"There is an element of luck in everything, so it is important to believe in yourself and prepare accordingly. It's not cool to let an exam like UPSC defeat you," said Sidharth Ramkumar, who secured the fourth rank in the UPSC Civil Services exam. The 27-year-old was speaking at an event held by Malayala Manorama along with Vedik IAS Academy that was attended by around 20-25 CSE aspirants on April 25.
“Focus more on the content and mode of presentation,” said Sidharth when asked about his way of attempting essays. For study materials and content sources, he relied mainly on telegram and YouTube channels as well as avid reading of newspapers and books.
When asked by the audience how he got into this field despite having studied architecture, "Alongside engineers, district collectors play a major role in the development of a city. So, I believe that my architectural background will pay off for society,” was his response.
The students seemed very tense as they were preparing for the prelims and almost all the questions were related to his exam preparations, attitude and behaviour. “It depends on how we express our opinion. Our body language also plays an important role in the interview round. The essays should grab the attention of the evaluator right from the beginning, so it is up to us to make sure that our essays stand out,” Sidharth said. He added that honesty and a humble attitude work wonders during interviews.
“It is always important to keep the atmosphere of the interview very relaxed," recalled Sidharth when asked about his interview experience. He was asked by the panel about the fear that normal people have towards the police. His reply “I still fear the police even though I'm literally undergoing IPS training”, however, lightened the tense atmosphere in the room.
When asked why he chose anthropology as his elective subject, he said, "I was able to relate anthro to architecture and the syllabus seemed quite interesting and short". His own notes and consistent study pattern helped him extensively. Not an active social media user, Sidharth enjoys watching movies and playing cricket in his spare time.
Sidharth Ramkumar attended the programme along with his parents. Dr Babu Sebastian, Founder and Chancellor of Vedhik IAS Academy, addressed the audience and emphasised that perseverance plays a crucial role in achieving this prestigious position.
