Aravind Banavath of UoH recommended for IPS

Hyderabad: It's a moment of immense pride and joy for the entire fraternity of the University of Hyderabad (UoH) as Aravind Banavath, final year MA student at the Department of Sociology, secured All India Rank 623 in the prestigious Civil Services Examination 2021 conducted by the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) across the country. He has been recommended to the Indian Police Service (IPS).

An alumna of Motilal Nehru National Institute of Technology (MNNIT), Allahabad, Uttar Pradesh, he joined the University of Hyderabad in 2020 to pursue MA in Sociology. He started preparing for UPSC during his undergraduate years. His aspiration of choosing a profession that helps reconcile his individualistic career growth and societal good motivated him to shift to Delhi to enhance his preparation. He is deeply influenced by the philosophical teachings of Dr BR Ambedkar.

Talking about how he prepared for the exam, Aravind said, "It is important to have clarity of concepts before launching into preparation. Clarity and Consistency are the key factors that help clear the exam."

When asked about his advice to students preparing for the UPSC, he said, "Newspaper is something you cannot miss. Do not treat this as any other exam. This exam is about building personality. It checks character and ability to think independently."

"This is my third attempt. I was not well versed in mathematics, so I could not crack CSAT in my first attempt. The biggest challenge was preparing for the optional papers as there are not many resources available on Philosophy", recalls Aravind.

He credits his success to his father, who constantly supported and inspired him. Aravind's roots lie in a small village in Guntur District, Andhra Pradesh. He spent the majority of his childhood in Visakhapatnam, Andhra Pradesh. As a child, he was always inclined toward doing things that were difficult to accomplish. He cleared the Joint Engineering Entrance Examination (JEE - Mains) and moved to Allahabad to earn a degree in biotechnology. Given his tribal background, he always felt that it would be wrong on his part to pursue a self-centred career, especially considering the country's myriad problems today.

"UoH gave me hope to continue the preparation amidst my masters. I had plans to pursue interdisciplinary research in sociology and philosophy if I had not made it to the list. Most importantly, UoH taught me how to manage time productively."

We wish Aravind the best in his journey and hope his experiences at the university's vibrant and scenic campus motivate him well in his endeavours to serve the nation.