Understanding Linkages between Skills, Education and Earnings

Saurabh Suman Yadav

Saurabh Suman Yadav has got 55th rank in the recently announced results of Civil Services Exam-2018 conducted by the Union Public Service Commission.

Responding to the queries from Employment News, Saurabh said one should persist and not give up when things do not go well. He attributed his success to persistence and hard work. Here are the answers he gave in response to Employment News question.

1. Employment News wishes you heartiest congratulations on your exceptional achievement! We are happy that your hard work has paid off. How did you feel when you came to know that you did not have only succeeded in one of the toughest exams in India but your name also got a good rank? Can you share those moments of happiness with our readers?

It was a dream come true and this was something for which I had put in years of effort. More importantly I felt happy for my family who had made innumerable sacrifices to support me in the entire preparation process.

1. Q) What is the secret of your success?

There is no secret. I feel it's about persisting and not giving up when things don't go well. Instead I tried to stay strong and learn from failures and try even harder next time. I also tried not to worry about things that were beyond my control.

1. Q) How did you approach this exam? What was your strategy in general (Prelims, Mains, and Interview)?

The first step was to study the syllabus for the examination and totally internalize it. Next, I looked at previous years papers in order to get an idea of the examination. I tried to limit my source for various subjects so that I could finish the syllabus on time and have time for revision. I learnt from the first few attempts that a lot of writing practice is a must for success in this examination and hence I devoted at least half my time to writing practice. I also subscribed to a test series in order to evaluate my preparation and make course correction both for prelims and mains.

For interview I thoroughly prepared each and every point on my DAF (Detailed Application Form). I took 2 mock interviews and took guidance from colleagues and seniors.

1. Q) What were your strategies for the lengthy syllabus of General Studies for both Prelims and Mains?

Prelims : For general studies paper, I focused on reading basic text books thoroughly, have a good hold on current affairs and finally attempt one complete test series to evaluate preparation.

Mains: GS 1 - For the static topics I read standard text books. Section on Indian Society is slightly dynamic and hence I also covered current affairs related to the topics.

GS 2 and GS 3 - Along with standard text books I also studied current affairs related to the topic and tried to link the static and current affairs portion. Newspapers are a very good source of information for these two papers. I read Indian Express and Mint every day.

GS 4 - For GS 4, I tried to have a clear understanding of each word and phrase in the syllabus. Subsequently, I focused on the application of these concepts in case studies. I also prepared a list of keywords and examples from various sources in order to have a ready reference.

Books that I referred to for various subjects

GS1 :

1. Geography - NCERT class 11 & 12 books along with notes from https://www. pmfias.com/
2. History/ culture: Selective reading of old NCERT books on Ancient, Medieval and Modern India along with an introduction to Indian Art (NCERT class 11).
3. Indian Society : Indian Society and Social Changes in India (NCERT class 12)
4. India struggle for Independence by Bipan Chandra
5. Modern world history by Norman Lowe

PROFILE

Name: Saurabh Suman Yadav

Age:       31

Rank in CSE 2018: 55

Optional Subject: Management

Medium: English

Educational background: B. Tech. MBA (IIM Lucknow).

Percentage of marks in Class 10: 93%

Percentage of marks in Class 12: 91%

Graduation (Name of college and marks): B. Tech. Heritage Institute of Technology, Kolkata. CGPA - 8.4/10

Post-Graduation (Name of college and marks): MBA, IIM Lucknow. CGPA -7.24/10

GS2:

1. Indian Polity by M. Laxmikanth
2. 2nd ARC report
3. Current affair from various sources / internet.

GS3:

1. I did not refer to any specific book. Relied on notes, Mint newspaper and current affairs from various sources.

GS4:

1. Lexicon / Ethics Integrity & Aptitude (McGrawHill)
2. Q) Did you integrate your Prelims or Mains preparation or was it separate in the changing scenario?

Prelims and Mains have a lot in common and hence I followed an integrated approach. Paper 1 of prelims covers many topics for GS papers 1, 2 & 3. However, one month before the prelims examinations, I focused exclusively on prelims.

1. Q) How did your prepare for essay?

For essay preparation I did a lot of writing practice. I tried to write at least two essays each week for 3- 4 months and have it reviewed by friends. I also took an essay test series. Knowledge of general studies paper comes in handy in essay writing. I also tried to learn from sample essays of topper available on the internet. The topics I picked in CSE 2018 exam were

1. Poverty anywhere is a threat to prosperity everywhere
2. Customary morality cannot be a guide to modern life
3. Q) How did you manage your time during the preparation?

I tried to put as many hours as possible before and after office hours. I tried to use the weekends effectively. I also ensured that due weightage was given to each section of syllabus - Essay, General Studies and Optional. 

1. Q) How did you maintain your tempo and what did you do to break the monotony of preparation?

I tried to stay focused on achieving my target. I order to break the monotony, I switched subjects that I was studying. I also indulged in sports and outdoor activities like running to keep myself motivated.

1. Q) Your advice for future aspirants.

I come from a very humble background and I feel whatever little success I have achieved is due to my persistence, hard work and learning from past mistakes. If you inculcate these principles in your life, you will have a good chance of achieve your goals.

Saurabh Suman Yadav

Saurabh Suman Yadav has got 55th rank in the recently announced results of Civil Services Exam-2018 conducted by the Union Public Service Commission.

Responding to the queries from Employment News, Saurabh said one should persist and not give up when things do not go well. He attributed his success to persistence and hard work. Here are the answers he gave in response to Employment News question.

1. Employment News wishes you heartiest congratulations on your exceptional achievement! We are happy that your hard work has paid off. How did you feel when you came to know that you did not have only succeeded in one of the toughest exams in India but your name also got a good rank? Can you share those moments of happiness with our readers?

It was a dream come true and this was something for which I had put in years of effort. More importantly I felt happy for my family who had made innumerable sacrifices to support me in the entire preparation process.

1. Q) What is the secret of your success?

There is no secret. I feel it's about persisting and not giving up when things don't go well. Instead I tried to stay strong and learn from failures and try even harder next time. I also tried not to worry about things that were beyond my control.

1. Q) How did you approach this exam? What was your strategy in general (Prelims, Mains, and Interview)?

The first step was to study the syllabus for the examination and totally internalize it. Next, I looked at previous years papers in order to get an idea of the examination. I tried to limit my source for various subjects so that I could finish the syllabus on time and have time for revision. I learnt from the first few attempts that a lot of writing practice is a must for success in this examination and hence I devoted at least half my time to writing practice. I also subscribed to a test series in order to evaluate my preparation and make course correction both for prelims and mains.

For interview I thoroughly prepared each and every point on my DAF (Detailed Application Form). I took 2 mock interviews and took guidance from colleagues and seniors.

1. Q) What were your strategies for the lengthy syllabus of General Studies for both Prelims and Mains?

Prelims : For general studies paper, I focused on reading basic text books thoroughly, have a good hold on current affairs and finally attempt one complete test series to evaluate preparation.

Mains: GS 1 - For the static topics I read standard text books. Section on Indian Society is slightly dynamic and hence I also covered current affairs related to the topics.

GS 2 and GS 3 - Along with standard text books I also studied current affairs related to the topic and tried to link the static and current affairs portion. Newspapers are a very good source of information for these two papers. I read Indian Express and Mint every day.

GS 4 - For GS 4, I tried to have a clear understanding of each word and phrase in the syllabus. Subsequently, I focused on the application of these concepts in case studies. I also prepared a list of keywords and examples from various sources in order to have a ready reference.

Books that I referred to for various subjects

GS1 :

1. Geography - NCERT class 11 & 12 books along with notes from https://www. pmfias.com/
2. History/ culture: Selective reading of old NCERT books on Ancient, Medieval and Modern India along with an introduction to Indian Art (NCERT class 11).
3. Indian Society : Indian Society and Social Changes in India (NCERT class 12)
4. India struggle for Independence by Bipan Chandra
5. Modern world history by Norman Lowe

PROFILE

Name: Saurabh Suman Yadav

Age:       31

Rank in CSE 2018: 55

Optional Subject: Management

Medium: English

Educational background: B. Tech. MBA (IIM Lucknow).

Percentage of marks in Class 10: 93%

Percentage of marks in Class 12: 91%

Graduation (Name of college and marks): B. Tech. Heritage Institute of Technology, Kolkata. CGPA - 8.4/10

Post-Graduation (Name of college and marks): MBA, IIM Lucknow. CGPA -7.24/10

GS2:

1. Indian Polity by M. Laxmikanth
2. 2nd ARC report
3. Current affair from various sources / internet.

GS3:

1. I did not refer to any specific book. Relied on notes, Mint newspaper and current affairs from various sources.

GS4:

1. Lexicon / Ethics Integrity & Aptitude (McGrawHill)
2. Q) Did you integrate your Prelims or Mains preparation or was it separate in the changing scenario?

Prelims and Mains have a lot in common and hence I followed an integrated approach. Paper 1 of prelims covers many topics for GS papers 1, 2 & 3. However, one month before the prelims examinations, I focused exclusively on prelims.

1. Q) How did your prepare for essay?

For essay preparation I did a lot of writing practice. I tried to write at least two essays each week for 3- 4 months and have it reviewed by friends. I also took an essay test series. Knowledge of general studies paper comes in handy in essay writing. I also tried to learn from sample essays of topper available on the internet. The topics I picked in CSE 2018 exam were

1. Poverty anywhere is a threat to prosperity everywhere
2. Customary morality cannot be a guide to modern life
3. Q) How did you manage your time during the preparation?

I tried to put as many hours as possible before and after office hours. I tried to use the weekends effectively. I also ensured that due weightage was given to each section of syllabus - Essay, General Studies and Optional. 

1. Q) How did you maintain your tempo and what did you do to break the monotony of preparation?

I tried to stay focused on achieving my target. I order to break the monotony, I switched subjects that I was studying. I also indulged in sports and outdoor activities like running to keep myself motivated.

1. Q) Your advice for future aspirants.

I come from a very humble background and I feel whatever little success I have achieved is due to my persistence, hard work and learning from past mistakes. If you inculcate these principles in your life, you will have a good chance of achieve your goals.