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What is the difference of marks between UPSC topper and last ranker in the final
list?
Agam Jain
Agam Jain, Indian Police Service
Answered Sun
These are the trivial questions I used to run behind when I was preparing for IIT
in Kota.

How does topper read, what do they wear, if they take bath or not, if they have
girlfriends or not, how can they score so much marks, which teacher in the coaching
has beautiful wife and so on.

I ended up being failure in all the exams. I wasn't beating the bush actually, I
was beating around it.

I corrected that in UPSC. I learnt importance of �to the point� work in hard way.

I wish you to not fall for such questions. It doesn't matter what is the
difference. You need one seat and just go for it. Why to care for what's happening
around!

Happy reading.

Jai Hind.

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What motivates you to study and why?

Agam Jain
Agam Jain, Indian Police Service
Answered Dec 8
I am more influenced by Tyrion Lannister than Jon Snow (the Game of thrones fans
will understand it). I believe in the fact that Knowledge is power.
My urge to learn new things.
I ask my friends to either gift me books or give nothing. So once I get a book, it
also becomes kind of compulsion to utilise the gift.
It keeps the mortal and temporary tensions at bay.
I find it the best rescue. Someone might question your absence if you are roaming
at that time but �studying� is still the best excuse in India.
Reading books at bedtime gives me sound sleep. Since last one year, I have made it
a routine to read some pages before sleeping.
I will admit that its the new status symbol now. Open a book in the flight or In a
lounge and people will think you are the top intellect of the county.
Since I love writing articles/poems/answers, studying gives me wider scope and
better ideas to share with everyone.
Reading books gives the �me time� which helps alot in long run for the self
improvement.
Thats it.

Jai Hind.

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Which books have you read in 2017 up to now?

Agam Jain
Agam Jain, Indian Police Service
Answered Nov 24
No mission is impossible: The death defying missions of Israeli special forces- It
has stories of some of the best operations conducted ever.
Chaa?d ka muh ?e?ha hai-Hindi poems by Muktibodh which are quite tough to get along
with but very thought provoking.
Laal ?in ki chat- A fantastic hindi novel about a paha?i girl.
Tales of prison life - Life of Aurobindo Ghosh in prison after his arrest in
Alipore conspiracy case.
The murder of Sonia raikkonen - Interesting investigation thriller.
Yayaati - Sahitya academy and Gyanpeeth winner. One of the best books I read this
year.
Sapiens: A brief history of humankind - Quite interesting and mindboggling. A must
read for everyone from my side.
My life and aim - A book by Swami Vivekanand about the life and the values.
Sophie's world - The best book written on philosophy. So interestingly merged with
a story. It takes time and patience but result are fruitful. Must read for patient
readers and philosophy lovers.
The great derangement: The climate change and the unthinkable - Amitav Ghosh has
beautifully put up the idea of thinking in the direction of climate change and to
work seriously towards reducing it.
And the mountains echoed - Good book but not as good as The kite runner.
The kite runner - A gem in recent times. This book will go a long way.
Land of seven rivers: a brief history of India's geography- A good read specially
for Indians to look back and realise how the things have transformed from time to
time.
Aasha?h ka ek din - A beautiful narrative of Kalidas. This small conversation and
story as a whole has the power to touch the core of the heart.
The prophet - Small but very powerful book by Khalil Gibran. It changes the way we
look at things and live our lives.
Kitne Pakistan - Very differently written book depicting the harsh realities this
country has faced since ancient times.
Diet and diet reforms - Gandhiji included all his experiments and key to the
healthy and natural way of living via proper diet. A good read for youth like us
who are eating whatever comes our way.
The tale of my exile - Barinder kumar ghosh, one of our freedom fighter, was sent
to Andaman prisons. This book is about the miseries they suffered there.
Moral basis of vegetarianism- A small essay by Gandhi explaining the morality
behind vegetarianism and why he follows it.
Then there are few books I left midway either because of paucity of time or the
owner needed the book back (not because I didn't like since I start reading a
particular book once I am sure about it).

I am reading a book on ISIS and a 6th century sanskrit book (hindi translation)
currently.

Jai Hind.

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Why do Jain Gods only favor the rich?

Agam Jain
Agam Jain, Indian Police Service
Answered Nov 23

Is it?I didn't know this!So I read a joke somewhere.

A chap goes to Ganesha temple and asks for the scooter.Ganesha says, �you foolish
guy, I am travelling on a mouse since time immemorial, how can ...
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How did Agam Jain perform in his engineering viva?

Agam Jain
Agam Jain, among the poorest lot of engineers.
Answered Nov 17
So I wasn't very good in engineering. Vivas were the worst part. I used to think
that I could answer better when I am drunk because then at least I would say
something.

I have a story to share.

So, once I went for a viva which was taken by a professor who used his UK travel
stories to justify his position as a teacher.

He asked me a question.

I gave an answer.

He: �Is this definition correct?�

Me: silent.

He: �tell me, whatever you said is correct or not?�

Me: �My work was to answer. I did that. Isn't it your task to decide if it's
correct or not.�

He was shocked. He straightaway gave me 2 marks out of 25.

Later on, I realised that it was not a way to talk to a person no matter how he/she
is. I even sent the indirect apology to him but that was the level of my anger
towards the engineering that anybody coming in the way became victim of my foolish
anger.

I never performed well in vivas. I either asked my batchmates the answers of

important questions or eavsdropped the professors while they used to take viva.

Engineering was the most hated thing on my list.

I always had the feeling that this �engineering� will one day take revenge from me.

But that day never came in college and I went on to prepare for UPSC.

One fine day, when I was sitting in UPSC Bhavan and giving the interview, that
�engineering� angel came from the heaven to screw the things up for me!

Even that day I didn't feel guilt of not studying engineering properly.

Fast forward to today. Our batch was attending a seminar about the use of
technology in advanced policing. And I felt so good because I could understand few
of the things thanks to the �engineering�. I wish I could get better hold of it.

But it is how it is.

Jai Hind.

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How was your day after UPSC selection?

Agam Jain
Agam Jain, Indian Police Service
Answered Nov 13
I learnt from my kota failure days (IIT/AIEEE failure) that I won't waste time in
gossiping and speculating the results, cut offs, coaching comparisons etc.

So, I never followed when the result will actually come. I didn't see prelims
result as I was sure of the selection (however, I checked it later just to
confirm). I was on my evening walk when my friend called me up just to inform that
I have got selected for interview (he didn't give any chance for anxiety and
tension).

Similarly, I was at my home, reading new books, watching movies and sleeping when
the result came on 10th may, 2016. I rarely used to talk with many people on phone,
rarely somebody used to message me.

So this is how the �very simple� story goes.

I was sleeping in the noon time; my father was sitting and mother was working in
kitchen. I woke up, went to living room, picked up my mobile and saw 8 missed
calls. Now, thats a number. I used to have 8 missed calls� collectively in one
month and now its was in just half hour. That's it. I realized that I got selected.
I opened the pdf and I was there at 133. When I was preparing, I made the plan that
if I get selected, I would either go on roof top or in bathroom (depending on where
I am) and shout like anything or maybe even cry but when I saw the result, nothing
actually happened.

I looked up and saw my father still sitting and working, mother still in kitchen. I
smiled on the fact that they still don't know what happened and now its my turn to
see the drama which is about to unfold. I sat there for few more minutes and as the
messages started flooding in, I thought I should go to parents otherwise somebody
else might take credit to tell them. I went and touched father�s feet and he was
like what the hell happened to me. I just said,�ho gaya selection� he jumped from
his seat, asked my mother to come. She said as a normal homemaker, �abhi kaam kar
rahi hoon, thodi der baad aaungi� (I am working right now, will come later on)
excited my father shouted again, �chhod do sab kuch� (leave everything). She then
came and I touched her feet and they both hugged me. by that time, sister also
joined joyfully.

Fast forward, my mother asked me to shave, change the dress. media people started
coming in. phones started buzzing (I mugged up few lines like aapke aashirwaad se
hi hua hai(its all because of your blessings), aise hi aapki shubhkamna aur salaah
milti rahe (may I get the wishes and advices from you always) etc). sweets, people,
laughs, name on TV etc was happening all around.

That night, I was sleeping on the floor and father and mother on the bed. At around
2 a.m. I heard them talking to each other both were discussing that once living in
a small village near a stream in one of the backward region of the country, they
never dreamt that something of this sort will happen right under their nose which
none of the people in their knowledge has done it. I pretended to sleep but these
are the moments you live for. We try to make our family happy.

A happy incident took place in morning, we all got ready and the family decided to
go to the temple. The colony roads were empty and breeze was making the
surroundings cool. A bike came from back and suddenly stopped in front. A person,
bit crazy, got down and came to me. we got a bit scared. He asked, �Are you the
same person whose photo came in the newspaper?� I nodded and immediately he started
shouting �jai hind� and made a gesture of salute. As I tried to thank him he said,
�I am also in government service and getting late, we all together will make
country better� and left.

I could just smile.

This is the simple 24 hours after selection.

And I will reiterate- character matters more than the post/intellect, always.

Jai Hind.