Some stories don’t begin with applause. They begin in silence—in rooms lit by a single bulb, in borrowed books, and in meals skipped to save money. Akash Singh’s journey is one such story. It didn’t unfold on a grand stage but in the quiet corners of a life that asked too much, too soon. Growing up in a family that suddenly lost its anchor, he became both student and provider at just 17. What followed was a long stretch of days filled with teaching, studying, struggling—and refusing to stop.
Akash didn’t chase success to prove something to the world. He chased it because he had to survive and because deep down, he knew he was meant for something more. His journey to securing the 187th rank in the Jharkhand Public Service Commission (JPSC) exam is not just about clearing an exam—it’s about carrying responsibilities that weren’t meant for someone his age, stumbling through setbacks, and still finding the strength to keep going. This is the story of a young man who found a way forward when all the signs pointed back.
A CHILDHOOD SHAPED BY MOVEMENT AND LOSS
Akash’s early years were marked by constant change. Born to a father in the Indian Army, his childhood was a tapestry of new places and new schools, from the rugged terrains of Jammu & Kashmir near the Indo-Pak border to the arid landscapes of Suratgarh in Rajasthan’s Sri Ganganagar district. “Wherever my father’s postings took us, we followed,” Akash told Indian Masterminds in an exclusive interview, his voice tinged with nostalgia. “We studied in different schools, adapting to new places, new people.” This nomadic life built in him an adaptability that would later become his anchor.
But in 2014, tragedy struck. Akash was just transitioning from Class 11 to 12 when his father passed away suddenly at the age of 48. The loss was not just emotional—it unravelled the family’s stability. “After his death, I was fundamentally disturbed,” Akash says, his words heavy with the weight of that moment. “There were already struggles at home, but his passing made everything harder.” For nearly two years, his father’s pension was delayed due to paperwork issues, plunging the family into financial uncertainty. At 17, Akash found himself stepping into the role of the family’s breadwinner.
A TEACHER AT SEVENTEEN
With no money to spare and his Class 12 exams looming, Akash turned to teaching to support his family. “I started tutoring because we had no money,” he explains. “My exams were coming, but I spoke to my teacher, and he said, ‘Akash, you teach.’ So, I began.” At an age when most students are focused on their own studies, Akash was teaching Class 11 and 12 students, juggling his own education with the responsibility of providing for his mother and two sisters. From 2015 onwards, he became the sole provider, teaching subjects like physics, chemistry, social studies, and math to students across different grades.
The financial strain didn’t end there. Akash shouldered the responsibility of arranging his sisters’ weddings, often relying on loans and borrowed money. “For the last three years, there hasn’t been a single month where I wasn’t in debt,” he shared with Indian Masterminds. “It’s like a trap—borrowing from one person to pay another, and it never stops.” To escape this cycle, he increased his teaching hours, sometimes at the cost of his own studies. Yet, through it all, one goal burnt brightly in his mind: civil services.
A DREAM FORGED IN DISCIPLINE
Akash’s ambition to join the civil services wasn’t a fleeting whim—it was a conviction rooted deep within him. “From the start, I knew I’d do civil services, no matter how hard it got,” he says. His days were a gruelling marathon of teaching, studying, and surviving.
Waking up at 2:30 or 3:00 AM, he’d study for two to three hours before heading to coach students eight kilometres away by bike. After teaching morning classes, he’d return home, squeeze in more study time, and then teach again in the evening, often running online classes until late at night. Sleep was a luxury—sometimes just three hours, leaving dark circles under his eyes so pronounced they became a topic during his JPSC interview.
His schedule was punishing: 2.5 hours of studying in the early morning, three hours in the afternoon, and another three at night, totalling eight hours of self-study around his teaching commitments. Sundays were no respite; at best, he’d snatch four or five hours of sleep. “My dark circles were so bad, they almost reached my cheeks,” he laughs, a hint of pride in his voice for the sacrifices he made.
Graduating with a degree in Philosophy (Honours) from Magadh University in 2021, Akash faced further setbacks. His grandfather’s passing added more responsibilities, and his early attempts at the UPSC and Bihar Public Service Commission (BPSC) exams ended in failure. In three consecutive BPSC prelims (67th, 68th, and 69th), he missed the cutoff by margins as slim as 0.61 marks. A brief moment of hope came when he cleared the UPSC Assistant Commandant exam, only to be deemed physically unfit. “Failures kept coming, but I knew I had to keep going,” he says.
THE TURNING POINT
In 2023, a friend urged Akash to apply for the JPSC exam. “He said, ‘Akash, this is a good opportunity. ‘Let’s do it,’” Akash recalls. Pouring every ounce of effort into preparation, he cleared the prelims in March 2024, followed by the mains in June. A year later, in June 2025, the results came: Akash had secured the 187th rank. The moment was bittersweet—relief mixed with the weight of years of struggle. “This rank means I can finally escape the debt trap,” he says, his voice steady with resolve. “Now, I can focus entirely on UPSC.”
A MESSAGE TO ASPIRANTS
Akash’s journey is not just about personal triumph; it’s a call to action for others chasing similar dreams. He’s candid about the challenges of civil services preparation, urging aspiring candidates to approach it with clarity and patience. “Before jumping into any exam, take a month to study and see if you’re truly interested,” he advises. “This is an exhausting journey, a game of patience. If you have financial or family problems, sort them out first because this exam will take time.”
He warns against external pressures—whether from parents, peers, or social media hype. “If you’re not internally motivated, you’re cheating yourself, your guardians, and your future,” he says. For Akash, success came not from intelligence alone but from an unrelenting capacity to endure failure. “It’s about how much patience you have, how much failure you can handle. That decides how far you’ll go.”
A LEGACY OF GIVING BACK
Now, as Akash prepares for his next chapter—aiming for UPSC while serving in Jharkhand—he’s committed to mentoring others. In his village, he plans to teach without fees, offering guidance to students preparing for competitive exams. “Because of these kids, I never felt depressed,” he says, crediting his students for keeping him grounded. His story is a reminder that success is not just about reaching the top—it’s about lifting others as you climb.
