{"id":64140,"date":"2020-08-14T13:55:05","date_gmt":"2020-08-14T08:25:05","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blog.forumias.com\/?p=64140"},"modified":"2020-08-27T16:11:06","modified_gmt":"2020-08-27T10:41:06","slug":"10th-rank-in-5th-attempt-the-story-of-sanjitha-mohapatra","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/forumias.com\/blog\/10th-rank-in-5th-attempt-the-story-of-sanjitha-mohapatra\/","title":{"rendered":"“Don’t think if you will crack the exam or not, just give your best shot” – IAS Topper Sanjitha Mohapatra says"},"content":{"rendered":"

#AboutMe<\/h3>\n

Hello Everyone, My name is <\/span>SANJITA MOHAPATRA. I am an old ForumIAS Community Member with the username “<\/span>BeTheChange”. I was born in <\/span>Rourkela. I have done my schooling from\u00a0<\/span>Chinmaya Vidyalaya (E.M), Rourkela, ICSE Board.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

After that I had done my college from my graduation from College of Engineering and Technology, Bhubaneswar, 2012 batch\u00a0<\/span>passout.<\/span> This was my <\/span>5<\/span>th<\/span> attempt at Civil Services, but my second <\/span>serious attempt.<\/span><\/p>\n

Before this, I had secured 2nd Rank at <\/span>OPSC (Odisha Public Services Commission)<\/span>\u00a0 and had got <\/span>State Rank 2. I am from a middle class family with my father who is not working anymore, mother who is a housewife.\u00a0 My elder sister Sarita Mohapatra is presently Manager in BHEL, Bangalore.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

I myself have been working as an Assistant Manager in Rourkela Steel Plant ( SAIL ) from 2013-2018.<\/p>\n

I took Sociology as an Optional.<\/p>\n

The Civil Services Examination was a Childhood dream for me. Started preparation while in college with baby steps. Reading newspapers. After joining job started with basic NCERT books, polity, geography. Gave 2 attempts while in college with no preparation. 3<\/span>rd<\/span>\u00a0attempt did not revise.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

First 3 attempts could not clear prelims<\/span> . <\/span>4<\/span>th<\/span>\u00a0attempt failed in mains<\/span> . <\/span>5<\/span>th<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>attempt<\/span> I have been successful. However, I would not advice this long path to anyone. It is better to have your first or at least second <\/span>\u00a0attempt as a prepared attempt. My fifth attempt was my second prepared attempt.<\/span><\/p>\n

My Prelims Strategy <\/span><\/h3>\n

I have been focussing on building up the foundation by repeated revisions, <\/span>covering basics from NCERT<\/span> . Also what is important that\u00a0<\/span>2 months before Prelims no answer writing practice<\/span> should be there. I did <\/span>solve\u00a0 numerous test series for Prelims<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Weekly twice I used to solve the daily quizzes on various online platforms <\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0My Prelims Booklist\u00a0<\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
Topic<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/td>\nResource<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
History Ancient<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/td>\nNCERT<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
History Medieval<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/td>\n\u00a0<\/span>NCERT<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
History Modern (Freedom Struggle)<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/td>\nNCERT + SPECTRUM<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Culture<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/td>\nNCERT + NITIN SINGHANIA<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Polity (<\/span>static<\/span>\u00a0+\u00a0<\/span>current affairs<\/span>)<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/td>\n\u00a0<\/span>LAXMIKANT + THE HINDU + INDIAN EXPRESS<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Economy (<\/span>static<\/span>\u00a0+\u00a0<\/span>current affairs<\/span>)<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/td>\nNCERT(<\/span>basics)\u00a0 + Ramesh Chandra + HINDU<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
<\/td>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Environment (<\/span>static<\/span>\u00a0+\u00a0<\/span>current affairs<\/span>)<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/td>\n\u00a0<\/span>SHANKAR IAS + WIKI\u00a0<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
G<\/span>eography<\/span>(<\/span>Physical +<\/span>Indian+World<\/span>)<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/td>\n\u00a0<\/span>NCERT + PMFIAS NOTES<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Current affairs<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/td>\nThe HINDU + INDIAN EXPRESS + ONLINE CA FROM VARIOUS SOURCES<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n

The Mistakes I made in previous attempts<\/h3>\n

This was my 5<\/span>th<\/span>\u00a0attempt and 2<\/span>nd<\/span>\u00a0serious attempt<\/span> . I <\/span>did not qualify Prelims in 3 attempts, 4<\/span>th<\/span> attempt failed in mains.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

The first 2 attempts I gave while I was still in college, so I had basically zero idea about the UPSC examinations.<\/span> In my <\/span>3<\/span>rd<\/span> attempt I did not revise well for Prelims. Fourth<\/span> attempt could not complete the mains paper. This year I was able to manage things better.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

In my earlier attempts , the notes I made from editorial were too huge and I couldn\u2019t revise them completely before mains. Also\u00a0<\/span>I had numerous sources and did not stick to the syllabus.<\/span> There was also <\/span>lack of revision. This time I tried to fix all these issues.<\/span><\/p>\n

My General Studies ( Mains ) Approach<\/h3>\n

For GS. my constant companion was newspaper. I religiously read The Hindu and Indian Express certain editorials and Explained page<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

I had 4 copies (GS 1,2,3,4). I arranged all editorials most relevant under those copies. Wrote the editorials in very crisp, revisable manner, which can be read for mains revision. This note-making was the key of my preparation. Whenever new value addition would come, you can always staple a page to add up the content.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

I was not very regular with Monthly current affairs.<\/span><\/p>\n

I made notes for every topic mentioned in the syllabus. <\/span>The notes could be handwritten, digital, bookmarked sites, but my\u00a0<\/span>aim was that when I sit for revision I don\u2019t struggle for sources. I should have everything at one place. And then value addition as and when new topics or CA arises<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

I had joined <\/span>ForumIAS<\/span> Current affairs class for Mains 2019.\u00a0<\/span>I personally found it very helpful because of the teaching way of\u00a0<\/span>Sir. I think that for the first time I realised how to prepare a topic and summarily and make it concise. If I had known about it three years back, I would have been in a much better situation.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

The Concise notes of the class helped in quick <\/span>last minute<\/span> revision. That was the icing in the cake.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Answer Writing is Important<\/h3>\n

Answer writing is irreplaceable and of utmost importance<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

I started writing answers from December 2018 for mains 2019. People can start even earlier.<\/span><\/p>\n

I wrote answers in bullet forms.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

I used two inks for heading and main\u00a0<\/span>content. I<\/span>\u00a0have this habit since childhood from school so it has stayed.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

My exam hall strategy for GS Mains<\/h3>\n

Out of 80 questions of all GS, I attended nearly 78. Some question I dint know, so wrote half a page kind of<\/span> thing. <\/span>For optional this time I completed the paper<\/span> . <\/span>Strategy was to complete the paper anyhow.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

I start writing answers from Q1. In first one-hour finish 8 questions (10 marks)<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

In 2<\/span>nd<\/span>\u00a0hour 7 questions (from Q11 \u2013 20 markers), 3<\/span>rd<\/span>\u00a0hour rest. Focus was to follow this as much as possible.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

My Interview Preparation<\/h3>\n

I studied Economic times for a while to gain a different perspective.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>I gave in total 5 mocks before interview.<\/span>\u00a0 I had gotten\u00a0<\/span>Sujata Mehta ma’am <\/span>\u00a0Board.<\/span><\/p>\n

My interview was on July 23<\/span>rd.<\/span> So it was very different with mask, shield and all<\/span> that. It was alarming at first.<\/span><\/p>\n

I belong to Odisha so many questions were focused on the same like issue of migration in Odisha and how to tackle it<\/span> like<\/span><\/p>\n