UPSC Rank 2 Holder left job at BHEL to pursue her dream of working for the development of rural areas and women

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With the announcement of final results of Civil Service Examination (CSE) by UPSC, talks around the preparation strategies of the toppers have been going round the corner. While UPSC aspirants are eyeing how these toppers managed to study all subjects simultaneously, we bring to you the blueprint crafted and followed by Jagrati Awasthi, AIR 2, and the highest ranking female candidate in UPSC CSE.

In her second attempt, Jagrati had immense time to devote to her preparation, thanks to the pandemic, and she utilized it to the maximum. She used the negative news of the time as a source of motivation, considering the fact that many people do not even have enough to eat. Since she is one of the few who are privileged, it becomes her duty to study hard and become a part of the system to serve the society.

“Coronavirus is an equaliser in a true sense of words as all the coaching institutes were shut down. People were there on their own. There was little guidance and everybody has got the chance to prepare for the exam on their own", said Jagrati.

Along with Jagrati, 760 candidates - including 545 men and 215 women, qualified civil services examination 2020.

#UPSC सिविल सेवा परीक्षा में दूसरा स्थान प्राप्त करने वाली भोपाल की बेटी जागृति अवस्थी को हार्दिक बधाई।

परीक्षा में सफलता प्राप्त करने वाले प्रदेश के सभी युवाओं को बधाई। मुझे पूरा विश्वास है कि आप सेवाभाव व पूर्ण समर्पण के साथ राष्ट्रसेवा में अपना योगदान देंगे। शुभकामनाएं: CM pic.twitter.com/9toiUnGj6N

— CMO Madhya Pradesh (@CMMadhyaPradesh) September 24, 2021

Dream of being an IAS Officer!

Right from her childhood, Jagrati always wanted to become a district collector and work for social upliftment . After completing her engineering from Maulana Azad National Institute of Technology (MANIT), she joined Bharat Heavy Electricals Ltd (BHEL). But, her dream of becoming an IAS officer remained with her always.

Comeback from the setback...

Her first attempt did not go as per expectations. She couldn’t crack UPSC in her first attempt. But, that did not stop her from working hard. Jagrati left her job at a time when the COVID-19 pandemic started and the nation was in lockdown. However, Awashti stood firm and took this opportunity as there was time to prepare for the exam. During the tough times, her parents supported her and stood as a pillar, providing necessary support. With their support and her dedication, she finally achieved success in her second attempt.

UPSC Topper’s Strategy

Apart from family members' motivation, Jagrati used an 8-10-12-14 approach. This technique was more about developing the core strength needed to study for extended periods of time without becoming exhausted. She began by studying for 8 to 10 hours each day, then raised it to 10 to 12 hours, and then, approximately two months before the exam, upped it to 12 to 14 hours per day.

UPSC Resources used by Jagrati Awasthi

While Jagrati prepared most of the subjects online, she relied on common resources for UPSC Preparation.

For Current Affairs, she referred to The Hindu and Vision booklet, along with Civils Daily for the Mains exam.

Booklist of Jagrati Awasthi

Jagrati followed the same sources for both Prelims and Mains examination. As per her, while it is necessary to have analytical mindset to deal with data-driven questions in the form of MCQs in the prelims, Mains is more about questions related to a particular topic, and thus, it becomes necessary to have a broad mindset while answering those questions.

UPSC Preliminary Exam Strategy

Jagrati says it is necessary for any UPSC aspirant to understand the demand of the Preliminary exam. A well-thought preparation is the key to clear this initial stage. For this, she herself attempted many previous year papers and gave many UPSC Mock Tests 2-3 months before the D-Day. Though she belonged to the engineering background, she still laid immense focus on CSAT and gave its practice papers too.

UPSC Mains Strategy of Jagrati

While one does get knowledge to answer UPSC Mains exam questions as one prepares for prelims, the main game lies in the manner of writing descriptive answers in a selected time frame. Thus, it is necessary to focus on writing skills. According to Jagrati, it is necessary to supplement answers with current happenings/cases. For this, she referred to Vision’s Mains 365 and appeared for its test series. Besides, she also practiced answer writing through IAS BABA’s TLP Series Mains.

Though she continued with her Mains test attempts, she gave importance to feedback received and worked on areas where she lacked.

Interview Tips by Jagrati Awasthi

For Jagrati, the interview round is a stage assessing candidates of how aware they are of their surroundings. Thus, to clear the round, it is necessary that one is aware of current happenings in and around the world, things that affect daily life, and educational background. Vigilance will help in clearing the final stage.

Though the entire process is quite long, and chances of getting stressed and depressed are high, Jagrati suggests to remain calm while preparing for UPSC, as this is one exam that will not only change your life, but will provide you with an opportunity to be the medium to change many lives.

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