Saket Never Thought He Could Become an AAO. Today, He Has Made It!

From a Hindi-medium government school in a village in Bihar to becoming an Assistant Audit Officer, Saket’s journey involved multiple selections, full-time jobs, recruitment delays and a change in mindset. Here’s how he kept moving forward despite the challenges.

When Saket began preparing for government exams, becoming an Assistant Audit Officer was not even part of his expectations. Coming from a small village in Bihar, where access to educational resources was limited, he had initially considered clearing SSC MTS or getting a Level 4 post a major achievement.

But his journey took him much further.

Today, Saket is working as an Assistant Audit Officer in Vijayawada. His journey included clearing multiple examinations, managing demanding government jobs alongside preparation, dealing with recruitment-related court cases and, most importantly, learning to believe in his own capabilities.

In his conversation with Oliveboard, he shared his preparation strategy, the challenges he faced, insights into the AAO job profile and the lessons he learned along the way.

Watch Saket’s Inspiring Story only on Oliveboard:

From a Village in Bihar to His First Government Job

Saket belongs to Banka, a district in Bihar bordering Jharkhand. He completed his schooling at a government Hindi-medium school in his village and pursued graduation in Economics from a local college.

His educational choices were largely shaped by the resources available to him. While many of his friends moved to nearby cities for higher studies, his family could not afford the same opportunity.

His interest in government examinations developed early. He often watched his uncles prepare for competitive exams, observing how they practised reasoning and studied general knowledge. Gradually, he began preparing for SSC examinations alongside his graduation.

His preparation was entirely offline. He did not even have a smartphone at the time. He relied on books, previous-year question papers and a local discussion group where aspirants discussed general knowledge.

He practised Mathematics and English independently at home and used the discussion group to improve his understanding of other subjects.

His efforts paid off when he cleared SSC MTS in his first attempt. He received a posting in Uttar Pradesh and joined the department even before completing his graduation.

One Selection Led to Another, But the Journey Was Not Easy

While working towards his graduation, Saket had also appeared for SSC CHSL. He scored 160 marks in the preliminary examination, but the recruitment process was delayed due to a court case.

He continued working as an MTS for around two to two-and-a-half years. Instead of waiting for the CHSL recruitment process to move forward, he used that period to prepare for SSC CGL.

Eventually, his CHSL selection came through, and he was allotted the post of Postal Assistant in West Bengal.

However, by then, he had already appeared for the SSC CGL Mains examination. Since the Postal Assistant job was more demanding and would leave him with limited time to prepare, he extended his joining by six months.

He also took around 15–20 days of leave from his MTS job to focus entirely on his Mains preparation.

After completing the examination, he joined as a Postal Assistant and continued with the remaining stages of the recruitment process.

But another delay was waiting for him.

The SSC CGL recruitment process also faced legal challenges related to differences in difficulty levels across examination shifts and normalisation. The matter took considerable time to resolve.

For Saket, this meant facing another long wait after putting in years of effort. Nevertheless, he remained confident about his performance and continued with his responsibilities.

Preparing for SSC CGL?

The Moment He Stopped Underestimating Himself

One of the most important parts of Saket’s story is how he viewed his own potential.

While preparing for SSC CGL, he was working an eight-to-ten-hour job as an MTS. He often compared himself with aspirants who could dedicate long hours to studying in coaching hubs and preparation centres.

He believed that getting a Level 4 post, such as Tax Assistant or Auditor, would itself be a major achievement. He did not think he could compete for higher-level posts.

This mindset pushed him to work extremely hard. He studied whenever he found even a few minutes at work. During lunch breaks, he sometimes managed to attempt sectional mocks. He also used short breaks to revise questions.

His preparation became so intense that he often struggled to balance studying, eating and sleeping with his daily responsibilities.

Then came a turning point.

When he checked the SSC CGL result list, he found his name among the candidates shortlisted for the AAO post. Initially, he had not even checked the list because he had not expected to qualify for it.

Seeing his name changed his perspective.

He realised that if he had reached that stage despite working full-time, he could push himself further and prepare for the next stage. His parents and uncles also encouraged him not to underestimate his abilities.

As Saket explained, he had to almost rewire his thinking and convince himself that he was capable of achieving more.

How Saket Prepared for the AAO Paper Alongside SSC CGL Mains

The AAO post required preparation beyond the regular SSC CGL subjects. Saket had an Economics background, which helped him with the Economics portion of the additional paper. However, Accountancy and Finance were relatively new areas for him.

His first step was to understand the syllabus.

He realised that the Economics portion was largely connected to what he had already studied for SSC CGL General Awareness, although it required some additional preparation.

For Accountancy and Finance, he consulted friends and relatives with commerce backgrounds. He also spoke to people who had already cleared the examination and collected book recommendations, including NCERT books.

Initially, he made one mistake: he started spending three to four hours daily on the additional subject. As a result, his SSC CGL Mains preparation began to suffer.

He then sought guidance from someone who had already secured the AAO post. The advice was simple: treat the additional paper as an add-on rather than allowing it to affect preparation for the other posts.

Saket adjusted his strategy accordingly.

He continued strengthening his Mathematics preparation, worked on conceptual clarity and gradually improved his speed and stamina. He recalled that earlier he could attempt only around 65–70 questions in the Mains Mathematics paper. With consistent practice, he eventually reached approximately 92 attempts.

His experience highlights two important lessons:

• Understand the complete syllabus before starting: Identify familiar areas and topics that require additional effort.
• Balance your preparation: Do not let one additional paper weaken your performance in the core examination.

For Saket, conceptual clarity was equally important. He believed that candidates should understand the underlying concepts instead of depending only on previous-year questions.

From an MTS Employee to an Assistant Audit Officer

After clearing the required stages, Saket secured the AAO post with a rank of 307 in the relevant post list.

His professional journey had taken him from MTS to Postal Assistant and eventually to Assistant Audit Officer.

During the interview, he also shared insights into the responsibilities of an AAO. The role involves both office-based work and field audits. Depending on the assignment, officers may work with a team to examine the accounts and expenditure of different offices.

Field assignments can involve travel and extended stays away from the headquarters. The duration depends on the scope and budget of the office being audited. After completing an audit, officers return to the office to prepare and submit the necessary reports.

Saket also discussed how remote auditing is becoming more common, allowing officers to examine records and raise queries through government systems without always needing to visit offices physically.

His experience offers aspirants a more practical understanding of the job beyond the designation and salary.

Saket’s Biggest Advice to SSC Aspirants

When asked what he would prioritise if he had to fill his SSC CGL post preferences again, Saket gave an interesting answer.

He would consider location alongside the post.

If AAO and another preferred post were available in the same location, he would choose AAO. However, if the AAO posting meant moving far away while another suitable post was available closer to his home state, he would consider the latter.

His advice was to understand personal priorities before filling the preference list. Aspirants should consider the difference in salary, location and the kind of professional life they want rather than choosing a post based only on its designation.

But his most powerful message was about dealing with failure.

Saket believes that students should not become so attached to one examination that they start measuring their entire worth through its result. He pointed out that not clearing a particular examination does not mean someone lacks ability.

He explained this through a simple analogy: if someone is looking for the colour green and you are red, there is nothing wrong with you. You may simply be suited for a different opportunity.

His journey proves that your first government job does not have to be your final destination. You can continue learning, preparing and moving towards better opportunities, even when your circumstances are not ideal.

Saket began with limited resources, prepared without a smartphone, studied while working full-time and faced repeated recruitment delays. Yet he kept moving forward.

For every aspirant who feels that their current situation limits their potential, his story carries a simple message: do not decide how far you can go before giving yourself a chance to try.

Frequently Asked Questions About Saket’s SSC CGL and AAO Journey

1. Can you prepare for SSC CGL while working a full-time government job?

Yes. Saket prepared for SSC CGL while working as an MTS. He used short breaks at work for revision, attempted sectional mocks during lunch breaks and took leave when he needed dedicated preparation time. His experience shows the importance of using available time effectively.

2. How did Saket prepare for the SSC CGL AAO paper?

He first analysed the syllabus and identified the topics he was already familiar with through his Economics background. For Accountancy and Finance, he consulted friends, relatives and previously selected candidates. He also referred to recommended books, including NCERTs, while ensuring that his regular SSC CGL Mains preparation did not suffer.

3. Is an Economics background helpful for SSC CGL AAO preparation?

Saket found his Economics background useful for the Economics portion of the AAO paper. However, he still had to put additional effort into Accountancy and Finance, which were comparatively unfamiliar subjects for him.

4. What is the job profile of an Assistant Audit Officer?

An Assistant Audit Officer may handle office-based responsibilities as well as field audit assignments. Field audits involve working with a team to examine the records and expenditure of different offices. The duration and frequency of travel depend on the nature of the assignment and departmental requirements.

5. What should aspirants consider while filling SSC CGL post preferences?

According to Saket, candidates should consider both the post and the location. Salary, career opportunities, posting preferences and proximity to home can all influence the decision. Aspirants should evaluate how much they are willing to compromise on location for a particular post.

6. What is the biggest lesson from Saket’s preparation journey?

The biggest lesson is not to underestimate your own potential or define your capabilities based on your current circumstances. Saket initially believed that a Level 4 post would be his highest possible achievement. His eventual selection as an AAO changed that belief.

Ready to take your SSC CGL preparation forward?