Abhishek had lost his father when he was just 10 months old. He was raised by his mother and his mother had taught him about the importance of life. Hard work and discipline is everything when one wants to succeed. Though they had financial problems, they let their dreams fly and were successful in achieving them.
It is frequently stated that there are no shortcuts to success. To achieve success, one must take the difficult way and overcome all barriers. The UPSC test is regarded as one of the most difficult in India. Every successful candidate who is chosen has worked hard and dedicatedly to achieve their goals.
Read about one such person and get to know his biography, UPSC marksheet, UPSC rank, current posting and strategy for UPSC.
IAS Abhishek Saraf Biography
Abhishek Saraf is a Bhopal native who is 29 years old. This, however, was not the start of his success. In 2018, Abhishek Saraf was chosen for Indian Revenue Services. Even after achieving this goal, he aspired to be an IAS officer. If it hadn’t been for his family, Abhishek believes he would not have gotten this far.
Abhishek has overcome every challenge in his life with the help of his mother, who has always been there for him. Abhishek’s father, Arvind Saraf, died when he was ten months old. Pratibha Saraf, his mother, acted as both a mother and a father for him. She always pushed him to be self-disciplined and dedicated. He made everyone proud by not giving up and persevering to achieve success.
Also Read: IAS Suhas Ly Biography: Disability, IAS Rank, UPSC Strategy and Everything You Need to Know
Early Childhood and Education
Abhishek has always been gifted since he was a toddler. He took the JEE exam after finishing his 12th grade and received an All India Rank of 6. In 2013, he graduated from IIT Kanpur with a bachelor’s degree.
He excelled as a merit student while attending this elite university. He had the opportunity to participate in research initiatives both in India and overseas.
Interest in Optional Subject
He was intensely interested in Civil Engineering in college and similarly closed off to all other forms of information.
“Engineering is the greatest kind of knowledge, and Civil Engineering is the greatest form of engineering,”
he used to contend. Because engineering is responsible for making everything work and running the world. Civil engineers design the infrastructure that makes it possible for humans to live in a civilization.”
But he grew out of that degree of ignorance and narrowness of perspective. He was able to get such a result by persistent hard work and patience.
IAS Abhishek Saraf: UPSC Marksheet
| Essay (Paper 1) | 130 |
| General Studies 1 (Paper 2) | 104 |
| General Studies 2 (Paper 3) | 114 |
| General Studies 3 (Paper 4) | 101 |
| General Studies 4 (Paper 5) | 144 |
| Optional 1 (Paper 6) (Civil Engineering) | 124 |
| Optional 2 (Paper 7) (Civil Engineering) | 138 |
| Written Total | 885 |
| Personality Test | 190 |
| Final Total | 1045 |
| Rank | 8 |
IAS Abhishek Saraf: UPSC Rank and Optional Subject
He secured 8th rank all over India in his 4th attempt by choosing civil engineering as his optional subject.
We all have aspirations, but realising them takes a lot of drive, devotion, and effort. Even though life dealt him challenges, Abhishek did not swerve from his path. He took the UPSC test in 2015 but was unable to pass the preliminary examination. Abhishek took a pause till 2017 when he attempted again.
He had a better knowledge of the exam’s pattern this time. This enabled him to pass the UPSC exam, but due to his low rank, he was not selected for an IAS or IRS position.
Also Read: Which Optional Subject is Easy for UPSC? Choose the Most Suitable UPSC Optional Subject!
His Motivation for UPSC
Abhishek had learned from his failures and had re-energized his preparations. He had a strong support system that encouraged him to try again and again till he achieved his objective.
He also took UPSC CSE coaching, but it didn’t help him much. He knew what he needed to work on in his third attempt if he wanted to pass the exam and obtain a good grade.
Abhishek received an All India Rank of 248 and was assigned to the IRS’s customs department.
Journey from IRS to IAS
Abhishek remained committed to being an IAS officer and aspired to be among the Top 100. His dream kept him going, and even after achieving success, he did not give up.
Since he possesses a B.Tech in civil engineering, he chose civil engineering as an optional subject. His ambition has always been to work as an IAS officer in the field of education and skill development.
Abhishek’s maternal uncle is an IAS officer who has influenced and encouraged him greatly. Abhishek is a naturally curious person who enjoys learning new things from a variety of sources.
IAS Abhishek Saraf’s Strategy for UPSC
Aspirants always look up to successful candidates who used strategy and hard work to achieve their objectives. Abhishek Saraf gave several pointers and tactics that young applicants might use to succeed in the exam.
The examination, according to Abhishek, is not exceptional in any way. Toppers’ plan can be followed by aspirants, but the key is to do so regularly and prepare for the examination accordingly.
Prelims and Mains Strategy
According to Abhishek, an aspirant must reorient oneself according to the examination’s requirements. Aspirants should have a thorough understanding of the subjects in the prelims.
The focus of the mains test is on analytical knowledge of the subjects. He explained that in the mains exam, applicants can receive more marks if their answer copy stands out from the rest of the field.
Also Read: How do I Schedule Time Table for UPSC Preparation? Know the Strategy for Prelims and Mains
Tips while Attempting the Exam
Abhishek also explained what he has learned from his previous exam errors. He only attempted 67 of the 100 questions on his first attempt. One should attempt 85 to 90 questions if they want a good chance of passing the preliminary level. His second effort resulted in him losing marks since his interpretation of the essay paper was incorrect.
Abhishek improved his examination writing approach in his fourth attempt. All of his responses were written in points. To make his responses more attractive, he used diagrams, flow charts, and underlines.
Guidance from Friends
The tale and humility of his college senior, Gaurav Agarwal sir, inspired him (AIR-1; CSE 2013).
He obtained useful information for groundwork from his acquaintances and classmates at the start of his preparation. There were also online resources that aided his charting method.
When it comes to materials, each publication has a booklist that may be found online. Previous year’s question papers, as well as toppers’ answer sheets, can be used to determine reading depth. He was fortunate in that he was able to seek advice from a number of acquaintances who had cleared in earlier years.
Essay Strategy
He used intensive essay writing practice as one of his main techniques. He explained that the volume or depth of content knowledge is irrelevant in essay writing. It’s more about the topics’ diversity and breadth of viewpoints. He concentrated more on essay writing and was able to successfully present it.
Pointers that Should be Remembered
#In Prelims, aspirants should answer 85 to 90 questions.
#Aspirants attempting mains should be prepared with analytical responses that they can reproduce in the exam.
#Aspirants should practise writing essays thoroughly.
#To stand out from the throng, employ diagrams, flow charts, and underlines.
#Preparation should be consistent, and short breaks should be taken.
#Make short notes when you read study material that is pertinent to the syllabus.
#Revise and study the NCERT coursework books for classes 10 and 12.
#Keep yourself informed about current events and breaking news.
Why Did He Choose Engineering as Optional Subject?
As an elective, he chose civil engineering. That was due to the fact that he had graduated from the same profession and had also passed the Engineering Services Exam in 2013.
“This subject was a little easier for me to study. As a result, I concentrated on my optional between the prelims and the mains. A whole day’s worth of time was divided into three sections. I read the papers for three to four hours and studied two GS themes for four hours each.”
Also Read: UPSC Preparation Tips for Engineering Students: Here’s the Way Out for Engineers
IAS Abhishek Saraf’s Current Posting
The fact that IAS officials, like other civil servants, serve the broadest cross-section of society in the most direct way compelled him to pursue a career as an IAS officer.
Shri Abhishek Saraf IAS (2020), has been assigned to Indian Administrative Service(IAS) in the Madhya Pradesh cadre on the basis of the Civil Services Examination(CSE)-2019.
Conclusion
Abhishek’s family made certain that they addressed any issues without bothering him. That allowed him to concentrate solely on his schoolwork without feeling stressed. Despite the burden it imposed on his family, his family granted him complete freedom to make as many tries as he wanted.
One can be highly motivated and inspired by his journey. Candidates should have determination and zeal to achieve their desired score and dream. UPSC Pathshala’s Foundational Course is the best fit for those who have the determination and want to do hard work. If the candidates are looking for a course where they want to achieve their desired rank and want guidance then opting for the courses at UPSC Pathshala is the best thing to do.
Also Read: Abhishek Saraf Optional Subjects: Highlighting the Importance of Consistency
This article has brought enthusiasm and courage to me for pursuing my dreams.
This article is indeed inspiring. Thank you for sharing it.
This IAS officer’s journey from IRS to IAS is truly mesmerizing and magnificent.
All the sufferings paid off at last. It’s a very motivating story