Anjali Thakur (CSE-23 AIR-43) Sociology & Comprehensive Strategy

4 min read

This is Anjali Thakur here. I secured AIR 43 in CSE 2023 and this was my 3rd attempt and 2nd selection. I have benefitted from these blogs and thus sharing mine too so that the aspirant community can avail of some learnings from my journey. I’m from Surat. I’ve done all my education there only including

Introduction

Anjali Thakur, a dedicated aspirant from Surat, India, secured the prestigious rank of AIR 43 in the Civil Services Examination (CSE) 2023. This was her third attempt, and the second time she was selected for the examination. Her journey, marked by resilience and strategic preparation, offers valuable insights for aspirants aiming to excel in the CSE.

Educational Background and Preparation Strategy

Anjali graduated in 2021 and began her UPSC preparation in 2019, enrolling in the Career First IAS Academy in Surat. The lockdown in 2020 provided her with ample time for self-study. She secured a rank in the final list in her first attempt in 2021 but was unsuccessful in her second attempt in 2022 despite coming close to the cut-off. In her third attempt in 2023, she successfully broke through the barriers and secured AIR 43.

Prelims Strategy

For the Prelims, Anjali adopted a strategic approach:

Mock Test Strategy: She focused on taking as many mock tests as possible to get a comprehensive understanding of the exam pattern.
Analyzing Mocks: After each mock, she meticulously analyzed her performance, identifying areas of improvement.
Weightage to Static: She gave significant importance to static topics, recognizing their vast nature and repetitive nature.
Revision: She meticulously revised her mock test papers before the actual exam to reinforce her understanding.
PYQ Analysis: Consistently referring to Previous Year Questions (PYQs) and analyzing them was a part of her regular study routine.

Mains Strategy

For the Mains, Anjali improved her score significantly from 760 in 2021 to 845 in 2023:

Answer Writing: She emphasized the importance of answer writing, ensuring her responses were concise, coherent, and well-structured.
PYQs and Revisions: She used PYQs as a benchmark, writing detailed answers and revising them before the actual exam.
Charting and Examples: She incorporated charts, maps, examples, and relevant facts to bolster her answers.
Targeted Approach: She allocated more time to Ethics and Essays due to their high return on investment (ROI) and focused on optional subjects as they form the backbone of her marks.
Identifying Strengths and Weaknesses: She recognized her strengths and weaknesses, focusing on areas that needed improvement.
Collecting Fodder: She gathered essential information, quotes, and data points to enrich her answers.
Test Writing: She wrote multiple tests from reputed sources like Forum IAS and Vision’s Abhyas test series.
Learning from Toppers: She studied answer copies of top rank holders and adopted effective writing styles.

Optional Subjects Strategy

Sociology

Sociology was Anjali's optional subject, and she improved her score from 244 in 2021 to 280 in 2023:

Self-Prepared: She prepared the subject by herself, relying on test series from IAS Gurukul and Triumph IAS.
PYQs: She extensively used PYQs to understand the exam pattern and the kinds of questions asked.
Supplementary Material: She used resources like Sunya IAS sociology PYQ answers to gain new examples and fodder points.
Relevance: She ensured her answers were relevant to current events and societal issues.
Revising Thinkers: She made a separate sheet to revise the works and theories of prominent sociologists.

Interview Preparation

Interview preparation for Anjali was an integrated process that involved continuous self-improvement:

Personality Development: She spent months reading newspapers, watching debates, and engaging in interactions to polish her communication skills.
Mock Interviews: She conducted mock interviews with various coaching institutes like Samkalp, Chahal Academy, Vajirao and Reddy, and Chanakya Mandal to build confidence.

Abstract Learnings

Anjali emphasizes several abstract learnings from her journey:

Mental Health: Practicing meditation daily to calm the mind and cope with setbacks.
Sacrifices: Making small sacrifices and dedicating oneself to them wholeheartedly.
Discipline: Maintaining discipline through regular yoga practice to ensure better physical and mental health.
Motivation: Using incentives like taking breaks or gifting oneself to stay motivated.
Social Support: Spending time with friends and family to keep morale high.

Conclusion

Anjali's journey is a testament to dedication, hard work, and strategic preparation. Despite setbacks, she remained resilient and achieved her goal. She credits her success to the support of her parents, siblings, friends, and mentors. Anjali's advice to aspirants is to remain consistent, disciplined, and motivated, understanding that success often involves overcoming numerous failures and setbacks.