My three best tracts which ensured my success is
Smart
Work
Focused Study
Confidence
My
success philosophy is” Victory loves preparation.
G.A. Our
readers would like to know about your educational background.
I
belong to an army family so there is no single place I have lived in for a long
time. I’ve studied mostly in Army Public schools. In terms of my professional
education, I have a Bachelor’s in Environmental Engineering from NUST, a
Master’s in Energy Change from the Australian National University Canberra
Australia which is currently ranked 11th in the world in Natural
Sciences and 6th in public policy. Additionally, I have
certifications in project management, operations management, environmental
health from USAID, Stanford University and the university of Pennsylvania.
G.A What was your source of inspiration to appear in
CSS?
I used to work for Apple Inc. in
Australia before I appeared for the CSS exam. The one thing that inspired me
the most about the profession is that no matter what you do, you cannot buy
prestige. A number of jobs will give you money, perks and recognition but only
public service gives you an opportunity to serve the masses and leave a legacy
doing that. You cannot put a price tag on that.
G.A Please let us know about your optional subjects and
what one should look for while selecting the optional subjects?
I chose British history, geography, sociology and
international law (this was before the new pattern was introduced). Reasons why
I chose them were because I had interest in these subjects, I felt I could maximize
output by working intelligently and these subjects had clear course outlines
and predictable paper questions. I believe strongly that those subjects should
be taken which are finite in their dimension. For instance, if you take
forestry or urban planning, in my opinion, unless you are an expert you wont be
able to score well in them.
G.A What was the strategy you followed for full fledge
preparation of competitive exam?
I
think CSS exam is a marathon not a sprint. There is a lot of content to cover
and it sometimes seems impossible to memorize all of it. The best strategy is
to start from past papers and preparing complete answers if you have more time.
Consult reputable good books and never study from randomly available
notes. They are repetitive and mediocre
resulting in poor outcomes. I would say that select your subjects, download
past papers and prepare answers. Use online sources and make your own notes.
Keep at least one month for revision at the end.
G.A How much time is required for CSS preparation in
your point of view?
I had little time to
prepare for CSS because of work commitments. I prepared for a little within four
months for the entire exam. I was able to finish the course in 3 months and
kept the last month for revision. I think I if you have a good English language
background and a logical mindset, 6 months are more than enough to clear the
exam.
G.A.
What would you like to recommend the CSS candidates in the light of your
experience regarding paper attempting techniques, preparation, and books that
must be consulted besides other sources?
In my experience the CSS exam is a lot like Matric
and FSc. Attempting the paper comprises of good structure, a good body with
illustrations if possible and most importantly this is followed by coherent
data, relevant arguments and critical analysis. Remember, CSS is an exam of
analysis, all the study you do is for gathering knowledge and expanding your
knowledge base with which you can make an argument.
Always consult books that are well reputed. Keep
yourself limited to one or maximum two books and use credible online sources
when possible.
G.A.
How do you see KIPS as an ultimate source of guidance for the CSS aspirants,
and how did this platform benefit you?
The best thing
about KIPS is the experience it gives you. The faculty here is aware of all the
facts I mentioned and help in giving you direction. At this stage in life, no
one can make you memorize stuff. They can test you and give you feedback and
direction. I had the chance to benefit from this feedback by interacting with
the faculty here.
G.A How much did you score in CSS examination?
My total marks
were 904.
G.A.
Your thoughts may become a source of inspiration to many and they may opt to go
for CSS. What would be your advice to such aspirants?
Life is a game of
failure and successes. It is not the outcomes...