How AIR 42 Apoorva Cracked Her Last UPSC Attempt with PW

Some ranks are the result of years of persistence, and Apoorva's AIR 42 is one such story.  She had a full-time job. She almost did not sit for this attempt at all. And she kept following the same PW videos, again and again, through every stage of the exam. When her name showed up at All India Rank 42, it was not a sudden win. It was the result of one choice she made earlier – to appear one more time, without fear, instead of staying safe and comfortable.

This is the story of how Apoorva balanced a government job with UPSC prep, what almost stopped her from appearing this time, and how PW stayed with her from her first Prelims Booster video all the way to her Interview.

How Apoorva's Journey Began

Before the rank, before the happiness, Apoorva had a quiet fight going on inside her. She was already working in a government job. So the exam did not feel urgent anymore. It became easy to feel comfortable and let the attempt slide.

"So this was my last attempt as I am already in the service, I am working so thoda sa I started going in my comfort zone"

Having a safe job removed the push that most aspirants feel. Without that push, Apoorva says she started moving into her comfort zone instead of preparing hard. It took her fiancé to pull her out of it.

"but he was very adamant that you should appear and appear like a fearless person and then lets see what happens"

That one line changed her whole mindset. She stopped treating this attempt as a "do or die" moment. Instead, she decided to walk in without fear and let the result come on its own. This change in thinking is what got her preparation moving again.

The Challenges Apoorva Faced While Preparing

Once she decided to appear, Apoorva had to prepare like a working person. That meant very little free time for each subject. CSAT was the first subject that got pushed to the last minute.

"maine CSAT kafi last me kiya bahut hi kam time tha mere pass, maine online resources ka use kiya tha"

With only a little time left, she could not sit through long classroom sessions. So, she used online resources to finish her CSAT preparation quickly. But lack of time was not her only problem. She also had to unlearn a false sense of comfort from coaching test rooms.

"bahut se student panic ho jate h coaching me aap pankhe ke niche test dete ho to it is easy but actually exam different hota h jaha bahut sare bachhe hote h, sweting hoti hai"

This one thought mattered as much as any topic she studied. Apoorva realised that clearing UPSC is not only about finishing the syllabus. It is also about being ready for the real exam hall, which feels nothing like a coaching room. This is why she started taking mock tests more seriously, not just her notes.

How PW Supported Apoorva's UPSC Preparation

In the middle of a busy job and less time to prepare, one thing stayed the same for Apoorva – PW. Her connection with PW's videos did not start with this attempt. It went back many years.

"PW ke sath I think pahle mai initially Sumit sir ke prelims booster and editorial discussion ke videos dekhti thi to I have been following it since last 7-8 years"

Because she had followed PW for so long, she already trusted the videos and the teachers by the time this final attempt came. But what made these resources really useful for a working person was how short and clear they were.

"I have been following prelims ka jo aapka video ata tha, marathon videos, then your Srijan Mains program, essay program, and also that interview stage"

From Prelims marathon videos to the Srijan Mains program, the essay program, and finally the Interview stage, PW stayed with her at every point of the exam. This gave her a fast and simple way to cover her basics, even with a full-time job.

From Years of Preparation to AIR 42

After years of the same routine – office by day, study in whatever time was left, the result finally came. But even after all that hard work, nothing can fully prepare you for the moment you actually see your own name.

"It feels good after so many years to finally see your name in the list, on the first page of the pdf, its like a dream come true"

For Apoorva, seeing her name on the first page was not just a number. It was proof that choosing to appear without fear, instead of staying comfortable, had paid off. But the full feeling of it took a moment to sink in.

"It will take time to understand, stinking it that yes, I made it"

This gap between seeing the result and truly believing it says a lot about how long and uncertain this journey was.

Apoorva's Advice for UPSC Aspirants

After clearing the exam, Apoorva also had simple advice for future aspirants, starting with the one part of the syllabus she feels no one should skip.

"that is your static part, that is sure shot gadget, input output, ratio agar aap dekhenege static to wo kafi jada h agar aap dekhenge as compare to current affairs, aapka static ekdum ready hona chahiye, usko multiple revision kijiye like atleast 5 times"

Static portions are fixed and can be scored easily, so she feels they should be revised again and again – five times if possible. She also had a clear tip on how to face a CSAT paper that keeps getting harder every year.

"aapko ek strategy to banani hogi ki you know ki kitna cut off jata hai, kya hoga question aap maan ke chaliye, ki is saaal ka paper sense tough jayega"

Her advice is to prepare for the hardest version of the paper instead of hoping for an easy one. If you prepare for a hard paper, you are ready for an easy one too.

Apoorva's story shows that a "last attempt" does not always mean the most stressful one. Sometimes, it just means the one where you stop holding yourself back. Between a full-time job, less time to prepare, and the pull of her own comfort zone, what really changed her result was showing up without fear and sticking to resources she trusted. For aspirants who are working and studying at the same time, or wondering if one more attempt is worth it, her story shows that it can be – if you are ready to appear like you have nothing to lose.