Learn from Failures, 2008 batch IAS officer tells MDU students – Times of India

Rohtak: Maharshi Dayanand University (MDU) proudly welcomed Sonal Goel, an Indian Administrative Service (IAS) officer to deliver a lecture on ‘Communication Skills and Personality Development for Young India’ at the Radha Krishnan Auditorium. The event was part of the Vice-Chancellor’s distinguished lecture series, specifically designed to empower the youth of India.
During her lecture, Goel who is presently posted as Resident Commissioner at Tripura Bhawan, New Delhi, emphasized that every individual possesses unique potential and should contribute to India’s growth and development.
Sharing her personal journey into civil services, she recounted her initial failure and subsequent introspection, which led her to identify her weaknesses and turn them into opportunities, ultimately securing an all-India 13th rank in the civil services exams.
Goel delved into various aspects of public speaking, highlighting the importance of connecting with the audience, strong leadership, clarity of thought, and positive self-belief.
The 2008 batch IAS, who had secured 13th rank in Civil Services Examination, shared her VGPA formula (Vision, Goal, Plan, and Action) and emphasized the importance of effective communication. She also offered practical tips to improve communication skills, such as reading books and newspapers, and suggested preparing for mock interviews using various techniques.
Urging the audience to focus on their contributions to the country rather than expecting the country to do everything for them, Goel engaged the students in an interactive session, answering their numerous questions.
Prof. Ashish Dahiya expressed his gratitude to Goel for sharing her invaluable time with the students of MDU and thanked Vice Chancellor Prof. Rajbir Singh and dean of academic affair Prof. Surendra Kumar for their support in organizing the lecture series.