Tanvi Bhatt Rank 3 Finance Officer- UKPSC 2021
Tanvi Bhatt, who secured the 3rd rank as a Finance Officer in the Uttarakhand PCS 2021 examination, offers an inspiring roadmap for civil services aspirants. Her journey, which began during her time studying Pharmacy in Dehradun, highlights the importance of dedication, strategic planning, and maintaining a positive support system.
A Strategic Approach to Preparation
Tanvi emphasizes an integrated study methodology rather than separating her preparation for Prelims and Mains. She built a robust foundation by utilizing NCERT books as her primary resource, later supplementing them with standard texts like Laxmikanth for Polity and Spectrum for Modern History. For state-specific content, she relied on Pariksha Vani for the Prelims and Ajay Rawat’s literature to deepen her understanding of Uttarakhand for the Mains.
Key pillars of her subject-specific strategy included:
- Maths and Science: Treating these as high-scoring areas and leveraging NCERTs for core concepts.
- Ethics: Recognizing it as a distinct and critical paper for the Mains, which requires focused writing practice.
Maintaining Momentum
Understanding that civil services preparation is a marathon, Tanvi broke down the vast syllabus into smaller, manageable weekly goals. This practice allowed her to track progress and maintain a sense of accomplishment. She also advocates for a small, focused peer group—consisting of two or three serious friends—who can keep each other motivated and share resources.
Digital Discipline and Time Management
Tanvi attributes part of her success to the disciplined use of technology. While she leveraged the internet for complex topics like Science and Technology, she actively chose to delete distracting social media apps like Instagram and Facebook during her preparation year.
Her strategy for the Mains was heavily centered on time management and answer writing. She suggests that candidates must:
- Practice writing answers in varying formats (50, 120, and 250 words) because exam patterns can be unpredictable.
- Develop a strict time-allocation strategy for different marks, ensuring that no section is left unaddressed due to time constraints.
Final Advice for Aspirants
Tanvi highlights that the most important qualities for success are consistency and positivity. She encourages new aspirants to be mentally prepared for the long-term nature of the process and to keep the perspective of service and family pride as a source of motivation. By maintaining a fixed study schedule and a resilient mindset, she believes any dedicated candidate can navigate the challenges of the PCS journey.