OPSC Toppers' Diary & Strategy Interviews

1. What inspired you to pursue a career in the present job/service?

Frankly speaking, I had no idea about this job until I qualified for the interview. I applied mainly because it was a UPSC-recruited post. At that point, I was facing repeated failures in UPSC CSE mains and was looking for stability, dignity, and a respectable government position.

2. Can you share your educational background?

B.Tech in Electrical Engineering – IIT Bhubaneswar
M.A in Political Science – IGNOU
PGDIHRM – IGNOU (Currently Pursuing)

3. How did you stay motivated during the long preparation phase?

Motivation is a temporary psychological state and can come from anywhere—books, music, movies, family struggles, or personal setbacks. What truly sustains preparation is long-term strategy, discipline, emotional resilience, effective learning methods, and a good support system.

4. What was your study plan, and how did you structure your daily routine?

Initially, the absence of a proper study plan contributed to my failures. Later, I structured my preparation by mapping the total available time against subjects and resources, converting them into daily targets. My routine involved studying 2–3 subjects daily along with regular revision and PYQ practice.

5. What role did coaching institutes, test series, and self-study play?

Coaching can be useful if it offers good mentorship and guidance. PYQs are non-negotiable before attempting any test series. Tests should be written in exam-like conditions. Self-study played the most significant role in my success.

6. How did you manage time between Prelims, Mains, and Interview?

Time management is a crucial skill. I used the Forest app to track subject-wise study time for both Prelims and Mains. Tracking helped me balance subjects, plan revisions, and ensure adequate time allocation.

7. What key mistakes should aspirants avoid?

1. Spending time on non-exam-related activities
2. Poor time management
3. Ignoring PYQs and test series
4. Irregular revision
5. Not identifying weak areas

8. How did you choose your optional subject?

My choice was based on interest and overlap with the GS syllabus. Ideally, optional selection should consider interest, prior familiarity, and availability of good resources or guidance.

9. What books and resources do you recommend for General Studies?

Standard sources like Laxmikanth for Polity and Spectrum for History are essential. Aspirants generally become aware of core resources as preparation progresses.

10. How did you prepare for Current Affairs?

Regular newspaper reading is crucial, especially given current trends, supplemented by standard monthly current affairs magazines.

11. What is the importance of attempting test series?

Test series help assess topic understanding, identify knowledge gaps, improve time management, and ensure coverage of miscellaneous topics.

12. How important is note-making, and what was your technique?

Note-making is crucial due to the vast syllabus. Notes should align with the syllabus and PYQs. For interviews, notes should be DAF-centric. As an IITian and electrical engineer, I separately tracked related current affairs.

13. Can you share your interview experience?

The UPSC EPFO interview was similar to the CSE interview. Questions were asked from my engineering background, political science, and current affairs.

14. What qualities do interviewers look for?

Interviewers look for competence, confidence, communication skills, rational thinking, and ethical orientation.

15. Biggest challenges and how you overcame them?

The challenges ranged from financial instability to loss of confidence due to repeated mains failures. Perseverance and emotional resilience helped me continue.

16. Role of mental health and stress management?

Mental health is extremely important. Emotional stability and stress management directly affect productivity and performance. Life is bigger than UPSC.

17. Your views on Study OAS Platform?

Study OAS is a budding and innovative platform. I strongly recommend it as a study partner. The founder, Sandeep, has the experience, resilience, commitment, and insight required to guide aspirants effectively.

18. Any last words for aspirants?

“Ever tried. Ever failed. No matter. Try again. Fail again. Fail better.” — Samuel Beckett

Fail in practice, not in the exam. Identify flaws through tests and practice sessions, work on them, and success will follow.

1. What inspired you to pursue a career in the civil service?

Initially, I was fascinated by this career after seeing my seniors and friends in public service. Later, I found it more satisfying and aligned with my academic background and interests.

2. Can you share your educational background?

I am a graduate in Agriculture from OUAT and completed my post-graduation in Agrometeorology from OUAT. During this phase, I developed a keen interest in civil services.

3. How did you stay motivated during the long preparation phase?

No one can stay motivated throughout the entire preparation journey. What truly matters is sticking to a strategy and study plan and completing daily tasks on time.

4. What was your study plan, and how did you structure your daily routine?

I divided the syllabus into multiple portions and completed them within a stipulated time. This helped me allocate more time for revision. I remained disciplined and strict with the tasks assigned for each day.

5. What role did coaching institutes, test series, and self-study play?

I relied mainly on the internet and self-study. However, I referred to content and current affairs from platforms like Study OAS and Vision IAS for structured preparation.

6. How did you manage time between Prelims, Mains, and Interview?

During Prelims, I prepared two subjects at a time and focused heavily on revision after completing the syllabus. For Mains, I completed my optional subject first and then focused on General Studies. I spent two-thirds of my time on answer writing and one-third on collecting quality content. For the interview, I relied on the internet, government websites, Google, and ChatGPT for reliable information.

7. What key mistakes should aspirants avoid?

Students often collect too many study materials but fail to revise them thoroughly. Resources should be precise and minimal. Standard books are essential for conceptual clarity. For OPSC, preparation should focus more on data-based and one-liner questions rather than overly analytical answers. Always stick to PYQs and the syllabus.

8. How did you choose your optional subject?

As a graduate in Agriculture, I chose Agriculture as my optional subject. I referred to Krishna Bhokare’s notes available online and enriched them further according to answer-writing requirements.

9. What resources do you recommend for General Studies?

For Mains, I preferred online notes and model answers from coaching institutes. I analyzed each word of the syllabus and prepared notes after reviewing PYQs of that segment.

10. How did you prepare for Current Affairs?

I referred to GK Today monthly magazines and daily compilations from Study OAS. Multiple revisions helped me use them effectively in introductions and examples in Mains answers.

11. What is the importance of attempting test series?

Test series are very useful for evaluating preparation levels. They improve writing skills and confidence. Sometimes questions are directly or indirectly repeated from test series. However, revising test papers is extremely important.

12. How important is note-making?

I was not in favor of bulky notes. I prepared short and crisp notes for Prelims, mainly for difficult subjects and last-minute revision. For Mains, I noted down important data, dialogues, and impactful lines for answers.

13. Can you share your interview experience?

My interview board was chaired by Sarita Ma'am. It lasted about 15 minutes. Questions were related to agricultural productivity in Odisha, fertilizer crisis, Operation Sindoor, my hometown, STs and PVTGs of Odisha, and my hobby (henna art). Overall, it was a good experience.

14. What qualities do interviewers look for?

Confidence, clarity of expression, good behavior, and composure. Candidates should not get disturbed by cross-questions. Confidence should reflect in both facial expressions and body language.

15. Biggest challenges and how you overcame them?

The main challenges were stress management and repeated revision, which sometimes felt exhausting. I turned towards spirituality and yoga and adopted a healthier lifestyle. This improved my concentration and dedication.

16. Role of mental health and stress management?

Mental health plays a vital role in preparation. Stress cannot be eliminated completely but can be managed through spirituality, self-care, and talking to loved ones.

17. Any comment on Study OAS Platform?

I appreciate Study OAS for providing structured current and static notes. I recommend aspirants join Study OAS as a study partner for their OPSC journey.

18. Any last words for aspirants?

If you have decided to prepare for this exam, temporarily step away from distractions. Complete the syllabus within a dedicated time frame. Patience and perseverance matter more than temporary motivation. Treat your daily targets as duties, not options. Remember, selection is not the destination—it is part of a continuous journey.