The newly appointed Deputy Secretary of the Government of India, Shri Sagar, achieved the 6th Rank in the Civil Services Examination, 2017, in his 3rd attempt. “Deep study and its serious analysis, staying calm and incomparable guidance are the secrets to my success.”
An interview was exclusively organized by ‘Pratiyogita Darpan’ with Shri Sagar Kumar, one of the achievers of the Civil Services Examination 2017 conducted by UPSC. He surely deserves high praise and our warmest congratulations for his remarkable achievement. This essential and highly inspiring Interview is being shared in its unedited format for readers.
PD: It is certainly not easy to attain the highest position on the list of candidates securing the Civil Services Examination, so please accept our heartfelt congratulations on your remarkable achievement.
Shri Sagar: Thank you very much.
PD: Were you assured of your success with the Governance examination, and how did you feel when you were told about the results?
Shri Sagar: I expected to get somewhere close to 200. The Rank itself was very shocking for me.
PD: What order of preference for the services have you selected, and if some specific reasoning influenced that order?
Shri Sagar: For IPS, I have wanted to go through the pass to my direction of preference because I have always been motivated towards uniformed services. There is honor and dignity associated with uniformed services.
PD—Which optional subject did you choose?
Shri Sagar—Optional Subject: Mathematics.
PD—What do you consider the most significant achievement for yourself, and in how many attempts?
Shri Sagar—3 (Three).
PD—You must have read IAS toppers’ interviews in newspapers/ magazines; what towards their achievements motivated you the most? Is there any particular success story which influenced your journey to this result?
Shri Sagar—I have been motivated by Dr. Shah Faesal, IAS, Dr. Roman Saini, IAS, etc. Nothing in particular.
PD—What was your strategy for Paper I General Studies and Paper II CSAT during the preliminary preparation regarding time and effort allocation?
Shri Sagar—Since engineering is my field of study, I knew I would do well on CSAT (Paper II). So, my focus was on GS Paper-I. I read standard books, revised them regularly, and attended numerous test series.
PD—What strategy did you use for the ‘Negative Marking’ in Prelims?
Shri Sagar—My strategy was tackling the optional I am more confident about. During the test series, I realized my optional was within my reach, so I selected questions that were entirely sure or confused between two options.
PD– Opening the very first page always requires the most effort. How do I prepare? Which of the optional subjects do I select? Which books do I read? To what extent do I have to study? As with so many questions that arise in one’s mind at this level concerning the Union Services Civil Examination, the answer always boils down to: Who do you trust?
Shri Sagar– I put in some real time to understand myself better to reach certain conclusions regarding my interests and competencies. I have always enjoyed mathematics. Therefore, I went for it as my optional.
Establishing a routine to read a daily newspaper was something I worked on, and it ended up being a key foundation for my overall preparation. My approach focused on reading less material to revise and practice extensively through testing.
Pawan Kumar recommended me for GS IV and Didara mock Interview with Vajirao & Reddy.
PD– You seem well satisfied with the effort put in this particular try., What do you believe your previous attempts have done for you?
Shri Sagar– In many of my previous attempts, I attempted solving many study materials; however, I tried to avoid references for mock test papers, which resulted in not passing the prelim for my first two attempts.
PD — While selecting an optional subject, what factors matter and what do not?
Shri Sagar — The optional subject should be taken based on interest. It is also essential to consider their resources and the help that is available to them. One must not think of one option as scoring over others.
PD — What justification can you give for selecting an optional subject?
Shri Sagar — Some optional subjects are selected because of the student’s interest in the topic, the available background resources and the available guidance.
PD — What renewal in policy strategy did you have for Mains (Written)?
Shri Sagar — I cleared Mains (Written) in my 1st attempt. I prepared a 200-word content on each Word of the GS Syllabus. I did multiple revisions and scheduled mock tests. Following the timetable, I read newspapers, which helped me respond well to the Mains GS papers. I enrolled in answer writing classes at Vajirao & Reddy Institute.
| Bio-data |
| Name—Sagar Kumar
Father’s Name—Shri Mihir Kumar Jha Mother’s Name—Mrs. Savita Devi Date of Birth—26 February, 1994 Educational Qualifications— 10th—2009, CBSE (96%) 12th—2011, CBSE (93%) B.Tech—2011-15, IIT BHU (8·82) Previous Selections—AIR UPSC CAPF (ACs) Exam., 2016. AIR 135 SSC-CGLE 2016. |
PD – For the essay, was there any special effort to help with writing your essay? Which topic did you select this time, and what made you choose this specific topic?
Shri Sagar – I didn’t join a coaching class or a test series specifically for the essay paper. I wrote about 5 or 6 essays and got them checked by my classmates. I wrote an essay about farming and women’s empowerment. I chose these topics because I had information on both.
PD – Discussing ‘Time Management’, it is an important factor with regard to preparation, whether it is for writing an examination paper, e.g. Prelims or Main Examination. How did you go about this?
Shri Sagar – I scheduled time for revision and for conducting the practice tests. I ensured everything was balanced for GS and Optional subjects. I also made sure that I allotted sufficient time for answer writing practice.
PD—What is the process you undertook to prepare for the Interview? Which Board did you face, and in what period? What do you have to say about your performance in the Interview, its duration, and the questions posed to you?
Shri Sagar—My preparation consisted of anticipating questions that I would be asked from DAF and devising answers for all of them. I had approximately 7-8 mock interviews at Vajiram, Sankalp, Next IAS, Vajirao Reddy, and Chanakya.
I faced the Board, which was presided over by P.K. Joshi. The Interview lasted around 25-30 minutes, during which I was asked questions about my home state, work experience, subject of interest, contemporaneous issues, and even some case study-type questions.
| Personal Qualities |
| Favourite person—My mother
Strong Point—Will Power, Laborious Weak Point—Haphazard at times in approach Hobbies—Teaching, Blogging, Jogging. |
PD—Did you focus on an alternate career path while setting your eyes on the all-wanted career of a civil servant?
Shri Sagar—I attempted for the UPSC CAPF (Assistant Commandant) Exam, where I got 1st Rank in 2016.
PD—What motivated you towards Civil Services, considering the economic environment offers diverse career opportunities?
Shri Sagar—Until recently, I worked for Samsung Research Institute in Bangalore. Let’s just say my paycheck was quite impressive. However, I understood that I wasn’t motivated solely by money.
PD—In your opinion, at which educational level should one start preparing for civil services, and what is the minimum duration needed to prepare for the examination?
Shri Sagar—In my view, the preparation for the civil services exam should start in the final year of undergraduate studies. Winning the exam also requires a degree of effort during graduation. Still, I would estimate that at least one year’s preparation is needed for this examination to secure a good rank.
PD—Some people believe Science subjects are easier and have a better chance to score than Humanities. What do you think?
Shri Sagar—To me, both streams offer identical scoring potential. It’s a matter of personal choice based on one’s inclination.
PD—What do you think is the significance of a medium of examination for an examination like CSE?
Shri Sagar—The medium matters because online content is English. However, the availability of resources cannot hinder a candidate’s attempt to clear the exam, as ample Hindi resources are available online.
PD—What would you consider as the moment which made you realize the significance of Civil Services?
Shri Sagar—I worked on a project called Manthan wherein I did a lot of study on women’s safety issues. So, I wanted to join the Civil Services to put those steps into practice.
PD—Lastly, from which point did you decide to pursue ‘Civil Services’ as your career?
Shri Sagar—I decided to pursue a career in ‘Civil Services while working at Samsung Research Institute, Bangalore.
PD—Did you plan to set a timeline for examination preparation and several attempts?
Shri Sagar—I had no such time frame. Even though I had attempted other examinations, the Civil Services was the one that interested me the most.
PD – CSE—was it your choice or your parents?
Shri Sagar – A bit of both, actually. My parents wanted it, too, and I decided to pursue it as a career.
PD – Does an applicant’s financial, educational, or social standing relate to their preparation?
Shri Sagar – It does have relevance, but somewhat limited. There is so much content available online that one isn’t at a loss anymore, not really.
PD – In your opinion, what role do the Competition Magazines play when you are preparing should take up an examination like Civil Services?
Shri Sagar – I think they are of great help. A good amount of article collection can be helpful from the point of the examinations.
PD – How do you find Pratiyogita Darpan? Does it meet your expectations?
Shri Sagar – It is a delightful and informative magazine focusing on several competitive examinations like the IAS. It also includes current affairs and the interviews of the exam toppers which is so motivational for the candidates.
PD—What are your thoughts on the PD Extra Issues Series concerning general studies and some optional subjects?
Shri Sagar—The course is designed for the PD Extra Issues Series to facilitate the change in pattern brought about by the Civil Services Examination. It has additional information that can be exclusively used for crafting better responses.
PD—Did you use the PD Darpan Year Book? What do you comment about the content, size and publishing date?
Shri Sagar—Yes, not fully. It completely serves the purpose of concise learning and caters adequately as a state and Union Civil Services Examination guide. The last part, with over 700 questions, is quite helpful but requires modification in some parts.
PD—What do you think is the key to your success?
Shri Sagar—Reading newspapers, Scientific revision, quick handwriting, et cetera are the keys to my achievements.
PD—Who would you like to recognize as the backbone of your achievements?
Shri Sagar—To my family, my friends, the institutes which guided me like Pawan IAS, Next IAS, Vajirao Reddy, Chanakya and so on the rest of.”)
PD—Recommendations or opinions aimed towards prospects.
Shri Sagar—Strong, humble and hardworking approaches are promising. Follow through on your preparation and work diligently as well. Don’t rely on luck.
PD – Thanks a lot, and I wish you all the best in your future endeavours.