Garima Lohia (AIR - 2) - IAS Topper 2022

Garima  Lohia of Bihar bagged the All India Rank 2 in the UPSC 2022 exam. Hailing from Delhi, she secured the rank with a total of 1063 marks. Read on to know more about Garima Lohia background, preparation strategy, number of attempts, UPSC optional subjects, etc.

Uma Harithi N and Smrithi Mishra hold the third and fourth rank respectively in the IAS toppers list.

Garima Lohia IAS Topper 2022 Background

Garima Lohia hails from the Buxar district of Bihar. Her father, Manoj Kumar Lohia, was a wholesaler who dealt in sale of garments. He passed away in 2015 due to a heart attack. From then on her mother – Sunita Lohia – raised Garima and her three siblings.

Garima Lohia has said in her interviews that her mother was the biggest inspiration for her as she stood by her during her UPSC preparations. The optional subjects she chose was Commerce and Accountancy

Garima Lohia’s hails from a joint family consisting of 13 members. Her grandfather is the breadwinner of the family. Her hobbies include listening to podcasts on self-help and self-improvement.

Educational Background

• Garima Lohia ccompleted her secondary education at Woordstock School, Buxar. Her higher secondary education was completed at Sunbeam School, Varanasi.
• She pursued B.com at Kirori Mal College, Delhi university.
• It was post her graduation that she felt motivated to prepare for the Civil Services Examination

Garima Lohia UPSC Preparation Strategies

• Garima Lohia started preparing for the Civil Services Examination during the Covid-19 lockdown.
• Her mode of preparation was through the internet and other basic books
• She did not rely on any other resource although she did take a mains test series in order to hone her skills.
• Garima meticulously analyzed UPSC previous year question papers and engaged in intensive answer writing practice to sharpen her analytical and writing skills. Additionally, she attempted sample papers to gauge her progress and identify areas for improvement.

Other tips for UPSC preparation included:

• Consistency and discipline are key components to ace the civil service exam with flying colors. Also, it is advised to devote a number of hours to the studies as per your capability.
• She did not focus on the number of hours of study but on quality learning.
• She made a study schedule but kept her study sources limited and said that during revision time, she did not take up new books or study materials.
• It is advisable to go through previous years’ UPSC prelims question paper book to get an idea about the nature of the questions asked in the UPSC prelims examination.

A few tips for UPSC exam preparation

1. Action Plan – Set aside at least one year for CSE preparation and chart out an action plan to start off with your preparation.
2. Plan meticulously: Always have a realistic and achievable study schedule to follow while preparing for UPSC CSE. Making a planner and keeping track of the goals helps too.
3. Limit your Study material – Hopping on to different books for exam preparation will only lead you to confusion, hence, pick out a few selected books and materials and try to stick to it as much as you can.
4. Use Internet for your good – While the internet is an excellent source of information and study material, she also warns students against its overuse as there are plenty of distractions.
5. Do not panic: It takes some time to gain a rhythm in CSE preparation which works for you. Do not panic, if a concept seems hard and you get stuck, think it through and you will get clarity on how to study that particular concept.
6. Understand yourself: Understanding your own strengths and weaknesses will help you in focusing your preparation. This focus and understanding will help immensely in optimizing every stage of preparation according to your needs.
7. Practice: Before you take the actual exam, you should take mock practice tests both for the prelims and the mains. This will help you gain confidence and experience in framing your answers properly.
8. Stay focused: Preparing for the UPSC exam can be extremely challenging, so keep yourself motivated and stay positive. Always look at the bright side of things and be confident about your ability to crack UPSC CSE 2022

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.