Kamal Ghorui
It seems Vaibhav Suryavanshi isn’t the only champion in the family. The under-19 cricketer’s maternal uncle, Abhishek Chauhan has also reached great heights. Abhishek cleared the UPSC Civil Services Examination 2025 with an impressive AIR 102.“Vaibhav is a star, I’m a public servant,” Abhishek says with humility. And certainly, behind that modest statement, Abhishek’s journey of clearing the UPSC exam in his second attempt is equally inspiring.
How did Abhishek Chauhan prepare for the UPSC exam
In several interviews with local news outlets, Abhishek shared the details of his journey. Along with self-study, Chauhan says online courses have been helpful.
Abhishek believes companionship matters during preparation
Apart from studying with dedication, Abhishek says having one or two people around who understand the UPSC journey also helps. He says, “When you spend long hours studying, both you and the people around you eventually feel exhausted. At such times, talking to each other helps you feel refreshed and motivated again.” Abhishek shared that during his journey, he also had several companions who were there to support him, and he was there to support them.
Abhishek’s advice on preparing for different stages of UPSC
Speaking about his preparation strategy, Abhishek Chauhan explained that every stage of the examination requires a different approach.For Prelims he emphasises deeply analysing previous years’ question papers alongside regular studies and lessons.When it came to Mains, Abhishek focused on strengthening his optional subject and essay paper.For the Interview round, he said the key is to remain natural, honest, and full of integrity. He also revealed that many questions were asked from his academic background and areas related to his subject.Interestingly, the interview panel even asked him questions related to cricket.
Abhishek Chauhan’s advice for those starting their journey right now
While speaking to another UPSC rank holder, Abhishek was asked to give one piece of advice to those who’re at the starting point of their preparation journey.For his response, Abhishek says planning is essential. He emphasises creating either a daily or weekly study plan and sincerely trying to follow it.He also advises aspirants not to become overly fixated on the final result. The UPSC rank-holder says, “Don’t be too fixated on the outcome. If you’re studying everyday, you’ll get it. You have to detach yourself from the outcome sometimes.
Abhishek believes in efforts over outcomes .
“I consider myself very lucky,” Abhishek Chauhan says. “For me, I always believed that if I did things the right way, I would eventually get a good outcome.” He continued with the inspiring words and said that even if he did not have succeeded, it would have only meant that luck wasn’t on his side and not that he had fallen short in hard work or effort.
Abhishek Chauhan’s moments shared with family
Reflecting on his success, Abhishek Chauhan said, “My family members had been waiting for this moment for a long time; they’re happier than I am.”At the same time, he also spoke emotionally about his late father. “There is one sadness… if Baba (grandpa) were here, he would have been the happiest of all. It was his dream first,” he said.
