Hailing from Jhunjhunu in Rajasthan, Karamveer Narwaniya launched into a exceptional journey to serve the nation by means of the civil companies. Armed with a level in electrical engineering from NIT Kurukshetra, he set his sights on UPSC preparation after graduating in 2020.
Coming from a rural background, Karamveer was deeply affected by the disconnect he noticed between authorities officers and the widespread public in his hometown. This ignited his need to bridge the hole and work in direction of making a extra harmonious relationship between authorities and the folks they served.
Initially aspiring to hitch the Military, he confronted challenges throughout his makes an attempt, finally pivoting in direction of the UPSC path. However his journey in direction of UPSC success was fraught with setbacks, significantly concerning the Civil Companies Aptitude Check (CSAT) part.
As a part of the UPSC Civil Companies Examination (preliminary), the CSAT checks the analytical abilities, reasoning means, and aptitude of aspirants. Candidates want to attain solely 33 %, as this paper is qualifying in nature.
Karamveer excelled within the Normal Research paper of the prelims, however the CSAT examination proved to be a major hurdle in his preliminary makes an attempt.
Regardless of familial pressures, uncertainties, and former setbacks, Karamveer remained steadfast in his dedication. His perseverance and devoted preparation finally paid off in his third try in 2023, when he not solely cleared the prelims but additionally secured a rank of 954 within the IRMS (Indian Railway Administration Service) class.
We sat down with the IRMS officer to find out how he embraced challenges, learnt from setbacks, and stayed dedicated to his objectives, main him to realize success within the prestigious UPSC examination.
Strategic planning: Key to Karmveer’s UPSC success
One of many main turning factors for Karamveer was his realisation of the significance of the CSAT examination and the necessity to concentrate on mastering its intricacies.
“The prelims comprise two sections of Normal Research and CSAT. The latter is a qualifying paper the place about 80 questions are requested. To clear the examination, one wants roughly 68 out of a complete of 200 marks. In my first try, though I scored properly in Normal Research, I failed in CSAT by simply three marks. To make issues worse, the hole elevated to 9 marks after I reappeared for the examination,” he recollects.
Coming from a middle-income background, Karamveer additionally confronted immense strain at residence. “My father was within the Military, and our household was surviving on his month-to-month pension. There may be immense uncertainty on this examination, and having failed twice added to the strain. My household was confused about why I couldn’t even clear the prelims. It was turning into troublesome for me to remain motivated given the circumstances,” he provides.
The CSAT part continued to hang-out him. “I used to be genuinely fearful of CSAT. I wanted to enhance my technique for this part, as I used to be performing properly in Normal Research,” he shares.
Highlighting his errors, Karamveer explains, “Coming from an engineering background, I used to be overly assured that I might be capable of clear CSAT by focussing solely on Maths and Logical Reasoning. I uncared for the English comprehension part and even prevented questions that appeared doable.”
“As an aspirant, we must always not overlook that UPSC checks your skills in each part. You can’t select to opt-out of subjects that you’re not comfy with. In my third try, I set my ego apart and gave equal weight to all three sections. That’s what UPSC expects — don’t neglect something,” he provides.
To beat the challenges offered by this important part of the UPSC examination, Karamveer strategically adjusted his preparation method. He devoted about three hours of research every day for 3 months to excel on this part.
Nevertheless, merely making an attempt extra comprehension questions was not sufficient. “At instances, questions on fundamentals like permutations and mixtures, revenue and loss, and percentages are designed to problem even IIT college students. To ace each Maths and Logical Reasoning, I began referring to notes meant for the CAT (Frequent Admission Check) examination,” he shares.
Karamveer additionally started analysing the final 10 years’ query papers and their reply keys. This evaluation helped him perceive the kind of inquiries to count on within the examination. By specializing in all three sections of the CSAT, he was capable of improve the variety of questions he tried. Consequently, he says, he may rating 90 out of the 200 marks within the examination on his third try.
Karamveer highlights the importance of perseverance, adaptability, and strategic planning in overcoming challenges and reaching one’s objectives. His journey underscores the significance of a well-rounded preparation technique that encompasses not solely a robust grasp of the subject material but additionally a eager understanding of the examination’s particular necessities.
Edited by Arunava Banerjee. All images: Karamveer Narwaniya.
