In 2022, Delhi resident Samyak Jain’s only prayer was to clear the UPSC exam. So, when he saw that he had bagged AIR 7, he was in disbelief.

The 28-year-old who began losing his vision progressively at the age of 18, has always been resilient. His remarkable results are proof of it.

He shares his learnings through the process.

1. Failure is a part of the process When Samyak failed to clear his first attempt in 2020, instead of being disappointed he looked at this as a “trial round”.

“These experiences taught me what to do and what to avoid during the second attempt in 2021,” he shares.

2. Always set a high target “Usually, the PwD category has a lower cut-off than the general. In my first attempt, I had noticed this and was trying to match this cut-off. But, in my second attempt, I learnt from my mistake and aimed for the general category cut-off,” says Samyak.

3. Find a holy grail for your optional subject While choosing an optional subject, he recommends going for something that you are passionate about and know of. Notes formed the bedrock of his preparation strategy.

Elaborating on the political science paper, Samyak says it is divided into two parts, with each part featuring two sections. Out of the four sections, three are static (a set of questions that repeat over the years) and one is dynamic (questions that assess your knowledge of current affairs and news).

For the static sections, going through the previous years’ questions suffices, he notes. “The question bank has around 2,500 questions that feature ad verbatim, with a few changes,” he adds.

4. Coaching might not be your cup of tea Not wanting to dissuade anyone from opting for coaching, Samyak emphasises it merely wasn’t his cup of tea. “To each his own,” he reiterates.

5. Acing the final frontier - the personality test The interview round more famously known as the ‘Personality Test’ is actually designed to test one’s integrity, Samyak emphasises.

He goes on to explain that in every interview, there is bound to be a five-minute or 10-minute period when the candidate is grilled and might find themselves on the spot.

“Don’t get anxious or fidget with your hands during this time. The examiners are trying to assess how well you perform in real-time high-pressure situations,” he says.

He adds that they are not testing your knowledge but rather your personality. “All you need to do is keep calm and composed as you speak,” he advises.

6. If it seems impossible, you're doing it wrong Like every other UPSC aspirant, Samyak had his moments of disappointment while preparing for the exam. “But, I began to tell myself that if it were seeming impossible, there was something that I was doing wrong.”

A recalibration of the strategy followed by discussions with peers would usually prove effective.

“I would go through model answer sheets, check how toppers had approached tough questions, and then begin my preparation with a new mindset,” Samyak adds.

7. Follow your calling Tasting success in the UPSC exam meant all the more to Samyak who had found the courage to navigate this path after years of exposure to other professional fields — engineering, BA in English Honours, and journalism.

“Challenging circumstances can either break you or make you. Always choose the latter,” he remarks.