10 out of 61 UPSC CAPF toppers who were felicitated by Invisible Helping Hand
Mock interview by Invisible Helping Hand panel 10 out of 61 UPSC CAPF toppers who were felicitated by Invisible Helping Hand Mock interview by Invisible Helping Hand panel 10 out of 61 UPSC CAPF toppers who were felicitated by Invisible Helping Hand Lucknow : What began as a voluntary effort to help aspirants navigate the daunting interview of UPSC’s Central Armed Police Forces (Assistant Commandants) examination has evolved into a cycle of mentorship, where yesterday’s beneficiaries are becoming today’s guides. This year, 61 candidates mentored through the initiative secured selection in the UPSC CAPF examination, including six candidates in the top 20 ranks. The UPSC announced the final results on Aug 7, recommending 350 candidates for appointment. Among them is Shashank Gaurav, who cleared CAPF in 2024 with AIR 57 and recently secured AIR 2 in the Bihar Public Service Commission examination. A similar journey was undertaken by Shreyash Basarge from Maharashtra, who secured AIR 275 in CAPF 2024. A beneficiary of the initiative last year, Basarge became a panel member in 2025. For Arpita Gupta, now a geophysicist with the Geological Survey of India and AIR 16 in UPSC CGSE 2022, mentoring is a way of giving back. Akanksha Vishwakarma from Madhya Pradesh, who secured AIR 3 in CAPF 2025, said her mock interview was conducted by Basarge and Gaurav. Similarly, Lucknow’s Abhishek Vishwakarma, who secured AIR 9, credited the initiative’s feedback-driven mock interview process for helping him improve key aspects of his personality test performance.
Gaurav said that Nikhaj had served as a “guiding light” during his own interview preparation. “The same experience that helped me succeed became the basis of what I shared with candidates this year,” he said. My role was to help candidates recognise their strengths and present them authentically,” Basarge said. That is where focused mentoring makes a difference,” she said.
The ‘Invisible Helping Hand’, a mentoring initiative founded by CISF deputy commandant Rakesh Nikhaj, has emerged as a significant support system for CAPF aspirants. Beyond the numbers, the most compelling aspect of the initiative is how former aspirants who once sought guidance are now returning to help others. After his selection, he joined the initiative as a mentor, conducting mock interviews and helping candidates refine their detailed application forms (DAFs), hobbies, leadership experiences and communication skills. “The interview syllabus is essentially your life journey. “Interview stress can cause even the best-prepared candidates go blank. Since panels probe extensively, candidates often forget details they have themselves written. For Nikhaj, supported by fellow mentors including civil services educators Abhishek Gautam and Amit Akshay, and Gurugram University assistant professor Dr Anamika, the initiative’s growing success reflects the strength of peer learning.
He focused on helping candidates understand their own stories and present them before the UPSC Board.
Earlier in 2024, 53 aspirants, guided by Invisible Helping Hand, had cleared UPSC CAPF, and in 2025, 86 candidates made it through the interview. You Can Also Check: Gold Rate in Lucknow | Silver Rate in Lucknow | Bank Holidays in Lucknow | Public Holidays in Lucknow | Lucknow AQI | Weather in Lucknow | Petrol Price in Lucknow | Diesel Price in Lucknow | CNG Price in Lucknow | LPG Price in Lucknow Stay updated with the latest Lucknow news.
“As more successful candidates return to mentor aspirants, ‘Invisible Helping Hand’ is creating a self-sustaining ecosystem where those once helped become helping hands themselves,” said Nikhaj, a 2012-batch grade A officer posted in New Delhi. Download the TOI App.