In the village of Dopur in Rajasthan’s Jaipur district, a dream once paused quietly found its way back to life through the next generation.
Abhishek Kumar Dhyawana did not just prepare for the UPSC Civil Services Examination. He carried forward something deeply personal… his father’s unfinished aspiration.
His father, a schoolteacher, had once prepared for the State PCS but could not make it to the final list. The attempt may have ended, but the dream did not disappear. It stayed alive in conversations, in expectations, and in the environment at home.
“My father was also preparing for the State PCS, but couldn’t get selected. Since childhood, there was an environment at home that encouraged UPSC preparation,” Abhishek shared in an exclusive conversation with Indian Masterminds.
For him, becoming a civil servant was never just a career choice; it was a continuation.
FROM A VILLAGE CLASSROOM TO BIG ASPIRATIONS
Abhishek’s early life was rooted in simplicity. He studied till class 5 in the primary school of his village before moving to Jawahar Navodaya Vidyalaya, Paota, Jaipur, for classes 6 to 10. Later, he completed his schooling at Navjeevan Public Secondary School, Sikar.
He went on to pursue B.Tech in Mechanical Engineering from NIT Jaipur, a path that could have led him into a stable engineering career. But the pull of a long-held dream was stronger.
“I wanted to become a top civil servant since my school days,” he says. What began as a childhood influence slowly became a clear goal during his college years, where he explored different career options before choosing UPSC with conviction.
FIVE ATTEMPTS, ONE SHARED GOAL
Abhishek began his UPSC journey in 2021, right after graduation. What followed was a series of attempts that tested not just his preparation, but also his patience.
- First Attempt (2021): Cleared prelims, couldn’t clear mains
- Second Attempt: Reached the interview stage but missed final selection
- Third Attempt: Could not clear prelims
- Fourth Attempt: Could not clear mains
- Fifth Attempt (2025): Secured AIR 820, Rank 28 among ST candidates
At 26, after navigating repeated setbacks, he finally achieved what his father once aspired to.
CHOOSING HIS OWN PATH WITHIN THE DREAM
Interestingly, Abhishek did not strictly follow his academic background while preparing. Despite being an engineer, he chose Political Science and International Relations (PSIR) as his optional.
“It is an interesting subject. It keeps you updated with day-to-day international developments. Also, it overlaps well with General Studies and is considered scoring,” he explains.
This decision reflected his ability to adapt the dream to his own strengths, rather than simply following a conventional route.
BALANCING WORK AND A LONG-HELD EXPECTATION
Since 2022, Abhishek had been working alongside his preparation, a reality many aspirants face but few manage effectively.
“The main challenge was managing a job along with preparation. Working all day and then studying in the evening is tough,” he says.
Yet, this phase also brought stability and structure to his journey, something he now strongly recommends to others.
THE TURNING POINT
By the time he reached his fifth attempt, Abhishek knew that effort alone would not be enough and his strategy had to change.
For the first time, he took around 75 days of leave between prelims and mains. That dedicated period allowed him to focus deeply on revision and answer writing.
His improvements were precise:
- Strengthening essay writing, a previously weak area
- Practising PSIR answer writing through previous year papers
- Consistent test writing between prelims and mains
“My GS marks were similar to before, but I improved in essay, interview, and optional,” he notes.
AN INTERVIEW THAT TESTED PERSPECTIVE, NOT MEMORY
In the interview round, Abhishek encountered a different kind of challenge – questions that required reflection rather than recall.
“It was entirely opinion-based. No factual questions were asked.”
From discussing the declining respect for teachers to suggesting impactful policies for Rajasthan’s Chief Minister, the panel pushed him to think deeply.
One unusual question stood out, about a hypothetical system where children are raised by the state, with no parental identity.
“One advantage could be a reduction in nepotism and corruption… but the disadvantage would be the removal of emotions. Without emotions, humans may become like machines and lose empathy,” he answered confidently.
His response captured the balance between logic and humanity, perhaps shaped by his own lived experiences.
MORE THAN A RESULT, A FULFILLED CIRCLE
When the final list of UPSC 2025 was declared, Abhishek Kumar Dhyawana secured AIR 820. Along with it came Rank 28 among ST candidates, but beyond the numbers, something deeper had been completed.
A journey that began years ago with his father’s preparation had now reached its destination through him.
GROUNDED ADVICE FROM LIVED EXPERIENCE
Abhishek’s message to aspirants reflects the practical lessons he learned along the way:
“If someone has seriously attempted 2–3 times and still hasn’t succeeded, they should consider taking up a job first. It provides stability.”
He also stresses:
- Limiting study resources and focusing on revision
- Practising answer writing consistently
- Understanding that mains marks ultimately shape the final outcome
A DREAM THAT FOUND ITS WAY BACK
Abhishek’s story is not just about cracking one of the toughest exams in the country. It is about how aspirations can travel across generations… pausing, waiting, and then finding a way forward again.
In fulfilling his father’s dream, he did not just achieve a rank; he completed a story that had begun long before his own journey started.
