OAS Exam Topper Aswini Panda, who cleared OCS without coaching in 1st attempt, shares success mantra

Bhubaneswar: Aswini Kumar Panda of Khetrapala village under Dharmasala block of Jajpur district has emerged as the topper in the Odisha Civil Services (OCS) Examination-2019, the results of which were announced by the Odisha Public Service Commission (OPSC) yesterday.

Panda cleared the OCS exam in his first attempt without any coaching. Terming the success as an unexpected one, he dedicated it to his parents.

“I had not taken coaching at any institute. I strongly believe that self preparation is best for the OSC exam. I carried out my preparations at home during the lockdown period. My family members supported me in this. Though there was a lot of negativity at the time of lockdown, I utilised the time and treated it as an opportunity. I used to study 6-7 hours a day and used internet for my preparation,” said Panda.

In a message for OCS aspirants, Panda said, “Those preparing for the OCS exams should understand that this is an extensive process, in which one has to develop himself/ herself. They have to expand the horizon of their knowledge and aptitude.”

The aspirants should keep a track of current affairs in the state, root causes of issues and their solutions. They should also read newspapers regularly, use internet extensively and have ‘never give up’ attitude, he said.

“My aim is to try for overall development of the area, where I will be posted. Education, healthcare and women empowerment will be under my focus,” he added.

Notably, a total of 153 candidates have been recommended by the commission for appointment in Group-A and Group-B categories.

Click here here for full list of selected candidates.