Rajat Tripathi (CSE-23 AIR-515) FAQs
I , Rajat Tripathi have cleared UPSC CIVIL SERVICES EXAMINATION 2023 with a Rank of 515 in my 3rd attempt. I belong to a small village in district Lalitpur of Uttar Pradesh. I have done my B.E civil engineering from SGSITS INDORE. I have been preparing since last 3-4 years and have also qualified in
Rajat Tripathi has cleared the UPSC Civil Services Examination 2023 with an impressive rank of 515 in his third attempt. Hailing from a small village in the Lalitpur district of Uttar Pradesh, Rajat pursued his B.E. in Civil Engineering from SGSITS Indore.
He has been preparing for the civil services examination for the past 3–4 years and also qualified for the Indian Forest Service Examination in 2022. Despite facing challenges like declining self-belief and financial difficulties during his preparation, Rajat persevered. For him, the journey towards civil services began as a refuge from personal struggles but gradually evolved into a meaningful pursuit of service.
Rajat emphasizes the importance of clarity in one’s motivation for pursuing a goal with a success rate as low as 0.01%. This clarity proved invaluable, especially after the final results of the 2022 examination on May 23, which gave him the determination to attempt the Prelims again on May 28.
How to Start: Taking the Plunge
In Rajat’s view, the initial month of preparation should focus on finalizing sources, choosing mentors, selecting an optional subject, and deciding between studying in Delhi or at home. This groundwork is crucial for mental peace during the long preparation journey.
Preparation with Job: Job vs. Full-Time Study
Rajat believes that aspirants should not dedicate more than two full-time attempts to this examination unless they are from top institutions like IIT/IIM or have strong financial backing. Beyond two attempts, the opportunity cost becomes significant. Aspirants should evaluate their standing in the competition after two attempts and plan subsequent strategies accordingly.
Coaching or Not?
Deciding on coaching, Rajat advises, depends on an individual’s comfort with humanities subjects and financial capacity. While coaching may provide an initial push, he emphasizes that completing the syllabus ultimately depends on self-study.
Preparation and Sources
Prelims
Rajat suggests that most aspirants rely on common sources, with minor variations. He recommends referring to 20–30 blogs or videos to identify standard resources.
CSAT
For CSAT, he relied on a YouTube playlist and previous years' question papers (PYQ). He advises neither to ignore CSAT nor to overburden oneself with excessive material.
Note-Making
Rajat is a strong proponent of making personalized notes. He believes in condensing information into compact, manageable formats.
PYQs
He stresses the importance of solving PYQs but warns against overindulgence in what he calls the "PYQ mania."
Answer Writing
Answer writing, according to Rajat, requires practice through tests and insights from toppers’ answer copies. He found Mudit Jain’s blog particularly useful.
General Advice
Rajat acknowledges the uncertainty of the exam and its humbling nature. He advises aspirants to have clarity about their motivations, their compatibility with government service, their medical fitness, and the realities of a government job to avoid future disillusionment.
He underscores the significance of incorporating workouts and detox time into the preparation schedule for long-term sustainability. Rajat also highlights the importance of having backup plans (Plan B and Plan C) in case the UPSC goal does not materialize.
Rajat expresses his gratitude to Mudit Jain, IPS, for providing a platform and thanks Almighty God and his parents for their constant support. Aspirants can contact Rajat on Instagram for further guidance.