What Drove UPSC CSE AIR 2 Animesh Pradhan to Mentor Aspirants Post Selection
'In the beginning, I struggled not because I lacked knowledge, but because I couldn't translate that knowledge into structured, time-bound answers that met the demand of UPSC Mains questions,' recalls Animesh Pradhan, who secured AIR 2 in UPSC CSE 2024. Working full-time at Indian Oil Corporation while preparing for the exam, Animesh had to master the art of writing crisp, well-argued answers under strict word and time limits. To refine this critical skill, he followed a disciplined routine—writing answers during his off hours, scanning and uploading them for review, and receiving detailed feedback from his mentors.
For Animesh, the preparation journey was one filled with challenges. Reflecting on his journey, he acknowledges that many factors contributed to his success—his upbringing, schooling, college, peers, family, and most importantly, the mentors whose consistent feedback helped him improve step by step to emerge as a topper.
Navigating Challenges
Even with a fixed study routine, Animesh struggled to improve where it mattered most. Without regular feedback or someone to keep him accountable, he often fell into the trap of revising what he already knew—while ignoring the tougher, high-scoring areas that needed his focus the most.
He knew he needed more than just motivation—he needed someone to help him spot the blind spots in his preparation, push him in the right direction, and course-correct before it was too late. This search for structured fault-finding and empathetic mentorship led him to the Ultimate Assessment Program at Civilsdaily IAS. There, he was paired with mentors who had recently been through the grind of UPSC themselves. They reviewed his weekly progress, helped him prioritize from the vast syllabus, and provided real-time course correction—ensuring he stayed on track. With just 5–6 hours of daily study while continuing his full-time job at Indian Oil Corporation, Animesh cleared the exam in his first attempt.
Animesh's preparation journey became all the more challenging as he grappled with the profound personal loss of his mother during this time. Preparing alone was mentally draining for him and his peers couldn't understand what he was going through. Attributing his success to his mentor Animesh mentioned that Civilsdaily IAS supported him not just academically but also emotionally. His journey is a testament to the power of personalized mentorship in achieving success.
From Mentee to Mentor
Animesh always aspired to work at the grassroots level and give back to the future aspirants by helping them with a correct approach. Guidance plays a key role in an aspirant's preparation, especially from people who've already been through it all. It serves as a tool for fault-finding, course correction and moral support, ensuring steady improvement till the day of the final exam.
Many aspirants get lost in the sea of preparation material, in this case, who is guiding the journey becomes a key pillar. It is for this reason that before joining LBSNAA, Animesh chose to give back by becoming a mentor in the very same program that had guided him to success. Having experienced firsthand the impact of personalized mentorship, he saw this as an opportunity to help other aspirants find clarity in their preparation, refine their strategies, and avoid the common pitfalls that delay success.
Clearing the UPSC exam isn't just about putting in long hours—it's about building a strategy tailored to each individual candidate. While most aspirants have access to the same reading materials, the real difference lies in knowing how to study, not just what to study.
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