Nagesh Shukla Rank 3 UKPSC 2024: District Commandant, Home Guard
The UKPSC Result 2024 rewarded a decade of patience for one aspirant. Nagesh Shukla Rank 3 UKPSC 2024 secured the post of District Commandant, Home Guard. Interestingly, he comes from Uttar Pradesh and had to master Uttarakhand papers from scratch.
He recently shared his journey in a detailed success talk with SAMVEG IAS. Therefore, here are the key takeaways from that conversation.
Major Highlights of Nagesh Shukla’s Interview with Samveg IAS
Background and Motivation
Originally, Nagesh belongs to Banda district in Uttar Pradesh. He completed his BSc with Physics, Chemistry and Mathematics. Growing up, his father, a lawyer, often told him stories of civil servants. In particular, the story of PCS officer P.K. Upadhyay inspired him deeply.
Three Big Setbacks
His journey lasted almost ten years. Along the way, three moments hurt the most:
- CAPF 2019: His written exam went well. However, he could not clear the physical stage.
- UPPCS 2021: He expected an interview call, but it did not come.
- UKPSC 2021: He hoped for at least a State Tax Officer post. Sadly, his name did not appear in the final list.
Of these, the last one was the hardest to digest. Still, his family and friends told him, “You have reached the door. One more push, and it will open.” So, he restarted immediately, because the 2024 mains were already near.
Handling Burnout
Naturally, Nagesh faced burnout many times. Whenever it hit, he discussed it with friends and parents. He also did some freelance work for a change of routine. Similarly, he took long walks to rethink his strategy.
Moreover, he points out that freelance income reduces financial insecurity. As a result, you can prepare with a calmer mind.
Prelims Strategy of Nagesh Shukla Rank 3 UKPSC 2024
- Syllabus plus PYQs: First, identify the areas that repeat every year. For example, topics like SAARC and logic gates appear often.
- History and Geography: He used quick books along with his own notes. Also, Geography was his UPSC optional, so it became his strong area.
- Polity: He also relied on M. Laxmikanth.
- Environment: The government’s ENVIS website or any good coaching material.
- Economy: Focus on money and banking. Additionally, study the Union and State Budget through the budget speech or PRS analysis. Also, read the first four to five chapters of the Uttarakhand Economic Survey.
- Uttarakhand: He followed Pariksha Vani. Moreover, cover at least 60–70% of the state portion to feel safe.
- Recent UKPSC papers: Solve the Uttarakhand questions from every UKPSC exam of the last year, including RO/ARO. Often, questions repeat.
Mains: Short Notes and Peer Groups
Mains has two papers a day. Therefore, short notes are essential for quick revision. So, he made short notes for history, geography, society and ethics. For ethics, he also added recent examples of good bureaucrats and thinkers. For GS 3, he listed last year’s news topics and made notes by searching them online.
However, the biggest challenge for Nagesh Shukla Rank 3 UKPSC 2024 was GS 5 and GS 6. Being from UP, he knew little about Uttarakhand. So, group study became his solution. “You can prepare prelims in silos. However, mains and interview need discussion,” he says. His friend Vikas helped him greatly with these papers.
- Geography: Rajendra Balodi’s book and Uttarakhand Samagra Kosh.
- History: Ajay Singh Rawat, converted into his own short notes.
- Society and Polity: Google research and university research papers.
- GS 6: The Uttarakhand Economic Survey is compulsory.
- Policies: Also, note down the unique targets of each state policy, not the common incentives.
Interview: Talk It Out
In his view, hesitation goes away only through discussion. Hence, build a trusted peer group and speak regularly. However, the group must share openly and honestly with each other.
Advice to His Past Self
Today, Nagesh Shukla Rank 3 UKPSC 2024 would tell his younger self to stick to the basics. Next, do not rely too much on any person. Finally, stay focused and prepare wholeheartedly, not half-heartedly.
Association with SAMVEG IAS
Nagesh joined the SAMVEG IAS Interview Guidance Programme (IGP) in the 2021 cycle. Later, he also joined the Mains Guidance Programme (MGP) for 2024.
Above all, he values Samveg Sir’s honest and straightforward feedback without any sugar-coating. Moreover, the test questions matched the real UKPSC style, with a mix of easy, moderate and twisted questions. In particular, the tests helped him in GS 3, GS 5 and GS 6. Truly, the journey of Nagesh Shukla Rank 3 UKPSC 2024 shows that one final push can open the door.