It was once the standard weekend when the district collectorate of Kumuram Bheem Asifabad in Telangana had reached out to rural citizens to know their plea. A few of the crowd, a teen stepped out with two paperwork — a letter from the state college and an be offering letter from IIT.
It was once now at the collectorate to lend a hand the scholar pursue both occupation. All he wanted was once monetary lend a hand of Rs 20,000 to check engineering at IIT Madras. Via crowdfunding and with the assistance of the collectorate, he were given the cost to check in on the school. However this additionally impressed him to grow to be an IAS officer.
“Despite the fact that I cracked IIT JEE, I had nearly misplaced hope that I’d have the ability to find out about there as a result of loss of cash. However Dr Ashok Kumar sir [the then collector] helped me so much. That day, I realised if I used to be in that place, I may additionally lend a hand other people from impoverished backgrounds,” Dongre Revaiah, an IIT Madras graduate, tells The Higher India.
Just about a decade later, lately the 29-year-old has grow to be an IAS officer. He cleared UPSC CSE 2022 with an All India Rank of 410, securing 961 marks. We sat down with him to track his adventure to changing into an IAS.
Beating all odds
When Dongre was once 4 years outdated, his father kicked the bucket, leaving his spouse and 3 kids in the back of. To make ends meet, his mom set to work as a mid-day meal prepare dinner at a per thirty days wage of Rs 1,500. Virtually 14 occasions this quantity was once required for registration at IIT.
Born and raised in Tungda village, he finished education at a central authority college. In 2017 after finishing an built-in route in chemical engineering from IIT Madras, he additionally cleared GATE with an AIR 70. This helped him get a role at Oil and Herbal Gasoline Company Restricted (ONGC), Mumbai.
All this whilst, the aspiration to grow to be an IAS officer didn’t diminish. In 2020, he began making ready for UPSC along his task. “I gave my first try in 2021. I neglected the general record by means of two marks,” he says.
So, Dongre hand over his task to concentrate on the following try. This yr, he secured AIR 410 and is anticipated to enroll in the Maharashtra cadre. “My mom didn’t have any formal training and she or he by no means went to university. Regardless of being a unmarried mom, running as a mid-day meal prepare dinner, and with the accountability of elevating 3 children, she nonetheless sought after me to pursue my dream to grow to be an IAS officer. It’s so fulfilling so to fulfil no longer handiest your dream, but in addition your guardian’s goals for you,” he says.
Pointers for aspirants
Dongre stocks his errors and the method that labored out for him whilst making ready for the UPSC CSE exam.
1. Observe as in line with the examination development: Dongre informs that for the Common Research examination’s resolution writing, he would practise one paper in an afternoon. “However in mains, you want to put in writing two papers, and in a similar way two papers the opposite day. At the first day, I controlled to put in writing two papers however the second one day, I began getting ache in my wrist. I needed to depart round 4-5 questions as a result of which I were given fewer marks,” he says.
He rectified this error in the second one try. “I began practicing as in line with the exam development. As an example, I’d practise writing two papers on Saturday and two papers on Sunday. I didn’t get the hand ache factor within the subsequent exam. It’s higher to practise two essays at a time,” he provides.
2. Do thorough analysis prior to opting for non-compulsory: Dongre selected Arithmetic as an non-compulsory matter in either one of his makes an attempt. “I discovered that the issue with a large number of aspirants, even with my shut buddies, was once that they aren’t in a position to regulate each Common Research and Maths in combination. Explanation why one will have to do just right analysis of the topic prior to opting for non-compulsory,” he says.
“If they have got an passion within the matter, they may be able to practise it correctly. However many of us trade their non-compulsory after two or 3 makes an attempt. That is only a waste of time. Aspirants who’ve selected Maths will have to practise extra and concentrate on lowering errors. In mains, I targeted extra on value-added portions like knowledge. I devoted part of my preparation time to non-compulsory,” he provides.
3. Center of attention on quick notes: Dongre says that one of the crucial causes he failed within the first try was once that he didn’t get ready quick notes to begin with. “I sought after to rectify this error. Quick notes assist you to revise a couple of occasions and keep in mind the most important data. I began making ready quick notes for each matter, be it mains or prelims,” he says.
“I write key phrases for any matter that can lend a hand me keep in mind the subject. Additionally, we will have to no longer make notes very cumbersome, since you received’t have the ability to temporarily revise it. For any matter, I’d get ready quick notes of part or one [A4 sheet] web page and 20-25 pages for every matter on reasonable,” he provides.
Dongre means that aspirants will have to keep away from making quick notes whilst studying any matter for the primary time. “One will have to get ready quick notes handiest after one or two readings of the subject. This may increasingly lend a hand us perceive what data is vital and what isn’t. You have to take a look at [mobile app] Telegram to get perception on how toppers get ready shot notes,” he says.
4. What to check: Dongre saved resources very minimum, and revision most. He depended on just one usual guide for each matter. For Indian Polity, he studied the e-newsletter by means of M Laxmikanth; for Fashionable India, Spectrum; for Historic and Medieval, Tamil Nadu historical past textbook; for Geography, NCERT guide of Elegance 11; for Financial, Mrunal handouts, for Science & Era, handouts of present affair; and for Artwork & Tradition, Nitin Singhania.
5. Center of attention extra on revision: As an alternative of accelerating resources, Dongre says to concentrate on common revision extra, because it is helping be certain that aspirants keep in mind the most important data. “My center of attention was once on revision somewhat than studying extra new content material. This helped me crack prelims in each makes an attempt simply,” he says.
6. Don’t get ready for the interview handiest after the mains: Dongre says that interview preparation will have to no longer get started handiest after the mains exam. “It will have to be an integral a part of our preparation from the start. Learn the newspapers continuously and for each matter that you just learn, you should attempt to shape an opinion on it,” he says.
“For instance, for any building taking place within the nation, you should know what the undertaking is, why it will be significant, what can be its implications, and the way we will be able to make the undertaking higher. Having one or two buddies to talk about such subjects is helping to construct conversational abilities,” he provides.
Dongre informs that to begin with, he didn’t increase a dependancy of studying newspapers. “However this can be a essential process. With out studying newspapers, we will be able to sail thru prelims and mains however for the interview, we want to proportion our reviews, and that comes after you have data thru newspapers,” says Dongre, who secured 146 marks out of 275 within the interview.
Rather then that, aspirants will have to do thorough analysis on their school, lecturers, native land, district, and tradition. “Interviewers usually ask many of the questions on your background, analysis is helping create a just right impact,” he provides.
Edited by means of Divya Sethu