Meet UPSC topper Harshika who is fascinated by cars with red beacons.
Harshika Singh- a Ranchi girl armed with London School OF Economics degree – cleared the most coveted UPSC Civil Service Examination 2011, securing All India Rank 8. Making her parents and Ranchi citizens proud. Harshika is the new role model for many aspiring candidates.
“It was my childhood dream to crack the prestigious Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) examination and serve the country. Though i got this rank in my 2nd attempt. I had cleared the examination securing a 638 rank in my 1st attempt in 2010” said Harshika.
“Many MNCs had made offers for job to me in london and even in Mumbai with descent salary after I completed my masters from London School of Economics. But i wanted to satisfy my inner desire and perfection for my civil service preparation. This dedication towards my dream helped me to grab 8th position in the UPSC this year.
A topper throughout her academic life, Harshika did her schooling from Bishop Westcott Girls’s School and received gold medal for being the topper in economics in her graduation from St. Xavier’s College and topper of arts in DAV Public School.
As is quoted in a newspaper report Harshika was fascinated by cars with red beacons since her childhood. And that was her first motivation to work hard and achieve using such a VIP car!
She advices to the aspirants- Dream a dream and make a determined effort for that….you will surely succeed. Never get disheartened. CSE preparation is a beautiful and life changing experience. Live it and you will enjoy and relish it forever. All the very best for all your endeavors.
SARAH RIZVI (IPS) failed in the first two attempts in the preliminary exam but succeeded in the third attempt.
Sarah Rizvi, 29 is the only Muslim woman IPS (Indian Police Service) officer in Gujarat Police. She is the role model for every parent who wants to teach their girl child and for all those women aspirants of Civil Service Exams. She is from the 2008 batch of Gujarat cadre.
Born in Mumbai, Sarah belongs to an educated family. Her father Afzal Ahmed is a Science Graduate and Mother Nigar Rizvi is an alumnus of Aligarh Muslim University. Her brother Wasif Rizvi is a civil Engineer employed in Saudi Arabia and sister Sameera is a computer science graduate settled in Dubai. Sarah married to Munawar Khan, a trainee Asst. Security Commissioner in RPF, in 2008.
Excerpts from interview with Sarah Rizvi
Q: Tell us about your childhood and education.
Sarah: I am from a humble background. My father was a small businessman dealing in readymade garments. My grandfather died early in my life but my maternal grandfather loved me very much. I was born in Mumbai and brought up and got educated in Mumbai. I did graduation in commerce from MMK College, Mumbai.
Q: Why did you opt for Civil Services?
Sarah: After completing graduation from MMK College, I attended a lecture on the competitive exam. I got inspired by a lecture of Dr. K.M. Arif, educationist and chairman of Dream Foundation.
I failed in the first two attempts in the preliminary exam but succeeded in the third attempt. I wanted to become Chartered Accountant and completed Foundation Course while doing graduation. But Dr. Arif suggested that I should go for civil services. My family supported me in decision making. MESCO, Modern Educational Social & Cultural Organisation, a trust in Mumbai helped me financially. Finally I got training for the IPS from Mussoorie, Uttarakhand.
Q: How did Muslim society react over your achievement? Did you get any awards?
Sarah: I cleared UPSC exam in 2008. AMU recognized and awarded me. Even when I topped in XII exam, I was appreciated and felicitated by our neighborhood in Andheri (w), Mumbai.
Q: Can you share your experience of the first day as an IPS officer and where were you posted first?
Sarah: My first posting was in Jamnagar district of Gujarat as a probationer IPS for the six months and then I was transferred as Assistant Superintendent of Police, ASP in Gondal, Rajkot. On my first day I detected a case where four bikers looted a man within 24 hours. That’s the most memorable day of my life.
Q: Women are emotional. Do you have any experience when you got emotional?
Sarah: Whether men or women, Police are also human being. We have to deal with the people who are in distress and we are trained for it. We have to be tough because we deal with criminals and getting emotional will affect our duty towards the society.
Q: Your worst day as an IPS officer.
Sarah: After becoming an IPS officer, I loved my job and never got upset with my duties. In fact I am proud to be a woman IPS Officer. Having said that I think when Naxalites killed 78 CRPF personnel in Dantewada I felt very bad. That day was my worst day, I think.
Q: Are you related to any social activities besides being an IPS.
Sarah: I am member of MESCO, a Mumbai based NGO and they call me very often in their programmes to inspire and guide others.
Q: What’s your hobby?
Sarah: I love my mother tongue Urdu. I listened to Urdu Gazalas and also tried my hand in writing it although could not publish it. I used to write articles in my college days which got published. I also like to cook and do it very often for my family.
Q: Do you have a dream that remains to be fulfilled?
Sarah: All my dreams have come true. But, yes, after becoming an IPS I would like to change the image or the public perception about the Police force.
Q: Who is your Role Model?
Sarah: While in training as IPS, I was very impressed and learnt a lot from our Director Mr. K. Vijay Kumar. He was the director of Sardar Vallabh Bhai Patel National Police Academy in 2009-10, an IPS from Tamilnadu cadre.
Q: Who is your best friend?
Sarah: My sister Sameera is my best friend.
Q: Any message for Muslim women.
Sarah: I would like to convey to all women that life is a precious gift from Allah and only we can make or spoil it. I urge Muslim parents to educate their girl children and make them capable of making their own decisions. I dedicate a couplet to those girls who are taking education as a challenge…
Shahraahe Zindagi se Doston Guzro to Yun,
Dhoondhne wale Tumhara Naqsh-e Pa Dhoondha Kare.
‘I once sold lottery tickets’: V Nandakumar, IRS officer
You can scale the highest of mountains with courage and determination. Nandakumar just had these qualities and overcame all difficulties to become an IRS officer
Young, suave, articulate and studious are the words that best describe V Nandakumar, an IRS officer.
Nandakumar, who is now an assistant director, investigation department, in the income tax office at Nungambakam,is a role model for many IAS aspirants.
The childhood of this 2004-batch IRS officer was not a bed of roses. He was a school dropout. “I once sold lottery tickets, worked in mechanic shops, as well as television and radio repair centres. Initially I enjoyed the routine as there was no homework and I did not get scolded by teachers. But later, my friends’ parents did not allow me to mingle with them. That was the turning point,” he informs.
After battling dyslexia, Nandakumar secured 52 per cent in his 12th standard examinations. He knocked the doors of many colleges but was denied admission. Finally, he got admission to the English literature course at the Dr Ambedkar Arts and Science College.
“I was an average student and it was difficult to follow English but I worked hard and I was the only one who passed out of college with distinction in English literature,” he recalls. In 1997, Nandakumar started preparing for the UPSC examination. With sheer determination, he cracked this tough examination and now holds a prestigious post.
Jaipur’s Gaurav Agrawal has got the first rank in the exam with Economics as his optional subject. He holds Bachelor of Technology (Computer Science) degree from Indian Institute of Technology (IIT), Kanpur and a Post Graduate Diploma in Management from Indian Institute of Management (IIM) Lucknow.
This was his second attempt. Delhi-based Munish Sharma and Rachit Raj have got second and third positions respectively.
Women had bagged the top slots in the 2010, 2011 and 2012 civil services Examinations.
Munish has a Bachelor of Science (Biochemistry) degree from Sri Venkateswara College, Delhi University. He got through the exam in second attempt.
“I am very happy. My success is the result of hard work and blessings of my teachers and my mother,” Munish said over phone.
Rachit has cracked the examination in his first attempt. Bharti Dixit is the topper among female candidates. She has secured fifth rank. She has done Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery (MBBS) from Lady Hardinge Medical College, Delhi. This was her first attempt.
As many as 1,122 candidates have been recommended for appointment in Indian Administrative Service (IAS), Indian Foreign Service (IFS), Indian Police Service (IPS) and other central services on the basis of the civil services Examination, 2013, said a release issued by the ministry of personnel.
There are 15 males and 10 females in top 25 positions.Source: Times of India
Namit: Instead of coaching I went for self study and read standard books.
Question: What is the best way to prepare current affairs?
Namit: Two Newspapers, one competition magazine and one weekly/fortnightly magazine.
Question: What about time management?
Namit: It is very important. There should be enough time for revisions. One advice I would give is that one should not try to read too many books. I used to study two subjects in a day.
Question: What was your strategy for Mains?
Namit: To cover as much syllabus as possible, and to revise it atleast twice. Revisions were an integral part of my strategy. Also I tried to attempt all questions in the exams I focused more on my optionals as nowadays GS papers have become too vague.
Question: What should be criteria to select optionals?
Namit: One’s background, aptitude, availability of reading material and coaching (if needed).
Question: Tell me something about interview? Namit: I faced IMG Khan panel. They asked questions related to my current service (IRS), my educational background and on imp. National and international issues. The board was very cordial. I would advice aspirants to look at interview as a personality test and not another paper. Also they should never be prejudiced against particular panels. Honesty, composure, awareness, knowledge about your own bio-data, and smartness are the keys to fetch good marks.
Question: The biggest mistake you made in the examination?
Namit: In my first attempt I tried reading too many books without able to revise them. One other major mistake was to consider the interview as another theory paper rather than a personality test. In the second attempt I didn’t focus on writing practice.
Question: What are your suggestions for the new comers?
Namit: This exam requires hard work. Any student with average intelligence can crack this exam. Thus never lose hope, believe in god and those who love you. Prepare yourself to work hard and success will be yours. Be patient as sometimes this exam may test it.
Question: What is your opinion about self-study?
Namit: Nothing beats it! It’s the crux of success. To me success is 95% self study with 5% guidance.
Question: How important is the length of an answer?
Namit: Do not exceed the word limit, else one will find it difficult to complete the paper.
Question: What do you feel the secret of you success?
Namit: Hard work, regular studies, support of my family, & the firm belief that I will become an IAS officer one day.
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