Aaditya Pandey, AIR-48 CSE-22 Prelims, Mains & Interview

Aaditya Pandey, a native of Vishunpur Pakri, a small village in Patna, Bihar, has achieved the remarkable feat of securing All India Rank (AIR) 48 in the Civil Services Examination (CSE) 2022. With a diverse academic and professional background, Aaditya's journey to the top has been a testament to his unwavering determination and strategic approach.

Aaditya's Academic and Professional Background

Aaditya's academic journey began with his +2 education from Kendriya Vidyalaya Kankarbagh, Patna. He then pursued a degree in Electronics and Communication Engineering from Lovely Professional University (LPU) in Punjab. However, his true passion lay elsewhere, and he decided to venture into management studies, obtaining an MBA from the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Roorkee in 2018. Aaditya's corporate experience includes a stint at ICICI Bank, where he handled strategic alliances and marketing, working with global giants like Apple, Samsung, and One Plus, as well as various startups.

Aaditya's UPSC Journey

Aaditya's UPSC journey began in January 2020, after he resigned from his lucrative corporate role at ICICI Bank. He chose Philosophy as his optional subject and relied on self-study for the majority of his preparation, except for his Philosophy optional coaching from Mitra IAS. To ensure continuity and support in his studies, Aaditya also took the Assessment & Mentorship Programme with CivilsDaily.

First Attempt (2020)

Aaditya's first attempt in 2020 was marked by limited knowledge about the UPSC syllabus, which led to an incomplete preparation. He attempted around 56-58 questions in the Prelims exam but failed to clear the first stage by a margin of more than 25 marks.

Second Attempt (2021)

Despite the disappointment of his first attempt, Aaditya approached his second attempt with renewed confidence. He attempted around 69-70 questions in the Prelims exam, but his name did not appear in the final result. This setback, however, did not deter him, as he had the support of his close friends and his unwavering faith in Lord Siyaram.

Third Attempt (2022)

Aaditya's third attempt in 2022 proved to be his turning point. After analyzing his previous attempts, he had a clear strategy in place. He attempted a total of 86 questions in the Prelims exam, a significant improvement from his previous attempts. Aaditya's consistent study of 6-8 hours over the past three years had strengthened his resolve, and his previous experience in clearing the CAT exam had also helped him navigate the CSAT section with ease, scoring above 80+ in all his attempts.

Prelims Strategy

Aaditya's Prelims strategy involved a thorough categorization of the subjects and the effective utilization of notes and revision.

General Studies (Paper 1)

1. Polity: Aaditya relied solely on Laxmikanth and made his own notes during his second attempt, which proved to be a valuable resource.
2. History: He studied extensively from books like R.S. Sharma, Bipin Chandra, and Spectrum. For Art and Culture, he relied on the notes of Pratik Nayak.
3. Geography: Aaditya thoroughly read the NCERT books for classes 11 and 12 and made detailed notes, referring to YouTube videos for any unclear topics.
4. Economy: He primarily relied on Mrunal Patel's lectures and PDF from 2021, complemented by Ramesh Singh's book.
5. Environment: Aaditya's preparation was centered around the Shankar IAS book, with additional information from the PMF PDF.
6. Science & Technology: He watched free videos from the EDUHAP channel on YouTube and PW's one-shot videos on specific chapters from Biology and Chemistry. For topics like Space, Defence, Biotech, and Health, he relied on current affairs notes from various coaching institutes.
7. Current Affairs: Aaditya read The Hindu daily and used the SunyaIAS current affairs notes, which he found to be affordable and comprehensive.

CSAT (Paper 2)

Having previously cleared the CAT exam, Aaditya was comfortable with the CSAT section, as he only needed to score 67 marks to qualify. He suggested Quantum CAT by Sarvesh Verma for Quantitative Aptitude and editorial and associated readings for Reading Comprehension.

Mains Strategy

Aaditya's Mains strategy involved leveraging his prelims notes and targeted preparation for specific sections.

General Studies (GS)

1. GS 1: Aaditya's prelims notes were sufficient, and he supplemented them with additional research on peripheral topics.
2. GS 2: Laxmikanth's notes and his current affairs notes from the prelims phase were pivotal in this section, particularly for the International Relations component.
3. GS 3: Aaditya found Mrunal's notes to be comprehensive, and the Shankar IAS book, along with previous year question papers, were his go-to resources for the Environment section.
4. GS 4: Aaditya's optional subject, Philosophy, proved to be a significant asset in this section. He did not rely on any specific book and instead made notes from Google searches and Wikipedia.

Philosophy Optional

Aaditya's philosophy optional was primarily self-studied, with 60-65% of the syllabus covered through Mitra IAS coaching.

Essay and Interview Preparation

Aaditya's essay preparation was supported by his expertise in GS and Philosophy. For the interview stage, he found one-on-one sessions with mentors like Sajal Singh, CivilsDaily, and Abhishek Saraf more valuable than mock interviews, as they closely simulated the actual UPSC interview experience. Additionally, his mentor from his MBA days, Manish Sir (Director, IMS Patna), provided invaluable guidance and interactions on a wide range of questions.

Dealing with Frustration and Boredom

Aaditya's support system, which included close friends and his parents, as well as his unwavering faith in Lord Siyaram, helped him navigate the challenges of frustration and boredom during his preparation. He found solace in listening to Ramkathas and Ram bhajans, which kept him motivated and grounded.

Aaditya Pandey's journey to securing AIR-48 in CSE-22 is a testament to his resilience, strategic planning, and relentless pursuit of excellence. His diverse academic and professional background, coupled with his meticulous preparation and effective coping mechanisms, have paved the way for his remarkable success in the UPSC examination.