After facing failure for seven years, Pawan Gupta succeeded in clearing the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) Indian Foreign Service (IFS) exam in 2022 with a rank of 90. His determination and patience kept him going even after five unsuccessful attempts.
Talking to The Better India, Pawan, who comes from Agra, said his main motivation was to join a service where his work could make a big difference in people’s lives. He saw how officers could bring positive changes in education, transportation, and infrastructure. He admitted there were times he felt demotivated, but he didn’t let past failures dampen his enthusiasm to help his country.
Pawan started preparing for the UPSC exam in 2015. However, it wasn’t until 2022 that he finally succeeded. Now as an IFS officer, he shares his journey and gives advice on avoiding common mistakes during preparation.
Pawan, from a simple business family, studied mechanical engineering. During college at NIT Durgapur, he felt inspired to clear the UPSC exam. But he decided to work at a car manufacturing company to become financially independent.
Even while working, he held onto his dream of becoming a civil servant. He attempted the UPSC exam in 2015 and 2016 alongside his job, but he didn’t pass the first round both times. “I wanted to focus on the exam, so I quit my job after two years,” he said.
In 2017, Pawan tried the exam again but didn’t make it past the first round. Then, in 2018, he cleared the initial round for both the Civil Services Exam and IFS. “I managed to pass only the IFS Mains, but I couldn’t make it through the interview,” he explained.
At this point, he took a break and appeared for the Indian Engineering Services (IES) exam to find employment. He secured a good rank and got a job at Indian Railways. Whenever he didn’t perform well in his attempts, he focused on improving his weak points.
“My failures made me doubt if I could clear the UPSC CSE, but after I got the IES job, my confidence returned. I could focus on my dream job again, this time with a calm mind,” he said.
In 2020, he worked hard and appeared for both the CSE and IFS interviews, but he didn’t make the final list. He skipped the attempt in 2021 due to his IES training. Despite setbacks, Pawan kept pushing himself. “Now, I had only one attempt left. I wanted to use this time to work on my weaknesses and increase my chances of getting selected,” he said.
Finally, in 2022, Pawan achieved his goal and secured a spot in the IFS with a rank of 90.
“I was really happy that I finally passed the exam after all those years. My past mistakes taught me not to assume anything. Just because you did well in college doesn’t guarantee success here. The preparation humbles you and makes you stronger,” he added.
Currently, he is undergoing training at the Lal Bahadur Shastri National Academy of Administration (LSBNAA), Mussoorie.
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