What UPSC has taught me? - Amit Munde (CSE 2015- AIR 485, IRS-IT)

Amit Munde
6th attempt
IRS-IT
Working as Tehsiladar
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"After completing MBBS, UPSC provided me most valuable opportunity to be civil servant. This entire study for UPSC including economics, social issues, political ideas and ideologies, geography along with the ritual of UPSC study i. e. reading The Hindu and Indian Express, helped me not only to increase the information storage but also broaden my horizons of thinking process.

But UPSC teaches much much more than that, especially after getting 17 marks out of 300 in one of the optionals Psychology paper II in mains 2010 exam. I tasted bitterness of dearth of failures there onwards like failure in prelims 2011, 34 marks out of 300 in Public Administration paper I in 2012 and many more such incidents. 

But I decided to prove my metal and fight against all the odds. Then I appeared for all exams right from STI to Group C post in RBI. First success in Group C post of RBI was like dawn of civil service career for me. Moral of the story - "never criticise any of the post based on prejudices or its classification" because "success has its own taste."    Then I was selected as Tehsiladar through MPSC.  It provided cushion and strength to fight hard for UPSC.

Giving 1st interview of UPSC in 2013 exam tasted my personality. It gave me opportunity to introspect myself. In interview too failure was awaiting me and got just 124 in 1st interview. I improved in 2nd interview in 2014 and got 173 but couldn't clear that year. 

Missing UPSC boat by just 8 marks in 2014, it was not just test of hard work, but test of patience. And finally clearing UPSC in 2015, with 179 marks in interview was the first test of UPSC in 6th attempt with 485 rank and got IRS -IT.

UPSC journey taught me not just writing, reading and thinking capability but also improved my personal virtues specially like patience, perseverance. Beyond this all UPSC has taught me 'LIFE SKILLS' after all these 6 attempts.

This journey teaches you the spirit of service. And I will suggest all the aspirants to inculcate this spirit right from the beginning as it will smoothen your journey.

All the best."