‘UPSC isn’t just an exam, it’s my goal & dream’

Every year, thousands of aspirants across India set their sights on cracking the prestigious UPSC Civil Services Examination. Known for its rigour and competitiveness, the exam demands not only academic excellence but also unwavering dedication, discipline, and clarity of purpose. For many students, especially those from the Humanities stream, UPSC represents a path to meaningful public service and a chance to make a lasting impact on society.

Meet Yash Kumar, a Class XII student at Apeejay School, Panchsheel Park, who has dreamt of being part of the UPSC since he was in Class VI. In an impromptu interview, he shares his plans.

What are your plans after Class XII?

I’m preparing for CUET right now, and my long-term goal is to appear for the UPSC exam.

Why UPSC? Is someone from your family in the administrative services?

No one in my family is from the administrative services. But back in Class VI, my mother showed me an interview on the Drishti IAS YouTube channel. I got inspired, and since then I’ve been interested in UPSC and Social Sciences.

Is Political Science your chosen subject?

I want to take Political Science and Psychology. Psychology is a great subject — it offers various options like being a counsellor or psychologist, in case UPSC doesn’t work out.

That brings us to an important question. Do you believe one should have a Plan B?

Earlier I did. In Class XI, I thought of a backup. But then a teacher advised me to drop it, saying that if you had Plan B, the chances of succeeding in Plan A decrease. So now I’m fully focused on UPSC. But yes, I have kept options in mind, like doing Geography Honours and maybe working in the agriculture or weather department. I also thought about content creation.

UPSC requires years of consistent preparation. How are you preparing yourself for that discipline?

I’m working on consistency. For instance, I used to go to the gym regularly but would often skip sessions after a week. Now I’ve joined a gym and haven’t skipped a single day this past week. I also track my study time using a stopwatch. While I can’t study for 6 hours at a stretch like some claim, I usually manage 1.5 hours of focused study daily.

What kind of support are you getting from your parents?

My mother is very supportive. She takes tuition for students from Classes VI to VIII, and since UPSC requires NCERT knowledge from Class VI onwards, she sends those students to me for tutoring. So, I’m teaching them too, which helps me revise my basics.