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About Preetam Kumar

Preetam Kumar, who secured AIR 9 in the UPSC Civil Services Examination (CSE) of 2021, hails from Kotra village in Sikar district, Rajasthan. His journey to this prestigious rank was not easy; he faced several challenges and setbacks during his preparation. This was his third attempt at the exam, where he finally achieved his dream of joining the Indian Administrative Service (IAS).

Quick Information Table:

Name Preetam Kumar
Age (at qualifying) 24 years
Rank 9
Attempt 3
Optional Subject Mathematics
Family Background 4 members; father is a Kargil war veteran and a Lower Divisional Clerk (LDC) in the Rajasthan state government. His mother is a homemaker, and he has a younger brother.
Hometown Kotra, Sikar, Rajasthan
School Local school in Rajasthan
College & Stream IIT Ropar, B.Tech in Electrical Engineering
Selected for Indian Administrative Service (IAS)

Educational Background

Preetam completed his B.Tech in Electrical Engineering from IIT Ropar. Following his graduation, he started preparing for the UPSC exams. His choice of optional subject was Mathematics, which played a crucial role in his success during the exam​.

Family Background

Preetam comes from a family of four. His father is a Kargil war veteran and works as a Lower Divisional Clerk (LDC) in the Rajasthan state government. His mother is a homemaker, and he has one younger brother. The family's support played a significant role in his motivation and preparation for the civil services exam.

Why Chosen for Civil Services

Initially, Preetam was indifferent to joining the civil services, but during his college years, he began exploring various career options. He felt drawn to civil services due to its potential for making a significant impact on society and serving the nation. His father’s aspirations and values also motivated him to pursue this path. He believes that civil services offer an excellent platform to contribute to public welfare and address pressing issues faced by the community.

Marks Obtained

Subject Marks
Written Total 829
Interview 201
Final Total 1030

Struggles and Challenges

Preetam faced numerous challenges on his path to success. Despite his strong educational background, he couldn't clear the UPSC exam in his first two attempts, both times reaching the interview stage but falling short by a narrow margin. This was a demoralizing experience for him. He faced a particularly tough time after scoring only 132 marks in the interview during his second attempt. However, he overcame these setbacks through unwavering determination and the support of friends and family, which fueled his resolve to succeed.

Preparation Strategy

For Prelims:

  1. Focus on Static Portion: Preetam emphasizes understanding the static part of the syllabus, as it constitutes a significant portion of the questions. He used NCERT books along with standard texts like Indian Polity by M. Laxmikanth and History of Modern India by Spectrum.
  2. Current Affairs: He interlinked current affairs with static topics and relied on a year’s worth of current affairs for preparation, minimizing the resources to avoid confusion​.
  3. Mock Tests: He dedicated the month before the exam to taking one mock test daily, analyzing performance, and identifying areas for improvement​.

For Mains:

  1. Answer Writing: Preetam stresses the importance of structuring answers with a clear introduction, body, and conclusion. He advised starting with a compelling fact or statistic to engage the evaluator​.
  2. Regular Revision: He focused on regular revisions of his notes to reinforce knowledge and clarity on various subjects


For Interview:

  1. Personality Development: Preetam believes in the significance of personal development and being well-versed with current affairs and socio-economic issues.
  2. Mock Interviews: He practiced through mock interviews, which helped him gain confidence and reduce anxiety.

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