"A very small man can cast a very long shadow" says Alka

Name: Alka Singh
Place: Lucknow (Uttar Pradesh)
Qualification: B.Sc [PCM]

“A very small man can cast a very long shadow”. Assuming that the man referred to here stands for all mankind, I have developed a certain uncanny liking to the message delivered through this byword.

When I hopped on this journey fresh out of college back in 2015, I knew nothing about how to “make it”. I remember being this cocky, airborne with confidence and self belief that I was certainly gonna make it in less many attempts than my comfort would permit. Guess having had won laurels during my academic days had made me complacent and oblivious to the reality of competitive world of govt sector jobs.

I stepped into the pit with a noob’s intrepidity, and got beaten black and blue. Didn’t crack a single prelims in 2016 and it was a first of many failures I was going to be a part of. Enrolled into coaching classes but that didn’t help much.

Bankersadda was my go-to during those days when I needed help and motivation. The mentors here deserve a special mention who work tireless and relentlessly to help us drifters catch-the-drift. I remember how burnt out I felt, both mentally and physically, at the end of 2016.

But as they say, at the edge of precipice, we truly find ourselves. And I was never the giver-upper type. So I pulled it together and started 2017 from scratch and focused mainly on boosting my speed and strengthening my weak areas. This time, I cracked only RRB PO Prelims comfortably but still kept missing my mark in mains. Secured marks more than the cutoff in RRB PO mains, but failed to clear a sectional. And the journey that year ended with few more cuts and bruises in the name of RRB Assistant, RBI Assistant, IBPS Clerk, all missed by antagonizing margins.

I was left heart broken, dejected, hopeless and it took a toll on me. Went into a hiding in my own room and spoke to none for days. My confidence hit rock bottom and I was finding it very difficult to dust myself off and rise up back this time. In that phase, I spent a lot of time introspecting where I’d gone wrong.

I realised that just as my mistake in 2016 was underestimating the challenge, in 2017 I had over estimated it and thereby over did a few things. I over burdened myself and in the process let my mind get over wrought with wanting to “make it”.It can get very frustrating to not know what exactly to do after having possibly done everything u think there’s to do to get something u want so desperately, even the unnecessary ones.

This new year rung in with very pleasant and happy tidings for me. I finally “made it” as RRB PO(Baroda UP Grameen Bank) and I got to admit, it’s a feeling second to none in the world to see your name in the final list.

I do not have any particular strategy to share with you all because I mostly just did whatever I felt was necessary to boost my level of competitiveness. And I believe everyone is unique in their own way and so have their own strengths and weaknesses to work with. I had never appeared in interviews in my life, and secured 91.98 in the interview.

So work hard, prepare yourself thoroughly, cover all your bases and success would undeniably be yours. Never give up my all friends.god has a special plan for you all.

No success story can ever be made to come true without the help of those close to u. My friends and family specially my parents, Vishwa bhai, Anu di deserve all the credit without whose blessings I wouldn’t be here. And would also like to thank all those amazing friends and fellow competitors I met through Adda247 online channel which helped me a lot in my starting phase of preparation.

Moreover, I also want to thank Kriti di, Paras, Ankit Sir, Lalu Sir, Ritesh Sir, Srivastav bhai, Yogi, Ridhi’s group members and many more. With that remark and utmost gratitude for all my fellow aspirants here, this is Alka Singh from Lucknow, signing off for until next time 🙂

Thanks Alka for sharing your Success Story with us. Adda247 wishes you a good luck for the bright future ahead.