THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Abhiram G Shankar, ranked fourth in the UPSC Civil Service Examination, does not exactly remember the last time he sent a scrap on Orkut.
He does not remember either, the last time he sat through an entire film. But the State topper in the Civil Service Examination precisely remembers every single question in perfect order, one by one, he was asked during the final interview of the UPSC Civil Service Examination.
‘‘You’ve got to have a sense of discretion. You cannot remember everything you study. But once you know how to remember what really matters and reproduce it at the right time, your success is guaranteed,’’ Abhiram, a native of Attingal, puts it crisply before excusing himself to pose for mediamen and to receive the guests pouring in.
Once he decided to aim at Civil Service chucking offers from MNCs, this B Tech graduate never logged on to any community sites. Except for the fifteen minutes he would talk to his parents every day from the training academy in Chennai, Abhiram was literally cocooned.
‘‘It was not that I was always studying. But I didn’t want any kind of distractions during my studies. The best way to ensure that was to stay away from what could possibly distract me. My friends were always accommodative and it really helped me.’’
Abhiram was resolved to grab his aim on the first chance and for this reason he even renewed his decision.
‘‘I had thought that I would work for two years and then study. But as I finished my B Tech, I felt I could not resist my ambition.’’ He says how this surge one feels inside could make you work for nothing.
‘‘Before I joined Shankar’s Academy in Chennai, I had spent four months studying at my home. I would work out a 12-hour time table and would read everything. Once I joined the academy, I realised how I can produce maximum output from minimal material, something which is very important while preparing for Civil Service,’’ he says.
Abhiram, who had opted Geography and Political Science and International Relations, suggests that a thorough perusal of NCERT textbooks from class 6 to 10 is the ideal way to prepare for General Studies. His way to success is simple. ‘‘Select four or five best books for your optionals. Read newspapers, magazines regularly and more importantly try to get the background of news rather than waste your time reading that news itself. We are asked not to answer but to analyse and for that you need to understand the background of every topic.’’
What if he had failed miserably in his first attempt?
‘‘I would have felt crushed and devastated. But that would not have lasted for more than a week. I am not much of an emotional person. I hardly get over-affected by something - be it joy or grief. IAS was my dream and I knew that I will clinch that dream, someday or other. I am glad that I realised my dream in my first chance and I am really thankful to my parents and friends who have been my real support’’ he says.