If the mantra of not giving up till you achieve your goal is anything to go by, then these UPSC aspirants are the perfect examples.One, two or even six attempts makes no difference for them as they are hell bent on achieving their goal.
Consider Lohiteshwara J, 31, now working with the Department of Treasury, Government of Karnataka. He has not given up his dream of getting into Indian Administrative Service even after his sixth attempt.
“My mother has been my greatest inspiration. Being a government employee, she always wants me to be an IAS officer. It is her dream more than mine and she influenced me to write this exam. I haven’t scored well and will write the exam again next year,” he said. Born and brought up in Bangalore, Lohiteshwara J did his BCom through correspondence and has secured a rank of 783 with subject combinations of Sociology and Kannada literature.
Pradeep S, cites Abdul Kalam and his parents, Sridhara P C and Bhavani S as his inspirations. A native of Udupi, he was brought up in Bangalore and passed out from a Kanada medium school. Soon after completing his engineering from BMS College, Pradeep began working for a software company but soon lost interest.
He decided to take up civil service for the cause of working for society. Even though he secured a rank of 230 in his third attempt, Pradeep is contemplating giving the exam again next year as his dream is to become an IAS officer. Presently he is undergoing a training at National Commission for Direct Taxes in Nagpur.
Dr. Lakshmi K, who hails from Mandya is a qualified physician from KIMS, Hubli. She gave up medical practice for the sake of civil services.
“I was very happy with medicine. But when I was interning, I realised that I could only help the patients and not others. So I decided to write the examination because it would give me tremendous opportunities to engage in social service and help those in need.”
No formal training
Having secured a 805th rank in her second attempt was not what Dr Lakshmi hoped for and she will write the exam the next year as well. “I didn’t receive any formal training, and prepared all by myself. I am currently staying in a hostel because I wanted to write the exam and not working anywhere,” she said.
There are also some like Abhishek Ratka, 26, an MBBS graduate from Bangalore Medical College and Research Institute, who cleared his UPSC right in the first attempt this year and secured a rank of 295.
“I am quite happy to have secured such a rank in my first attempt and will most likely be eligible for the Indian Revenue Service,” said Abhishek.
However for someone who secured above 90 per cent marks in both his class 10 and pre-university examinations and 57th rank in the Common Entrnce Test, it is hardly surprising that Abhishek will appear for the exam the next year as well.
