Do you ever feel stuck? Like, no matter how hard you try, you can’t see the result you dream of? Maybe you’re working a job and trying to balance your studies. Or perhaps you’re dealing with family pressures while secretly holding onto your exam goals. If any of this feels true, then Sachiv Nehra’s journey will feel like your own.
Today, Sachiv Nehra stands proud as the AIR 1 in UPSC EPFO APFC, but his story is not about quick wins or shortcuts. It’s about the quiet courage of showing up every single day, even when life felt heavier than he could carry.
There is no shortcut. If you read standard books, revise often, and use your day well, things get better, even in hard times.
That’s the message Sachiv gives to aspirants like you. His path was filled with setbacks, grief, and tough choices, but he kept moving forward. Let me take you step by step through his story. Once you see how he managed everything, you’ll believe you can too.
Who is Sachiv Nehra? His Journey Before UPSC EPFO APFC
Every topper has a beginning, and Sachiv’s beginning was as simple and ordinary as most of ours.
He was born in a small village in the Hisar district of Haryana. Till class 10, he studied in a Hindi medium school, before switching to English medium in his 11th and 12th in the science stream. Later, he completed B.Tech in Electronics and Communication from Bhiwani.
Like many small-town students, Sachiv didn’t know much about government exams initially. Friends suggested options like Bank PO, SSC, CGL, and Delhi Police. He decided to follow their advice, because like so many of us, he wanted job security and respect.
When you are in a small town, everyone says a government job is best. I did not have big dreams, just wanted stability and peace for my family.
This is where it all started for him – not from a burning ambition, but from a simple desire for a better life. And maybe you can relate to that feeling too.
But Sachiv’s journey was not straightforward. He faced many choices about which job to settle for and which opportunity to wait for. That’s where the next part of his story begins.
- Syllabus
- Previous Year Papers
- Preparation Sources
- Strategy
Exams He Cleared and Why He Waited for UPSC EPFO APFC
Big journeys are made of many checkpoints. Each one teaches you something you carry forward.
Before APFC, Sachiv cleared several competitive exams.
- SBI PO cleared, interview was skipped
- Delhi Police CPO All India Rank 1, physical was not attended
- UPSC Assistant Commandant offered ITBP post, but did not join
- IB ACIO cleared, interview was skipped
- SSC CGL 2014 All India Rank 13, joined as an Income Tax Inspector
Why did he not join several posts
If I joined any of those, family would say, ab mat padh, job mil gayi. I did not want to become lazy, I wanted to give at least one big try.
There was also an earlier touchpoint with UPSC EPFO APFC. In 2015, he saw the notification and missed the cut off by two marks because he treated that attempt like a holiday. When the next notification finally came eight years later, he was ready to give it with full focus.
Key learning for you
- Decide your own final goal and act on it.
- Do not settle too early if you know there is one more sincere attempt inside you.
- Carry lessons from each selection into the next doorway.
Life then tested his resolve in a deeper way. Let us pause and acknowledge what he carried through.
What Kept Him Going in the Toughest Years
Pain does not ask for permission. It simply arrives. In those moments, a routine becomes an anchor.
Between 2020 and 2022, he faced intense personal loss. His wife passed away in 2020, his father in 2021, and his sister in 2022. In the middle of this sorrow, he held on to studying as a daily rhythm.
Reading and studying helped me stay sane. Books gave me a reason to get up each morning. When sad moments come, having a routine helps.
Why does this matter to you
- Keep a small daily practice even in heavy times.
- One page, one set, one honest hour can bring calm.
- Routine is not pressure. Routine is relief.
With that inner steadiness, he shaped a day that worked around duty and study. Here is how he made time when time felt tight.
How He Balanced Job, Family, and Study Time
When days are full, the answer is not more hours. The answer is a wiser use of the hours you already have.
Working as an Income Tax Inspector brought files, field work, and team responsibilities. He still moved forward by using silent pockets and avoiding the habit of postponing.
- Mornings and late nights gave quiet space
- Travel time turned into a short video and audio learning
- Job learning supported accounts and social schemes notes
- Mobile-friendly summaries and PDFs stayed ready for any small break
- Syllabus
- Previous Year Papers
- Preparation Sources
- Strategy
Even on sad or busy days, I do at least 10 percent of my target. Reading one PDF while eating or traveling is better than zero.
Key actions you can take
- Use free windows without waiting for a long 3-hour block.
- Carry short notes and quizzes on your phone.
- Link your work exposure to exam topics wherever possible.
The first brush with APFC taught him what to avoid. Let us turn that experience into a checklist you can use today.
First UPSC EPFO APFC Attempt: What Went Wrong and What You Can Learn
Sometimes, the exams we take lightly are the ones that teach us the most. For Sachiv, the 2015 APFC exam was one such turning point.
He attempted it casually, with no serious preparation, no strategy, and no clear understanding of the exam pattern. Still, he missed the cutoff by just 2 marks. That narrow miss stayed with him for years.
I had not even touched Labour Law and Industrial Relations. I did not read the standard books either. I took the exam like a mock test.
This is where most of us go wrong too, we underestimate certain exams, thinking we’ll ‘just see how it goes’. But every opportunity is a real one, and every mark matters.
So when the 2023 EPFO APFC notification finally came after eight long years, Sachiv had already made up his mind. He was not going to make the same mistake twice.
From there, he built a plan that was simple and steady. Let us walk subject by subject.
Subject-Wise Strategy and Advantage Areas
Clarity grows when you keep sources limited and revise often.
His background in the Bank, SSC, and UPSC gave him strength in Math, Reasoning, English, and General Studies. Even with that base, he kept revising and practicing regularly.
Quant Reasoning and English
- The core was already built from the SSC and CGL preparation
- Mock tests and previous year papers were used for revision
- If you are starting new, begin with R.S. Aggarwal for Quant
- Use Word Power Made Easy and Neetu Singh for English
- Touch one section every day to create a habit and accuracy
Why this section matters
- These areas give reachable marks with consistent practice
- Even easy-looking topics need repetition to remain sharp
General Studies
- History, polity, economy, and environment basics came from UPSC and CGL
- NCERTs helped with concepts
- Fresh readings from Lakshmikant for the Polity built structure
- EduTap notes supported quick revision
A simple tip for you
- Use NCERTs for clarity
- Use Lakshmikant for Polity
- Use Spectrum for History
- Revise the same sources again instead of collecting many new ones
Labour Laws, Social Security, Accounting, the APFC Specific Portion
- This area was new and not covered earlier
- He chose EduTap notes, PDFs, and quizzes as the single base
- He read the material three to four times to build understanding
I do not know where EduTap collects such good content from, but for these technical topics, I was fully dependent on their PDFs and quizzes.
If this portion feels new to you
- Do not panic
- Choose one clear source
- Finish it fully and revise multiple times rather than jumping from one book to another
Practice is the mirror that shows where to improve. Let us look at how he used mocks and revision to stay honest with his progress.
Revision and Mock Tests: How He Checked Readiness
Progress feels real when you measure it with calm eyes.
He began 2-hour full-length mocks daily before the exam. He did not chase scores. He watched his weak spots and went back to revise the same chapters.
Mocks are like health checkups. They show your real weak point. After a mock, just revise that topic for an hour.
How can you use this
- Give regular mocks
- Note the exact topics that broke your flow
- Revise those topics the same day for one focused hour
The next stage was personality and presence. The interview room needs honesty more than polish. Here is how he prepared.
Interview Preparation and What The Panel Looked For
Calm is powerful when it is backed by truth.
He carried earlier interview exposure from UPSC, SSC, and other posts. He kept his hobbies real, like meditation, and spoke from his own reading of spiritual texts and novels. The panel asked about his home state, his job, and book recommendations.
They asked about EPFO schemes, social security, and even my posting. They wanted to see how aware I was of real-world implementation.
His advice for interviews
- Know your DAF well and expect deep questions from whatever you write
- Be honest about hobbies and knowledge
- If you write meditation, be ready for many layers of questions on it
Every long journey brings inner hurdles. Let us gather the main challenges and the way he handled them so you can use the same tools.
Major Challenges and How He Handled Each One
Strength is built on simple daily choices that protect your energy.
Personal loss
- He leaned on books, meditation, and supportive friendships
Job workload
- He used early mornings and late nights as protected hours
- He avoided time wasters and guarded his study windows
Exam delay
- He did not wait for the notification
- He began with what he could control and finished portions early
Mock test anxiety
- He did not allow low scores to shake him
- He treated them as feedback and fixed the weak parts
What can you do if you feel the same pressure
- Choose a small part of your day for consistent study
- Stop comparing your pace with others
- Use pain and frustration to read, write, and solve so that your mind heals while it learns
The right resources save months of confusion. Here is how one platform helped him stay organized.
- Syllabus
- Previous Year Papers
- Preparation Sources
- Strategy
How EduTap Supported His Preparation
Guidance saves time. Time saved turns into more revision.
He finished the entire technical and special portion of APFC with EduTap resources. Focused notes cut down reading time. Topic wise quizzes showed his current level. Doubt clearing reduced stress. Trusting one clear source removed the urge to chase many books.
For Labour Laws, Social Security, and Accounting, EduTap’s notes were complete and made things easy. I read the PDFs 4 to 5 times, solved their quizzes, and every doubt was answered.
What you can take from this
- If you are working or feel lost, choose one reliable base for technical subjects
- Keep your own revision and mocks active alongside
Advice feels strongest when it comes from lived experience. Let us hear the words he wants every aspirant to carry.
Special Message From Sachiv To Every Aspirant
When you know where you are, your next step becomes obvious.
Please know where you are. Everyone has strong and weak points, but the one who daily improves the weak part reaches their goal.
Hold this close
- Know yourself with honesty
- Build notes early
- Trust your routine even when others do not understand it
Now let us turn his lessons into a plan you can follow from today itself.
Your Action Plan Based On His Journey
Small, consistent moves bring big change over time.
If you are a full-time student
- Study six to eight hours in clear blocks for concepts, revision, and mocks
- Finish EduTap technical PDFs and quizzes in the first two months
- Begin mock tests after the first reading instead of waiting till the end
If you are working
- Find two to three hours in the morning or late at night
- Use lunch breaks and travel time for mobile quizzes and quick revision
- Reserve weekends for full-length mocks and deep revision
For everyone
- Do not leave any portion untouched because APFC covers many small parts
- List your weak areas and fix at least one every week
- Read summaries of newspapers two to three times a week for awareness
- Trust one primary source and revise it several times, rather than collecting many new materials
Before we close, let us return to the heart of this journey and the reassurance it offers.
The Final Note: You Can Do This Too
This story is not about a shortcut. It is about showing up when life is heavy, caring for your routine when the mind is tired, and giving your best to one honest attempt at a time. If he could keep moving through work duties, personal loss, and long gaps, then you have permission to continue as well. Your effort is not invisible. Your pace is valid. Think step by step rather than result by result. If you stay true to your daily practice, 1 chapter, 1 day, 1 PDF at a time, it will take you forward. EduTap stands by you with clear notes, quizzes, and support so that you do not have to walk alone. Start now. Your new page is ready.
