SSC CGL Success Story: Kartik Joshi’s Journey to the Office Superintendent Post with PW

Kartik Joshi’s SSC CGL journey is a story of setbacks, changing plans, and finally finding success. After completing his BSc in Industrial Chemistry from Delhi University in 2024, he started preparing for competitive exams. His first SSC CGL attempt came while he was still in college, even though he was not technically eligible. He cleared the first stage but could not get selected.

Instead of depending on one exam, Kartik decided to explore banking exams. He performed well and even scored around 30–35 marks above the cut-off in one banking exam. This made him confident about getting a banking job, so he temporarily stopped focusing on SSC CGL.

However, his banking interview did not go as planned. At that point, his SSC CGL Mains exam was only four days away. With very little time left, Kartik went back to his preparation, focused on his weak areas, and relied on PW’s free YouTube content. His focused effort helped him secure the Office Superintendent post.

Kartik’s SSC CGL Journey Started During Graduation

Kartik’s first experience with SSC CGL came while he was completing his graduation. He appeared for the exam mainly to understand the pattern and experience the examination process.

He recalled:

“Maine 2024 mein BSc in Industrial Chemistry ki thi Delhi University se. College ke saath hi apna first attempt diya tha CGL ka. Tab waise toh main eligible nahi tha, but exam karke maine first attempt de diya tha.”

He cleared the first stage but could not qualify further. The experience, however, gave him an understanding of the exam and motivated him to explore more opportunities.

He Shifted His Focus to Banking Exams

After falling short in SSC CGL, Kartik decided not to depend on a single competitive exam. He started preparing for banking exams and eventually appeared for IBPS PO Mains and the interview.

He said:

“Jab last year diya tha, toh thode marks se hi reh gaya tha. So I decided ki ek hi exam ke peeche nahi bhaagte hain. Apne haath mein thodi aur opportunities le rakhte hain.”

His banking preparation went well initially. He scored around 30–35 marks above the cut-off, which made him believe that a banking job was almost certain.

“Main tab toh bahut confident ho gaya ki chalo ab toh bank mein job lag jaayegi.”

That confidence led him to make a mistake. He stopped giving SSC CGL the attention it needed.

Overconfidence Became a Major Setback

Kartik admitted that he became overconfident after his banking performance.

“CGL ki maine apni preparation beech mein hi aise chhod di ki ab toh ho hi jaana hai. Ab iska kya karun? Jo bahut badi galti kar di maine overconfidence mein.”

His banking interview did not work out, and the result came as a major setback. To make matters more difficult, his SSC CGL Mains exam was only a few days away.

Four Days Before Mains, Kartik Changed His Strategy

Kartik had around four days left before the SSC CGL Mains exam. He knew that covering the entire syllabus was impossible, so he focused on the subjects where he could make the biggest improvement.

His Maths and English were already strong, while GK was his weaker area.

“Ek din toh aise hi dukh mein nikaal diya maine. Chaar din bache the. Un chaar din mein maine YouTube pe playlists dekhi thi. Maths wala part strong tha, English bhi bahut theek-thaak hi thi, toh meri GK weak thi.”

This approach helped him avoid wasting time on topics he already knew well.

How PW’s Free YouTube Content Helped Kartik

With limited time available, Kartik turned to PW’s free YouTube content for GK preparation. He watched the NCERT Chalisa lectures and one-shot sessions.

He specifically mentioned:

“GK ke liye maine aapki aur Kranti Ma’am ki NCERT Chalisa saare lectures dekhe. Kranti Ma’am ke one-shots padhe the YouTube pe.”

He also watched long History lectures to cover important topics quickly.

“Ancient History ke saare 8-hour ke lectures maine woh saare lagaye. Jitne dekh sakta tha main utna hi kar raha tha.”

Rather than looking for multiple new sources, Kartik focused on the content he already had access to and used it for targeted preparation.

PW Notes Became His Revision Tool

Kartik also used notes available through PW’s channels and Telegram for revision.

He said:

“Bahut quality content hai. Notes available the Telegram wagairah pe, PW ke channel pe. Woh notes mil ja rahe the. Un notes ka revision karta raha. Exam se pehle tak, paper se pehle tak woh notes ke revision hi chal rahe the.”

This helped him focus on revision instead of constantly adding new study material.

Revision Played a Major Role

For Kartik, revision was one of the most important parts of his preparation. He believed that repeatedly going through the same material helped information stay in his memory.

He said:

“Revision toh bahut hi zyada important hai.”

He also explained that watching the same class multiple times could itself become revision.

“Ek class ko bhi chaar baar dekho, woh bhi aapka revision mein hi count hota rehta hai aur utni saari cheezein retain hoti rehti hain dimaag mein.”

His experience shows that aspirants do not always need to keep collecting new resources. Revising the material they already have can be more useful.

He Focused on His Strong Areas

Kartik also focused on protecting the marks he was already capable of scoring.

With his science background, he had confidence in science-related topics. Instead of spending all his time on unfamiliar areas, he tried to make sure he did not lose easy marks.

He explained:

“Mera bhi science mein tha. Toh maine socha isi ki kar leta hoon, taaki iske jitne question aaye, mere woh toh galat na ho. At least usmein toh main apna 100% score kar loon.”

This helped him use his limited preparation time more effectively.

How Kartik Handled Computer and Exam Uncertainty

The changing SSC CGL pattern also created uncertainty for aspirants. Kartik faced this while preparing for the exam, particularly in GK and Computer.

For Computer, he mainly relied on a one-shot session rather than spending days on separate preparation.

“Computer ki bhi one-shot hi lagayi thi. Aise specifically alag nahi kara tha.”

Since he had studied Computer Science in school and had computer-related subjects in college, he already had some basic understanding.

During the exam, he also focused on avoiding unnecessary negative marking.

“Negative usmein zyada na karo. Jitne aa rahe the, utne hi questions karo.”

Family and Friends Helped Him Stay Motivated

Kartik also faced the pressure of seeing his friends move ahead with their careers. Many of his college friends had already secured placements, while he had chosen to focus on competitive exams.

He said:

“Peer pressure bhi aata rehta hai ki friends jo hain, sabki placement ho rakhi hai. Sab aage badh gaye. Main apne college ki placements mein hi nahi baitha.”

However, he did not completely isolate himself. His family supported him, and he stayed connected with friends who were also preparing for exams.

“Is cheez mein family ka bhi support tha. Friends bhi sahi the. Woh bhi preparation kar rahe hain, toh unke saath bhi aise baat kar lo toh theek ho jaata hai.”

Kartik believes aspirants should maintain a healthy balance rather than completely cutting themselves off from everyone.

Kartik’s Advice to SSC CGL Aspirants

Kartik’s final advice to aspirants is straightforward: give the preparation your full effort.

“Jab tak struggle hai, kar rahe ho na, toh 100% apne aap ko ghisa do ki matlab karna hi hai. Poora apne aap ko jhonk do.”

He believes the hard work eventually feels worth it when the result arrives.

“Jitni aap mehnat kar rahe ho na, woh poora aise vasool lagti hai.”

Kartik Joshi’s SSC CGL Success Story

Kartik Joshi’s journey to the Office Superintendent post shows that a setback does not have to decide the final outcome. After an earlier SSC CGL attempt, he explored banking exams, became overconfident, and faced disappointment when his banking interview did not work out.

With only four days left before SSC CGL Mains, he focused on what he could realistically improve. He used PW’s free YouTube content, revised his notes, focused on his stronger areas, and stayed connected with supportive people.

His story is a reminder that success does not always come from studying more and more. Sometimes, it comes from using the right resources, revising consistently, prioritising important areas, and continuing to work even after a setback.