When Debasweta Banik applied to take one of the toughest exams in the country, she didn't reach for textbooks or attend coaching classes. Instead she turned to her favorite pastime -- reading the newspapers.

"I quoted out of editorials in my answers," said 22-year-old Banik. "They were my Bible." And her preparation method paid off. This month she became one of the youngest to pass the exams for the Indian civil service. Read