Meet man, left job at PSU, failed UPSC exam 7 times, became IFS officer with AIR...; Know his preparation tips

Failures can be harsh. So much so that they can force us to question our decisions. It takes a whole lot of courage to keep going through one's chosen path despite facing setbacks. But some determined ones manage to do just that. One example is the journey of Anubhav Singh, a UPSC aspirant who failed the prestigious exam as many as seven times but still didn't lose hope. This is his remarkable story, marked by sheer hard work and perseverance.

Worked at BPCL
Anubhav is originally from Varanasi in Uttar Pradesh, where he studied until Class 12. His father is a retired central government officer and mother a retired teacher. In 2014, Anubhav graduated with a BTech in Mechanical Engineering from NIT Durgapur. After that, he worked at Bharat Petroleum Corporation Limited (BPCL) as a sales officer, working there for two years. He began his UPSC journey in 2016 after resigning from his job at the PSU. In his first attempt at the Civil Services Examination (CSE), he couldn't clear the first round -- the prelims. But that early setback only strengthened his determination. Over the years, setbacks continued and Anubhav gave many failed attempts. But he widened his scope and began sitting for other government exams as well, including the Indian Forest Service (IFS) exam and the UPSC EPFO exam. In 2023, he cleared the EPFO exam and secured a job as an accounts officer at the organisation.

Top rank in IFS
The defining moment in Anubhav's journey came with the UPSC IFS 2024 attempt, which was his final. For that attempt, Anubhav gave his all and cleared the exam with an exceptional all-India rank (AIR) of 3.

Preparation tips
Anubhav advises UPSC aspirants to start their preparation slow and gradually build momentum, warning against having impractical expectations. He emphasizes that the key to success in such exams is consistency, not speed. "Most people begin their preparation with high intensity, thinking they’ll master everything in just a few months. But when reality hits, they burn out early and can’t sustain the pace," he said in an interaction with Indian Masterminds. He added that having a job alongside UPSC preparations can make things easier. "It provides stability and helps you manage your time and priorities better."