Time Government Job!

Civil Service Examinations are one of the toughest competitive exams held in India. It is the gateway to getting jobs in the Central Government Of India. Every year lakhs of candidates go through this year-long process, with high aspirations for success. Naturally, this process is not easy, but Navdeep Aggarwal has cleared UPSC not only once but twice!

He first cleared UPSC IFS in 2016 with AIR 21 and became a Divisional Forest Officer. And now he’s done it again. Let’s see how he went about preparing for the exams while working as a DFO.

How It All Started

Navdeep Aggarwal first appeared for UPSC in 2016. He got AIR 21 in Indian Forest Services and started working as a DFO in Punjab after completing his training in 2017. 

While working there he had the chance to look closely at the work done by the administration and police department. His aspirations grew and he wanted to serve in a more holistic manner. He thus decided to re-appear for the UPSC with the hopes of becoming an IPS officer. Through dedication and hard work, he cleared the CSE 21 with AIR 150. What Navdeep has done is no easy feat. He is a family man working full-time as a DFO in Bhatinda. But he had a plan in place which helped him achieve his goal.

The Winning Strategy

Aggarwal’s family fully supported him in his journey. This combined with the strategy he followed led him to success. Here are a few things he thinks are important when taking UPSC exams: 

• Whenever possible manage your time such that you can study for a few hours within your working hours. Like during breaks, traveling time, etc. If that’s not possible, take a leave of absence 1-2 months before the exams.
• Dedicate 12-14 hours a day to study on weekends and other holidays.
• Always stay positive, even when things don't go your way. It will pass.
• Spend all the free time you have beyond this with your loved ones and don’t compromise on your life obligations.
• Reverse engineer when it comes to studying. Go through the previous year’s questions before starting a topic to establish a pattern and then study accordingly.
• Revise everything you have studied 2-3 times for better retention.
• Write practice tests irrespective of how prepared and ready you feel you are. 
• Not only mock tests, but mock interviews are also important. They help control the nerves and not come across as fake during the actual interview. 

Navdeep’s approach was definitely fruitful. His first preference is to get posted in Punjab but is open to being posted in any state. Irrespective of where he ends up, he wants to work on women's empowerment and make a difference in the society.

We hope Navdeep Aggarwal's journey inspires you to march unwaveringly towards your goals.  

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