Inspirational story of Shakti Mohan Awasthi

Every year lakhs of students appear for the UPSC exam, but only a few of them are able to reach their destination. One such inspiring story is that of DCP Shakti Mohan Awasthi of Central Noida. With hard work and dedication he succeeded in the third attempt and became an IPS officer. In an interesting incident, he was asked a question related to the movie “3 Idiots” during the UPSC interview.

Education and early life

Shakti Mohan Awasthi belongs to Lucknow, the capital of Uttar Pradesh.

• school education:
  Completed in Lucknow itself.
• Engineering:
  He did B.Tech in Civil Engineering from the prestigious BIT Mesra, Bihar.

UPSC journey: Success in the third attempt

Shakti Mohan Awasthi appeared for UPSC exam thrice and finally fulfilled his dream of becoming an IPS.

1. First attempt:
   • Reached the interview round but could not make the final selection.
2. Second attempt:
   • He got the post of IRS (Indian Revenue Service).
   • But his dream was to become an IPS.
3. Third attempt (2018):
   • After securing 154th rank he finally became IPS.

Interesting story of UPSC interview

Shakti Mohan Awasthi shared an interesting incident related to his UPSC interview in a podcast.

• The interview panel said that his face resembles that of actor Sharman Joshi of the film “3 Idiots”.
• He was asked, “Have you seen ‘3 Idiots’?”
• This question was a memorable and light moment for him.

Shakti Mohan Awasthi’s advice for UPSC aspirants

1. Preparation of Standard Questions:

• He advised students to prepare for standard questions but avoid giving rote answers.

2. Confidence during interview:

• Speak calmly and confidently during the interview.
• Maintain a natural smile and enter the room in a composed manner.

3. Importance of Personality:

• He said that UPSC interview not only tests your academic ability, but it is also a test of your personality.
• Maintain honesty and positivity.