Rohit Sattawan (CSE-23 AIR-997) Comprehensive Strategy

Rohit Sattawan's Journey to UPSC CSE Success

Rohit Sattawan, a young aspirant from Jaipur, Rajasthan, has secured an impressive All India Rank (AIR) of 997 in the UPSC Civil Services Examination (CSE) 2023. This remarkable achievement comes after two previous attempts, where he reached the Mains stage in his first attempt and missed the Prelims cut-off by a single mark in his second attempt.

Rohit's educational background is diverse, having completed his schooling from Modi Public School, Kota, and then pursuing a Bachelor's degree in Civil Engineering from Vivekananda Institute of Technology, Jaipur. Despite the challenges and setbacks he faced, Rohit remained determined to succeed in the UPSC CSE, and his perseverance has paid off handsomely.

Rohit's Preparation Strategy

Rohit's preparation approach involved a well-crafted strategy that focused on both the Prelims and Mains stages of the examination. He began his journey by selecting the most relevant NCERT textbooks and then gradually expanded his study materials to include more comprehensive resources.

Prelims Preparation

For the Prelims stage, Rohit relied on a diverse range of study materials. For Polity, he utilized Laxmikant's renowned book, while for the Economy, he referred to Mrunal sir's notes. For Environment, he found the PMF IAS book to be a valuable resource, and for Science and Technology, he used Dr. Shivin's notes. For Geography, he primarily relied on the NCERT textbooks for Class 11 and 12, or the PMF IAS materials. To cover Ancient, Medieval, Art, and Culture, he used the Tamil Nadu History book for ancient and medieval history, and Lucent and NCERT books for art and culture.

For Modern History, Rohit turned to the Spectrum book, and for Current Affairs, he regularly read Vision Monthly Magazines and the Indian Express newspaper. To tackle the CSAT section, he combined Edsarthi class resources with extensive practice of Previous Year Questions (PYQs).

Mains Preparation

Rohit's Mains preparation built upon the foundation he had laid during the Prelims stage. He continued to utilize the books and resources he had used earlier, but he also focused on value addition and making mains-specific notes.

For GS1, Rohit made detailed notes on Ancient, Medieval, Art, and Culture, as well as History and Geography, drawing from his prelims sources and enriching them with current affairs and newspaper content. For the Society section, he relied on his Sociology notes.

In GS2, Rohit focused on making mains-specific notes from Laxmikant's Polity book, and he also added value by studying government schemes, committees, and the Second Administrative Reforms Commission's recommendations.

For GS3, Rohit used the Vision IAS value-added material and made short notes on the India@75 document and the Economic Survey. He also incorporated graphs, charts, and data from newspapers and the Mains 365 compilations to enhance his answers.

In GS4, Rohit found the "Decode Ethics" book by Mudit Jain to be a valuable resource, and he further enriched his answers by creating a list of thinkers, quotes, and ethics-specific keywords from the syllabus. He also used the model answers from the ForumIAS test series to prepare for case studies.

The Role of Previous Year Questions (PYQs)

Rohit emphasizes the crucial role that PYQs played in his preparation for both the Prelims and Mains stages. He diligently analyzed the PYQs, made short notes on the options, and used them as a reference point to guide his preparation. For the Mains, he created model answers on repeated questions, which helped him save time during the examination.

Strategies for Attempting Prelims and Mains

For the Prelims, Rohit devised a strategy to attempt a large number of questions, believing that this approach would help him secure the necessary cut-off marks. He used coaching mock tests to understand his performance pattern and identify whether he was better suited for attempting more questions or focusing on accuracy.

In the Mains, Rohit's emphasis was on answer writing, and he gradually improved his skills through practice. He found that the use of flowcharts, diagrams, and maps was essential in breaking the monotony of his answers and enhancing their overall quality.

Throughout his journey, Rohit also sought guidance from various UPSC toppers, including Medha Anand (AIR 13), Romel Bijalwan (AIR 353), Samiksha Mhetre (AIR 302), Aditya Hriday Upadhyay (AIR 416), Prerna Singh (AIR 271), Abhinav Jain (AIR 35), and KN Chandana Jahnavi (AIR 50), who shared their strategies and learnings.

Rohit's remarkable achievement in the UPSC CSE 2023 is a testament to his unwavering dedication, strategic planning, and the ability to learn from his previous experiences. His journey serves as an inspiration to aspiring civil servants, demonstrating that with the right approach and perseverance, success can be achieved, even after multiple attempts.