[CAPF Topper] Ashutosh Tiwari Rank 214: B.Tech Lucknow

1. CAPF Topper Profile
2. Education
3. Introduction
4. Electronic Vs Paper material
5. Tempo and style
6. GS and Aptitude paper
7. Accuracy in GS paper
8. Descriptive paper
9. Four Essays
10. Report writing?
11. CAPF Physical Efficiency Test
12. Any blunder in filling DAF ?
13. Interview by UPSC Panel
14. UPSC Interview Transcript
15. After the interview
16. Service preference
17. UPSC CSE-2013 experience
18. Career Backup
19. Wisdom
20. Credit: Friends/family
21. Bogus Marketing Propaganda

CAPF Topper Profile

Name	Ashutosh Tiwari
Rank in CAPF-2013	214
Roll No.	055951
Age	22 years 10 months
No. of previous attempts in CAPF	zero
Home town/city	lucknow
Work-experience if any	No
other competitive exams including success & failures	IB written not cleared Mppsc pre not cleared Uppsc RO pre not cleared FCI MT given interview(result awaited)
coaching/postal material (if used)	GS-RAO lucknow, Ramesh Singh Economics, Pol Sci by Shubhra Mam
· Hobbies · Extra-Curricular Activities	Reading shayaris and short stories won prizes in debates, creative writing and quizzes. was Tagore House Captain in class XII (all these things were mentioned in my DAF)
Do you have NCC certificate?	No

Education

% in class 10		90.2
	% in class 12		87.4
Schooling (Medium)		CBSE (english)
Graduation course & %		B-Tech 71.5
	College & batch-year		BBDNITM LUCKNOW 2009-13
	Post-graduation		No
	Any professional courses		No

Introduction

Q. Tell us something about yourself and your family. When and why did you enter in the competitive exam field?

I was born and brought up in lucknow. I’ve done my schooling from HAL School Lucknow.

My father works in H.A.L lucknow. My mother is a home maker. Though I’ve done B-Tech in Electronics & Communication I’m still a naive as engineer. As far I remeber I never wanted to be an engineer. It was my father who want me a secure future pursuaded me to do engineering. It was my dream from childhood to clear UPSC CSE that made my entry in competitive field and I’m still running to fulfill my dream.

 

Electronic Vs Paper material

Q. In recent times, there is spur in electronic material- blogs, sites, pdfs, RSS-feeds. Many aspirants feel bogged down by this information overload. So, how much do you rely on electronic material and how much on the paper material (Books, newspapers)? If possible narrate a typical day in your studylife. What is your style of preparation (e.g. I continue making notes no matter what I’m reading, I just read multiple times but don’t maintain notes, I make mindmaps on computer …or xyz style)

Though I rely more on paper materials but I keep on visiting blogs and other website of repute.

I believe in either making notes or highlighting main points in books. All my books and copies have almost 80% of there pages highlighted either with pen, pencil or highlighter.

 

Tempo and style

Q. People know what books and syllabus topics are to be prepared. But most of them lack consistency in their preparation. So, how did you keep study momentum going on? How do you fight against the mood swings and distractions?

Mood Swings and distractions are part of preparation. Everyone has to face such things.

As my hobby is reading shayari I kept myself motivated with Allama Iqbal, Mirza Ghalib, Faiz and various other poets couplets. To gain my momentum back I used to listen songs of Kailash kher, Nusrat fateh ali khan and bhajans of vinod agarwal.

GS and Aptitude paper

Q1. Please share the list of resources you used, your strategy and other tips for benefit of future aspirants.

Topic	input
History Ancient	ncert
History Medieval	ncert, lucent
History Modern (Freedom Struggle)	bipan chandra
Culture society	internet
Polity (theory + current)	laxmikant
Economy (theory + current)	arihant magbook
Science (theory + current)	ncert
Environment (theory + current)	mrunal.org
geography physical	wizard
geography India	wizard
geography world	wizard
other national/international current affairs	online
Schemes, Policy & Filler Stuff	mrunal.org
Maths	r s agarwal
Data interpretation	arihant pub.
Reasoning	arihant

Accuracy in GS paper

	input
How many MCQs did you attempt?	81
How many of them correct (When solved at home)?	75
official score (when UPSC uploads)

Q. What’s your overall experience with GS paper? (E.g. it was on expected lines as per my preparation, it was quite tougher than earlier years etc.)

It was on expected lines and i find it was easier than earlier years.

P.S I solved few earlier years papers for practice.

Descriptive paper

Q. How did you prepare the Essay, grammar, précis and report writing?

The Hindu’s editorials played a great role here for me.

Four Essays

This time, UPSC required the candidates to write 4 out of 6 essays. Which of the following did you attempt? And what were your keypoints in them?

Topic	your key points
doctor-pharma nexus	wrote about increasing nexus, no more a service profession, wrote about its harmful impacts
interstate water dispute	wrote about nessesity and scarcity of water, problems associated with such dispute, solution
social reformers in freedom struggle	wrote about raja ram mohan, pt ishwar chandvidya sagar, swami vivekanand, syed ahmed khan, abdul lateef, veersalingam, periyar, and many more and there contribution.
falling rupee & Indian economy	wrote about currency depriciation, its positive and negative impacts
China’s aggressive policy
media publicity on terrorism

Argument For-Against

This time, UPSC required candidates to write both arguments for and against the given statements. so what were your keypoint in it?

Topic	Argument for	against
casteless society becomes distant through issues raised by reservation	reservation a good servant but a bad master.politicisation of reservation. merit issues not well targeted. fruits are not reaching to the real beneficiary.	still a hope for millions, living in utmost povertyprovide a level plying field
women empowerment is urban phenomenon	wrote about the differences between urban women and grameen mahila,urban women more educated occupying big posts excelling in every field	rural women seems less empowered

Report writing?

Did you write report the same way you wrote essay? or did you apply any special format/structure here?

Topic	keypoints
Uttarakhand tsunami & Military	wrote about devastation, praised the role of miltary in disaster mangement.
Ethics crisis in cricket	no more a gentle man game.various examples of such incidents monkey gate, ponting showing out to umpire etc

Q. What is your overall experience with descriptive paper (e.g. too lengthy paper, grammar tougher than previous paper etc.)

I found grammar little bit difficult and paper was lengthy too, but I was able to complete it well in time.

CAPF Physical Efficiency Test

Q1. To pass Physical Efficiency Tests (PET), what preparation did you do at home?

I was living in Mayur Vihar phase 1 when the written result was declared and I made my mind clear that Come what may I’ve to clear physical as there was a marvellous incentive of UPSC INTERVIEW. I started working on building my stamina and here I got a great help from my friend Shashank Tyagi(body builder) he adviced me to avoid escalators and try to climb the ladders of metro station quickly, we often race there. Apart from it thrice a week I went for 15 min jogging in morning, where I practice 100 m. I also visited a nearby Sanjay lake couple of time with my friend Satyendra there we do somewhat 3 to 4 min exercise.

I watched various videos on youtube for long jump and throwing shotput.

Q2. Where was your PET held?

CRPF Jharoda Kalan New Delhi

Q3. Please narrate your actual experience PET test with readers.

Before the actaul test chest, height and weight measurement happens and there I fell short in chest measurement. Then they asked me to do some pushups. After some 25 pushups they measured me 81and 86 cms. And by then it was almost 10.25 am and the sun was at its broad. Then starts 100 m of which I was pretty sure to make in the required time.

After 100 m, there comes the most dreadful part of PET for me 800m, in which they asked all of us to run at same time and this make it easier as many others were having the same feeling about 800m. After 800m, it was a time for long jump. In last there was shotput which was easiest in PET. My overall experience of PET was good, we were provided with 2 to 3 minute breaks after every event. Officers at Jharoda kalan were very helping and generous.

Any blunder in filling DAF ?

I made two silly mistakes in filling DAF. First I misspell word electronics as electronis. Second I wrote in place of home district of parents, the district headquarter.Before interview I was tensed as I’ve done a big blunder. Then my friend Pawan and Sanchit told me that its not a big issue, to err is human, no need to worry about that. And the board avoided my mistake and I’m finally in :).

Interview by UPSC Panel

Q1. How did you prepare for the interview? Particularly college graduation subjects related questions?

For interview I made the list of all expected questions with there best suitable answers (list of questions can be found in one of the article at mrunal.org). Apart from it I worked on each and every aspect of my DAF.

I practiced for interview with my friend Pawan Rai, Sanchit Maheshwari and kamlesh unfortunately they did not make into the final list.

For College graduation subject I read about 3G,4G, IC’s, Diodes, Triodes, LTE, WiFi, Bluetooth and various other basic questions related to ECE.

However not a single question related to these things was asked in interview.
Q2. Where did you stay for the interview? (Hotel / friend’s home …) and what books/material did you bring for the ‘revision before interview’?

I was already living in Mayur Vihar P-I New Delhi.

Q3. Who was the chairman of you interview board?

Mr Hem Chandra Gupta , former IITD physics professor

Q4. How long was the interview?

Around 30 to 35 min

Q5. Why do you want to become an Assistant commandant? Why don’t you continue in your graduation field? [Since I don’t know whether they asked you this question or not. But if they had asked- what will be your reply?]

They asked only the first part

My answer- Men in uniform inspires me.

If they had asked the second part too, my answer would be the same, I always wanted to become a police officer and CAPF AC is going to get me the same.

UPSC Interview Transcript

Q. Please narrate your entire interview- what questions did they ask and what did you reply and other pleasant or uncomfortable experiences during the interview. (Earlier some toppers only tell me their question but not their answer. I would appreciate if you give both Question + your original answers)

C- full form of HAL ?

Me- hindustan aeronautics limited

C-who was babu banarsi das ?

Me- he was a freedom fighter, an MP from buland sehar and CM of UP for 1 year.

C-was he MLA or MP ?

Me- no sir he was MP on janata party ticket (poor me…when he was CM how come he is not MLA)

C-aap shayari padhte hi hai ya use yaad bhi rakhte hai ?

Me- yaad b rakhte hai

C-kon kon se shayaro ko aap padhte hai ?

Me- iqbal, Ghalib, Ahmad Faraj

C-ek shairi sunaiye is board k liye ?

Me-blank

C-mahaul k liye hi suna dijiye

Me- har maqaam k aage maqaam hai tera,

hayaat zauq e safar k siwa kuch b nahi.

One member was south indian, so he asked me to explain the crux of my shayari

Me- your destiny is above all destinies, life is nothing but a pleasorous journey.

C-why you want to join CAPF ?

Me- I like mens in uniform

C-What is MIS?

Me- sorry sir no idea

C-management info system

Me- (I dont know what happened to me I started guessing and when I was trapped by the board I said sorry I was guessing)

M1-theory of relativity ?

Me- told

M1-aapne kab padha tha ?

Me- sir kaafi pehle

M1-kya aapko samajh me aa gaya tha us waqt ?

Me- yes sir

(now he made mockery of me, that nobody at the time of einstein understood this and you’re saying u understood )

lucknawi culture ?

Me- talked about tehjeeb and pehle aap

M1- kya competition me pehle aap chal paega ?

Me- sir competition me to nahi magar uske baad chal jaega

(then he smiled)

M2-communal harmony maintain kaise karenge administration me ?

Me- jo log mahaul kharab kar sakte hai unke upar nigaah rakh kar or agar wo koi kadam uthate hai to turant kaarvaahi kar ke.

M2-aapne kafi kuch likha hai daf me prize wagerah k bare me or aapko short stories padhne ka shauq h…kuch foreign writers k naam bataye ?

Me- O henry, mark twain, chekhov

inke desh ka b naam bataye?

Me- told

M1-

kuch hindi k lekhako ka b naam bataye ?

Me- premchand, mahashweta verma(i did a blunder again)

M2-Mahashweta verma ???

mahashweta devi or mahadevi verma, or mahashweta devi to short story nahi likhti

M2-tasleeema nasreen haal me charcha me thi kya aap unhe jaante hai ?

unki kitaab ?

Me- ji sir, islamic kattarpanthi unke bharat me sharan k khilaaf hai

kitab – lajja

M2-jawaanon ko aajkal bahut si pareshaaniya rehti hai, use kaise niptaayenge ?

Me- sir dikkate sab k sath hai, mil baant k suljhayenge

discipline or persnl problms k nivaaran me kisko chunenge ?

Me- (after thinking for a while) discipline

C-nehru ji ki economic policy ?

kaha tak ye policy safal rahi ?

Me- told

japan or germany ww2 k baad ab tak kafi tarakki kar chuke hai..industries me wo top 5 me hai India kaafi peeche reh gaya..to kya nehru ji safal rahe ?

ME- sir wo ww k pehle developed the, India goolami ki janzeero me jakda hua tha, angrezo ne hame loot kar k hammaari sthithi dayniya bana di thi

japan k model k bare me aapko pata hai ?

Me – nahi(then he told me how japan made progress after ww.)

M2- samaaj me kafi bura ho raha hai aaj kal..iska kya kaaran hai ?

iska samadhaan ?

Me- education ki kami hai

M2- CHALIYE AAPKA AAKHIRI SAWAAL

what is more governance n less govt ?

Me- to do more, show less (again blunder)

then he told me about that

NOW AGAIN I DID A BLUNDER…

I STAND UP TO GO..

C-M3 you ask your questions

M-3

role of pv narasimha rao ?

how lpg benefit will reach downtrodden ?

globalisation has increased inequality ?

rao foreign policy ?

what is LOOK east policy ?

Me – told

which one aacc to u represent Indian women draupadi or satyawati ?

do u know who was savitri ?

me- sir draupadi

and why so ?

Me- sir savitri was much dedicated to her husband satyavaan, we dont find such dedication in women of today

M3,M2- and why draupadi ?

Me – thinking

C- feel free to answer

Me- she led fighting between brothers

All the board members started laughing

C- you can leave now

 

After the interview

Q1. Was your interview on the expected lines of what you had prepared or did they ask you totally unexpected questions? Was it a stress interview, did they ask any uncomfortable questions? If yes, how did you handle it?

Some questions which I was expecting on the things which I’ve mentioned in DAF and some on internal security were asked by the interviewing panel. Few unexpected questions were also there.

It was a normal interview in which I was a little bit stressed ;). Not a single uncomfortable question was asked.

The board was very cordial & in a question reagarding depiction of present Indian women as Draupadi/Savitri, Chairman Sir and other members asked me to feel free in answering.

Q2. Any side details about technicalities like “make sure you bring xyz document or do xyz thing, or you’ll face problem”?

I did not carried the xerox of my degree and 10th passing certificate. The person who was verifying the documents asked me to give an undertaking and said, come to E 22 Hall of UPSC with originals after interview and there he himself did the photocopy and teared the undertaking. I must say the staff there is very cooperative and applicants need not to worry even if they are not carrying the aforesaid docs.

 

Service preference

Q1. What is your service preference order BSF,CRPF, CISF, ITBP?

CISF,CRPF,BSF,ITBP

Q2. How/Why did you pickup that order?

I visited your blog and read toppers interview and there preferences and then decided the above order.

UPSC CSE-2013 experience

If you had appeared in UPSC civil service exam 2013, please reply following

Q1. Your marksheet for prelims and mains

No

Q2. Your overall experience and words of wisdom about CSAT, GS, Aptitude, optional and essay

NA

Career Backup

Q1. If you were not selected, what was your career backup plan?

UPSC CSE will be the backup.

I’ve given FCI MT interview and I was expecting an affirmative result there.

Q2. When were you going to execute that backup plan (e.g. after third attempt, after dad retires, after girlfriend dumps me etc.)

Now they have provided us 6 attempts and age of 32, I think that’s sufficient .

Q3. If you were to re-appear in CAPF-2014 then what modifications would you make in your studies?

I’dlike to work on paper II,adding more points and arguements in essay.

I would also like to control my nerve during the interview :p

Wisdom

Q1. Through this journey and success, what wisdom did you gain about life and competitive exams? What is your message to new aspirants?

Hayaat Zauq e safar ke siva kuch bhi nahi…Life is nothing but a joyful journey.

Competition is getting tougher day by day but all you need is consistency.

One should live by this wisdom of swami vivekananda that, Every day in every way I’m getting better. Have faith in yourself, No goal is too distant, no exam is too difficult.

Build your ego, Fight with yourself, success is all yours.

You’re born to blossom.
Q2. UPSC had cleared nearly 2500 candidates from CAPF-prelims. You’re selected but many others did not. They’re feeling dejected with this whole competitive exam business. What is your message to them?

Nahi tera nasheman qaisar i sultani k gumbad par,

tu shaheen hai basera kar pahaado ki chattanon pe…

Never let your spirit low. Failure is never final. You’re the hero of your story. And yes, picture abhi baaki hai mere dost ;).

Credit: Friends/family

Q. Behind every topper are many people who stood by him/her during those uncertain times when he/she was merely an ‘aspirant’. Would you like to tell the world, who were those people in your case? Any specific incidence that you would like to share with the readers?

I owe my success in CAPF AC to Goddess Radha, my family and all my friends for there support. I must mention my sister Anju who provided all cost of my coaching and sended me 10k bucks every month, my brother Chandramani and sister chandra for encouraging me. I’m also thankful to Gaurav(prince),Sumit, Shanky, Dev, Apurv etc (list is exhaustive).

Bogus Marketing Propaganda

Q. You are well aware for the sacred rule. The last question in topper interview, must be about self-marketing. So, Did you use Mrunal.org for your preparation and if yes, how did it help you? And you can even reply “No”. I’ll publish your answer without tempering.

I’m a regular visitor of mrunal.org. If I’m not wrong than I’m following you from 2012, infact I ‘m among those who eagerly waits for new articles at mrunal.org. Articles published here are helpful in almost every competitive exam. Please keep on writing articles, your articles are of great help to aspirants.