Aparajita Agnihotri, AIR-124 CSE-22 Journey, Prelims & Mains

Aparajita Agnihotri's Inspiring Journey to UPSC CSE 2022 Success

Aparajita Agnihotri, a resilient and determined individual, has secured the impressive rank of AIR 124 in the UPSC Civil Services Examination (CSE) 2022. This remarkable achievement comes after six attempts, where she has faced numerous challenges, but her unwavering spirit and support from her loved ones have propelled her to success.

Introduction

Aparajita, a proud holder of a BSc (H) in Statistics from Ramanujan College, University of Delhi, and an MA in Environmental Studies from the Department of Environmental Studies, University of Delhi, is currently pursuing her PhD in Environmental Studies at the same esteemed institution. Her academic journey has been marked by a relentless pursuit of knowledge and a deep passion for environmental conservation.

Journey

Aparajita's journey as a CSE aspirant has been a rollercoaster of emotions, with both highs and lows. Despite facing numerous setbacks, she remained steadfast in her determination to succeed. The first time she cleared the prelims was a significant milestone in her journey, a testament to her perseverance. Aparajita's success is particularly noteworthy as she and her brother, Tejas Agnihotri (AIR 266), were both selected in the same cycle, just before their father's retirement.

Aparajita's support system has played a crucial role in her success. She credits her parents, Mr. Amitabh Agnihotri (Retd PCCF IFS) and Dr. Namita Agnihotri, her brothers Tejas and Tarun, and her close friends, Mayank, Nilanjanee, Divyanshu, Nandakumar N, Jatin, Nisha, Jaspreet, Ajay, and Shivam, for providing the motivation and courage to face this exam repeatedly. Additionally, her PhD supervisor, Prof. RS Sharma, believed in her and served as a comforting backup, while her house help, Meena didi, made her life in Patel Nagar more manageable.

Aparajita's journey has also taught her valuable lessons. She believes that those who do not succeed in this exam can provide practical insights into what will not work, and she acknowledges the uncertainties attached to the UPSC examination. She genuinely believes that there are no failures in this exam, only opportunities for growth and learning.

Strategy

Aparajita's strategy for the prelims and mains, especially the General Studies (GS) paper, was unified. She acknowledges that the prelims stage was the most uncertain aspect of the exam for her, as she could not clear it in the first five attempts. However, in her sixth attempt, she not only cleared the CSE prelims but also the IFS prelims.

For the test series, Aparajita primarily attempted the Vision IAS and Forum IAS Full Length Tests, but by the sixth attempt, she had written only around 20 such papers. She used to attempt approximately 95 questions in these tests.

For the mains examination, in addition to the standard books, Aparajita focused on thorough internet searches and made short notes on topics like Disaster Management, which are delineated in the syllabus. The highlight of her preparation was her self-made notes, as she made notes of almost everything she read, except for Laxmikanth and Spectrum. Her confidence in her writing speed and legibility allowed her to complete all the mains papers before the time limit.

For the essay, Aparajita joined NextIAS and wrote a few mocks, but eventually stopped writing essays and focused more on brainstorming questions. After her mains results, it took her some time to regain the motivation to prepare for the interview. However, she started attending one-on-one sessions to assess her behavior when she did not know the answers, which helped her develop a calm and confident attitude during the interview. Aparajita believes that the key to a successful interview is having a holistic coverage of current events and a well-reasoned perspective on them.

Sources and Preparation

Aparajita's preparation was guided by a comprehensive list of sources, including previous year papers as a reference. Her approach to various subjects was as follows:

1. Ancient History: RS Sharma
2. Medieval History: Satish Chandra
3. Modern History: Spectrum
4. Environment: Shankar and her MA in Environmental Studies
5. Science and Technology: PT 365 Vision IAS and Mains 365
6. Polity: M Laxmikanth along with PT and Mains 365
7. Geography: 11th and 12th NCERTs
8. Art & Culture: Limited reading from Nitin Singhania and PT and Mains 365
9. Economy: Vivek Singh and PT and Mains 365
10. CSAT: Madhukar Kotawe's YouTube playlist and CSAT Full Length Tests from Vision IAS and Forum IAS
11. World History: Analysis of previous year papers and random World History notes found online
12. Ethics: Decode Ethics and her PSIR knowledge
13. Current Affairs: PT 365 and Mains 365
14. Essay: Notes on quotes and analogies
15. PSIR: Shubhra Ranjan's classes in 2018 and answer copies of Utkarsh Dwivedi, Ria Dabi, and Ananya Das
16. Interview: One-on-one sessions at Sri Ram IAS, Vajiram IAS, MK Yadav, NextIAS, and a mock interview at Samkalp

Aparajita's journey has taught her valuable lessons that she shares with aspiring UPSC candidates. She emphasizes the importance of having a backup plan, the possibility of success without coaching, the need to maintain a balanced life, and the significance of seeking professional help when dealing with anxiety. Aparajita's resilience and determination serve as an inspiration to all those who aspire to excel in the UPSC Civil Services Examination.