3 NLSIU grads and one from NALSAR clear the Civil Services 2011

On May 4, 2012, the Union Public Services Commission (UPSC) released the results of the Civil Services Examination, 2011. Of the 910 selected candidates, at least four are products of the National Law Universities: Gitanjali Brandon and Abhas graduated from the National Law School of India University, Bangalore (NLSIU) while Ravi Shankar Shukla completed his masters from NLSIU. The fourth successful candidate, Siddhart Sihag, is a graduate of Nalsar, Hyderabad..On May 4, 2012, the Union Public Services Commission (UPSC) released the results of the Civil Services Examination, 2011. Of the 910 selected candidates, four are products of the National Law Universities: Gitanjali Brandon and Abhas graduated from the National Law School of India University, Bangalore (NLSIU) while Ravi Shankar Shukla completed his masters from NLSIU. The fourth successful candidate, Siddhart Sihag, is a graduate of Nalsar, Hyderabad..Bar & Bench spoke to Gitanjali Brandon (Ranked 6th) and Sidharth Sihag (Ranked 42nd) to get a first-hand account of the hows and whys behind the ultra-competitive civil services exam..Why the civil services? .Sidharth (pictured left) (NALSAR ’09), said that there are very few jobs that can be compared to the job profile of the civil services. The “authority available to a young IAS officer as head of the district machinery” is unmatched he said..For Gitanjali (pictured right) (NLSIU ’07) it was a deep desire to play an active role in the creation of international policy coupled with the belief that the services offer a perfect intersection between her interests, skill sets and aptitude..Making the decision.Although the idea of joining the civil services was always at the back of Sidharth’s mind, it was only after graduation that he realised that “this is what I want to do”. The internships at law firms during his time in law school made him realise that he was not “cut-out for a law firm lifestyle”; a process of “negative elimination” helped him zero in on the civil services..Gitanjali said that, for the longest time, she was not sure whether she wanted to write the exam at all. Despite the fact that her father is a senior officer in the Indian Administrative Services (IAS), she was never inclined towards the civil services. In fact, her initial plan was to work for a year after graduating and then pursue a Masters degree. It was only a conversation with her parents in 2008 (after completing a year at Amarchand’s capital markets team), that she decided to consider writing the exam..The Preparation.Sidharth recommends that those law students who want to write the exam, can start in the final year of law school itself; a year’s break is not necessary. However, one must be sure of one’s goal. “[If] one plans properly”, he noted “the syllabus can be covered easily in the final year [of law school]”.Gitanjali echoed these thoughts. “If you already know that this [civil services] is what you want to do in life”, she said, “then you can start in the fifth year itself as you have a lot of time on your hands.”.In terms of preparation, Gitanjali recommends joining a study group which, if nothing else, acts as a “social support stem” during trying times. The biggest impediment according to Gitanjali, is to maintain high levels of motivation. “There will be times when you are awfully bored…but it is imperative that you keep your motivation up.” Gitanjali suggests that one must be clear as to why one is writing the exam in the first place..The Law School connection .Both Gitanjali and Sidharth agree that law school can provide a good platform to write the exam. Sidharth noted that “law” makes for an excellent “Optional” since it also helps in the preparation of general studies as well as other options such as “Public Administration”, the optional chosen by him. Furthermore, high levels of awareness about socio-legal issues, “stands one in good stead while preparing for the exam, especially the interview.”.Gitanjali added that lawyers are much better equipped to “read between the lines”, a skill which is much appreciated in the civil services. She also noted that there are several NLU graduates who have opted for the civil services, a decision which she hopes will become increasingly popular in the years to come..Choosing the right “services”.For Sidharth, who had joined the Indian Police Services in 2011, the decision to move to the Indian Administrative Services (IAS) was based on the belief that the IAS offers “greater diversity in terms of opportunities available” and it being “more generalist” in nature. Sidharth was quick to point out that the final decision really depends on one’s aptitude and preference..Giitanjali has opted for the Indian Foreign Services, a decision which was based on a number of factors including her love for travelling. At the centre of the decision however, lies a deep interest in international trade negotiations and the desire to represent India on international platforms.