✦ Strategy & LearningsPreparation approach, subject-wise strategy, and interview mindset - compiled from public interviews and coaching-institute features.
ⓘ AI-generated from ZUFISHAN HAQUE's public interviews & coaching-institute features - not written or reviewed by them.
2020
Attempt 1 - Failed
Did not clear the preliminary stage.
2021
Attempt 2 - Progress
Cleared prelims and mains to reach the interview stage.
2022
Attempt 3 - Success
Secured AIR 193 and joined the Indian Revenue Service (C&IT).
2023
Attempt 4 - Success
Secured AIR 34 in the final attempt.
📰Newspaper Strategy
The foundation of her preparation
Zufishan emphasizes a consistent, daily approach to reading newspapers, which she credits for her success across all three stages of the exam.
Daily habit
She read the newspaper daily from August 2019, barring only a few days due to illness or training.
Note-making
She maintained a copy divided into sections by topic (Economy, Polity, etc.) and updated it with new developments, amendments, and shortcomings of previous acts.
Efficiency
While it initially took 2-3 hours, she eventually reduced this to 1-2 hours by focusing only on relevant topics and using quick scans for supplementary sources like PIB.
📝Answer Writing
Building speed and quality
Her approach to answer writing was centered on consistency and self-evaluation.
Daily practice
She practiced 10 questions daily on the coaching app to track her progress and identify missed topics.
Time management
She initially aimed to complete answers in 7 minutes, but realized during full-length tests that it took closer to 4 hours, prompting her to work on speed.
Content over format
She advises against over-focusing on flowcharts and diagrams; if content is high-quality, marks will follow regardless of the presentation style.
📚Study Material
Keeping sources limited
Zufishan advocates for a minimalist approach to study materials to ensure effective revision.
Limited sources
She relied primarily on coaching institute notes and standard CBSE textbooks, avoiding the trap of collecting data from multiple sources.
Syllabus alignment
She constantly mapped her notes against the UPSC syllabus, using Google to fill gaps for topics not covered in her primary materials.
🗣️Interview Approach
Handling the personality test
Her interview strategy involved balancing her background with the demands of the board.
Drawing during interview
When asked to draw something by the chairman, she incorporated drawing into her answers, which she believes helped her perform well.
Handling pressure
She emphasizes that the interview is a test of personality, and one should remain calm and focused on the demand of the question.
“First, you need to clear the exam, then think about these external factors. Something which is not under your control is not to be focused on right now.”
— on handling pressure during the interview“If you are a sincere student, you always know what level of preparation you have done. You can evaluate yourself.”
— on the importance of self-evaluation🎯 If You're Starting Out
- Stick to one process and one set of notes; collecting too much material makes revision impossible.
- Do not create a backlog; if you miss a day, do not try to catch up by reading everything at once.
- Focus on the demand of the question rather than worrying about whether to use flowcharts or paragraphs.
- Understand that the exam shapes your personality; stay patient and control your anxiety.
Where this came fromBiography and marks facts corroborated across 3 coaching-institute profiles; strategy details drawn from 3 interview/strategy videos.