UPSC toppers' success mantra: Hard work & courage to take risk

Lucknow: After a tough and arduous journey through the various stages of civil services examination, it was time for achievers to celebrate their success and share their success mantra.

Shubhangi Srivastava (29), an engineering postgraduate who secured 88th rank, says: “Current affairs are the most important aspect of preparations but mugging up facts or rote learning will not work.

Knowledge about every fact should be gained in an analytical way.”

Shubhangi gave up her PhD from the Indian Institute of Technology, Delhi to prepare for civil services.

“It is important to be creative and one should be ready to learn, unlearn and relearn as information keeps changing with time. I have been into social work for last 12 years and now I am elated to get an opportunity to work for the society as a civil servant,” she adds.

Shubhangi did BTech and MTech in biotechnology. Her father, AK Srivastava, is managing director of UP State Bridge Corporation.

A commerce graduate from Shri Ram College of Commerce, Delhi University, Shiva Singh (24), who bagged 309 rank, says: “I focused on UPSC syllabus and read newspapers. I didn’t run after every book but made sure to study selected ones with full focus. The biggest problem is that aspirants try to get knowledge from all available sources and lose focus.”

Engineer-turned-banker Yashlok Kumar Dutt (28) secured 680th rank. “Comprehensive skills, current affairs and confidence play pivotal role. One should be ready to take risks,” he says.

Vivek Rajpoot from Orai, son of a farmer, prepared in Lucknow and bagged 588th rank.