About Antriksh Jain
Antriksh Jain (IPS) secured All India Rank 130 in the UPSC Civil Services Examination 2021 in his very first attempt and is currently serving as an officer of the Indian Police Service. His journey stands as a strong example of how a focused preparation strategy, the right choice of optional subject, and expert mentorship can lead to success even for candidates from a technical background.
His performance in Sociology Optional highlights the effectiveness of concept-driven preparation combined with disciplined answer writing and structured guidance.
Antriksh Jain was born and brought up in Chandigarh. His academic journey reflects a strong technical foundation:
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Diploma: Indo-Swiss Training Centre, Chandigarh
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Graduation: B.Tech in Mechanical Engineering from Chandigarh Engineering College, Landran (Mohali)
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Professional Experience: Worked for nearly nine months at Saint-Gobain Glass India, Hyderabad
Despite a non-humanities background, Antriksh Jain successfully transitioned into Sociology as his optional subject, proving that prior academic discipline is not a barrier when fundamentals are built correctly.
Sociology Optional Selection & Performance
Antriksh Jain opted for Sociology Optional and secured an impressive 265 marks, including 143 marks in Sociology Paper-II, reflecting strong application of sociological theories to Indian social realities.
His preparation was carried out under the mentorship of Pranay Aggarwal Sir at IAS Gurukul, where emphasis was laid on conceptual clarity, inter-linkage between Paper-I and Paper-II, and answer structuring aligned with UPSC expectations.
Strategic Elements of His Preparation
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Limited but high-quality sources
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Early focus on answer writing structure
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Regular test series practice
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Multiple revisions before Prelims
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Strong linkage between theory (Paper-I) and Indian context (Paper-II)
Sources Followed by Antriksh Jain
Sociology Paper-I
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Pranay Aggarwal Sir’s classroom notes
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Essential Sociology by Nitin Sangwan
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Haralambos & Holborn (Blue Book) – selective reading (Research Methods & Thinkers)
Sociology Paper-II
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Pranay Aggarwal Sir’s notes
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Essential Sociology by Nitin Sangwan
Test Series
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Sociology Mentor Telegram Test Series
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Vision IAS Sociology Test Series (post-Prelims)
He also integrated current affairs from a sociological perspective, using Pranay Aggarwal Sir’s current affairs notes to enrich Paper-II answers.
Mentorship & Guidance at IAS Gurukul
During his Sociology Optional preparation, IAS Gurukul played a decisive role in refining Antriksh Jain’s approach. Under the mentorship of Pranay Aggarwal, he benefited from:
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Clear explanation of complex sociological thinkers and concepts
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Structured frameworks for 10-marker and 20-marker answers
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Continuous evaluation through test series
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Personalised feedback for content enrichment
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Integration of current affairs with static sociology syllabus
This focused mentorship helped him improve presentation, maintain consistency, and convert sociological understanding into marks.
Message for Aspirants
Antriksh Jain’s success clearly demonstrates that Sociology Optional is a highly viable and rewarding choice for engineering and non-humanities students, provided preparation is systematic, guided, and concept-oriented.
His journey reinforces a key lesson for aspirants:
consistent revision, disciplined answer writing, and expert mentorship are critical in transforming knowledge into rank-producing performance.
IAS Gurukul proudly showcases his achievement and continues to guide Sociology aspirants with a proven, result-oriented approach.
