Interview with Aditi Dubey, IRPS, 2018 Batch

The Civil Services Forum had the pleasure of interviewing Ms Aditi Dubey, Stephanian, who is presently serving as an IRPS officer to the government of India. Read on, as she talks in rich detail about her preparation strategy, college life and the importance of having a genuine reason for preparation for the aspirants.

1. Greetings ma’am! It is truly a privilege for us to have got the opportunity to interact with you. How would you describe your time in college? Would you say that the college experience helped you in tackling administrative challenges?

1. Thank you, I’m glad to be back at my alma mater too! I would say that my years in college were the best three years of my life! It made me step out of the school mode and allowed my personality to blossom in a warm, supportive and loving environment. I will forever cherish the vibrant atmosphere, the lifelong friends and my professors, with whom I interact to date, that the college has given me.

Being a part of the college was a childhood dream for me as my father himself is a Stephanian. As a child, while visiting the college during the alumni meets, I sincerely wished that one day, I too would get to be a part of the Stephen’s family.

I would definitely say that college enabled me to tackle the administrative challenges I face as it truly enriched my personality and allowed me to come into my own. The society activities gave me the space to develop my own unique thought process. My professors constantly encouraged me to speak my mind and explore new things. In college, I got to meet people from diverse backgrounds from all over the country. And since we are a small cohort of students, I got to interact with and know many people on an individual basis. This exposure to different thought processes, values and cultures grooms one, not only for a career in the civil services but in fact for success in any profession.

2. Were you a part of any societies in college? What would you say is their importance in personality development?

2. I for one was a part of multiple societies in college. I was the President of the Computer Science Society and the B.Sc. Programme Society. I was also the treasurer of the Choreography Society, being a Kathak dancer myself. I was also an active member of the Students Union Society during my first two years at college apart from being an active member of the Environmental Society as well. Apart from this, I was also the Class Representative for my class for all three years.

Being a part of college societies undoubtedly prepares one to face similar situations in real life as well. Students must grab opportunities to organise and coordinate society events, as it teaches them how to plan, stick to budgets, deal with people, run errands etc. which are invaluable life skills.

3. What do you feel the present students should do to make the most of their college experience?

3. I feel that the present batch of Stephanians should try to extract knowledge and learning from whatever sources at their disposal, and there is definitely no dearth of the same in our college. The societies and clubs should try to organise various events and the students should wholeheartedly participate in the same. Group sessions can also help people get the opportunity to learn and bond. By interacting, brainstorming with peers and pitching ideas in a shared space we get the opportunity to not only spend time together but also learn from each other.

But we need not restrict our interactions to the students who are presently in college. Stephen’s has a very strong and warm alumni network who would be more than happy to come back and discuss their life experiences with fellow Stephanians, the students must reach out to them as well to enrich themselves.

4. What motivated you to start preparing for UPSC CSE? When did you start your preparation?

4. It was a childhood dream to be in the services as my father is a passionate civil servant, himself and he inspired me to be a part of the system and serve the nation. I started to prepare soon after I finished college but became more serious about it and prepared simultaneously during my post-graduation in Law.

5. Given the unpredictability of this examination, did you have any backup in mind while you were preparing?

5. Yes, a career in Law was my back up and I was really serious about it. I sincerely believe that this examination is not the be-all and end-all of life. Given the sheer number of people appearing for it and the limited vacancies, if you are not able to clear it, it is not a comment on your proficiency.

6. What was your strategy for the prelims and mains examination? Which books and sources did you consult for the same?

6. In Prelims, I stuck to NCERTs and one standard book for each subject that covers most of the major points. My strategy for Prelims was to focus on giving multiple mocks to hone my exam-taking skills and learn the technique of elimination. For this, one can give coaching mock tests or solve previous year’s papers as well.

The syllabus for the Prelims is vast and scattered and cannot be covered comprehensively. One can only cover the core syllabus and current affairs. So this strategy can help one master the art of maximising one’s score with limited knowledge.

For Mains, the story is different. The syllabus can be covered in a good way as there is very little chance of questions coming from outside of that. The syllabus for mains has been given in a detailed manner. My strategy was to have 100% syllabus coverage and a working knowledge of each and every term mentioned in the syllabus so as to be able to write a 200-word answer on it.

I stuck to the same standard books and NCERTs I used for my prelims preparation for the mains as well. To supplement this, I used Google and class notes of some reputed coachings and teachers. I did answer writing practice as well. The crux of my strategy was to limit my sources and go in for multiple revisions. More importantly, it is essential to be confident about your strategy and stick to it.

7. Why did you go for Law as an optional? Would you recommend this optional to future aspirants?

7. I chose law as I had a natural inclination and I also did my post-graduation in the subject. I would definitely recommend Law as an optional to the Law graduates as the syllabus is decent, doable and interesting. The plus point of this optional is that less than a third of the course content covered during your LLB degree would be asked in the examination and the questions are pretty straightforward and limited to the most important areas of law. It is a great optional even for those who would prefer to have an optional with a clear answer writing strategy and a mostly objective marking as law is based on factual information.

8. How was your experience of the interview?

8. I was in a positive and happy headspace when I went to the Dholpur House to give my interview. It was a surreal feeling and it took some time for the feeling to finally sink in that I had made it this far. My interview was good and the questions mostly revolved around my DAF only. Some questions I can recall were about my service preferences, my hobby of dancing, my Law optional, St. Stephen’s college, female rights etc.

One piece of advice I would give to the aspirants is to be thorough with each and every word of the DAF and be cautious while filling it out. The interview panel does not know you personally and forms an impression based on the DAF you place before them so it is wise to prepare smartly. Another important thing would be to not bluff and honestly admit it when you don't know something. What is essential is to remain calm, be polite and speak confidently.

9. What was your approach towards note-making and revision?

9. I made notes for Mains and my strategy was to “Reduce, Revise and Repeat”. I tried to pare down my notes to the bare minimum so that the size of the notes does not discourage me when I sit down to revise them. I used to cancel out any repetitive facts, use sticky notes for small fact additions and do my note-making on A4 size sheets. I also focused on revising the information as much as possible. I believe revision is something that can give an aspirant an edge and distinguish her from the competition.

10. What would be your advice to the aspirants to enable them to master the art of answer writing?

10. The key to cracking the tough nut of answer writing is to imagine yourself in the shoes of the paper checker. What would you prefer to see? Undoubtedly, relevant and crisp answers with a structure (introduction-body-conclusion) go a long way. One must make their answer loaded with facts and correct facts at that, rather than personal opinions.

I personally used to give a lot of facts and figures in my answer and presented them in bullet points. I tried covering various dimensions of the issue to enhance the content of my answer. Highlighting and underlining keywords is a must and candidates can make the use of flowcharts and diagrams as well to present complex information in a succinct manner.

11. How did you manage your time during the preparation, given that one has to cover a vast syllabus in a relatively shorter time frame?

11. In the initial phases of preparation it is commonly seen that aspirants prepare with a lot of enthusiasm for a few days and then completely fizzle out. This must be avoided as consistency is key.

To manage time, I stuck to a schedule; I used to study in slots of 1.5-2h and used to take short breaks of 15-20 minutes in between in which I used to walk, listen to songs, watch videos, etc. Also after every 15 days, I used to take 2-3h off on the weekend and take a break, go out, treat myself, spend time with family etc.

It is essential to follow a schedule and be self-disciplined. One must start off by devoting 6-8h towards the preparation on a daily basis and gradually scale it up as the examination draws closer.

12. The examination process is long and tedious. How did you keep yourself motivated and focussed all through?

12. I would like to talk about three things in this answer. Firstly, it is crucial to have a genuine reason for the preparation and keep reminding yourself about why you started. For me, it was to dedicate my life to the service of the nation. I advise talking to a civil servant and figuring out whether this is what one really wants to do. Once the “why” is clear, the “how” becomes easy and motivation flows naturally.

Also, another thing is that the UPSC examination is not like any other school or college examination. If by some chance you do not clear the cut-off, it is not a “failure” but simply a case of “not getting selected”. If you did not make it, it is simply that that year, some others did better than you. You must remember that at the end of the day there are factors beyond your control.

Lastly, it is important not to get subsumed by the examination and attach your self-worth to it. There is a life beyond and outside of the services and remember that you can always direct your productivity towards something else. If you get to be in the services, that is good, but if you don’t, that is even better. It is not the end of life.

13. What role did your family’s support play in helping you tide over the difficult phases and lows?

13. I know that many candidates do not have the privilege of staying with their parents during their preparation journey, but I was lucky to have the same. It was really a boon to have someone to look after me while I was preparing. My parents always used to boost me up, provide emotional support and remind me of the 3 points I mentioned above. In fact, many of the breaks I used to take on the weekends would be spent sitting, going out or chatting with my parents.

14. How did you stay committed to your decision when faced with adversities? What would be your advice to candidates who have given multiple attempts at the examination?

14. I had promised myself to give 3 honest attempts and then direct my energy and productivity in another direction. Having this mental clarity helped me to stick to my decision.

To the people who have given more than 3 attempts, I would advise them to pause and re-evaluate their preparation strategy. It might also be possible for some people that as conditions keep changing, their decisions might need to change as well.

I wish all the very best to the aspirants who are working hard and appreciate their perseverance to clear the examination.

15. What all comes under the purview of the Indian Railway Personnel Service (IRPS)?

15. The Indian Railways is one of the largest employers in India. If we include the pensioners and the family members of our employees, the number of people in the Railway network is more than 60 lakh people under 180+ categories. The IRPS looks after the welfare of all these people- their medical needs, educational needs etc. We take care of the service needs and look after the application, recruitment, salaries, pension etc. of the employees. The IRPS basically looks after the HR responsibilities of the Indian Railways.

16. As this interview draws to a close, what would be your final message to those reading your interview?

16. I would say that I am just one of the selected candidates, and my words are not the holy grail. You can incorporate whatever suits you from my strategy as every person is unique and different things work for different people. I would agree that it is not an easy journey and the preparation, as well as the job, demands much from you, so you should be truthful with yourself about your reason for entering this field.

To the Stephanians reading this interview, you should unhesitatingly reach out to the alumni of the college as they would be glad to speak with you and you will learn a lot from them. Also, please do interact with the current batch of students in college. You never know what marvellous results may emerge as a result of such interactions. Only when you become one with the culture of the college do you become a Stephanian in the true sense of the term.