IPS officer Aditya, a Punjab cadre officer currently serving as SSP of Gurdaspur, has a success story that inspires millions of Hindi medium students from small towns. He failed more than 30 competitive exams over five years before cracking the UPSC Civil Services Examination in 2017 with an All India Rank of 630. His journey proves that failure is just a stepping stone to success for those who refuse to give up.
Humble Beginnings in a Rajasthan Village
Aditya was born to a government teacher couple in Rajasthan. He studied at his village school in Hanumangarh district until class 8. He then completed his schooling at Bhadra district headquarters school under the Rajasthan Board. He scored 67 percent in his class 12 exams. He earned a BA degree in History, Political Science and Geography from a local college. Through school and college, he studied entirely in Hindi medium.
Five Years of Relentless Failure
After graduation in 2013, Aditya moved to Delhi to prepare for UPSC. Inspired by his father’s civil service dream, he also applied for other government jobs as a backup plan. Over five years, he took more than 30 exams including PCS, Engineering Entrance, Banking and SSC. He failed every single one except UPSC. He admits that each failure shook him but he chose to stay away from negativity and social pressure.
The Fourth Attempt That Changed Everything
In his first UPSC attempt, Aditya could not even clear the prelims. In the second attempt, he worked hard and reached the interview stage but was not selected. In the third attempt, he failed the mains. He learned never to take any stage lightly. He changed his strategy and focused on time management and general knowledge. On his fourth attempt, he cracked UPSC CSE 2017 with an All India Rank of 630.
Key Tips for UPSC Aspirants
Aditya believes answer writing practice is the most effective strategy. Writing daily improves speed and helps present answers better. He suggests dedicating 7 to 8 hours of quality focused study every day. Taking regular breaks is essential to stay focused. He advises aspirants to limit their study material and read one book 50 times rather than 50 books once. For prelims, extensive practice is vital. For mains, time management and command over the optional subject are critical. In the interview, personality matters more than knowledge, so aspirants must prepare questions linked to their background.
