Millions of eager candidates strive to take India’s most difficult examination in pursuit of their dream to pass the UPSC. A few of these successful UPSC examinees go on to become IAS, IPS, and IFS officers. Their hard work is duly rewarded upon clearing this test.
One such individual is Gandharva Rathore, an IAS officer from the 2016 batch, whose story can serve as an inspiring success mantra for aspiring candidates preparing for UPSC Mains 2023.
Who is IAS Gandharva Rathore?
Gandharva Rathore received her schooling in her native city of Jaipur, Rajasthan. She obtained her undergraduate degree from Delhi University’s Shri Ram College for Commerce (SRCC) in 2013 and completed her post-graduation in 2015.
Subsequently, she dedicated herself to diligent preparation for the UPSC Civil Services Examination. In her second attempt, she successfully cleared the UPSC Civil Services Examination in 2016, achieving a remarkable 93rd rank without any external coaching.
IAS Gandharva Rathore’s success mantra
During Gandharva’s first preliminary attempt, she fell short of clearing it by a margin of 2 to 3 marks. However, she learned from this experience and sought guidance from various fellow aspirants, friends, and successful candidates to determine the areas to focus on and allocate more time to.
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Notably, Gandharva Rathore belongs to the category of civil servants who completed their education without formal coaching. Although she visited coaching centers and bookstores in Delhi’s Old Rajendra Nagar, she never enrolled in any coaching program.
She collected relevant study materials and notes from these sources, meticulously studying the curriculum and study guides for each subject. Additionally, Gandharva sought assistance from her peers who had previously attended coaching institutes.
IAS Gandharva Rathore: UPSC tips
Gandharva advises candidates to commence their preparation with the main examination in mind. She emphasizes that dedicating eighty percent of the time to mains preparation while allocating the remaining time to supplementary topics is crucial. Gandharva considers the optional subject as a key aspect of success in the civil services examination. Hence, she personally prioritized mains and optional preparation before focusing on preliminaries.
