Selfstudyhistory.com’s Interview of AYUSHI SIJERIA [Rank 914, CSE- 2025, History Optional]

Profile of the Candidate

Introduction

(1) Tell us something about yourself. 

My name is Ayushi Sijeria. I have secured an AIR-914 in UPSC CSE 2025. This was my 3^rd attempt, first mains & first interview.

Questions Related to History Optional

(2) Why did you choose history as your optional subject?

Ans- History was my fav subject from the school time. I wanted to study it. This was my primary motivation to take it as optional, as I could study it deeply.

(3) Kindly mention positive and negative about the History Optional for those who what to take history optional.

Ans- Positives: static syllabus, fixed themes, making it easy to pre-prepare answers

Negatives: very lengthy, memorization have weightage here, you cannot just apply common sense.

(4) Kindly mention booklist and sources which you followed for History Optional.

Ans- NCERTs basic

Self-Study History material

Art & Culture- Nitin Singhania

(5) In Paper I and II, you answered 3 questions from Part A or Part B?

Ans- paper I – section A

Paper II- section B

(6) How much time per day you used to give the history optional during your preparation (both before and after prelims)?

Ans- before prelims, I used to give 4 hours to it. After prelims, 2-3 hours daily for revision & a week separately to it.

(7) Did you do answer writing regularly? If yes, what amount of time you devoted to it and how did it help you?

Ans- almost daily. I did 9-10 questions on regular basis.

(8) Did you join any test series? If yes, kindly name it? How did it benefit you?

Ans- yes Vikas Ahlawat sir. It was very beneficial in revising imp topics

(9) Did you maintain self-notes? If yes, how did it help you?

Ans- yes, I maid notes for mains. they were short & handy; I could add value to my answers without much efforts.

(10) Have you solved previous years papers of history optional? Did it help you in the examination?

Ans- yes, I solved. I got to know themes that repeated in the paper and beforehand prepared key points for it.

(11) In your views, how the nature of questions asked in history optional changed in recent years?

Ans- new areas are being asked now especially in modern India.

(12) Were you asked questions related to History in interview? If yes, kindly mention those.

Ans- about rani Laksmi bai

Whether partition was right or wrong

(13) How did selfstudyhistory.com benefitted you in your History Optional Preparation?

Ans- it had all the material I was looking for. Previous year solved questions benefitted me a lot.

Very good initiative, material which I did not find anywhere, was found here.