Shatakshi Sharma Rank 5 UKPSC 2024: Deputy Superintendent of Police
The UKPSC Result 2024 proved that home-based preparation can beat every odd. Shatakshi Sharma Rank 5 UKPSC 2024 secured the post of Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP). Remarkably, she prepared entirely from her home in Rishikesh.
She shared her detailed strategy in an energetic success talk with SAMVEG IAS. So, here are the most valuable lessons from her story.
Major Highlights of Shatakshi Sharma’s Interview with Samveg IAS
A Self-Made Journey from Rishikesh
Shatakshi hails from Bapugram, Rishikesh. She completed her schooling, graduation and post-graduation in her own city. After her BSc in 2021, she began preparing for Uttarakhand PCS.
Nobody in her close family worked in administration. Instead, she discovered civil services herself during her third year of college. YouTube videos of officers inspired her to bring change to people’s lives.
Setbacks That Taught Her the Most
Shatakshi admits she was not lucky in her first attempts. First, she missed Lower PCS prelims by just 0.75 marks. Then, she missed Upper PCS 2021 mains by only six marks. Similarly, she cleared RO/ARO mains but missed the final list.
Looking back, she knew the reason. She had completed the syllabus but had not practised enough full papers. Therefore, she made paper practice her top priority this time.
Prelims Strategy of Shatakshi Sharma Rank 5 UKPSC 2024
- Uttarakhand: Pariksha Vani and B.S. Negi.
- Current affairs: Pratiyogita Darpan, along with monthly PDFs from Vision IAS and Insights.
- Static subjects: Laxmikanth for polity, Spectrum for modern India and PMF IAS notes for geography. Also, she studied prelims and mains together.
- PYQs: Solve as many UKPSC and UPPCS papers as possible. However, skip the UP-specific and outdated current questions.
Mains Strategy: Updated Notes and Brainstorming
Notably, she wrote her mains in English medium and prepared on her own. Overall, her method was very organised:
- GS 1 to 4: She used Vision IAS booklets as base notes. Then, she added new schemes, budget data and current updates in the margins.
- Essay: Uttarakhand essays usually come from broad themes. So, she prepared themes like disaster management with all sub-topics in a separate notebook.
- Hindi: She printed the syllabus and almost memorised it. Also, she practised formats like official letters and press notes repeatedly.
- GS 5 and GS 6: She read Pariksha Vani and B.S. Negi 20–25 times. Moreover, she used Ajay Rawat and Uttarakhand Open University material to make her own notes on every syllabus term.
In the exam, each mains question gets only seven to eight minutes. Therefore, Shatakshi trained her mind to stay in “brainstorming mode.” For example, one keyword should trigger dozens of related ideas instantly.
60–70 Mains Papers and Self-Evaluation
In total, Shatakshi Sharma Rank 5 UKPSC 2024 wrote nearly 60–70 full mains papers. She solved five years of UPPCS papers, UPSC papers since 2019 and UKPSC papers.
Nobody checked her copies, so she evaluated them herself. Although it took time, it showed her exact mistakes. “Writing a test is not enough. Analysing it matters more,” she says.
Make Your Copy Look Different
Moreover, your copy must look different from the candidates sitting around you. So, she used diagrams in geography, flowcharts in ethics and committee reports in economy. She also varied her format across answers, from points to columns to comparisons.
Additionally, she credits her mother for her neat handwriting. Along with speed, it helped her finish papers five to seven minutes early.
Keep an Alternative Ready
Shatakshi Sharma Rank 5 UKPSC 2024 also gives very practical advice here. If you lack financial support, always keep an alternative option. In fact, she joined D.El.Ed training at DIET Barkot right after her mains. “Uttarakhand PCS is longer than a marathon,” she says.
Finally, she believes in giving your maximum. “Bhagwan ke ghar der hai, andher nahi.” Also, in a distracted world, knowing your switch-on and switch-off mode is a huge advantage.
Association with SAMVEG IAS
Shatakshi could not join the SAMVEG IAS mains batch because it had already closed. Later, before the interview, she met with an accident and fractured her leg. Still, she joined the SAMVEG IAS interview programme while on bed rest in Dehradun.
She came twice for mock interviews and noticed a huge difference between the two. Samveg Sir taught her how to handle questions and how much to answer. He also helped her prepare her MSc Physics background. As a result, she scored 105 out of 150 in the interview. Truly, the story of Shatakshi Sharma Rank 5 UKPSC 2024 shows the power of grit.
Watch her entire interaction with Samveg IAS:
