Afzal Ali reached the interview stage in his first UPSC attempt, but he couldn’t secure a spot in the final results. He was disappointed when he could not even clear the prelims in his second try. However, he persevered and secured 574th position in UPSC CSE 2023.
Afzal Ali, a resident of Kesariya block in the East Champaran district of Bihar, secured the 574th position in UPSC CSE 2023. His mother, Shahnaz Noori, works as an Anganwadi worker, and his father, Amjad Ali, is a government school teacher. This was his third attempt at UPSC. He reached the interview stage in his first attempt but fell short by a few marks.
Education
Afzal Ali completed his schooling from Sainik School. He pursued his undergraduate degree in Geography from the renowned Banaras Hindu University in 2021 before embarking on his UPSC journey. He also had a dream of clearing the NDA exams, but he could not make it to the final list of selected candidates due to medical fitness reasons. However, he did not lose hopes and decided to pursue UPSC.
UPSC preparation
In his UPSC journey, Afzal appeared for the first two attempts from Varanasi. Despite reaching the interview stage in his first try, he couldn’t secure a spot in the final results. He was disappointed when he could not even clear the prelims in his second attempt. However, he was determined to achieve his goals. Initially, he had prepared for UPSC through self-study. For his third attempt, he enrolled for coaching in Delhi.
Importance of mock tests
Afzal emphasizes the importance of mock tests for UPSC aspirants. It helps with time management and managing exam-related anxiety. He advises that aspirants can attempt around 25 to 30 prelim mock tests and 15 Mains tests about two to three months before the exam. Furthermore, he mentions that completing the syllabus and revising it thoroughly is important before writing the mock tests, as only then one can assess their performance.
More study tips
He recommends taking tests and making concise notes for easier revision. Reviewing the previous years’ question papers is crucial for UPSC preparation. By focusing on these things, aspirants can easily make their own strategies and clear the exams with flying colours.
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