The Civil Services Examination conducted by the Union Public Services Commission (UPSC) is one of the most prestigious and challenging competitive examinations in India. Every year, lakhs of candidates appear for this exam, but only a few make it to the top. The UPSC CSE 2024 result brought three new stars to the fore – Shakti Dubey (Rank 1), Harshita Goyal (Rank 2), and Dongre Archit Parag (Rank 3). These three not only cleared the exam but also secured the top positions. Let us know the preparation strategy, study methods, time management and approach towards the exam of these three toppers in detail.
Shakti Dubey (Rank 1)
Shakti Dubey (Rank 1): Success through consistency and introspection
Educational Background: Shakti Dubey hails from Uttar Pradesh and has done his graduation in Political Science from Delhi University. This was his third attempt, and he set an example for the whole country by securing AIR 1.
Key points of the strategy:
Making the syllabus the basis: Shakti considered the syllabus as the ‘Bible’ of his preparation. He believes that if you cover every topic according to the syllabus, then success is certain.
Previous Years’ Question Papers: He thoroughly analysed the last 10 years’ question papers to prepare for every stage. This helped him understand the thinking of UPSC.
Answer writing practice: Shakti says that “your knowledge is useful only if you can present it effectively in 150-250 words.” For this, he made it a habit to write two questions every day.
Optional Subject (Political Science): His optional subject was Political Science and International Relations. For this, he took the help of Shubhra Ranjan IAS and read the limited notes again and again.
Time Management: He divided the day into three parts – first for GS papers, second for the optional subject and third for answer writing/test series.
“Limited sources, lots of revision, regular practice and self-evaluation were the keys to my success.”
Harshita Goyal (Rank 2)
Harshita Goyal (Rank 2): A combination of self-discipline and smart study
Educational Background: Harshita Goyal hails from Panchkula, Haryana and is an engineering graduate from IIT Delhi. This was her second attempt, and she secured AIR 2.
Key points of the strategy:
Integrated approach: Harshita prepared for the prelims and mains exams simultaneously. She started with NCERT books as a base and then moved on to the advanced level.
Mock Tests: Before the preliminary exam, he solved around 60 mock tests and adopted the rule of learning from mistakes.
Limitation of Notes: He chose a single source for each topic and prepared his handwritten short notes, which made last-minute revision easier.
Preparation for Ethics Paper: He took inspiration from Lexicon and Toppers Answer Copy for case studies and set a target of solving two case studies every week.
UPSC Interview Preparation: He focused on daily current affairs and built his confidence with the help of Mock Interviews.
“UPSC is a marathon; patience and consistency are the most important things. Study smartly and believe in yourself.”
Dongre Archit Parag (Rank 3)
Dongre Archit Parag (Rank 3): Confidence, self-control and depth of choice
Educational Background: Dongre Archit is from Maharashtra, and he chose Medical Science as an optional subject. He has been a doctor, and this was his first attempt.
Key points of the strategy:
Structured Study Plan: He had created a monthly study plan for the entire year with separate time allotted to each subject.
Medical Science Optional: He tested his interest before choosing this subject. According to him, “You can study deeply only if you are interested in the subject.”
Daily News Analysis: He regularly analysed The Hindu and PIB. For this, he used to make his notes and revise once a week.
Importance of Test Series: For each paper, he took a test series of Vision IAS and Forum IAS and used it to improve the answers based on their evaluation report.
Mindfulness and Mental Balance: To maintain mental stability during exams, he included meditation in his daily routine.
“Maintaining mental peace while studying is as important as revision. Confidence is the biggest weapon.”
Motivation for UPSC 2024: Not an end, a beginning
UPSC exam is not just an exam, it is a journey that demands introspection, hard work and determination. The journey of Shakti, Harshita and Archit proves that if the strategy is right, the goal is clear and hard work is done honestly, then no difficulty is too big.
You can also give a new direction to your preparation by adopting the strategy of these toppers. Remember, success is achieved only by those who dream and take one step every day to fulfil it.
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