When the UPSC Civil Services Examination 2025 results were declared, A R Rajah Mohaideen was not anxiously refreshing a results page like thousands of other aspirants. Instead, he was at the mosque in Jamia Millia Islamia, attending the Friday afternoon prayer during the holy month of Ramzan.
When he returned to his room at the university’s Residential Coaching Academy (RCA), a friend delivered the news that would change everything: he had secured All India Rank 7 in the UPSC Civil Services Examination 2025.
The 26-year-old doctor from Chennai had hoped to find his name somewhere on the list. A single-digit rank was far beyond what he had imagined.
In an exclusive conversation with Indian Masterminds, the soon-to-become officer shared details about his life, preparation, struggles, and victory.
GROWING UP IN AN ACADEMIC HOUSEHOLD
Rajah Mohaideen was born in Chengalpattu in Kanchipuram district of Tamil Nadu and raised in Chennai. Education formed the foundation of his upbringing.
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Both his parents serve in Tamil Nadu’s government education system. His mother is the principal of R K Nagar Government Arts and Science College in Chennai, while his father heads a Government Teachers’ Training College in Varathanadu near Thanjavur.
An only child, he grew up in an environment where academic pursuit was natural. His schooling took place in the DAV Group of Schools in Gopalapuram, Chennai, where he studied science subjects including physics, chemistry, biology and mathematics.
He later joined Government Cuddalore Medical College (Rajah Muthiah Medical College) under Annamalai University in 2016 and graduated with an MBBS degree in 2022.
“I wasn’t a topper. In school I was maybe third or fourth in class,” he recalled. “I was among the top 10 or 20 per cent, but never the absolute topper.”
THE PANDEMIC THAT CHANGED HIS CAREER PATH
For most of his early life, Rajah Mohaideen had one clear ambition: becoming a doctor. But his final year internship coincided with the Covid-19 pandemic, placing him directly on the medical frontlines. Hospitals were struggling with shortages of oxygen, equipment and protective gear.
During that time, he also observed another set of professionals working intensely behind the scenes: civil servants coordinating supplies, hospital infrastructure and emergency responses.
One particular incident stayed with him. Sanitation workers in his government hospital lacked proper masks. When the local IAS officer visited and heard the concern, N95 masks were quickly arranged.
“I saw how important the administration’s role was,” Rajah told Indian Masterminds. “As a doctor I could serve patients individually. But as a public servant, I felt I could serve a much wider section of people.”
That moment reshaped his career direction. By the time he graduated in 2022, he had decided to prepare for the Civil Services Examination.
THE LONG PREPARATION JOURNEY
Rajah Mohaideen’s UPSC journey stretched across three attempts. His first attempt ended at the Preliminary stage. The setback meant starting the entire process again.
In 2023, he moved from Chennai to Delhi and joined Jamia Millia Islamia’s Residential Coaching Academy, entering an environment where the exam dominates everyday life.
The transition brought new challenges such as language differences, unfamiliar surroundings, and adjusting to North India.
“Initially there was hesitation to interact because of the language barrier. But I learned Hindi gradually and made many friends,” he said.
These friendships soon became a support system during preparation.
A STRATEGY BUILT ON TARGETS, NOT TIMETABLES
Instead of rigid daily schedules, Rajah Mohaideen structured his preparation around clear targets.
“The key is not a fixed timetable but fixed goals,” he said. “For example, finishing a subject in a week or a month. If you miss a day, you put in double the effort the next day and reach the target.”
His preparation included structured mock tests such as Prelims programmes, along with continuous revision and answer-writing practice. He chose Anthropology as his optional subject, a crucial component of the UPSC Mains examination. His mentor, senior IPS officer Mahesh M. Bhagwat, also played a crucial role in preparing him for his personality development round.
By CSE 2025, his third attempt, he cleared Prelims, Mains, and the Interview for the first time, securing AIR 7.
MUSIC: THE QUIET COMPANION IN A DEMANDING JOURNEY
Beyond books and mock tests, another part of Rajah Mohaideen’s life played a key role in keeping him balanced — music.
He has been trained in Carnatic music since childhood, first learning the electronic keyboard and later becoming a vocalist. He has also played instruments such as the kazoo and cajon, and enjoys composing jingles on the keyboard.
“When I felt stressed, I sang or played the keyboard. It calmed my nerves,” he told Indian Masterminds.
Music had been a constant presence throughout his life. In school and college he was part of bands and even served as a cultural secretary during medical college.
INSPIRATION FROM THE HEALTH SECTOR
Rajah Mohaideen’s interest in governance was also shaped by his interaction with senior administrators in the health system.
During his internship, he was part of a student delegation that met Tamil Nadu’s former Health Secretary Dr. J. Radhakrishnan regarding stipend issues faced by interns.
The experience left a deep impression.
“He listened patiently to our concerns and mediated with the administration to resolve them. I realised how much impact someone in that position can have,” Rajah said.
The encounter strengthened his interest in public administration, particularly in the health sector.
MANAGING ISOLATION AND SELF-DOUBT
Preparing for UPSC meant watching many of his medical college friends move ahead with postgraduate degrees and careers. At times, the contrast created uncertainty.
“I saw my friends getting into PG, completing their courses, and working as medical officers. Sometimes I felt I wasn’t doing anything substantial yet,” he admitted.
Staying connected with friends helped him stay grounded. One close friend working as a medical officer in a Primary Health Centre in Ooty often discussed real healthcare challenges with him.
These conversations kept him connected to the ground realities of public health.
AN ATTEMPT TO STAY CONNECTED TO HOME
The UPSC journey demanded sacrifices. He missed family gatherings and friends’ weddings, while many of his medical college peers moved ahead with postgraduate degrees and professional careers. For several years, his own path remained uncertain.
Support from his family and a Tamil Nadu government scholarship for civil services preparation helped sustain him through this period.
Living in Delhi meant long stretches away from Chennai, with visits home limited to a few days at a time. Small routines helped him stay connected to familiar comforts, such as occasional visits to Andhra Bhawan for South Indian flavours like gunpowder and ghee.
These reminders of home offered a brief pause amid the demanding preparation schedule.
A MESSAGE FOR ASPIRANTS
Looking back at the long preparation journey, Rajah Mohaideen believes that aspirants must not forget the reason that brought them to civil services.
“You should always remember the dream that made you start preparing,” he said. “Sometimes people forget the dream and only chase success in prelims or mains.”
He also emphasises mental well-being during preparation.
“Taking care of mental health is very important. Keep your friends and family close. UPSC can be isolating, so finding the right balance is essential.”
LOOKING AHEAD
With AIR 7 in UPSC CSE 2025, Rajah Mohaideen has opted for the Indian Administrative Service and hopes to serve in his home state of Tamil Nadu, though he remains ready to work anywhere in the country.
For a young doctor who once imagined his future inside hospital wards, the goal has expanded far beyond that.
The ambition now is to shape systems that influence healthcare, governance and public welfare, not just for individual patients, but for entire communities.
