Once Upon An Ias Exam

If you do not become what you once aspired to become, does it matter? ‘The Aspirant’ looks for an answer to this perennial question. It is the story of a young man who once wanted to become a Carmelite monk, but ended up becoming a monk of a different order - a civil servant. The disillusionment with the way monastic life was practiced, made him take this new direction. The journey ahead as a bureaucrat in CAG’s institution took the author to many places across the globe and caused him to meet several people – ordinary people with extraordinary stories – and those stories add extra layers to this memoir. And all through his life’s varied voyages, a part of him remained as a monk. ‘The Aspirant’ attempts to demystify two venerable institutions - the church and the bureaucracy - with a tinge of irreverence but without an iota of malice.

An IAS officer's tale of survival against all odds. Once upon a time there was a city plagued by greed, corruption and mysterious deaths... A patriotic IAS officer, Vikram, decides to expose a corrupt and powerful minister, Rudra Pratap Rana (aka RPR), during the latter's visit to the IAS training academy. The video of Vikram asking the minister some highly embarrassing questions in front of a packed auditorium goes viral. Instead of having Vikram suspended from service, a vengeful RPR unleashes violence on the officer's family, and to continue the torture, RPR gets Vikram posted as the sub-divisional magistrate in Laxmipur-the politician's backyard. As soon as Vikram joins duty, RPR resumes his vengeance. However, a new drama unfolds when a large number of people start dying of heart attacks across Laxmipur. As Vikram tries to unravel these mysterious deaths with the help of Veda, a cardiologist, and Raghu, a police officer, extreme panic grips the city, which soon leads to riots and pandemonium. Vikram is left with no other choice but to risk his life to get to the bottom of this mind-numbing situation. Join Vikram in this fast-paced thriller as he fights to save Laxmipur from HEARTQUAKE.

Civil Services are the most prestigious and accountable services in the country. Educated youths have a special attraction towards them. Every youth wants to achieve this position.Out of a population of 140 crores, about 750 civil servants are selected every year, for which lakhs of candidates apply. The attraction and importance of these services can be easily understood from these statistics. Candidates for these services are tested on a three-tier test. The candidate who fulfils these criteria with intense fire in their belly is selected and takes a vow to serve the country with his unique aura. The present book is a guide to preparation for Civil Services. The book tells you how to prepare for these exams, what are the special points that should be kept in mind while studying. Overall, this book eases most of the difficulties of the examinees. The author of the book himself is an IAS and has been a topper in the Civil Services Examination. This book is the essence of his wide and deep experience, which is in front of the readers. A very useful book for competitive exam aspirants and students who have a strong will to succeed in their career.

This is the thrilling story of an IAS aspirant whose journey began in the humble settings of a modest village. The story runs through four crisscrossing streams. First, is an ambitious but reluctant youth embarking on a journey to achieve the unimaginable. Second, is a vulnerable human being hanging between the contrasting pulls of choice and destiny. The third stream is a silent student of the book called life, where in the course of this odyssey, some invaluable and timeless lessons of wisdom dawn on the traveller. The fourth stream is that of an experiential guide and master who has insightful lessons to share with his fellow travellers and their guardians. The narrative has a universal appeal, resonating with the quest of all who dare to dream and desire to achieve.

Things We Don’t Think Of is written, keeping in mind that no one gets bored or irritated at any point. This all-in-one book, for all ages, contains everything needed for a successful, peaceful, happy life and progressive world. This book is a useful one catering to all kinds of people. The readers are bound to learn, smile and be captivated throughout this fun and crisp book.

Deepak Gupta did his BA from Allahabad, MA from St Stephen’s college and MPhil in International relations from JNU. From the IAS batch of 1974, he has spent many years in the field in the erstwhile state of Bihar, including two districts (Saharsa 1979–80; Rohtas 1986–88) as Collector. He served in many departments in state and center and was also posted in India Trade Centre, Brussels and spent a year as WHO Advisor on TB in Delhi. He retired in 2011 as Secretary, Ministry of New and Renewable Energy. After retirement he consulted with the World Bank and UNIDO and writes on issues of energy and sustainable development. He was Chairman of UPSC from November 2014 to September 2016. His published works include Documentation of Participatory Irrigation Management, Covering a Billion with DOTS, Achieving Universal Energy Access in India: Challenges and Way Forward, and Caught by the Police.

His father's over expectations only ruined his self-confidence further with each failure. A ray of hope walked into his life as his wife, a charismatic personality spreading joy wherever she went. Everything is going per plan, but darkness comes knocking soon. He finds out that she does not have much time to live and takes it upon himself to fight all odds – even his family, if need be – to help her fight her medical condition. His father sees his own redemption in helping them; he knows his son will be a winner only if he will fight for her, with her. Will a defeated son prove himself to be a good husband? Will the father-son duo together be able to change the course of fate? Her Last Wish is an inspiring story of love, relationships and sacrifice, which proves once again how a good wife makes the best husband.