Meet man who worked as waiter, earned Rs 3,000 per month, cracked UPSC exam with AIR...

Clearing UPSC, touted one of the most difficult exams in the country, requires a lot of dedication, consistency and hard work.

Almost every year, we come across many stories of aspirants who clear the examination despite a dearth of resources, emerging as an inspiration to millions. Let us tell you about one such story of a man who became an IAS officer after serving as a hotel waiter for several times.

His name is K Jayaganesh, who became an IAS officer after securing an impressive All India Rank 156 in UPSC CSE 2008.

Who is K Jayaganesh?

K Jayaganesh, a native of Tamil Nadu's Vellore district, was born and brought up in a poor household. His father worked at a leather factory and earned Rs 4,500 per month.

Somehow, the family managed to provide money for Jayaganesh's study. Being the elder son of his family, Jayaganesh wanted to share the burden of his father.

His aim was to pull his family out of poverty. He was a brilliant and hard working student who studied assiduously.

Jayaganesh clinched a staggering 92 per cent in his grade 12th examination and secured a scholarship to study further. He successfully enrolled in a mechanical engineering course. Having qualified as an engineer, he wanted to work.

However, he came to the realisation the many other families, just like his own, were struggling with financial woes. He then decided to pursue UPSC and become an IAS officer to support them.

Jayaganesh's journey to becoming an IAS officer was not devoid of hardships

Having decided to pursue UPSC, the first issue which Jayaganesh encountered with was that of finance. He enrolled in a Chennai-based coaching institute. In order to pay for the coaching, he took up the job of a waiter and studied for the exam.

However, the salary he got as a waiter was not enough to finance his living expenses and the coaching fees. He also started working at a movie theatre. He managed to get Rs 3,000 per month.

In his first attempt in 2004, he couldn't succeed in the examination. Following this, he quit his job at the theatre to concentrate on his studies.

Driven by an indomitable spirit, K Jayaganesh cleared the exam in his seventh attempt in 2008. He is currently posted as an Additional CIT (OSD), Chennai, Tamil Nadu.