WBCSMadeEasy

Mr Bhattacharya was extremely helpful in the interview ,replied via mail.

1.WBCSMadeEasy: When and how did the inspiration and idea of joining civil service
come in your mind?

Gourisankar Bhattacharya:It was not pre planned..it just happened..after completing
graduation in 2001,I was looking for a career that would give me a
secure job..with a good pay package that will help me to have a worth
living..to support my family financially..Since we were not
financially sound then..I thought it was the best option that could
give me all I want and also the added incentive to work for
people..their betterment..what more could I have asked for..

2)WBCSMadeEasy:Tell something about yourself? Educational Qualification,
Marks/Division/Class, schooling?..

Gourisankar Bhattacharya:Born in a lower middle class family...father was a gr-d employee at
pwd..mother a house wife..one younger brother 12 years my junior..was
a very average student..especially poor in mathematics..so science was
not my cup of tea..but i was industrious..who did not have much
talent..but who had tenacity..completed my madhyamik from Naktala high
school in 1st div..H.S from Mukul Bose Memorial Institution in
commerce in 1st division..graduated in commerce from south city day
college with 57.5% marks..

3)WBCSMadeEasy:What factors did you consider before selecting your optionals? What
were they?

Gourisankar Bhattacharya:Commerce since I graduated in it..and Political Science..because it
gives an insight to the administration,civil service,politics and
judicial set up and their interrelation..

4)WBCSMadeEasy: How did you sustain the study-momentum throughout the year?


Gourisankar Bhattacharya:I studied whenever I found time..I was working in private sector to
earn some money to support my family..I remember my first job paid me
Rs.50/-per day at a chair manufacturing company as trainee accountant
at beliaghata..besides I used to teach..and in between I studied..I
had no option..I could not have left the job..That 50 bucks per day
was very important for me..my family..

5)WBCSMadeEasy:How many hours did you study per day? How many months did it take
you to complete the core syllabus of Compulsory and optional subjects?

Gourisankar Bhattacharya:I have answered it earlier..it took me a long time because of a non
systematic study process..that followed me throughout my career till
date..I had to study with a job as companion..so that made my job
tougher..as I was never a student aspirant but an employee aspirant
always..

6)WBCSMadeEasy:Did u use internet, was it effective?

Gourisankar Bhattacharya:No..not really in the first 3 or 4 attempts..used it to some extent
later on..but not much..I had a lot of books to follow and very less
time to look at internet..

7)WBCSMadeEasy:Which newspapers & magazines you went through?

Gourisankar Bhattacharya:Times of India..Hindustan Times..Anadabazar..Civil Service
Chronicle..Competition Refresher..Protiyogita
Poriprekshit..Peshaprabesh..

8)WBCSMadeEasy:/color]Did u took coaching? How was the experience?

[color=#0000BF] Gourisankar Bhattacharya:Yes..A six months course on WBCS in 2002 at Ashutosh College
Training Centre..at Hazra..It was average to me..barring very few
instances it did not help much..Then it was self coaching..

9)WBCSMadeEasy:What about Interview in WBCS? Was the board cordial? What should be
a proper preparation?

Gourisankar Bhattacharya:The most dreaded thing for me in WBCS.. was the so called
personality test..I appeared in 6 interviews..and my experiances are
not good..except in 2003 when I got selected in Group D and in 2010
when I got selected in my present post as DMDC..board I think only
knows what they want..I think most of the time its more of a question
answer session..and be their yes man..I may be wrong or others may
differ..but thats exactly what I felt..My marks are as follows..2003
Gr-d..60 out of 100..(SELECTED IN Gr-D),2006 Gr-c..92 out of
200..(SELECTED IN GR-C)..2007..Gr-a--90 out of 200 and in Gr-b..100
out of 200(GOT SELECTED IN GR-C AGAIN)..2008..Gr-A..91(not
selected)..2010..Gr-A..92 out of 200(got selected finally in
GR-A)..board was cordial to me in 2003 and 2010..and not other
times..my marks reflect that..PROPER PREPARATION..I DON'T KNOW..may be
I didn't know it coz if I had my marks would have been better..isn't
it..anyways prepare your optionals..current events..home
district..district in which you have worked..about any service you did
previously..your hobbies..and never tell a lie..never argue..hope and
pray they like you..that 15 minutes can give you that much that hours
and hours of study and pages and pages of writing cannot..

10)WBCSMadeEasy:Plz suggest some good books for pre, comp, optional.

Gourisankar Bhattacharya:Preli..UPSC civil service manuals..chronicle preli special
issues..9-10 level books of all
subjects..MAINS..Bengali--Bamandeb..for grammar..English--P.K.DE
SARKAR for grammar..Arith and Reasoning--R S AGARWAL..EDGAR
THORPE..Current Events..magazines mentioned earlier..5 YEAR
PLAN..mishra and puri..CONSTITUTION..Spectrum publishers books and
bare constitution..COMMERCE--Graduation level books of all major
authors..Pol Sc..I studied spectrum's books.for constitution and
international relations..For Pub Adm..Mohit bhattacharyya..For
political theory--orientals guide book..

11)WBCSMadeEasy:What should be the strategy for cracking this exam?What message
you want to give to all aspirants?

Gourisankar Bhattacharya:choose optionals wisely..preferably the subject you like..like
subject of graduation if you like..else choose wisely..scoring ones
and whose syllabus are easy to finish and which interests you..don't
follow some elders advise or any coaching institutes
advertisement..prepare in your own strategy..dont follow suggestions
initially..prepare question answers yourself if you have time..have to
have patience..sometimes success takes time to arrive..sustain your
energy..and believe in yourself..

12)WBCSMadeEasy:you d Anything else u want to share?

Gourisankar Bhattacharya:don't need to be a topper or brilliant student to crack
WBCS..many average students like myself have managed to crack it
through our very own ways..you have to find it..by identifying your
strong points and weak points..maintain your strength and work on
improving your weakness..you have to be a believer to be an achiever..

13)WBCSMadeEasy:Was it ur 1st attempt? If not what about previous ones?

Gourisankar Bhattacharya:my first attempt was in 2003..and last was in 2011..I have stated
the 2nd part of the question earlier..2011 result has not yet
come..it's in the stage of personality test upto now..

Thanks..best of luck to u and ur team and all the WBCS aspirants..GOD
BE WITH YOU ALWAYS..