Anushka Karnwal (CSE-23 AIR-435) Economics & Comprehensive Strategy

Anushka Karnwal's Journey to Civil Services: Challenges and Lessons

Hello there! Anushka Karnwal, a 2023 CSE candidate with an AIR 435, hails from the small town of Noorpur in the Bijnor district of West UP. She completed her graduation in Economics from LSR, University of Delhi (COVID batch, 2019-22). This marks her first attempt at joining the civil services, a journey filled with challenges and lessons. Through this blog post, she aims to share her story and highlight some mistakes to provide better clarity on what to avoid. She will not delve into books, as they are largely similar for most.

Journey

From her teenage years, Anushka's father instilled in her the dream of becoming a civil servant. However, at that time, she knew nothing about the civil services, exams, or the roles of IAS or IPS officers. Yet, she consistently noted her aspiration in her report card. Upon entering the 11th grade, she chose the science stream, leading to her 12th grade performance as a district topper. After 12th, she faced difficulty in choosing a suitable course for college, finally settling for a BA Hons in Economics due to family advice and the practical nature of the subject.

You may contact her on Telegram

During her second semester in college, she met a peer with similar aspirations, who introduced her to the concept of UPSC and civil services. Despite this newfound knowledge, her academic performance suffered, leading to a decision to drop out and pursue a science stream. The COVID-19 pandemic, however, forced her to continue with Economics and later motivated her to start her civil services preparation. She began with optional preparation in January 2022, but the reopening of the university in February disrupted her plan. She finally started her preparation in June 2022 and took her attempt in 2023.

Prelims Pointers

Anushka scored a commendable 96 in the GS paper, asserting the credibility of her pointers. Key prelims preparation strategies include:

1. Revise Well: She revised the entire prelims syllabus multiple times, with her most intense revision period being from 1st to 27th May 2023.
2. Start Early: While February is ideal for full preparation, starting with prelims-oriented books even earlier can be beneficial. Reading these books thrice ensured she had many points marked.
3. Avoid Source Changes: Changes in the source list midway under peer influence can be detrimental. Stick to tried-and-tested sources and books.

Mains Pointers

For mains preparation, Anushka emphasizes value addition, selective preparation, and the importance of newspapers:

1. Value Addition: She attended classes and added value to topics through Google research.
2. Selective Preparation: Given the dynamic nature of questions, reliance on books may not be sufficient. Google offers more up-to-date information.
3. Newspapers: Newspapers played a crucial role in her preparation, especially for GS papers.

Mistakes

Anushka reflects on her mistakes to guide aspirants better:

1. Mental Health: Ignoring mental health led to three months of low productivity.
2. Goal Prioritization: A call from Delhi School of Economics caused her to struggle between UPSC prep and her master's course, leading to a decision to drop out for the latter.
3. FOMO (Fear of Missing Out): Avoiding the influence of FOMO regarding library choices or books.
4. Underestimating UPSC: The unpredictability of UPSC, especially in CSAT, can lead to selective preparation based on past trends, which do not always hold.

Economic Optional

Economics as an optional poses both risks and rewards. Anushka shares her strategy:

Paper 1 Strategy

1. Books:
   • Micro: HL Ahuja (selectively)
   • Macro: Froyen
   • International Trade: Salvatore
   • Money, Banking, and Finance: Topper notes, Internet, and coaching notes
   • Development Economics: College readings and YouTube models

Paper 2 Strategy

For Paper 2, Anushka relied solely on Internet and Topper notes, with a strong emphasis on exploring multiple dimensions. She highlights the importance of creating one's own notes and revising both papers thoroughly.

Conclusion

Anushka's journey to the civil services is a testament to her resilience and strategic preparation. By sharing her experiences and mistakes, she hopes to provide invaluable insights for aspiring civil servants. She invites you to join her Telegram channel for more detailed guidance and support.

Thanks for reading, and keep studying. With love, Anushka