UPSC Topper 2022: Know how Avinash Kumar, son of a Farmer secured AIR 17, His strategy, tips to crack IAS Exam

UPSC Exam 2024 ( UPSC )

Anupama
Anupama Mehra
Assistant Manager – Content
Updated on Jun 7, 2023 19:19 IST

Meet UPSC topper Avinash Kumar who secured AIR 17 in the UPSC exam 2022 with sole dedication and will to prove himself. Read further to know his tips, strategy to crack one of the toughest exam in the country.

UPSC Topper 2022: Know how Avinash Kumar, son of a Farmer secured AIR 17, His strategy, tips to crack IAS Exam

UPSC Topper 2022: Know how Avinash Kumar, son of a Farmer secured AIR 17, His strategy, tips to crack IAS Exam

UPSC Topper 2022 Avinash Kumar cleared Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) exam on the third attempt. His true will and motivation to clear the exam kept him going to clear the toughest exam in the country. The UPSC announced the civil services examination final result 2022 on May 23. Kumar who hails from the Araria district of Bihar suggests aspirants to "focus on fundamentals. Keep it simple. Make modifications to the strategy as and when required, rather than keeping it rigid."

In an interview with Shiksha.com, Avinash Kumar shares his strategy, tip, books he referred to and how he choose his optional subject, and more...

Q. What inspired you to appear for UPSC Exams?

A. If you're born and brought up in Bihar, you have a natural inclination towards civil services because this exam has an aspirational value there. However, later on, one analyzes his career choices and finally reaches here. The element of "public service" in this job inspired me to appear for this exam. 

Q:   How many candidates pass the UPSC exam?

A:
The number of candidates declared qualified in the UPSC IAS result differs from stage to stage of the IAS exam. The UPSC mentions the tentative numbers of the candidates who will be selected at a particular stage. The number of candidates to be admitted to the Civil Services (Main) Examination will be about twelve to thirteen times the tentative number of vacancies to be filled in the year through this Examination.

Q:   Which subject one should opt for UPSC preparation?

A:
Hi Mishthi, UPSC examination is conducted every year and on the basis of this examination a number of IAS, IPS, IFS officers are recruited. Select optional subjects considering your own comfort in understanding the subject and the process should be done carefully since it is the very deciding factor for your selection in this prestigious exam. * To be eligible : - You need to pass graduation in any field from any recognized university. - You are eligible if you are in the final year of graduation. - Your age must be between 21 to 30 years. 3 and 5 years of relaxation for OBC and SC/ST respectively. - You must be an Indian citizen. Preparing for UPSC requires combination of smartness and hard work. Do the right things to gain an edge over your competition: *Get the right books for Prelims *Start preparing at least 10 months before *Solve past year questions to test yourself on regular basis *Cover the scoring sections early *Cover the syllabus strategically. Don't go for a "prepare all" approach for prelims *Balance paper 1 and 2 * To prepare for the exam, the preparation requires the right approach along with the right study materials and strategy. - You may refer to books such as : General Studies Manual Indian Politics by Lakshmikanth Ancient History by D.D.Kausambi’s R.S.Agarwal [Arithmetic] Wren & Martin [English Grammar] Logical Reasoning and Data Interpretation by Arun Sharma NCERT Science books of class IX and X Social Science NCERT books of class IX to XII Modern Indian history by Bipan Chandra Geography NCERT books of class XI and XII School Atlas of Oxford Publication Political Science NCERT books of class XI and XII - Reading newspapers such as The Economic Times, The Times of India, The Hindu, Statesman, Telegraph etc will also help you to get a good hold on the English language. - Always keep the syllabus and past five years question papers handy. - You may even join coaching center to work on your fundamentals. For more, you may refer to the link mentioned below. https://testprep.shiksha.com/ias-exam-coaching-classes-in-india-categorypage-14-54-936-0-0-1-1-2-0-none-1-0 Hope it helps. Please feel free to revert. Click on the thumbs up or mark it as the best, if you found this useful. Wish You Luck!

Q:   Is sociology the best scoring subject for UPSC?

A:
There is no best-scoring optional subject in the UPSC. This is because optional markings vary as per trends, which change every year. Usually these are popular optional subjects: 1. Sociology 2. Anthropology 3. Political Science 4. Geography 5. Public Administration These five subjects have higher score trends and are more popular among aspirants. The sociology optional syllabus is comparatively less demanding and can be completed in three months. Also, you have a better chance of scoring well in this subject with good writing practice. However, toppers have scored well in subjects such as mathematics, literature, and Physics as well. This shows that if you have good command over your subject, you can do well in any optional. Therefore, your criteria for choosing an optional must be your interest and study level.

Q.Tell something about yourself, and your educational background.

A. I come from Araria district of Bihar. I have studied up to 10th from SRS Vidya Mandir(Forbesganj). For +2,  I went to Chinmaya Vidyalaya (Bokaro). I graduated in Power Engineering from Jadavpur University (Kolkata). After that, I worked for a year at CESC Limited. 

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Q. You cleared your UPSC IAS Exam on the third attempt. What kept you going? How did you decide to choose your optional subject?

A. PURE WILL. Pure will is what kept me going. It is an unadulterated belief in what you want to do and the idea that you want to follow. It brings everything else into action. I chose Philosophy as my optional subject. It was based on my interest. If you want to understand any civilisation, you have to understand its foundational philosophy. A civilisational state like India can only be understood after understanding its Darshana (philosophy). I found this preparation phase as an opportunity to systematically study philosophy. 

Q. What was your preparation strategy?

A. Focus on fundamentals. Keep it simple. Make modifications to the strategy as and when required, rather than keeping it rigid. 

Q. How you managed to keep yourself positive during the time you were preparing for the UPSC exam? What mistakes should be avoided in IAS preparation?

Q:   Which is the easiest optional subject in UPSC syllabus?

A:
Hi Vikas, Choosing an optional is a difficult task. One can't choose an optional based on one's academic background. It depends on the factors like - Availability of the material Availability of reliable faculty / mentor with a proven track record. For eg., M. K. Mohanty for Public Administration (Synergy), Upendra's for Sociology (runs his classes in South Delhi), etc. One needs to also figure out their own way of understanding and interest in any particular subject. Good luck.

Q:   How to choose optional subject for the exam UPSC. Mathematics is a good optional subject for this exam?

A:
It should be a subject to which you are familiar and is of our interest. Some subjects like Public Administration, Sociology, History, Political Science are easy to grasp and are in allignment with subject matter of general studies. You can choose subjects - of graduation / PG - of your interest - which is easy to prepare Mathematics is a good and scoring choice if you have good comment over concepts. You can also consult a experienced person teaching for IAS preparation for more guidance.

Q:   Which are the best subject options for UPSC exam?

A:
For choosing optional subject, you have to choose the subject of your interest, because optional subject is one wherein you can show all your creativity to score high marks. Also, you need to check the previous mark history of optional subjects and also the assistance which you get on choosing an optional subject. The most popular optional subjects among UPSC Aspirants are Anthropology, Sociology and Public Administration.

Q:   How many hours of study are required for IAS?

A:

All the IAS toppers and mentors suggest that a consistent and quality study of 8-10 hours over a period of over one year is required in IAS preparation. The number of hours does not matter, it is the quality of study that matters. The candidates should read, understand, learn extensively. Moreover, the candidates should think the solution of the ongoing Socio-Economic problems of the Common man and devise a sustainable solution to those problems.

The Study of hours will also depend on the affinity of the candidate towards a subject, their previous knowledge and the stage of exam for which they are preparing. 

A.  I believe in the "Law of Karma". So, I always used to think that if I put in enough effort, results will come one day. However, having said that, there were indeed some bad days when I questioned everything including my decision to appear for the exam. But, I kept my hope alive. 

One must not complicate the process. One must not lose hope. One must take responsibility for his dream and work honestly for it. 

Q. What books did you refer to clear the UPSC exam?

A. I referred to the NCERTs and the advanced reference books. 

Q. What tips you would like to give to students who are preparing for the UPSC CSE 2023?

A. Be honest with your preparation. Take the attempt with a sense of confidence. If it is meant to happen, it will happen. There is also a luck factor in this exam. So, don't be disappointed with the initial setbacks. All the best!

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"The pen is mightier than the sword". Anupama totally believes in this and respects what she conveys through it. She is a vivid writer, who loves to write about education, lifestyle, and governance. She is a hardcor... Read Full Bio

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