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Prince Kumar Tyagi Rank 3 UKPSC Lower PCS 2024: Deputy Jailer
The UKPSC Lower PCS 2024 result carries a strong message for working aspirants. Prince Kumar Tyagi Rank 3 UKPSC Lower PCS 2024 secured the post of Deputy Jailer. Moreover, he prepared while working full time as an Assistant Audit Officer.
He shared his practical approach in an honest success talk with SAMVEG IAS. So, here are the main lessons from his journey.
Major Highlights of Prince Kumar Tyagi’s Interview with Samveg IAS
Background: From Tehri to Dehradun
Prince originally belongs to Meerut district in Uttar Pradesh. However, his father served in the CISF, a transferable job. So, from Class 6, he grew up in Uttarakhand. First, he lived in Tehri, where he saw the old town go under the dam lake. Then, his family moved to Dehradun.
There, he studied Class 10 and 12 at a Kendriya Vidyalaya. Later, he completed his B.Tech in Computer Engineering in 2014. After a private job, he left it to prepare for SSC. Meanwhile, he became a Bank PO. Still, he stayed with SSC and finally cleared it. Today, he is an Assistant Audit Officer in the Indian Audit and Accounts Department, posted in Shimla.
Balancing a Full-Time Job with Preparation
“Everyone has the same 24 hours,” says Prince. So, he feels a serious aspirant cannot give excuses. His daily routine looked like this:
- First, two hours in the morning before office.
- Then, two hours at the office, using his lunch break for newspapers, prelims facts and PYQs.
- Finally, two hours after office.
However, leave was hard to get in his job. In fact, he managed only about a week off before the Lower PCS exam.
Prelims Strategy
In 2024, he missed both the UPSC prelims, his last attempt, and the Upper PCS prelims. So, he decided to focus on State PCS. Fortunately, Lower PCS came with a new pattern, so everyone started fresh.
- English and reasoning: Since he had already cleared SSC, he needed no special preparation here.
- Uttarakhand: He studied one-liners from Pariksha Vani and other standard books.
- Exact articles: Questions now go deeper. For example, he revised Article 243D for reservation in panchayats and Article 243ZD for District Planning Committees.
Also, he kept brushing up his own Polity notes from his UPSC preparation.
Mains Strategy of Prince Kumar Tyagi Rank 3 UKPSC Lower PCS 2024
The new mains pattern was new for him too. In GS 1, he had to write 24 answers. Moreover, he could not easily judge which ones carried 7 or 5 marks. As a result, he missed two full 10-mark questions at the end.
However, his one-page notes helped him a lot. During UPSC preparation, he had made a one-pager for every topic. For example, his note on separation of powers covered Montesquieu and the Indian position. Then, it added significance and challenges. Also, GS 1 and GS 2 largely overlapped with history, polity and ethics. Only statistics needed fresh study, and it was at the Class 10 level.
To understand the full exam structure, read our UKPSC Lower PCS exam guide.
Answer Writing: Write End-to-End
He had failed UPSC mains more than once. However, he had also cleared the Himachal state PCS mains in his first attempt.
Many people say a state PCS answer should cover only what is asked. But Prince feels this no longer works. For example, take a question on the significance of tribal uprisings. Then, do not stop at significance. Also cover the challenges, why the revolts failed, their impact and the way forward.
Using AI to Find Repeating Themes
Since the pattern was new, he used AI to study past papers. First, he gave it the syllabus and many PYQs. These included UKSSSC papers and other exams such as FRO. Then, he spotted themes that kept repeating. For instance, the Gorkha invasion came up in Lower PCS, Upper PCS and prelims.
Uttarakhand Preparation for English-Medium Aspirants
Prince had not studied Hindi after Class 10. Still, he relied on Pariksha Vani one-liners in Hindi. Also, he reverse-engineered topics from PYQs, such as the Chand and Parmar rulers. Moreover, he made handwritten notes for the static part. For instance, he drew maps to learn rivers and their confluences.
However, he feels this may show in his Hindi marks. After all, toppers scored above 60 out of 100 there.
Setbacks, Patience and a Plan B
He always wanted to join administration. Also, talks with college seniors who are now officers kept him motivated. Still, 2023 was a hard year. Both his Himachal result and his UPSC mains result went against him. Yet, his goal stayed clear.
According to him, this exam demands patience because seats are few. So, his advice is practical. If you are financially stable, give it three to four years. After that, move to a Plan B, but always keep one. Indeed, Prince Kumar Tyagi Rank 3 UKPSC Lower PCS 2024 reminds aspirants that heartbreaks are part of this journey.
Association with SAMVEG IAS
Prince took our Interview Guidance Programme (IGP) for the Lower PCS 2024 interview. Finally, he scored 54 out of 75 in the interview. He says he is thankful to Sir for the guidance. His journey shows that a job and serious preparation can go together.
Watch the full interaction with Samveg IAS:
Check out the results of Samveg IAS students in UKPSC Lower PCS 2024.