Civil Services officers share experiences, tips at The Hindu Civil Service Gateway Summit 2025

The Hindu Civil Service Gateway Summit 2025 offers valuable tips from top officers for acing Civil Services exams.

The two-day The Hindu Civil Service Gateway Summit 2025 which opened at hotel Hycinth here on Friday saw a galaxy of IAS, IPS and IA&AS officers sharing their experiences and valuable tips for acing the gruelling Civil Services exams with young people hoping to follow in their footsteps.

K. Vasuki, an IAS officer of the 2008 batch,  underscored the importance of smart work, strategisation in preparing for the exams. Speaking on ‘Mastering the art of time management for UPSC preparation,’ Ms. Vasuki said the preparations were all about stress management and adequate planning. She also urged aspirants to incorporate some form of meditation in their daily schedule.

At the same time, an aspirant should be clear about his/her purpose in choosing to enter the Civil Services, Ms. Vasuki said. “Do not come here for the glamour or power of being an IAS officer. If you come here to become a successful officer in the eyes of others, you will be in for a great disappointment,” she said.

Divya S. Iyer, Managing Director, Vizhinjam International Seaport Ltd, spoke on ‘How to build a comprehensive study plan for UPSC.’ She said there are no shortcuts for cracking the exams. While ingredients may be the same, the recipes will be different for each person, she said.

Speakers at Friday’s sessions also advised that it was important for young people to understand that not getting into the Civil Services is not the end of the world. ADGP S. Sreejith, who spoke on ‘Life during UPSC preparation and good habits to cultivate,’ said one should not be disappointed for failing to get through after preparing for a long time. The preparations itself equips a candidate for bigger, better jobs later on.

Arun S. Nair,  IAS, who spoke on ‘Strategies to crack UPSC with IAS as your goal,’ advised aspirants that starting the preparations at an early stage could prove advantageous for them. One should also practice good handwriting and time management as early as possible while preparing for the prelims, he said. The choice of optional subject should be a well-thought out decision, he added.

Mohammed Danish, an IA&AS officer, spoke on ‘Cracking the civil services and why IA&AS might be the apt choice for you.’