“There’s no magic formula, but persistence is key. Every attempt teaches you something,” shares Kanika Anabh, who proudly clinched Rank 1 in the Indian Forest Service exam. Mentor Mentor Mentor
After facing three attempts and a series of challenges, Kanika finally achieved her goal. With the results delayed by over ten days, she reflects on her journey filled with failures, strategies, and the long path to success. Here are some highlights: Mentor Mentor Mentor Mentor Mentor Mentor Mentor Mentor Mentor
Can you tell us about your journey? How many attempts did it take?
This was my third attempt. I started my preparation in 2021 after stepping away from a PhD program. In my first attempt, I made it through the Civil Services interview but didn’t get onto the final list. That year, I didn’t even pass the Forest Service prelims because the cutoff was higher. In my second attempt, I didn’t clear the prelims at all. But in this third attempt, I successfully cleared both the Civil and Forest prelims and mains. While I didn’t make it to the final Civil list, I topped the Forest one.
What subjects did you choose, and how did you decide on them?
For both the Civil and Forest Services, I opted for Zoology as my main subject. For the Forest Service, I added Forestry as a second optional subject, which is a popular choice among science students since the service is quite technical. I selected these subjects based on my academic background, which aligned well with the exam format. dfv dfv dfv dfv dfv df dfv dfv dfv dfv dfv dfv dfv dfv dfv dfv dfv dfv dfv dfv dfv dfv df
How did you manage your time across the different stages of preparation?
In my first attempt, I dedicated about 70–80% of my time to prelims. By the time I reached my third attempt, I had a better plan in place. Until December, I concentrated on the mains. From January to May, I shifted my focus to prelims prep—solving questions, keeping up with current affairs, and revising. After the Civil mains wrapped up in September, I had six weeks to prepare for the Forest Services mains and started studying Forestry from scratch. It was intense, but I stayed focused.
Were there times when you thought about throwing in the towel?
Absolutely. After each setback — bombing the first interview, struggling through the prelims the second time, and not making it onto the Civil Services list the third — I felt that sting of disappointment and a wave of self-doubt. I had left my PhD program and taken a big leap of faith. But quitting was never really on my mind. I’d just keep asking myself, “What else can I do?” and then I’d pick myself up and start again.
What advice would you give to others facing the same challenges?
There’s no one-size-fits-all answer, but persistence is key. Each attempt teaches you something valuable. If you can be honest with yourself about what went wrong and focus on improving that, success will eventually follow. You don’t need to study for 14 hours a day; what you really need is clarity, consistency, and a bit of resilience. dfv dfv dfv dfv dfv df dfv dfv dfv dfv dfv dfv dfv dfv dfv dfv df dfv dfv dfv dfv dfv
Now that you’ve achieved your goal, what’s next for you?
Service training is on the horizon. Beyond that, I’m just filled with gratitude. I understand how unpredictable this journey can be, and I’m truly thankful that it led to this outcome.
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