SUCCESS STORIES OF UPSC ASPIRANTS FROM DIVERSE BACKGROUNDS

The Civil Services Examination (CSE) administered by the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) stands as one of India's toughest exams, demanding years-long commitment and intensive preparation. This rigorous examination serves as the gateway to various prestigious government services, including the Indian Administrative Service (IAS), Indian Foreign Service (IFS), and Indian Police Service (IPS). Every year, lakhs of aspirants prepare for the examination. In the end, only a selected few make it to the final recommended list. While the exam itself is challenging, what truly sets it apart is the diverse range of aspirants who strive to crack it every year. These aspirants come from different backgrounds, regions, and walks of life, yet they share a common dream – to serve the nation.

To ace this examination, one needs preparation that is comprehensive, consistent, and competitive. To assuage the monotony of the immense workload, an aspirant needs unwavering moral, social, and economic support from family and friends.

Udaya Krishna Reddy - AIR 780 UPSC CSE 2023

Udaya Krishna Reddy, hailing from Singarayakodna in Prakasam district, epitomizes the triumph of determination over adversity. Initially working as a constable in Prakasam district since 2013, Reddy encountered a pivotal moment of humiliation at the hands of a superior officer in 2018. This incident catalyzed his resolve to resign from his constable position and pursue his aspiration of clearing the UPSC exam.

Pawan Kumar -AIR 239 UPSC CSE 2023

Pawan Kumar's narrative epitomizes resilience and determination amidst challenging circumstances. Hailing from Bulandshahr in Uttar Pradesh, Kumar's journey from a humble mud house with an asbestos roof to achieving the 239th rank in the UPSC Civil Services Examination is a testament to his unwavering resolve. His mother worked as a labourer.

Shivam -AIR 457 UPSC CSE 2023

Shivam, a resident of Gulabi Bagh in Rewari city, has secured the 457th rank in the UPSC Civil Services Examination. Growing up in a supportive community that prioritized education, Shivam's journey was shaped by the collective efforts of his family and community. Despite facing financial constraints, Shivam pursued his education with unwavering determination, leveraging state-sponsored initiatives and community support. Shivam, whose father drives a taxi, did his schooling at Jawahar Navodaya Vidyalaya and after that graduated from IIT Guwahati.

Many believe a high-profile educational background is a prerequisite for UPSC success. However, these stories prove otherwise.

From Earning INR 10/Day As A Laborer To Becoming A Civil Servant

Ram Bhajan Kumar's journey is truly inspiring. Starting as a daily wage laborer, he struggled to make ends meet, earning just INR 10. But his determination and hard work led him to become a highly respected civil servant. He began his career as a head constable in the Delhi Police, where he found inspiration from his senior officers, some of whom were IPS officers. Despite facing challenges, like failing the Rajasthan Civil Services exam three times, he didn't lose hope. In 2011, he cracked the all-India JRF exam, which boosted his confidence. He then started his UPSC journey in 2015, appearing for the exam in Hindi medium. Despite failing seven times, he persevered and finally cleared the exam in his eighth attempt, securing AIR 667.

SLUMBOY FROM MUMBAI WHO BECAME IPS OFFICER

Mohammed Husain's journey from the slums of Mumbai to clearing the UPSC exam is truly inspiring. Despite facing challenges like limited space and distractions at home, he didn't let anything stop him. Instead, he worked hard, even tutoring others while preparing for the exam. His determination paid off when he secured the 570th rank in his fifth attempt. Husain's story teaches us that no matter where we come from or what obstacles we face, with dedication and perseverance, we can achieve our goals. He proves that hard work and helping others along the way can lead to success.

Ajit Kumar Yadav, who lost his eyesight during childhood due to an illness, successfully cleared the UPSC exam in 2008, securing a rank of 208. Despite this achievement, he had to contend for a position in the civil services. Initially, he was offered a role in the Indian Railway Personnel Service.

K Jayaganesh- An engineering graduate from a poverty-stricken family, left no stone unturned to make a place for himself in India’s most prestigious service. His father, who was a supervisor in a leather factory, made a monthly salary of INR 4500. He was academically bright and secured admission into the Thanthai Periyar Government Engineering College to study mechanical engineering. After completing his graduation, got employed at a tool-making company but the salary was just INR 2500 per month. This is when he started to look out for other opportunities and the idea to take the Civil Service exam struck him. He failed his preliminary exams back to back in his first two attempts. Due to a lack of guidance, he could not crack the main examination on his third attempt. It was in 2008, in his 7th attempt, that Jayaganesh finally made it, bagging 156th rank in the prestigious exam.

Kanisha Kataria (2016, AIR 1): Kanisha, an engineer by profession, demonstrates that a successful career in another field needn't preclude UPSC dreams. His story inspires working professionals seeking a career shift.

The UPSC journey isn't just about academics; it's about overcoming social hurdles.

Tapasya Parihar, farmer's daughter hails from Jowa village that has just over 800 people. It's about 10 km from Narsinghpur district headquarters and has a literacy rate of 63%. The law student cracked the exam in just her second attempt after failing to get through the preliminary examination in her first appearance.

Anu Kumari (2017, AIR 2): Mother of a four year old, Haryana's Sonipat district and got the second rank by balancing her demanding household work with sheer hard work required for the preparation for the entrance examination. She had studied Physics from Delhi University and did an MBA from IMT Nagpur. Thirty-one-year-old is married to a businessman and quit her Gurgaon job two years ago to focus on her bid to attempt the civil services examination. She wants to join IAS to change the lives of women.

Ira Singhal (2014, AIR 1): Ira, the first woman with a disability to top the UPSC exam, is a role model for inclusivity. Her story challenges societal stereotypes and inspires aspirants from all backgrounds.

Rajendra Bharud: Born and raised in the small village of Samode village in Sakri Taluka, Dr Rajendra Bharud is among three children born to Bandu Bharud and Kamalabai. Losing his father right before his birth, Rajendra grew up in a household run by his mother and grandmother by selling desi wine. The entire family stayed under one small hut made from sugarcane leaves. When Rajendra was in class 5, he was recognised by his school as an extraordinarily intelligent student. His mother decided to harness his potential and decided to admit him to a better institution for higher education. He proved that his mother’s decision was right by not only clearing UPSC but also studying medicine and becoming a doctor.

Vivek Kuttikol: Belonging to the Vanam community of Kerala, Vivek’s father was one of the performers of a ceremonial dance, characteristic of the North Kerala region. For the ceremony, the performers needed to be in a state of trance, to attain which one had to consume substances. With an alcoholic father, Vivek’s childhood was a nightmare but this only made him stronger. Fifteen days before his exam, he learnt that his father had passed away. However, this didn’t stop him but only made his resolution stronger. He knew that working as a civil servant would enable him to help hundreds from such addiction. In 2017, he cleared his exams and is now helping people like his father fight addiction.

Arti Dogra: An award-winning IAS officer, Arti Dogra’s life is a source of inspiration to many. Born in Dehradun, Uttarakhand, Arti is just 3.5 feet tall. As a kid, she was told that she would not be able to live a regular life and go to a normal school. However, beating all odds, Arti attended a prestigious Girls’ School in Dehradun and graduated in Economics from Lady Shri Ram College, Delhi University.  Faced with bullying and mockery never deterred her strong spirit and she went on to crack the civil services exam in the first attempt. As an IAS officer in the Rajasthan cadre, she arranged wheelchairs and vehicles for the disabled in all constituencies to participate in voting, resulting in a record 17,000 differently-abled voters being able to vote in the state. She became the first-ever female IAS officer to serve as the administrative chief (MD) of Discom (Distribution organization) Jodhpur-Jodhpur Vidyut Vitran Nigam Ltd.

These stories offer valuable takeaways for aspiring UPSC candidates:

• Self-belief and perseverance: Regardless of background, unwavering self-belief and persistent effort are key ingredients for success.
• Strategic preparation: Plan your preparation strategy to your strengths, learning style, and resources available.
• Focus on understanding, not rote learning: Develop a deep understanding of concepts rather than relying solely on memorization.
• Time management: Discipline and effective time management are crucial for covering the vast UPSC syllabus.
• Embrace diversity: The UPSC welcomes a diverse workforce – leverage your unique experiences and perspectives to your advantage.

With the right people and the right mindset in place, cracking UPSC CSE is possible without the need of having any specific or special background in Graduation! With a disciplined and realistic approach, one can realize one's dream of becoming a civil servant now or later.

UPSC CSE demands from every aspirant to build a strong foundation from the basic level to cover the entire syllabus.

Some learnings from the Preparation strategy Of IAS Anudeep Durishetty (AIR-1 UPSC CSE 2017):

• Comprehensive Study Plan: Anudeep Durishetty adopted a comprehensive study plan that ensures covering the entire UPSC CSE syllabus in an orderly fashion. He made sure that the entire syllabus was completed well ahead of time in order to garner sufficient time for revision.
• Building a Strong Foundation: He built a strong foundation with the basic concepts of each subject making maximum use of the NCERT textbooks and other relevant books. He also used the internet to access study materials that are available online.
• Newspaper Reading: The topper highly recommends the importance of reading newspapers and staying updated with current affairs for the Prelims and Mains examination.
• Writing Practice: Anudeep recommends the importance of writing answers to the previous year's UPSC CSE question papers. Joining a test series to get the feel of the actual examination environment and improve answer writing skills is also recommended.
• Time Management: Effective time management with equal importance given to all subjects is another highly recommended strategy of Anudeep. He made sure of completing the syllabus on time with sufficient time to spare for revision.
• Positive Attitude: Maintaining a positive attitude throughout the preparation without ever losing sight of one's goal is another key to ace UPSC CSE.

Their stories teach us the importance of perseverance, determination, and support in achieving our goals. They didn't let failures discourage them but instead learned from them and kept pushing forward until they succeeded. Their journeys from a diverse background to a successful civil servant is a testament to the power of hard work and resilience.

These stories motivate us to never give up on our dreams and to always strive for excellence, no matter what the circumstances are.

“An investment in knowledge always pays the best interest.”

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