About me-
My name is Monika Bhatia. I am from Amritsar, Punjab. I have done my B. TECH and M.TECH in Electronics and Communication Engineering from Guru Nanak Dev University, Amritsar.
My inspiration who is my father has retired as Deputy Excise Taxation Commissioner from Punjab ( He was directly recruited officer from state civil services). My mother has retired as Head Mistress from a Govt. school. My brother is preparing for competitive exams. Having seen the government services atmosphere at my home, I always wanted to pursue my career in same field as well.
CAPF 2017 was my first attempt, which fortunately I cleared. I got All India rank 126.
As a Girl, it’s a moment of proud for me and my family. Recently only Govt. has opened combat roles for girls and I believe girls should use this opportunity and prove their potential in this field as well.
Preparation Strategy-
The entire exam has 3 stages- Written exam, Physical Efficiency Test, Interview.
- a) Written stage – Includes Paper 1 (objective) and Paper 2 (descriptive).
For Paper 1- one should go through last year question papers to get idea of questions asked.
For static part -have limited resources and revise them again.
For Current affairs – Read The Hindu , a monthly current affairs booklet. Also refer to online source like Chrome Ias website. It acts as a supplement and is very helpful as if you have missed any news from The Hindu or current affairs booklet that can be covered from online source.
For Paper 2– It includes essays, comprehension, précis writing etc.
Here essay needs special focus. Start essay with a Quote or a story or a recent current happening so that it becomes catchy from the very beginning. Try to cover essay from all dimensions- political, historical, social, philosophical etc (if possible).
- b) Physical Efficiency Test (PET)- Practice is the key. It’s the time to hit the ground and it’s the most interesting part of the exam.
If you have been a studious student like me then start practicing atleast 1.5 months from the date of test so that you can easily build your stamina and endurance.
- c) Interview stage- This has been one of the most memorable experiences of my life. I scored 101/150 marks in interview which is the 3rd highest marks given this year.
Entering UPSC Bhavan is a dream of lakhs of aspirants and giving interview in front of senior, distinguished UPSC members is no less than a dream come true! Chairperson and members are very polite and humble. They will make you feel comfortable, so stay calm and present the best version of yourself.
One should give mock interviews before the final interview as it helps in assessing your performance. My mock interviews at Chrome Ias were a great learning experience. I could see vast difference in my 1st and 2nd mock that I gave at Chrome Ias.  From noticing how a person enters the room, to wishing members, to how she/ he presents herself/ himself verbally and non- verbally, Mridul Sir and Team very accurately and minutely try to improve the performance of candidate.
Mridul sir and Team gave very honest feedback and their valuable guidance has helped me prepare well for CAPF exam and emerge as a successful candidate.
ThankYou Mridul sir !
