Life sometimes takes us through a roller coaster ride. Sometimes we are dancing above the seventh cloud, and sometimes we are buried down a ten feet thick layer of concrete. Today, I’m going to tell you such a story which entails such a dramatic shift of fortune again and again. My goal for writing this article is to make aware many Civill Services candidates who are in a dilemma about how to proceed ahead after unsuccessful attempts in Civil Services Examination (CSE).
Let me start with a little background first. Like a typical middle-class family teenager, I took science in 12th with a dream of becoming an engineer later. After clearing IIT after intermediate and getting an all India rank of 1418 in AIEEE, I chose to pursue Electronics and Communication Engineering from NITK Surathkal Karnataka. After four years of learning and hard work, the spirit of social work took me towards the preparation of one of the toughest examination of India, the Civil Services Examination.
I started with faith and determination to clear the prestigious exam and serve the country and its populace with all the strength I can gather and contribute in the process of taking India to the path of prosperity and development. I managed to reach to the interview stage twice for CSE 2014 and CSE 2016. Given the unpredictable nature of the examination, I started working for an NGO to gain the know-how of working in the social sector. Later, I decided to work on my plan B, that is securing a good percentile in CAT and getting admission in an IIM.
The time I had devoted to the preparation of CSE came handy during the CAT preparation. I was able to get into the coveted 99+ percentile range. The habit of reading two newspapers and following many magazines, I secured 99.99 percentile in the verbal section. The hours put in for the CSAT paper II of CSE was also helpful in the quantitative aptitude section of the CAT.
I converted IIM Rohtak and few other second-generation IIMs. I had a personal inclination towards finance domain, so I chose IIM Rohtak given its affiliation with the CFA Institute. There I further realised the value of the knowledge I gained during the CSE preparation. In MBA, knowledge about diverse topics is considered a prerequisite.
Civil services preparation gave me latitude of knowledge in domains encompassing from economics to international relations. Apart from gaining knowledge about the required subjects, I used to follow the events happening in the country and beyond. Hence, I was updated with relevant national and international events. It helped me a lot during the group discussions and debate competitions in the college. It is also going to be very helpful in the group discussion process during the summer internship placements and final placements. It also benefits in the courses that follow case-based pedagogy as a CSE aspirant can see the minute details and read in between the lines of a case study.
Apart from the advantages, I would like to forward some suggestions based on my 2-month experience at IIM Rohtak. First, developing critical think about the objects we see around is very necessary to be successful as a manager. For example, a lot of planning and research goes into placing an innocent-looking bookshelf in the mall or designing a tagline for a product. One should always think critically about anything that he/she encounters. Inculcating this habit into the thinking process will help anyone, not particularly a CSE aspirant to become a successful manager.
Finally, I would like to wish everyone all the very best for the coming CAT examination. For the CSE aspirants who have been looking for an alternative career, I would suggest that the best time for a new beginning is now. Work hard for the CAT examination and a career in MBA will welcome you to a world with new goals and new dreams.