Being the most prestigious exam shouldering the responsibility of selecting the top notch bureaucrats of the country, it is admittedly the toughest and most challenging exam. But it is all possible. Keep your nerves, have faith in your abilities and work hard so that God may shower his grace on your efforts.
Q. How did your parents, family and friends contribute to your success?
A. Standing by my every decision right from graduation to Civil Services, my family supported me throughout. More than 50% contribution in my success is attributed to my brother, Mr. Robin Bansal without whose support I could not have succeeded.
Q. How much time do you think one requires for serious preparations for this examinations?
A. Minimum two years’ focused study.
Q. Which newspapers and journals have you been reading for the General studies and other papers?
A. Competition Success Review, General Knowledge Today, CSR Year Book. The Hindu, Times of India, Economic and Political Weekly, Krukshetra.
Q. Had you not been selected in the Civil Services Examination, what would have been your reaction? Which other services / career would you have gone in/opted for?
A. I would have felt disappointed, but would have started preparing for another attempt as the present one was my second attempt. Other service: Indian Engg. Service (Railways).
Q. Do you remember any remarkable incident of your life that motivated or promoted you to go for a career in the Civil Services?
A. The social evil of child labour still prevalent overwhelmingly and the injustice perpetrated on the marginalized sections of the society motivated me towards the civil services.
Q. How do you visualize your success?
A. Like a dream getting materialized. The result of all the hardships and tedious journey undertaken by me and my family has been refreshing.
Q. What were your strong points which enabled you to achieve success in the Civil Services Examination?
A. Self-confidence, determination, hard work and most importantly, the ability to resist diversion from my aim were my forte.
Q. What were your Optional in the Civil Services Examination?
A. My interest in my graduation subject (Mechanical Engg.) owing to confidence generated by my college teachers (especially Jaideep Gupta Sir). Among arts, I found geography having scientific essence.
Q. How did you prepare for your compulsory papers?
A. I prepared by reading English newspapers and magazines, daily making notes out of the articles I used to read and revising them periodically.
Q. What is your impression about the Interview Board?
A. Formal, disciplined Board comprising 5 members. It was especially a well integrated and well knit Board and they interviewed in a planned way.
Q. What do you think is a better way of preparation between selective intensive study and wide extensive study?
A. Wide extensive study is useful for Prelims preparation, whereas selective intensive study is helpful for Mains.
Q. Is this pattern of the examination appropriate for selection? Would you recommend any other improvement?
A. The examination pattern is perfect. As far as improvement is concerned, to my mind, the graduation subject of candidate should be made compulsory to have officers from all steams.
Q. Do you feel that there should be no restriction on the number of attempts?
A. Restriction should be there to encourage more competition among the aspirants & hence more competent officers would be there.
Q. To what extent, you think, model test papers can be useful for the aspirants of the Civil Services?
A. Through model test papers, one gets an idea of the level of one’s preparation for the exam and hence, they are useful.
Q. Do you think that the UPSC needs to be more transparent in its examination and evaluation?
A. It is already transparent. The secrecy, it maintains is some aspects, is necessary for its smooth functioning.
Q. What is your advice for future aspirants?
A. Being the most prestigious exam shouldering the responsibility of selecting the top notch bureaucrats of the country, it is admittedly the toughest and most challenging exam. But it is all possible. Keep your nerves, have faith in your abilities and work hard so that God may shower his grace on your efforts.