UPSC ESIC Topper Rank 5 Shubham Gupta’s Success Story: ‘Dedication, Commitment, and Hard Work” are the 3 elements that add to the success story of Shubham Gupta, UPSC ESIC Topper - All India Rank 5. Every year, the examination witnesses participation from hundreds of thousands of candidates, yet merely a few thousand manage to secure a position. The individuals who emerge as UPSC exam toppers serve as a wellspring of motivation for all those who hold aspirations of dedicating themselves to the civil services and serving the nation.
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UPSC ESIC Topper Shubham Gupta’s Success Story (Rank 5)
UPSC conducted the ESIC exam for the recruitment to the post of Deputy Director in 2023 by shortlisting candidates based on their performance in the Computer-Based Recruitment Test (CBRT) and Interview. In this exclusive interview series, we delve into the remarkable story of UPSC ESIC topper, Shubham Gupta, who has not only cracked this prestigious examination but has also emerged as a beacon of inspiration for countless others. So, let’s go through some important insights given by Shubham Gupta to the Jagran Josh team which will be quite helpful and motivational for UPSC aspirants:
Q.1. Jagranjosh - How would you describe yourself? Can you highlight your academic & professional achievements and tell us something about your family?
Answer: I am from Muzaffarnagar, Uttar Pradesh, and did my schooling there. I have done B. Tech mechanical in 2013 from KIET, Ghaziabad. I belong to a middle-class family. I wanted to do BA and UPSC CSE preparation, but for job security, have to do B.tech on an education loan and that was a cycle. Then to repay the loan, I had to do a private job and worked in the Bajaj power plant for 6 months. Later, I worked for the Department of Post in my hometown. Then I cleared the SSC CGL exam in 2015 and joined as a Senior Accounts Officer in the Controller General of Accounts (CGA), India. I was posted in different cities - Mumbai, Delhi, and Ghaziabad. I have also passed the Departmental AAO exam for which my posting is awaited. My wife, Aakanksha, works as a government primary school teacher in Hapur, Uttar Pradesh.
Q.2. Jagranjosh - What motivated you to appear in the UPSC ESIC exam? Have you appeared for any other govt exams?
Answer: I always wanted to prepare for UPSC civil services exam. I have also appeared for the UPSC CSE mains exam and the Uttarakhand State PCS exam. Meanwhile, I have also applied for the UPSC ESIC Deputy Director exam in 2021 considering it as another good opportunity where I can display my abilities and strengths.
Q.3. Jagranjosh - When did you start your preparations for the UPSC ESIC exam?
Answer: My UPSC CSE exam preparation helped me a lot in clearing the UPSC ESIC exam. Also, for the UPSC ESIC exam, there was a requirement for prior work experience. So, many aspirants who appeared for this exam had good work experience and those who have cleared this exam including me were preparing for the civil services exam for a long time.
Q.4. Jagranjosh - What study techniques or strategies did you employ that you believe contributed to your exceptional performance in the UPSC ESIC exam?
Answer: My whole exam preparation journey has contributed to my exceptional performance in the UPSC ESIC exam. I prepared for Maths and English subjects during the SSC CGL exam and that helped me in the UPSC ESIC exam too. Through UPSC CSE exam preparation I covered the subjects like Indian Polity, History, Geography, etc. For the preparation of subjects like Finance, Accounts, Marketing Management, and Human Resource, I referred to the youtube videos and made notes through that only.
Q.5. Jagranjosh - Did you have a structured study schedule or routine for UPSC ESIC exam preparation, and if so, how did you manage your time effectively?
Answer: Let’s first understand the exam pattern of the UPSC ESIC exam. The selection process consisted of a written test (RT) of 300 marks and an interview of 100 marks. There were two parts to RT - Part A consisted of 20 questions from the English subject only and Part B consisted of 100 questions from 10 topics like polity, modern history, geography, accounts, finance, HR, RTI, etc. English subject plays a crucial part in this exam as PART A of the RT is dedicated to the English section only and I was able to answer 19 to 20 questions of the English section correctly which helped in getting good marks in the written exam (RT). Again, my UPSC CSE exam preparation help me in the preparation of subjects in Part B of the RT. I also have a good command of Maths subject. I revised English Grammar. For the preparation of the unconventional subjects, I first chose the most productive subject that can be covered in less time. I watched youtube videos for making notes on these subjects. And gradually I covered and revised almost all the topics of the UPSC ESIC RT exam.
Also, I have prepared for this exam while doing a govt job. So, a few weeks before the exam, I used to take planned leaves for the preparation of the UPSC exams. Sometimes, I couldn’t get the leaves, but my motivation and dedication to clear the UPSC exam helped in achieving successful results. And as with the growing age, my civil services attempts were depleting. So, I wanted to grab the best opportunity and focussed myself towards achieving that goal.
Q.6. Jagranjosh - Which books did you refer to for the UPSC ESIC Exam Preparation?
Answer: Other than the NCERT books, for Maths subject I referred to the book “Made Easy with Quantitative Aptitude’, for English “SP Bakshi”, Polity “Laxmikant”, Modern History “Spectrum”, Current Affairs “Vision IAS Monthly Magazine”, Computer - “Lucent”, RTI - “DOPT Guidelines”. For commerce subjects, I referred to the youtube videos.
Q.7. Jagranjosh - How did you use the Internet for your preparation?
Answer: For Current Affairs study material, you can download Vision IAS Monthly Magazine online and Youtube videos for commerce subjects - Finance, Accounts, Marketing Management, and Human Resources.
Q.8. Jagranjosh - Is coaching necessary for UPSC ESIC Exam preparation?
Answer: I have never taken any coaching for the govt exams preparation be it SSC CGL, UPSC CSE, or UPSC ESIC exam. But if the aspirants need a helping hand in their preparation or they are not in touch with preparation techniques or their motivational level is low, then they should opt for the coaching institutes. This will help them in getting into a schedule where they can follow a proper study plan and dedicate their time to rigorous exam preparation.
Q9. Jagranjosh - How did you prepare for the Interview round? How was your Interview experience? Which questions were asked in your UPSC ESIC Interview Round?
Answer: Prepare for the Interview seriously and in advance through mock interviews as there is a minimum qualifying mark in the Interview round too (50 marks). My interview experience was quite smooth and excellent. My working experience belonged to the legal, accounts, and vigilance department. So, the interview questions were asked from my field only. The interview panel also asked about the ESIC and my hobbies. The panel might try to manipulate you on topics where you have less clarity, but you need to tell things that you know about and don’t answer those questions for which you don’t have any knowledge.
Q.10. Jagranjosh - What advise will you give to the UPSC aspirants?
Answer: Candidates who want to clear the UPSC ESIC and UPSC EPFO exams, must cover all the topics thoroughly. Make notes of all the topics and revise them before the exam. Prepare for the exam with quality study material. Find good youtube channels and videos from where you can make notes of unconventional subjects. Attempt a few mock tests too.
Q.11. Jagranjosh - What are your key responsibilities areas as UPSC ESIC Deputy Director?
Answer: The Employees' State Insurance Corporation (ESIC) is a statutory body established by the Government of India under the Ministry of Labour and Employment. The ESIC was established in 1948 under the Employees' State Insurance Act, 1948. The Act provides for a comprehensive social security scheme for employees in factories, mines, plantations, oilfields, shops, commercial establishments, and other establishments employing 10 or more persons. The ESIC provides cashless medical care to insured persons and their families at ESIC hospitals and dispensaries. It provides them with financial assistance and medical care in times of need to low-income workers. It provides medical care, sickness benefit, maternity benefit, disablement benefit, death benefits, and pensions to low-income workers. The ESIC is headquartered in New Delhi and has a network of regional offices, sub-regional offices, hospitals, and dispensaries all over India. My job profile and roles and responsibilities will involve looking after the tasks related to the proper implementation of all the functions of ESIC.
Q.12. Jagranjosh - What would you like to say about our website ‘Jagran Josh’?
Answer: Jagran Josh publishes good current affairs and exam preparation study material for UPSC aspirants which will be helpful in their exam preparation. Aspirants learn new dimensions and get new visions through the study material shared by Jagran Josh.