MOTIVATION:
Aishwarya Sharma
Rank 168
CSE 2016, Engineer, Complete Self Study, No Coaching, Economics Optional
My name is Aishwarya Sharma. I belong to Bhopal and have done electrical engineering from NIT Bhopal. The reason why I am telling you this is because these two experiences shaped my journey in unimaginable ways.
I have been following insights since my college years and since the same year you guys launched it. I did not go to Delhi or any big city for my preparation. My entire preparation for my first attempt was in Bhopal. It was only insights and mrunal and that hasn’t changed in all these years.
I am 23 years old and I wrote my first prelims two months after my final year engineering exams. I scored 120 and only because I had the support of test series of insights and CL. I was ecstatic and decide to work twice as hard.
My optional that year was electrical engineering. I could not devote the same time to GS as other kids.
But I ALWAYS read Insights daily current affairs and secure answers as regularly as I could. And that year I performed really well in GS but electrical engineering ruined my marks. I was devastated and lost. And that is when insights again came to my rescue.
Your motivational posts have given me sunshine in the darkest of nights. I promise to follow on your footstep and motivate so many people who could not make it by lending them support and faith in their worst times.
I had to change my optional.
And this time I thought I’ll take an optional – which will be my passion and which I’ll enjoy studying. Since studying electrical was a nightmare. And so I took Economics without having any background in it. Again the journey was not smooth at all and I had my bag of doubts which often clouded my vision. I did well in prelims again and scored 140.
I solved all 32 insight tests and the revision tests on insights regularly. And then again I looked towards insights for clarity. And I joined mains online test series from insights and regularly solved questions at my home. I had no group study sessions and no one to check my answers during my first attempt and my 2nd attempt mains .
Economics is a tough nut to crack and studying it was again like swimming in an endless ocean. November 2016 was the worst month in my life. I was extremely sick and had hit the rock bottom. All these years of hard work suddenly felt like a dagger through my heart. But it was the support of my friends and family that pulled me up.
And again I took to insights and read all the stories of toppers who overcame all adversities. And I wrote mains with same optimism and hope as last year. After my mains I again followed interview strategy on insights and kept working even before the results were out.
When I saw my marks and my rank the first person I wanted to thank was Vinay sir and insights. You guys have been my DARK KNIGHT 🙂 Vinay Sir I would love to meet you and thank you in person because you’ve been my godfather in this journey.
And to sum it up I’d like to say that don’t let your weak moments overpower you or create self doubt in you.
UPSC is not an easy journey . But we NEED to have faith and hope. And trust me after all your dark days , the dawn will be the brightest .
I will soon be sending in my strategy for both GS and economics from the perspective of an engineer with no previous background soon. I wish you guys a steady and memorable UPSC journey. And remember dreams don’t work unless you do.
