Those who have held positions in the Indian Army and the IAS are familiar with the name Amol Awate. He is a retired lieutenant colonel who made the decision to work for the government, and his transition from soldier to public servant is incredibly motivating.
Lt.Col Awate: Army Officer turned into IAS
One of the few officers, Mr. Awate, who served in the army for the required 20 years, chose the IAS to further his service to the country. He spent the first half of his career in the army but decided to apply his military experience in the administrative services. Mr. Awate, who was raised and born in Maharashtra, has always been passionate about giving back to his homeland. He was commissioned and spent twenty years in the Indian Army. He served in numerous war areas across the nation when he was in the army and took part in a number of significant operations.
He took part in J&K’s counterinsurgency efforts. In 2008, he enlisted in the Rashtriya Rifles. While actively participating in counter-insurgency operations in the valley, he saw that J&K need more administrative work to be performed by young bureaucrats and that he might be able to provide more as an IAS officer. He became aware of the significance of the dual role played by army personnel and IAS officers in Jammu and Kashmir while he was in Baramulla and participating in counter-insurgency operations.
Preparation for UPSC
Mr. Awate opted for UPSC CSE 2021 with Geography as an elective. It was his only try, given his advanced age. He carefully balanced static study with current events while he studied for the exam. After studying innumerable test questions, he concluded that both are interrelated.
He worked a full-time job and went to school. He had to manage his time effectively because he was at the time assigned to the Chennai-based Operations branch. He used to get up at three in the morning to study before going to work. To get ready for the test, he wrote for 4-5 hours each day. He benefited significantly from the covid lockdown because the offices were closed and he could focus solely on his studies. He credited his success to good time management, a focus on current affairs, and maintaining a healthy mental and physical balance.
The majority of people who took the UPSC exam with Mr. Awate were recent grads who were still studying. He had graduated from the Indian Military Academy in 2001 and had been an officer for nearly two decades, unlike the others. He found it tough to return to study mode. Naturally, he had to put in more effort to get into a routine, but remaining mentally and physically fit aided him, and he eventually passed the UPSC examination 2021 with an AIR-678 on his first try.
To crack the SSB Interview and join the Indian Army as an Officer, You can join our SSB interview live classes batch and we recommend you to Enroll SSB INTERVIEW ONLINE COURSE. Trusted by thousands of defence aspirants.
Officers done “enlist” they get “commissioned” please correct at once
Officers don’t “enlist” they get “commissioned” please fix at once