“It does not matter how slowly you go as long as you do not stop.” – Confucius
Some stories deserve to be read twice. Some journeys deserve to be told with pride. And some victories – like that of Ajit Kumar Mishra, who cracked MPPSC with Rank 1 in his fourth attempt – deserve to be celebrated for generations.
Today, he stands proud as Deputy Collector, transitioning from his earlier post as Naib Tehsildar, and currently attending a one-month training program in Gwalior. But the world only sees the result – the rank, the uniform, the respect. What they don’t see is the mountain of struggle that brought him here.
This is the story of a young man who refused to give up, who fought delays, setbacks, family tragedies, and uncertainties – yet remained unshaken.
In an exclusive interview with Indian Masterminds, Mr Mishra shared his inspiring journey and revealed how he cracked the exam through hard work, shaping his remarkable career path.
Journey So Far – A Rollercoaster of Attempts, Delays, and Promotions
Ajit’s journey with MPPSC is truly cinematic. He made a total of five attempts in this prestigious exam, clearing the interview each time. While one result is still awaited, he has successfully cracked three exams so far.
2016 – 2019 – Graduation Begins the Real Journey
He moved to Indore to pursue B.Sc. at Government Autonomous Holkar Science College, one of the finest institutions in Madhya Pradesh. The move wasn’t just for education – it was strategic. Indore gave him –
- A better environment
- Ability to prepare for MPPSC
- And most importantly, the INSPIRE Scholarship
INSPIRE Scholarship – The Silent Support System
Since Ajit scored 90+ in Class 12, he received the Inspire Scholarship:
- Rs. 60,000 annually
- For 3 years during B.Sc.
Later, both his siblings also scored 90+, so all three of them received the scholarship for 5 years each.
This scholarship was the lifeline that sustained their studies for 8–9 years.
MPPSC 2020 – First Attempt (Pre + Mains + Interview, but no final selection)
He cleared prelims, mains, and reached the interview stage in his first attempt – but missed the final list.
2021 – Second Attempt (Interview given, result still delayed)
He again appeared for the interview, but the final results were delayed for years due to legal cases.
2022 – Third Attempt (Result declared in 2025)
MPPSC exams were stuck in an unusual backlog – 3 years’ results (2022, 2023, 2024) all declared in 2025 within a span of just 3–4 months.
- In 2022 exam, Ajit was selected as a Naib Tehsildar.
- He joined the post in June 2025 – barely 3–4 months ago.
2024 Result – Assistant Director (Finance)
When the 2024 results came out on 12 September 2025, he secured:
- Rank 2 in AD Finance list
- Post of Assistant Director – Finance
But destiny had something bigger waiting.
2023 Result – Rank 1, Deputy Collector
Due to a court case, the 2023 result was declared after 2024’s result.
And this time, Ajit emerged as the Topper.
From Naib Tehsildar → Assistant Director (Finance) → Deputy Collector
…all within a few months.
A journey of three promotions in the shortest time imaginable.
Background – A Humble Beginning in Maharampur Mandha
Ajit hails from a very small village Maharampur Mandha, located in Gunaur Tehsil of Panna District. A place known by two names – some call it Mandha, others Mahalrampur.
His family background is as modest as it gets. His father is a farmer and mother a homemamker, while Siblings – One brother (studying in the village) and a sister (preparing in Indore).
Ajit studied in a government school up to Class 5 in his village. For Classes 6 to 10, he traveled 10–12 km daily to Saleha and attended Neem Karauli Maharaj High School, a small private institution. His Class 11–12 education was completed at Shiv Govind Garg Higher Secondary School.
Despite limited resources, he carried unlimited dreams.
Preparation Strategy – Simple, Consistent, and Relentless
Ajit’s preparation wasn’t flashy or complicated. It was grounded in discipline.
Guidance from Institute
Coming from a non-civil-services family, he began by taking guidance from an institute in Indore to understand:
- What to study
- How to study
- How to crack MPPSC
Indore – The Hub of His Preparation
He lived in Indore throughout his preparation.
The scholarship made it possible.
Prelims Strategy – Avoiding Silly Mistakes
His technique was unique:
- Read only the question first
- Cover the options
- Think of the answer
- Only if the same answer comes to mind again after seeing the options, mark it
This eliminated silly mistakes.
Mains Strategy — Memory + Writing
He insists the mains exam requires:
- Strong memory — You must remember everything in the syllabus.
- Writing practice — Not random, but structured, precise Hindi.
- Good handwriting — His handwriting gave him an edge.
Interview Strategy – Master Your DAF
He prepared every detail mentioned in his form:
- Village
- District
- Hobbies (Cricket)
- Posting (Revenue background)
- MPLRC, RBC, Sirvadansh, demarcation sections, etc.
Interview Experience – Humility, Honesty, and Confidence
Some standout questions from his interview included:
“You’re a Naib Tehsildar. Why do you want to come here again?” Ajit calmly explained that he had already appeared for the mains and got the opportunity for the interview, so he came genuinely.
Questions from Economics:
- Atmanirbhar Bharat
- Pillars of Developed India 2027
Questions from Cricket (his hobby):
- Name five women players
- Highest run-scorer in Indian women’s team
Questions from Revenue background:
- What is RBC?
- MPLRC
- Demarcation sections
Questions about Maihar (his home town):
- Why is the place named Maihar?
- Name Shaktipeeths
For answers he didn’t know, he politely said, “Sir, this isn’t happening. Please forgive me.”
His honesty impressed the board.
The Biggest Struggle – The Loss That Almost Broke Him
In 2016, when Ajit had just moved for graduation, tragedy struck.
His younger uncle, who was supporting him financially and emotionally, passed away suddenly.
A doctor in a private hospital in Bhopal—he was the pillar Ajit depended on.
The loss shook him deeply.
Ajit wondered:
- How will I continue my studies?
- Who will support me now?
- What will happen to my dreams?
But even in that darkest phase, he didn’t quit. He allowed grief to settle, then rose again.
This, he says, was the toughest phase of his life.
Turning Points of His Journey
Inspire Scholarship: It gave him the financial stability to stay and prepare in Indore.
Clearing Prelims and Mains in His First Attempt: This boosted his confidence that he could crack MPPSC.
Becoming Naib Tehsildar: This gave him administrative experience that helped immensely in interviews.
The Delay of Results: Although frustrating, the backlog allowed all three of his results (2022, 2023, 2024) to come together, giving him multiple options.
His Discipline and Writing Practice: This became the foundation of his mains success.
Message to Aspirants — Continuity, Patience, Concentration
Ajit’s message is simple yet powerful:
Continuity: Never stop studying. Even if exams delay, results delay, or you fail an attempt – keep preparing.
Patience: MPPSC especially demands patience. Sometimes you clear prelims but mains get delayed.
Sometimes you clear mains but interviews get postponed.
Concentration: Vacancies are few. Competition is huge. Only focused aspirants survive the long battle.
He adds: “You may think you’ll clear it in the first or second attempt. But real life doesn’t work that way. Keep going. Keep preparing.”
Current Status – From Maihar to Gwalior
After serving as a Naib Tehsildar for only 3–4 months in Maihar district, Ajit left for Gwalior for a one-month training program following his selection as Deputy Collector.
A new chapter is unfolding.
A Story of Grit, Grace & Glory
From a small village school to the prestigious rank of Deputy Collector, from the heartbreaking loss of his uncle to becoming the Rank 1 topper, from financial struggles to inspiring thousands – Ajit Kumar Mishra’s journey is nothing short of extraordinary.
He didn’t just clear MPPSC. He conquered it – again and again.
His story proves: Success doesn’t come from talent, luck, or background. It comes from patience, persistence, and unshakeable belief.
