Latest news with #CSE2024
Business Standard
2 days ago
- General
- Business Standard
What Drove UPSC CSE AIR 2 Animesh Pradhan to Mentor Aspirants Post Selection
'In the beginning, I struggled not because I lacked knowledge, but because I couldn't translate that knowledge into structured, time-bound answers that met the demand of UPSC Mains questions,' recalls Animesh Pradhan, who secured AIR 2 in UPSC CSE 2024. Working full-time at Indian Oil Corporation while preparing for the exam, Animesh had to master the art of writing crisp, well-argued answers under strict word and time limits. To refine this critical skill, he followed a disciplined routine—writing answers during his off hours, scanning and uploading them for review, and receiving detailed feedback from his mentors. For Animesh, the preparation journey was one filled with challenges. Reflecting on his journey, he acknowledges that many factors contributed to his success—his upbringing, schooling, college, peers, family, and most importantly, the mentors whose consistent feedback helped him improve step by step to emerge as a topper. Navigating Challenges Even with a fixed study routine, Animesh struggled to improve where it mattered most. Without regular feedback or someone to keep him accountable, he often fell into the trap of revising what he already knew—while ignoring the tougher, high-scoring areas that needed his focus the most. He knew he needed more than just motivation—he needed someone to help him spot the blind spots in his preparation, push him in the right direction, and course-correct before it was too late. This search for structured fault-finding and empathetic mentorship led him to the Ultimate Assessment Program at Civilsdaily IAS. There, he was paired with mentors who had recently been through the grind of UPSC themselves. They reviewed his weekly progress, helped him prioritize from the vast syllabus, and provided real-time course correction—ensuring he stayed on track. With just 5–6 hours of daily study while continuing his full-time job at Indian Oil Corporation, Animesh cleared the exam in his first attempt. Animesh's preparation journey became all the more challenging as he grappled with the profound personal loss of his mother during this time. Preparing alone was mentally draining for him and his peers couldn't understand what he was going through. Attributing his success to his mentor Animesh mentioned that Civilsdaily IAS supported him not just academically but also emotionally. His journey is a testament to the power of personalized mentorship in achieving success. From Mentee to Mentor Animesh always aspired to work at the grassroots level and give back to the future aspirants by helping them with a correct approach. Guidance plays a key role in an aspirant's preparation, especially from people who've already been through it all. It serves as a tool for fault-finding, course correction and moral support, ensuring steady improvement till the day of the final exam. Many aspirants get lost in the sea of preparation material, in this case, who is guiding the journey becomes a key pillar. It is for this reason that before joining LBSNAA, Animesh chose to give back by becoming a mentor in the very same program that had guided him to success. Having experienced firsthand the impact of personalized mentorship, he saw this as an opportunity to help other aspirants find clarity in their preparation, refine their strategies, and avoid the common pitfalls that delay success. Clearing the UPSC exam isn't just about putting in long hours—it's about building a strategy tailored to each individual candidate. While most aspirants have access to the same reading materials, the real difference lies in knowing how to study, not just what to study.
Indian Express
21-05-2025
- General
- Indian Express
UPSC CSE 2024 Prelims answer key released at upsc.gov.in for Paper 1, 2
The Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) on May 21 released the Civil Services Examination (CSE) preliminary exam answer keys for the 2024 exams. Candidates who appeared for the UPSC CSE 2024 prelims will be able to download the answer keys for general studies paper 1 and general studies paper 2 from and As many as three questions are dropped each from series A, B, C and D general studies paper 1. No questions are dropped from general studies paper 2. While the UPSC CSE 2024 prelims exam was conducted on June 16, the CSE mains UPSC exam was held on September 20, 21, 22, 28 and 29. Candidates cleared the mains were called for an interview and personality test round. The UPSC CSE 2024 interviews or the personality tests have already started from January 7 and continued till April 17. As many as 2,845 candidates were shortlisted for the interview stage. The UPSC CSE 2024 result was declared on April 22, 2025. This year, AIR 1 is Shakti Dubey. A total of 1,009 candidates have been recommended for appointment to Indian Administrative Service (IAS), Indian Foreign Service (IFS) and Indian Police Service (IPS) and Central Services, Group 'A' and Group 'B'. The candidature of 241 recommended candidates has been kept provisional. The UPSC CSE 2025 prelims exam will be held on May 25, 2025. This year, 979 posts are on offer. Candidates scoring above the cut-off marks in CSE prelims will become eligible to register for the UPSC main examination. The mains will be descriptive and will be conducted from August 22 for five days. The Commission has already released the UPSC hall tickets for the 2025 CSE prelims exams. In case of any discrepancies in the UPSC CSE 2025 prelims hall ticket, aspirants must inform the UPSC immediately via mail on email- ID – uscsp-upsc@ To raise grievances, the candidates will have to mention their names, roll number, registration ID, name and year of the examination in all the communication or correspondence with the UPSC. A candidate, whose photograph on the e-admit card is not clear or the photograph is without the name and date of photograph, they will have to bring a photo identity card alongwith two passport size photographs (with their names and date of photograph), one for each session for appearing in the UPSC CSE prelims examination with an undertaking. The UPSC CSE exam is conducted in three stages — prelims, mains and interview. A final merit list is prepared for candidates qualifying the exam and the interview with the highest marks.
Indian Express
27-04-2025
- Politics
- Indian Express
Up for the challenge? Master these CSAT questions — Practice Set 11 for Prelims 2025
Dear UPSC aspirants, With the UPSC CSE 2024 results out, toppers agree — CSAT, though only qualifying, was one of their toughest hurdles. To help you prepare smartly, we're bringing you CSAT Practice Sets every Sunday — just when you need them most. These sets are designed to sharpen your aptitude, reasoning, and comprehension skills. Haven't tried the previous sets yet? Check out CSAT Practice Set 1 (click here), Practice Set 2 (click here), Practice Set 3 (click here), Practice Set 4 (click here),Practice Set 5 (click here) , Practice Set 6 (click here), P ractice Set 7 (click here), Practice Set 8 (click here) Practice Set 9 (click here) and Practice Set 10 (click here). —Mudit Gupta QUESTION #1 In a thriving democracy, the truth, no matter how uncomfortable, must be reflected in the discourse of political leaders and various forms of social expression. The reality must be evident through its dissemination in the media and its reasoned discussion in democratic deliberation. A media that adheres to ethical standards must convey the truth accurately and without manipulation. Which one of the following statements best captures the essence of the above passage? (a) The media, bound by ethical imperatives, must ensure the unadulterated transmission of reality in a well-functioning democracy. (b) The inevitability of disinformation is an intrinsic characteristic of a vibrant democratic ecosystem. (c) The absence of any constraints on the liberty of expression is a non-negotiable tenet of democratic governance. (d) The unchecked proliferation of unethical media practices and political malfeasance remains a formidable challenge in democratic systems. Explanation: The paragraph talks about the ethical conduct of media in a democracy and an unbiased dissemination of information from the media houses. Also, the discussions on different topics should be reasoned and balanced without any manipulation. Option a captures the essence of the paragraph aptly. The media, in a democracy, should ensure the unadulterated transmission of information. Option b is incorrect because it motivates the spread of disinformation in a democracy. Such an essence is not captured by the paragraph. Option c is, again, incorrect. The paragraph isn't talking much about the restrictions but about the ethical standards. Option d is also incorrect as the paragraph is talking about the ethical conduct of the media houses rather than the challenges to the democratic systems. Therefore, (a) is the correct answer. A cuboid has six sides of different colours. The red side is opposite to the black. The blue side is adjacent to the white. The brown side is adjacent to the blue. The red side is at the bottom. Which one of the following would be opposite to brown? (a) Red (b) Black (c) White (d) Blue Explanation: Therefore, (c) is the correct answer. QUESTION #3 Two friends, X and Y, start running together for 50 m in the same direction and reach a point. X turns right and runs 60 m while Y turns left and runs 40m. Then X turns left and runs 50m and stops, while Y turns right and runs 50 m and then stops. How far are the two friends from each other now? (a) 100 m (b) 90 m (c) 60 m (d) 50 m Explanation: Therefore, (a) is the correct answer. How many distinct 8-digit numbers can be formed by rearranging the digits of the number 11223344 such that odd digits occupy odd positions and even digits occupy even positions? (a) 12 (b) 18 (c) 36 (d) 72 Explanation: We have to arrange eight digits such that even digits are at even places and odd digits are at odd places. In the question given, we have to arrange eight digits, which means that there are four even places (2, 4, 6, and 8) and four odd places (1, 3, 5, and 7). Now, at the four even places (2, 4, 6, and 8), we have to arrange four even digits, i.e. 2, 2, 4, and 4. Also, at the four odd places (1, 3, 5, and 7), we have to arrange four odd digits, i.e. 1, 1, 3, and 3. Four even digits can be arranged at four even places is 4P4 ways (since the order is important, we will use permutation). Similarly, the four odd digits can be arranged at four odd places in 4P4 ways. We have divided the equation by 2! X 2! X 2! X 2! to account for the repetition of digits (1 is repeated twice, two is repeated twice, three is repeated twice, and four is repeated twice). Total number of ways – 36 Ways Therefore, (c) is the correct answer. QUESTION #5 Let x be a positive integer such that 7x + 96 is divisible by x. How many values of x are possible? (a) 10 (b) 11 (c) 12 (d) Infinitely many Explanation: This is UPSC PYQ (CSAT 2023) In the above expression, 7x+96, we can conclude that for all values of x, 7x is divisible by x. However, 96 is not divisible by x for all values of x. Hence, we need to find the values of x for which 96 is divisible by x. For 96 to be divisible by x, x should be one of the factors of 96. 96 has 12 factors including 1, 2, 3, 4, 6, 8, 12, 16, 24, 32, 48, and 96. Hence, x can take any of these 12 values to completely divide the expression 7x+96. Therefore, (c) is the correct answer. (About our Expert: Mudit Gupta has been a mentor and faculty for the UPSC Civil Services exam for 8 years with expertise in CSAT, Polity, International Relations, and Current Affairs. He is known to break complex concepts into simpler ones that allow UPSC aspirants to develop a grip over the subject matter.)
Hans India
25-04-2025
- General
- Hans India
ARK Reflections IAS Celebrates 25 UPSC Ranks
ARK Reflections IAS Academy, Hyderabad, proudly announces the success of 25 students in the UPSC CSE 2024, including five in the top 100 ranks. With standout performers like Banna Venkatesh, Ravula Jayasimha Reddy (AIR 46), and Preethi A C (AIR 263), the academy's commitment to nurturing civil servants is evident. Chairman Gummi Ram Reddy and Director Madhu Sudhan Reddy aim to produce 100 IAS/IPS officers by 2030. At a press conference, top rankers credited personalised mentorship and academy support for their success. ARK Reflections continues to inspire aspirants nationwide through its focused guidance and excellence.
Mint
24-04-2025
- Politics
- Mint
Who is Shakti Dubey? How did she clear UPSC Civil Service examination after 5 attempts?
Out of 9.92 lakh people who applied for Civil Services Examinations, Shakti Dubey from Uttar Pradesh came out shining by securing the first rank in all-India exam. She cracked it after five unsuccessful attempts. The UPSC stated that about 28% of all recommended candidates were women, adding that in the top five candidates, three were women, at the ranks of 1, 2, and 4, and 11 candidates were women out of top 25 rank-holders. Shakti Dubey hails from Naini, Prayagraj, Uttar Pradesh. She had graduated from the University of Allahabad and the Banaras Hindu University (BHU) prior to beginning her preparation for the civil services examination around 2018. She secured first rank in CSE 2024. Her subject included Biochemistry at the undergraduate level. She passed the CSE with the optional subject of Political Science and International Relations. She initially thought to become a doctor. 'I was a PCB (Physics, Chemistry, Biology) student in school, but based on my rank, I was allotted a seat in dental. I wasn't interested in that path, so I chose to pursue a BSc instead,' Indian Express quoted Dubey as saying. 'I couldn't even clear the prelims in my first three tries. In the fourth attempt, I made it to the interview stage but fell short. And last year, I missed the cut-off by just 12 marks. That was the lowest point in my life—I genuinely thought about quitting,' she added. 'I'm going to sleep peacefully tonight. For years, jo neend puri nahi hui, aaj usko pura karungi (Today, I'll make up for the years of lost sleep)," Dubey mentioned. "Shakti studied till Class 12 at the SMC Ghoorpur, just nearby, and later topped the exam from the University of Allahabad," her father, Devendra Dubey, a sub-inspector in the Uttar Pradesh Police said. "After graduation, she pursued from the Banaras Hindu University (BHU), where she also topped. Though we initially sent her to Delhi for coaching, the COVID-19 pandemic forced her to return home and she continued her preparations on her own," he added. UPSC CSE Interview took place between January 7 to April 17, 2025. After Dubey, the list of five toppers consisted of Harshita Goyal, Dongre Archit Parag , Shah Margi Chirag, and Akash Garg. First Published: 24 Apr 2025, 08:43 AM IST
