UPSC Success Story: From Waiting Tables To Running The Country!

A dream doesn’t become reality through magic, it takes sweat, determination, and hard work to realize it. There are many stories where people have gone all out to make their dreams come true. One such story is about K Jayaganesh-an engineering graduate from a poverty-stricken family who left no stone unturned to make a place for himself in India’s most prestigious service- the Indian Administrative Services. 

Against all odds

Jayaganesh was born and brought up in a village in the Vellore district of Tamil Nadu, Jayaganesh’s family managed with bare minimum means. His father, who was a supervisor in a leather factory, made a monthly salary of INR 4500. Jayaganesh’s mother, a homemaker, took care of the family and brought up his three other siblings as well, amid meager finances. 

But Jayaganesh was a ray of hope for the family. He was academically bright and went on to secure admission into the Thanthai Periyar Government Engineering College to study mechanical engineering. After completing his graduation, Jayaganesh began searching for a job in Bangalore. He soon got employed at a tool-making company but the salary was just INR 2500 per month! This is when he started to look out for other opportunities and the idea to take the Civil Service exam struck him. 

Also Read: Skipped Meals To Save Money, Became IAS At 22; Motivational Story Of A Rickshaw Puller's Son

The Journey to Success

Jayaganesh made himself aware of the powers vested in civil servants. He thought that becoming an IAS officer would not only help him climb the socioeconomic ladder but he would also be able to expose the youth of his village to various opportunities. And with this thought and clarity, he started his preparation. Despite financial constraints, Jayaganesh’s father backed him all the way. He even gave him the bonus that he had earned to buy study material from coaching centers in Chennai. But the journey ahead was not very smooth for Jayaganesh. 

Jayaganesh failed his preliminary exams back to back in his first two attempts. Due to a lack of guidance, he could not crack the main examination on his third attempt. This is when he came across the All India Civil Service Coaching Centre in RA Puram, Chennai, which is a state-sponsored coaching center. Hence, Jayaganesh shifted to Chennai and took his fourth attempt. This time he cleared his preliminary exam and rigorously started preparing for the next stage. However, living in the city was an expensive affair. So along with the preparation, he needed to earn some money to fend for himself. 

Also Read: With 44 Percent in 10th, This IAS Officer's Journey Culminated In AIR 77 In UPSC-CSE!

Balancing odd jobs and preparation with unwavering determination

Jayaganesh actively started looking for mechanical engineering jobs but to no avail. This compelled him to take up some part-time jobs while he utilized the rest of the time to prepare. So Jayaganesh worked as a billing clerk and a waiter to make money for his daily expenses. But despite his struggle and hard work, he failed in the exam yet again, due to his poor command of English. But nothing bogged him down. 

It was in 2008, in his 7th attempt, that Jayaganesh finally made it, bagging 156th rank in the prestigious exam. His happiness knew no bounds. Everyone celebrated his success back in his village, exemplifying him for the generations to come. 

Jayaganesh’s tale of tenacity, self-assurance, and persistence will certainly inspire others to work hard and carve their niche, despite challenges. If you too have a dream, we hope this article motivated you to work towards it. So go ahead and #BeUnstoppable.