My Preparation Journey

Yashpal Singh
Educational background
• Integrated BSc-MSc in Biological Sciences from the Indian Institute of
Science Education and Research (IISER) Mohali- Completed in May 2016
• DST-INSPIRE Fellow; DST-INSPIRE International Fellow
• CSIR-NET and CSIR-JRF
My preparation Journey
Having spent the best 5 years of my life from 2011 to 2016 in IISER Mohali, very little I knew that things will turn upside-
down for me. The next 5 years 2016 to 2021 were going to very tough. Along with joblessness, I struggled with my health,
finances, and mental well-being.
June 2016 – Aug 2017: Gap due to health issues. Couldn’t pursue PhD.
Aug 2017- Started preparing for UPSC. First exam in May 2018- UPSC CSE at the age of 25+.
October 2021- Selected as an AGM in the Food Corporation of India.
I will not go into the details and tell you my emotions after every exam I passed or failed, I am sure you have read many.
You being the aspirant yourself can very well gaze the tides of emotions I have gone through over the years. The table
below summarizes my journey.
2018 2019
• UPSC CSE 2018: Prelims Failed • UPSC CSE 2019: Prelims Failed
• RBI grade B 2018: Prelims Failed • UP PCS 2019: Prelims Failed
• SEBI grade A 2018: Prelims Failed • NABARD grade A 2019: Prelims Failed
• UP PCS 2018: Prelims Failed • NHB Assistant Manager 2019: Prelims Failed
• Bihar PSC 2018: Prelims Failed • LIC AAO 2019: Prelims Failed
• Haryana PSC 2018: Prelims Failed • IDBI Assistant Manager 2019: Prelims Failed
• SSC CGL 2019: Tier-1 Failed
• RBI Grade B 2019: Prelims Pass
• RBI Grade B 2019: Mains Failed
2020 2021
• NABARD grade A 2020- Prelims Pass • RBI Grade B 2021: Prelims Failed
• NABARD grade A 2020- Mains Pass • NPS Grade A 2021: Prelims Failed
• NABARD grade A 2020- Final list out • SBI Clerk 2021: Prelims Failed
• PFRDA Grade A 2020: Prelims Failed • NPS Grade B 2021: Prelims Pass
• SBI PO 2020: Prelims Failed • NPS Grade B 2021: Mains result awaited
• IBPS Clerk 2020: Prelims Failed • IBPS RRB PO 2021: Prelims Pass
• IBPS PO 2020: Prelims Pass • IBPS RRB PO: Mains Pass
• IBPS PO 2020: Mains Failed • NABARD Grade A 2021: Prelims Pass
• SEBI Grade A 2020: Prelims Pass
• SEBI Grade A 2020: Mains Failed FCI Assistant General Manager (AGM) 2021: Final Selection
• Why did it take me 4 years to get a position?
➢ I gave my first exam in 2018 when I already crossed 25 years age. Even after working very hard for 1 year, I couldn’t
clear prelims of UPSC. After this failure, a sense of panic creeped inside me. To get a job on time, I started preparing
for state level examinations. The demand for every exam is different and it is very difficult to prepare for a high level
exam in a few months unless you are exceptional. I failed in all of them and UPSC 2019 was again in front of me. I
failed again and the panic seeped in deep. Since then, I just kept giving exams in a hope to find a job as early as possible
but it will only happen when it has to happen. For me, it happened after 4 years.
• What different I could have done to get the job done in a couple of years?
Two things
1. I would have sticked to UPSC and State PCS exams to maintain the similarity in the subjects to be studied and the
format of the examination process. (I would take this path only if I have age factor in my favor. Considering my age
during 1st UPSC attempt was 25+, I would not prepare for UPSC or PSCs. If I was around 21-22, I would definitely
prepare for the same)
2. At the age of 25, I would rather go for exams conducted by IBPS. The examination process is fast. I would eye high
end examinations like FCI, RBI, SEBI, NABARD, PFRDA, NPS, etc. but I will also give PO and Clerk level examinations
at the same time. So if I don’t clear high end examinations, I will at least secure a job as clerk or PO.
I will not be sharing a strategy for a specific examination I cleared, because there is no one such strategy. Instead, I am
sharing a general preparation guide for you to borrow a point or two in your preparation and you make your OWN
STARTEGY.
General Preparation Guide

SUBJECT SOURCES/STRATEGY
Reasoning Ankush Lamba Sir can teach reasoning to a dead.
Approach in exam: In any exam, first attempt the easy questions (Inequalities, Coding-
Decoding, Syllogism, Blood Relations, Direction test, Alpha-numeric series), then move to
attempt Seating arrangements and Puzzles.
➢ First clear your concepts then run behind speed.
➢ Mocks are must. Be regular.
Quantitative aptitude I followed Arun Sir.

My weakest. I dislike arithmetic like anything.
Approach in exam: My aim is to achieve minimum required marks. I focused on Data
Interpretation, number series, quadratic equations, simplification, and approximation.
English Never followed any teacher. Don’t go on to learn grammar rules.

Give as much mocks you can. Reading newspapers will help for sure. I did not read them
regularly, but you must if you can.
Approach in exam: Attempt Passage after attempting all the other questions.
Can’t emphasize enough on mock tests.
General Awareness My strongest.

I subscribed to Affairs Cloud, it is the best source. Lengthy but best.
Recently, I started following Ashish Gautam Sir, he is good. Watch his daily GA recorded
video in 2x.
Use 2 sources: 1 video and 1 PDF
➢ Ashish Gautam Sir’s Video (Daily or Weekly or Monthly)+ Cloud Affairs PDF (Daily or
weekly or Monthly) OR
GK Today Videos (Daily or Weekly or Monthly)+ Cloud Affairs PDF (Daily or weekly
or Monthly)
➢ The key in GA is: Revision- Revision-Revision
Computer Awareness Coachify YouTube Channel- Watch marathon videos 2-3 times
OR
Oliveboard Computer awareness capsule.
Lately, I have seen that the questions are more application based, so work on your basics.
Descriptive English Ignored by almost every aspirant. Cost me big time in RBI 2019 Mains.
➢ Read newspaper editorials.
➢ Do weekly writing practice of Precise and Essay writing. Use Grammarly.
➢ Focus on your grammar, punctuations, spelling mistakes, etc.
➢ Subscribe to Shivam Sir’s Descriptive Evaluation course
◼ https://t.me/shivamgrb2020
◼ He gave me inputs before my SEBI Mains. It helped me increased my marks
considerably.
Economic and Social Static part (Very less weightage)
Issues ➢ Edutap Summary sheets (Available on telegram) OR
Clarity4sure telegram channel: Quora questionnaire for static part of the syllabus
Current and Contemporary part
➢ Cloud Affairs PDF
➢ PIB: Direct questions are picked up from PIB, I realized it very late. You should not make
mistake of totally relying on monthly compilations and ignoring PIB.
◼ Even the old government schemes that are asked in exams, must have found a
mention in PIB in last 4-6 months.
Management and Ethics Static in nature subjects
Mainly prepared from Edutap summary sheets and Videos. These sources are enough for
Management and Ethics part.
Finance Edutap summary sheets for static part
Affairs cloud PDF and PIB for current and contemporary part.
Agriculture and Rural Static: Clarity4sure telegram/YouTube channel: Videos and PDFs are available for whole
development syllabus for free. I read specific chapters as per the syllabus from Nemraj Sunda Book.
PIB and Affairs Cloud for Current and Contemporary part.
Final suggestion for aspirants

➢ Do not rely on just one exam, Competition is brutal out there. Make list of exams with overlapping syllabus and
prepare for that set of exams. If you have luxury of time and finances then it’s a personal choice.
◼ SEBI, NPS, PFRDA: Exact same syllabus
◼ RBI and NABARD: Descriptive English and ESI same syllabus
◼ PO/Clerk/RBI Asst./LIC AAO , ..etc.: Similar exam pattern and syllabus
➢ Set a target age at which you would like yourself settled. Personally, I believe not more than 25-26 years.
➢ I started with UPSC. Came down to RBI/SEBI/NABARD but till 2020 I was reluctant to appear for PO and Clerk exams
and I lost good amount of time due to that reluctance. This year, I was willing to join even as a Clerk to at least start
my career. But such are the plans of God, I got rid of my ego and now I will be joining as an Assistant General Manager
(AGM) in the Food Corporation of India.
◼ If you are not succeeding in whatever level exam you are preparing for, don’t be reluctant to give lower level
examinations. It will cost you big, your precious youth. Always have high ambitions but keep your ego aside, you
will reach heights.
Many times I lost my motivation during the journey but the hope to see a better tomorrow kept giving me steam to keep
moving. Never lose your hope, I never lost mine.
Yashpal Singh

My Preparation Journey

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Yashpal Singh

October 2021- Selected as an AGM in the Food Corporation of India.

General Preparation Guide

Quantitative aptitude I followed Arun Sir.

English Never followed any teacher. Don’t go on to learn grammar rules.

General Awareness My strongest.

Final suggestion for aspirants

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