Introduction 

The Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) has unveiled the Civil Services Examination (CSE) 2024 results, celebrating a remarkable achievement for aspirants nationwide. Among the top performers is Harshita Goyal, who has secured an impressive All India Rank (AIR) 2. With a total of 1,009 candidates qualifying, the competition was fierce, yet Harshita’s dedication and strategic approach have shone through, offering inspiration to many on this challenging path.

Background of Harshita

Harshita Goyal was born in Hisar, Haryana, a place steeped in tradition, but her formative years unfolded in Vadodara, Gujarat, where her family relocated after losing her mother to cancer. This move, driven by her father’s search for a better future, shaped her resilience and deep-rooted desire to serve.

 A Bachelor of Commerce graduate from Maharaja Sayajirao University of Baroda, Harshita later qualified as a Chartered Accountant, blending academic rigor with a passion for societal impact. Her extracurricular pursuits—working with the Belief Foundation for children with Thalassemia and cancer, indulging in acrylic painting, and earning the Best Paper award at a national chartered accountant students conference on "The role of chartered accountants in transforming India"—reflect a spirit that thrives on empathy and creativity amidst personal challenges.

  Also Read Blog: Shakti Dubey, AIR 1, UPSC 2024

Harshita Goyal's UPSC Journey and Number of Attempts 

Driven by a strong desire to serve society and inspired by her father’s unwavering support, Harshita began her UPSC journey in 2021, choosing Political Science & International Relations (PSIR) as her optional after clearing her CA exams.

Her first two attempts were filled with challenges—Prelims eluded her in 2022, and though she progressed further in 2023, success remained out of reach. In her third attempt in 2024, just days before the Mains, she was struck by a severe bout of typhoid. Physically drained and emotionally tested, she found herself on the edge of giving up. But the quiet strength of her father and the enduring memory of her mother gave her the courage to persevere.

Transforming pain into purpose, she pushed through the illness, cleared both Mains and Interview, and secured AIR 2 with a total score of 1038. This victory, born from tears and triumphs, is a powerful ode to her ability to rise, proving that even the darkest moments can light the path to success

During her journey of continuous improvement, she enrolled in the VisionIAS Classroom Foundation Course, which provided a structured approach and classroom discipline, helping her internalize concepts deeply. She also participated in the Abhyaas Prelims Test Series in 2024, which allowed her to assess her performance on a national level and refine her strategy under exam-like conditions.

 This combination of guided preparation, personalised mentorship, disciplined practice, and her unwavering perseverance ultimately helped her secure a top rank in the UPSC Civil Services Examination.

Harshita Goyal’s UPSC Preparation Strategy 

In her Toppers’ Talk session at VisionIAS, she candidly shared the story behind her success, highlighting how structured preparation, consistent effort, and timely mentorship played a transformative role. Key Insights from her Toppers’ Talk includes: 

The Foundation: VisionIAS Classroom Program

Harshita joined the VisionIAS Foundation Course, which played a pivotal role in structuring her UPSC preparation, especially as someone new to the specific demands of the UPSC exam.

• Structure & Direction: The Foundation course provided a clear roadmap, streamlining the vast syllabus and offering direction on how and what to study.
• Classes & Teachers: As an online student, she found the lectures and teachers excellent and accessible. She actively interacted by texting and mailing her doubts, debunking the myth of inaccessible online faculty. According to her, the key is to be attentive in class to grasp concepts clearly.
• Classroom Daily Assignments: Regularly writing the assignments provided after classes was crucial for reinforcing concepts and building answer writing discipline from the start.
• Class Notes & Study material: These formed the bedrock of her UPSC preparation. She referred back to them even in her third attempt, considering them the basic source, supplemented by diagrams and other additions from study material.

Wisdom from Topper Talk : Harshita’s UPSC strategy emphasizes structured preparation, smart resource use, and emotional resilience. She relied on core materials like VisionIAS notes, NCERTs, and PYQs, focusing on revision over novelty. For Prelims, she prioritized accuracy, mock tests, and current affairs. Mains prep involved early answer writing, note-making, and GS3-specific tools. Essays and Ethics drew from toppers' models and structured inputs. Her interview prep centered on DAF-based questions and personality. Balanced efforts, optimism, and consistency shaped her success

 Watch: Harshita Goyal’s Toppers’ Talk

Resources & Learning Material

VisionIAS Core Materials:

- Classroom Notes & study material: Served as the foundational base.

- Quick Revision Material (QRM): Highly effective for concise topic-wise summarization.

- Monthly Current Affairs Magazines: Helped maintain consistency in current affairs coverage.

- PT 365: Used for smart revision by focusing on key areas identified through PYQ analysis.

- Toppers' Copies: Especially useful for comparing Mains answers and drawing examples for Essay and Ethics.

NCERTs: essential for building conceptual clarity. Thoroughly read during the initial phase of preparation to strengthen basic understanding.

Prelims Strategy: Navigating the First Hurdle

Facing two initial setbacks in Prelims, Harshita refined her approach for her successful third attempt.

GS Approach:

- Selective Reading: Be smart, avoid FOMO (Fear Of Missing Out). Focus on high-yield topics identified through PYQ analysis.

- Previous Year Questions (PYQs): Your "best friend." Solve them thoroughly to understand UPSC patterns and build confidence.

- Revision: Rely on your short notes and core sources. Avoid chasing new materials in the last month.

CSAT: Don't ignore it! Practice diligently, especially if you know your weak areas (Quantitative aptitude/Reading Comprehension). PYQs and VisionIAS classroom tests are vital here.

Current Affairs: Read newspapers daily (non-negotiable!). Supplement with monthly magazines/PT 365 smartly. Focus on revising factual information.

Mock Tests: Give lots of tests (All India Prelims Test Series, Abhyaas). Analyze mistakes to learn and improve. Mocks simulate the exam environment, reducing actual-day pressure. Don't obsess over scores but focus on learning.

Harshita quotes, “The More Mistakes You Make, the Better You Learn so and the lesser are the chances of those Mistakes in your actual exams “

• Attempt Strategy: Harshita adopted a riskier approach (attempting 98 questions in 2024), but stresses this is subjective and depends on individual accuracy and analysis. Find your comfort zone through practice.

Mindset: Stay calm the day before. Relax, get adequate sleep (10 hours recommended), and trust your preparation. Avoid last-minute flipping through notes.

 Mains Strategy: The Art of Answer Writing

Answer Writing Practice:

- PYQs: Wrote answers for the past 5 years of PYQs and compared them meticulously with toppers' copies available in the market to understand structure and expectations.

- Test Series: Wrote mains tests in the period between Prelims and Mains. This builds stamina and time management skills.

- Completing the Paper: Non-negotiable. Aim to complete every question, even if some answers are basic generic ones for questions you don't know well.

- Classroom Assignments: Foundational course assignments helped build the initial habit.

Note Making: A mix of digital (highlighting PDFs) and handwritten notes (for better recall). Prepared concise notes only for areas needing reinforcement or easy-to-forget facts/examples.

GS3 Strategy: Current-affairs heavy. Relied on Mains 365, Budget/Economic Survey summaries, and pre-prepared diagrams/infographics for common themes.

Essay: Brainstorm extensively (use PYQ topics), collect examples/anecdotes (from toppers' copies, newspapers), structure the flow beforehand. Practice writing regularly, not just before the exam. Peer discussion helps generate ideas.

Ethics (GS4):

- Sources: VisionIAS foundation lectures and Toppers' copies as a foundational base.

- Approach: Strong conceptual clarity combined with practical case study application. Used diagrams (stakeholder illustrations), flowcharts, and tables to enhance presentation.

- Examples: Maintained a separate list of crisp examples for key ethical terms (integrity, courage, etc.).

Interview Preparation: The Personality Test

• Focus: DAF (Detailed Application Form) is key. Prepared probable questions for every word mentioned (used Chat GPT for brainstorming).
• Practice: Discussions with friends, mirror practice, and mock interviews to build confidence and refine answers.
• Essence: It's a test of personality, presence of mind, and attitude (empathy, learning spirit, problem-solving). Be calm, honest, and articulate. Knowledge is necessary but secondary to personality traits.

Mindset, Motivation & Handling Setbacks

• Consistency: Ordinary efforts done consistently lead to extraordinary results.
• Self-Belief & Positivity: Crucial. Trust your preparation. Counter self-doubt by focusing on how to achieve your goal, not if you can.
• Remember Your 'Why': Reconnect with your core motivation (family, societal contribution) during low phases.
• Handling Failure: Setbacks are part of the journey. Acknowledge them, learn, and bounce back. Failures made her humble and grounded.
• Balance: Maintain hobbies (painting, movies, Ludo!), physical activity, and a balanced lifestyle. UPSC is a part of life, not life itself.
• Peer Group: A supportive peer group motivates, helps in idea exchange, and provides clarity.

Also Read Blog: UPSC 2024 Toppers Preparation Strategy

Read Blog: Harshita Goyal’s UPSC Preparation Strategy: From CA to AIR 2 with VisionIAS Foundation

Glimpse of Harshita’s Spirit of Daily Classroom Assignment Practice

Harshita’s success was shaped by her consistent practice of daily classroom assignments during the VisionIAS Classroom Foundation Course. This honed her answer-writing skills, and helped her master the structure and clarity UPSC demands—laying the groundwork for her high-scoring performance.

Harshita Goyal’s UPSC CSE 2024 Marksheet

Harshita Goyal’s performance in the UPSC CSE 2024 is a reflection of her meticulous preparation  Below is a detailed breakdown of her scores, which aspirants can use as a benchmark for their preparation:

Watch: Insights from Toppers’ Copies on Answer Writing

Harshita's journey, marked by perseverance through setbacks and guided by structured preparation at VisionIAS, offers invaluable lessons for every UPSC aspirant. Her emphasis on fundamentals, consistent effort, and a positive, balanced approach serves as a powerful blueprint for success.

Also Read Blog: Archit Dongre, AIR 3, UPSC 2024

✅ FAQs: Harshita Goyal – UPSC AIR 2, 2024

1. Which course did Harshita Goyal join?
Answer: She joined the VisionIAS Classroom General Studies Foundation Course and VisionIAS Abhyaas Mock Test.

2. How many attempts did Harshita Goyal take to crack the UPSC?
Answer: She cleared the exam in her 3rd attempt.

3. Where is Harshita Goyal from?
Answer: She is from Vadodara, Gujarat, originally hailing from Hisar, Haryana.

4. What is Harshita Goyal’s educational qualification?
Answer: She holds a Bachelor of Commerce (B.Com) degree and is a qualified Chartered Accountant (CA).

5. What was Harshita Goyal’s optional subject in UPSC?
Answer: Her optional subject was PSIR (Political Science and International Relations).