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Ashmita Garhwar Rank 8 UKPSC Lower PCS 2024: Deputy Jailer
The UKPSC Lower PCS 2024 result rewarded years of steady effort for many aspirants. Ashmita Garhwar Rank 8 UKPSC Lower PCS 2024 secured the post of Deputy Jailer. Moreover, she reached this goal after seven to eight years of preparation.
She shared her journey in a frank success talk with SAMVEG IAS. So, here are the key lessons from her story.
Major Highlights of Ashmita Garhwar’s Interview with Samveg IAS
Background and Motivation
Ashmita belongs to Ghansali in Tehri Garhwal. She comes from a commerce background and has done her MA in Economics. Over time, she saw how a civil servant can play a positive role in society. So, that became her motivation to keep trying.
Repeated Near-Misses
Her journey had many close calls. In 2021, she missed the final list by just a few marks. Then, in the next exam, she scored enough for the post of Deputy Education Officer. However, she did not have a PG degree at that time. As a result, she was disqualified for that post.
This time, she was facing her third or fourth interview. Meanwhile, people around her kept talking about her age and marriage. Still, she kept going and finally made it.
Prelims Strategy
According to Ashmita, prelims is the main hurdle, since about 90% of candidates drop out there. So, she focused on three things:
- Test series: First, join a test series from a coaching institute. Also, use the online apps that many institutes offer.
- PYQs: Next, solve previous year papers regularly.
- Maths practice: Maths played a big role this time. Therefore, she solved the FRO papers and earlier Lower PCS papers with maths many times.
For a full picture of the exam stages, see our UKPSC Lower PCS exam guide.
Mains Strategy of Ashmita Garhwar Rank 8 UKPSC Lower PCS 2024
For the Uttarakhand portion, she used these books:
- Ajay Rawat’s books
- Balodi’s book
- Pariksha Vani
- Uttarakhand Open University books on Uttarakhand
After that, she made her own notes. For GS, she read NCERTs and a set of coaching mains notes. Then, she added current affairs from any good coaching source.
Answer Writing: Learning from Toppers’ Copies
First, she studied toppers’ answer copies, including those of UPSC toppers. In particular, she noticed how they wrote introductions and conclusions. At first, she tried to copy that style. Then, as her notes grew, her own way of writing developed.
Moreover, she wrote mock tests regularly. She also asked friends to check her copies. So, they pointed out her mistakes, and she corrected them.
Interview: Know Your Graduation Subject
The interview is a personality test. However, the board often focuses on your graduation subject. Since Ashmita is a commerce student, she faced many commerce questions. Also, she got current questions on business and economics. Because she had faced earlier interviews, she knew this trend. Therefore, she made her graduation subject strong.
Staying Consistent in a Long Exam Cycle
In Uttarakhand, one exam cycle can stretch over years. So, she advises against waiting on a single exam. Instead, fill forms for other exams too, especially Uttarakhand-specific ones. After all, the prelims syllabus is largely similar. This way, demotivation reduces, and you may even get selected somewhere. Otherwise, you still get practice, and your fear of exams goes away.
Using AI Smartly
Ashmita used AI tools like ChatGPT in a limited way. For example, she asked it to frame questions for her. Also, she used it to check her answers. However, she says standard books remain essential. AI gives similar answers to everyone, while books offer more variety. So, she suggests a combination of both.
Advice for Women Aspirants: Secure a Job First
Early on, she cleared several Group C exams. For instance, she made it as an Accountant and also qualified for Patwari. However, she did not join these posts. As a result, people did not see her selections, and support became harder to find.
So, her advice is clear, especially for girls. First, secure a stable job. Then, keep preparing for bigger goals alongside it. In her view, a financially independent aspirant can fund her own preparation. Indeed, Ashmita Garhwar Rank 8 UKPSC Lower PCS 2024 urges every aspirant never to let an opportunity go.
Association with SAMVEG IAS
Ashmita has been in touch with SAMVEG IAS since 2021, when she first came for mock tests. For Lower PCS 2024, she took our Interview Guidance Programme (IGP). Whenever she faces a problem, she asks Sir online. She says she likes Sir’s cordial nature and clear guidance.
Watch the full interaction with Samveg IAS:
Check out the results of Samveg IAS students in UKPSC Lower PCS 2024.