Garima Agrawal, who topped the UPSC exam, changed her career path to fulfill her dream of becoming an IAS officer. Here are her tips for preparing for the preliminary exam.
Millions of candidates will take the UPSC prelims 2023 next month. These candidates are studying tirelessly to pass one of India’s most difficult exams. Passing the UPSC Civil Service Exam allows one to become an IAS or IPS officer, regardless of their profession, whether they are a doctor, engineer, or accountant. Garima Agrawal is an example of a UPSC topper who changed her career path to fulfill her dream of becoming an IAS officer.
Who is IAS Garima Agarwal?
Garima Agrawal received her early education from Saraswati Vidya Mandir located in Khargone. She exhibited intelligence and aptitude from a young age. In addition, her elder sister Preeti Agarwal also passed the Indian Postal Service examination in 2013.
Garima has been successful in every endeavor she has undertaken, from school to the UPSC Civil Services. Despite belonging to a family of businessmen, Garima had a strong academic focus. She attended Saraswati Vidya Mandir in Khargone and scored 92% in class 10 and 89% in class 12.
After completing her schooling, Garima Agrawal cleared the JEE exam and got admission in IIT Hyderabad. She pursued engineering and later did an internship in Germany. After returning to India, Garima decided to shift her career path to become an IAS officer. She spent around 1.5 years preparing for the UPSC exam, during which she focused on her academics and dedicated herself to her studies.
Cleared UPSC two times
In 2017, Garima Agrawal successfully passed the UPSC Civil Services Examination with a score of 240 and was selected for the Indian Police Service (IPS). However, Garima did not stop there and continued to prepare for the UPSC exam as she felt unsatisfied. She pursued her education at the Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel Police Academy in Hyderabad while also undergoing training.
In 2018, Garima Agrawal reappeared for the UPSC CSE exam and successfully secured the 40th rank, fulfilling her aspiration of becoming an IAS officer. She currently holds the position of Assistant District Magistrate in Telangana.
IAS Garima Agarwal’s success mantra
Garima suggests that candidates should prepare for the UPSC preliminary, main, and interview exams collectively instead of individually. She advises that similar questions can appear in both the UPSC Preliminary and Main exams, so revising regularly is crucial. Garima emphasizes that success cannot be achieved just by collecting study materials; it also requires thorough studying. She recommends taking mock exams and practicing writing answers to questions to improve the speed and efficiency of answering.
