Gamini Singla (AIR 3)- IAS Toppers 2021

IC: Hindustan Times

In the final result of the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) Civil Services Exam 2021, announced on May 30, 2022, women secured the first three positions. While Shruti Sharma and Ankita Agarwal got AIR 1 and AIR 2, respectively, Gamini Singla from Chandigarh made her mark by getting AIR 3. Gamini Singla, a student at Punjab Engineering College in Chandigarh, secured the third position in the coveted Civil Services Exam, in her second attempt.

Here, in this article, we provide you with Gamini Singla’s background, preparation strategy, number of attempts, UPSC optional subject and more.

Gamini Singla IAS Topper 2021: 

Gamini Singla belongs to Anandpur Sahib, Punjab. She completed her B.Tech in Computer Science Engineering (CSE) from  Punjab Engineering College in Chandigarh and passed out in 2019. Gamini has opted for Indian Administrative Service (IAS) and would like to work for the development of the country and the welfare of the people. Elated over her selection in the prestigious IAS Exam, she believes that women can achieve anything with hard work and determination. 

Read about the Preparation Strategy of Shruti Sharma AIR 1, in the linked article.

Gamini Singla- Family Background:

Gamini Singla hails from Anandpur Sahib. Both her parents Dr Alok Singla and Dr Neerja Singla are medical officers in Himachal Pradesh and her brother is a graduate of the IIT, Kharagpur. Gamini gives credit to her family for her success in the examination. She says her dream of becoming an IAS officer was supported by her family, morally and emotionally. On being asked how her family played an important role in her preparation, she said-

Gamini says her father helped her in her studies as he understood what was exactly important for prelims and mains, which helped her save her time.

Gamini Singla- Educational Background:

• Gamini completed her school education till Class X at Anandpur Sahib, Punjab.
• She went to Mount Carmel School for higher schooling. 
• Gamini completed her BTech in Computer Science Engineering from Punjab Engineering College Chandigarh in 2019.
• She received a placement offer from JP Morgan as a Finance Analyst but didn’t accept it, to pursue her UPSC dream.
• She started preparing for the exam right after her graduation. She took Sociology as the optional subject.
• Unable to clear Prelims in her first attempt, Gamini emerged as an IAS Topper, in her second attempt.

Read the Preparation Strategy of UPSC 2021 AIR 2 Ankita Agarwal, in the given link.

Gamini’s Success at Civil Services Exam

Gamini started preparing for the UPSC exam in 2019 right after her graduation. Mostly she relied on self-study for her preparation and took help from a coaching institute in Patiala. Becoming an IAS Officer was her childhood dream, so she didn’t give up after her failure in the first attempt. She was self-studying and preparing at home from 2020 onwards. She worked harder and achieved her ambition in her second attempt. She has scored a total of 1045 marks, placing her at the third rank in the list of UPSC toppers.

On being asked how she feels about her success at the examination, she said-

Gamini Singla’s UPSC Preparation Strategies

Gamini Singla relied on self-study for her preparation for the UPSC exam. The following tips were shared by her, that helped her qualify for the exam:

• Reading NCERTs from classes 6-12, helps clear the concepts and build a strong base. 
• Reading newspapers and current affairs magazines is important for all the three stages of the exam, Prelims, Mains and the Interview.
• She developed a study timetable and chalked out a unique strategy for herself after the failure at the first stage in the first attempt. She studied consistently for 9-10 hours every day. 

• For Prelims, she solved as many mock tests as she could, to help her get enough practice before the actual exams.
• She solved previous years’ UPSC prelims question papers to get an idea about the nature of the questions asked in the UPSC prelims examination.
• For Mains preparation, her centre of attention was answered writing practice. She took Sociology as her optional subject in the Mains.

• She used the internet to understand various topics that she could not find in any standard books. She balanced her preparation and took a break from the social media, till the time she was preparing for the exam.
• Sharing tips for future aspirants, Gamini said:

If you are wondering about How to Start UPSC CSE Preparation, visit the linked article.

A few tips for UPSC exam preparation

• Action Plan – Set aside at least one year for CSE preparation and create an action plan to get started.
• Limit your study material – Jumping from book to book for test preparation will only lead to confusion; thus, choose a few books and resources and try to keep to them as much as possible.
• Plan meticulously– When preparing for the UPSC CSE, always have a realistic and feasible study programme in place. Making a calendar and keeping track of your goals might also assist.
• Understand yourself- Knowing your own strengths and shortcomings will allow you to focus your preparation. This focus and clarity will be extremely beneficial in improving each level of preparation based on your requirements.
• Use the internet for good – While the internet is a wonderful source of knowledge and study material, she cautions pupils from overusing it because there are several distractions.
• Practice- Before taking the actual exam, take mock practice examinations for both the prelims and the mains. This will help you develop confidence and expertise in appropriately structuring your responses.
• Stay focused- Preparing for the UPSC exam can be extremely difficult, so stay motivated and positive. Always see the positive side of things and believe in your abilities to pass UPSC CSE 2023.
• Do not be anxious– it will take some time to find a CSE preparation routine that works for you. Do not worry if a topic appears difficult and you become stuck; think it through and you will gain insight on how to learn that specific idea.

Note: UPSC 2023 is approaching closer, supplement your preparation with the free Daily Video Analysis of The Hindu Newspaper by BYJU’S.

All it takes is determination, unwavering focus and of course, a smart and guided approach to the IAS exam. Aspirants of UPSC 2023 can go through the following links for assistance in their preparation.