Hard work is one - but Anshul Gupta reflects perseverance, consistency and smartness at its peak.
SP of Aligarh, we caught up with him few moments after the UPSC Civil Services 2015-16 results were published.
A conspicuous hiatus since he cleared Civils with a fairly decent rank of 200-odd and was drafted into IPS; Mr Gupta emerged as the hero in 2016 with an AIR 018, and walked away with elan with the tiara of being an IAS.
Just after the results were declared, when contacted online, Mr Gupta was modest enough to ascribe the credit to "Pure Luck".
However, after the feeling sunk in, a rendezvous unfolded as the below narrative:
1. Why IAS remains the final frontier for all aspirants? Even for in-service officers?
The sheer job diversity which IAS offers as things stand today is enormous. Ability to set agenda and leverage to bring positive change is more apparent and direct in IAS even in today's India
2. How do you foresee your career as an IAS officer vis-a-vis what could have been as an IPS?
As Law enforcement professional one would have had to specialize sooner or later. I had won prestigious Cranfield fellowship to UK on cyber crime and was planning to specialize in field and join CBI soon.
Now things change a bit. Will spend few more years on the district level and then decide which aspect of socio-economic milieu I want to contribute to.
Now things change a bit. Will spend few more years on the district level and then decide which aspect of socio-economic milieu I want to contribute to.
3. Your advice for aspirants as they prepare for UPSC Civils
Aim to crack it in one or two attempts.
Practice writing answers a lot, especially given new patters.
For every topic limit yourself to one book or your coaching material. Good websites are available for GS; rely on them.
Fill Mains form carefully regarding service choices and cadre choices.
Be sincere not serious.
4. From IIT to IIM and then to IAS - was it a vow to capture all the three high-end glamourous yet intellectual benchmarks?
No that was not the plan. It kept on happening. Like any other middle class teenager in small town India I knew of only two careers; doctor or engineer.
Had I known world better,I might have become an economist. At IIT when I was passing out, MBA was the thing, so I pursued the same but while in corporate job, I started questioning what I was doing.
People have a midlife crisis, I had it quite early and so this move.
Had I known world better,I might have become an economist. At IIT when I was passing out, MBA was the thing, so I pursued the same but while in corporate job, I started questioning what I was doing.
People have a midlife crisis, I had it quite early and so this move.
5. What genre of writing style you preferred for Mains?
Earlier one could choose and decide writing style. In new pattern with 20-25 qs to be done in 3 hrs, little choice is left. One should focus on putting all relevant points in the answer. If it's an argument type question then first para may analyse what question asks, second may be main body and third conclusion.
Subjects
|
Marks Obtained
|
Essay
|
122
|
GS I
|
093
|
GS II
|
096
|
GS III
|
111
|
GS IV
|
094
|
History I
|
119
|
History II
|
131
|
Personality Test
|
206
|
Final Total
|
972
|
6. Was history a strategic choice as an optional or a reflection of profound liking for the discipline in the course of preparation?
When I wrote civil services first, I was in full time corporate job. Optionals like pub ad, geography, psycho etc have well oiled coaching factories set up so I would have been at disadvantage in that.
History as a discipline attracted me and even before preparing for civils I had read many historical fictions and non fictions.
Further even in new pattern of UPSC where at times questions are very complex in other optionals same can't be said about History, making life a tad simpler.
Further even in new pattern of UPSC where at times questions are very complex in other optionals same can't be said about History, making life a tad simpler.
7. Were you specially pumped up for the Personality Test? What provided you the edge for PT?
I didn't save copy of my DAF with me and had even forgot to fill hobbies, achievements column in form. Aligarh had seen huge riot just a week before interview and I was spending sleepless nights.
I guess past professional experience gave me an edge but more importantly than that, candidness is the key. Despite being an engineer from IIT I didn't know much about artificial intelligence and when asked on it I said I have had no exposure to the topic.
Also on issues like FDI in e-commerce or India's membership to NSG I took clear positions which I think put me in good stead.
Further one should never bluff about one's motivation or ideal before the board as board members are experienced and seasoned professionals and they can see through it if one attempts to fake anything.
We wish Mr Gupta a glorious career as an IAS officer. Mr Gupta was with us in his journey towards UPSC Civils, through correspondence.
