IAS Topper’s Interview: Dr.Ravindra Goswami Rank 152

Education

IAS Score: What were the basic mantras of your success?

Dr.Ravindra Goswami: Hard work and smart work to have an edge over the syllabus.

IAS Score: What were your strategies for the lengthy syllabus of General Studies for both Prelims and Mains?

Dr.Ravindra Goswami: For prelims I solved 10000 questions ,3 times before prelims along with NCERT and The Hindu.

For mains, writing maximum number of answers and essays before mains.I wrote almost 30 essays between pre and mains.

For this I took help of GSSCORE online test series for essay and paper 4,along with daily practice of Insightsecure questions.

IAS Score: Did you integrate your Prelims or Mains preparation or was it separate in the changing scenario?

Dr.Ravindra Goswami: It was integrated fully from beginning.

GS Preparation for Prelims (Summary)

GS Mains Preparation (Summary)

IAS Score: How did your prepare for essay.

Dr.Ravindra Goswami: Wrote 30 essays between pre and mains.

Maintained separate register for quotes and event tracking.

Took guidance from GSSCORE online test series and Manoj Jha sir provided necessary critical analysis.

IAS Score: Did you adopted any specific strategy for GS Paper 4?

Dr.Ravindra Goswami: In Last attempt I failed miserably when I got 84 when average was 100, so I decided to take this paper more seriously.

Firstly I started taking daily notes from The Hindu about ethical aspects involved in day to day news, I also joined online test series from GSSCORE and wrote regular test at home but in time bound manner, Here I am really thank full to Manoj Jha sir as his reviews initially seemed bitter to me but ultimately he provided honest feedbacks which I was lacking in my answers. His mantra to make answers close to reality was my mantra for this whole paper.

IAS Score: What were the sources of information for general reading? How did you come to know that which sources of reading materials are standard?

Dr.Ravindra Goswami: Internet and toppers interviews

IAS Score:  What is your advice on notes-making for other aspirants?

Dr.Ravindra Goswami: It is highly individualistic and do the cost benefit analysis by yourself to take the right strategy for you.

IAS Score: How did you manage your time during the preparation?

Dr.Ravindra Goswami: Time management was key to me as I was a working Doctor, I used to give myself target before going to sleep and used to try to stick to them in next day.

IAS Score: What was your style (paragraph or point format) Of writing in the exam? How was it distinct from the general writing style? How did you develop this writing style?

Dr.Ravindra Goswami: It was mix of both, the idea is to communicate well, I used a lot of diagrams in optional and GS1.

Also introduction and conclusion were essential part of my answers.

IAS Score: So much focus is being given to Test Series, both for Prelims and Mains, in your opinion how useful are they, in the course of a preparation process? Which Test Series did you join and how useful did you find it to be?

Dr.Ravindra Goswami: Yes they are useful to give you a real feel of exam and time management is what they tell us the most.

For pre  I joined Insights test series.

For mains I took online test series at GSSCORE (GS4 and ESSAY) and VISIONIAS (ESSAY)

IAS Score: Civil Services Exam process is quite strenuous. It requires long hours of constant study. How did you maintain your tempo and what did you do to break the monotony of preparation?

Dr.Ravindra Goswami: Constant boosting of self by talking to family members.

Usually I didn’t study on Sundays,

IAS Score: The trend suggests that professionals or working people are more successful in this exam. Does this exam prove difficult for Humanities and Social Science background candidates?

Dr.Ravindra Goswami: No I think that everybody has to pass through same level of competition. And one has to master over humanities also to get decent score.

IAS Score: Which sources you referred to prepare for Contemporary Issues.

Dr.Ravindra Goswami: The Hindu.

IAS Score: Given the recent boom in online initiatives to support an aspirant, which were the platforms that you find useful enough during your course of preparation. Please list the sites.

Dr.Ravindra Goswami:

Mrunal

Insightsonindia

IAS Score

IAS Score: What is your advice to the candidates who is still in the process of preparing for this examination?

Dr.Ravindra Goswami: Work Hard and take the failure as an opportunity to improve yourself.

 IAS Score: Your word for future aspirants

“Believe in yourself ,then only you can claim belief of UPSC”

Dr.Ravindra Goswami Mark sheet