UPSC 2024: How village boy Vibhor jumped from AIR 743 to 19 with grit, game plan and AI

Time of India

28-05-2025

In a quiet village called Utrawali in Uttar Pradesh's Bulandshahr district, dreams often travel far before they find wings. Vibhor Bhardwaj's journey was no exception. From completing his MSc in Physics at Hansraj College to cracking
UPSC
Civil Services Examination 2024 with an All India Rank of 19, Vibhor's story is one of self-awareness, incremental improvement, and staying grounded through the turbulence of repeated trials.
In 2024, Vibhor made the third attempt. He cleared his first UPSC exam in 2022 with a modest AIR 743, missed the final list in 2023 despite reaching the interview stage, and then transformed himself into a top-20 ranker this year.
Building a smart study system
'I started my preparation of UPSC CSE after completion of my MSc. from scratch,' says Vibhor. Choosing Physics as his optional subject, he didn't rely on luck or shortcuts. His game plan was clear—lay a strong Mains foundation early on.
He completed the entire Mains syllabus—including Optional—in the first seven months, leaning on online coaching and self-curated notes. 'During this time I utilized the online coaching from home for both parts. I prepared the notes on GS subjects from coaching classes and then from studying the reference books of the same,' he explains.
Interestingly, he didn't start writing answers at that stage. 'During this period I completed my Optional paper notes without any answer writing,' he recalls.
The Prelims pivot: Strategy in action
By January, Vibhor shifted gears to focus entirely on the Prelims. With surgical precision, he tackled the static portion, reviewed current affairs magazines, and revised daily summaries. He didn't jump blindly into mock tests—he staggered them smartly.
'After one revision of each subject, in the second revision I started appearing for the sectional tests. Once done with second revision I shifted to the full length tests,' he says.
He also swore by Previous Year Questions (PYQs). 'I used PYQs as a guide for understanding the nature of questions asked by the UPSC,' he adds, treating them not just as practice material but as a blueprint for examiner intent.
What changed in the third attempt
Vibhor's journey wasn't linear. After securing AIR 743 in 2022, and then failing to make the final list in 2023 despite clearing the interview round, he did a full diagnostic on his weaknesses.
His biggest upgrade? Answer writing.
'I started to take reference from the toppers' answer sheets and compared my answer to the same question written in their sheets. This worked for me to reduce the time per question as well as in improving the quality of my answers.'
He also adopted a micro-level approach to the syllabus. 'I prepared notes on each and every keyword mentioned in the syllabus having different dimensions,' he shares. This helped him gain both depth and breadth—an edge that Mains evaluators look for.
He didn't work in isolation either. Discussions with peers became a memory tool. 'Discussion with friends on current affairs topics and magazines, PYQs and other topics in general helped me in retaining the information for long and also in recalling during the Mains exam,' he adds.
To further sharpen his understanding, Vibhor turned to previous toppers—notably Shruti Sharma (AIR 1, 2022). He closely studied her notes and used them as benchmarks for conceptual clarity and answer framing.
The idea was not to copy, but to calibrate.
'These inputs,' he says, 'helped me deepen his contextual awareness and stay aligned with the evolving nature of the UPSC paper.'
Using Google Gemini for interview prep
In his second attempt, low marks in the personality test were a stumbling block. Instead of stepping back, Vibhor leaned into innovation. He used AI to simulate mock interviews.
'I used Google Gemini by providing the background and details and asked it to conduct my interview around those topics.
It was tremendously beneficial,' he shares.
Mentorship matters
Vibhor credits Shubham Aggarwal of Vidyapeeth IAS Academy for giving structure to his preparation. 'His one-on-one mentorship and personal touch to cater individual needs enriched my perspectives on current events, controversial issues and helped me frame balanced answers,' says Vibhor.
From the mentor's desk
For Aggarwal, Vibhor's success was a matter of when, not if. He recalls Vibhor's unique self-awareness and strategic mind. 'From day one, Vibhor knew exactly where he stood. He was aware of his weaknesses and had already mapped out how to overcome them,' says Aggarwal.
Describing his approach as 'practical and grounded,' he adds, 'In all my years of mentoring, he is among the most sincere toppers I've seen.'
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