Madhav Bharadwaj, AIR-536 CSE-22 Management

Madhav Bharadwaj, a young civil servant from the picturesque town of Mussoorie, embarked on a remarkable journey to achieve his dream of becoming an IAS officer. With a background in Computer Science and an MBA from IIM Ahmedabad, Madhav's path to the civil services was not a straightforward one, but his determination and strategic approach ultimately led him to success.

Choosing the Optional Subject

Madhav's journey began with the crucial decision of selecting an optional subject. After careful deliberation and discussions with senior officers, he narrowed down his choices to Mathematics and Management. While Mathematics held appeal due to his strong mathematical abilities, Madhav ultimately decided on Management, as he felt it was more manageable within the limited time he had while working full-time.

Preparing the Management Optional

Madhav's approach to the Management optional was meticulous and systematic. He referred to several toppers' videos and utilized the books he had from his IIMA days to prepare detailed notes for each of the 12 modules in the syllabus. Within the next 2.5-3 months, he had his notes ready and began the process of absorbing and internalizing the content.

During his first attempt in CSE-21, Madhav dedicated 20-30% of his time to the Management optional while focusing heavily on the General Studies (GS) papers. Although he was satisfied with his performance in the Management paper, the final result was a disappointment, as he could not clear the exam.

The Setback and Comeback

Madhav's initial failure was a humbling experience, but he refused to be discouraged. He met with his mentor, Pratyush, who encouraged him to move forward and not waste time grieving over the setback. With a heavy heart, Madhav wrote the Prelims exam again, this time with hardly any preparation. Luck, however, shone on him, and he knew he would clear the cutoff.

The real challenge, however, lay in improving his performance in the Management optional. Madhav spoke to several toppers who had cleared the exam with Management as their optional and tried to analyze his own answer scripts to identify the gaps in his approach. With renewed determination and a willingness to learn from his mistakes, he worked tirelessly to enrich his answers in both the GS and Management papers.

The Turnaround

Madhav's perseverance and hard work paid off, and in his third attempt, he managed to score 150 in the Management-I paper, a significant improvement from his previous attempt. Although he had cursed the Management optional for the longest time and considered changing it, he ultimately decided to stick with it, recognizing its advantages as a less demanding and less competitive option.

Strategies and Sources for Management Optional

Madhav's approach to the Management optional was comprehensive and well-structured. He shared the following strategies and sources that helped him succeed:

Sources for Management I

1. Fundamentals of Management by DeCenzo, Agarwal, Bhattacharya and Robbins
2. Marketing Management by Philip Kotler
3. Cost and Management Accounting by Anthony, Hawkins, Merchant
4. Organization Behaviour by Stephen Robbins, Judge and Vohra
5. Financial Management by Brealey, Myers, Allen
6. Human Resource Management by K Aswathappa
7. Google search and Investopedia

Sources for Management II

1. Statistics for Management by Levin and Rubin
2. Operations Management by Stevenson
3. International Business by Hill and Jain
4. Government Business Interface – Google search
5. Strategic Management by Hill and Jones
6. Management Information Systems by either Laudon or O'Brien

Key Strategies

1. Prepared 2-3 page notes for every topic mentioned in the syllabus, using standard books.
2. Included examples and diagrams wherever possible to enhance understanding.
3. Practiced numerical questions, as they are scoring and relatively easy.
4. Solved past papers diligently, as Management-I consists mostly of repeated questions.
5. Substantiated every point with relevant examples.
6. Incorporated case studies from IIMA case books into his answers.
7. Practiced to finish the paper within the time limit.
8. Analyzed his answers and incorporated additional value from various sources.
9. Memorized the names of most thinkers and used them in his answers, especially in Management-I.
10. Learned to choose the correct questions to ensure timely completion of the paper.

Madhav's experience with the Management optional underscores its advantages, despite the lack of abundant guidance and resources. He found it to be a less demanding option that can be pursued alongside a full-time job. Additionally, the repeated nature of the questions made it more manageable. However, he acknowledged that achieving a high score in the Management papers can be challenging and requires a strong performance in the GS and Essay sections to compensate.

Madhav's journey serves as an inspiration to aspiring civil servants, demonstrating that with determination, strategic planning, and a willingness to learn from setbacks, even the most daunting challenges can be overcome. His story is a testament to the power of perseverance and the rewards that come with embracing one's weaknesses and working tirelessly to transform them into strengths.