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Bangalore's multi-faceted achievers in UPSC exams

Last Updated 12 June 2014, 19:43 IST

A number of candidates from Bangalore have performed well in the UPSC exams. They  attribute their success to reasons ranging from a healthy study group to proper time management.

   
Gaurav Gupta, an electrical engineer from Kanpur, has secured Rank 117. Gupta shifted to Bangalore because the city is an aviation hub. His father works at RBI, Kanpur and his mother is a homemaker.

History was his optional subject. Speaking to Deccan Herald, he said this was his second attempt at the exam.

“I decided to take up the exam in 2011. I also started a company called Aurora Integrated Systems at that time. But since 2012, I am on a sabbatical and have dedicated all my time for preparation.”

Gaurav not only managed his start-up, but also got married in 2011, just before he decided to take up the civil service exams.

“A lot of credit also goes to my wife Ankita as she has been with me through all my preparations.” She is a scientist at ISRO.

After he wrote the civil service exams (mains), Gaurav joined back work with another start-up company. As for his company, his friends are taking care of it now, he said.

Juggling job and study

This computer science engineer juggled a job at HP and preparations for the UPSC exams.

When most of his friends were going outside the city and meeting each other frequently, B M Laxmi Prasad was busy studying for the exams.

In the end, it was all worthwhile as he secured a rank of 151.

“My routine was all about work and studying for UPSC,” said Prasad. While he did not have a fixed routine for preparing for the exams, he would devote at least two hours during week days and at least six hours during weekends.

“I can’t say there was a vacuum created due to my preparations as I also managed to meet friends once a week between this hectic schedule, but I did miss out on some things,” he said. Prasad, who took public administration as his optional subject, is hoping to get into the foreign services. This is his second attempt.

Persistence pays

Shilpa Nag C T, who secured 311st rank, had attempted the exam twice previously. While in the first attempt, she did not qualify for the mains exam, she secured a rank of 434 in the second attempt. Presently working in the Revenue department of Haryana, Shilpa is quite content with her performance and will not attempt UPSC again.

Group study

Nagesh Kumar B, who secured 314th rank, attributed his success to a study group that consisted of three other aspirants.

“Each member of the group would study different portions and we would all come together and discuss the topics, thereby enlightening each other. In fact, the last two months before the mains were all about such discussions.”

While Nagesh would spend around 8 to 10 hours every day preparing for the exam, he made sure that he stuck to a time schedule. Around two hours would be spent discussing topics when the group met.

“I chose Geography as my optional subject as I had interest in the subject for a long time. Nagesh did his BE in electronics and communication from Vimana Institute of Technology, Koramangala, and worked in a private firm for a year, before deciding to quit and prepare full time for UPSC. He has previously appeared for the exam twice, failing to qualify beyond the interview stage each time.

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(Published 12 June 2014, 19:38 IST)

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