For many aspirants, the UPSC journey is measured in attempts, marks, and interview calls. For Dr. Wasim Ur Rahman, it became a test of how long he could continue believing in the same dream without losing direction.
This year, the doctor from Muzaffarpur, Bihar, secured All India Rank 157 in the UPSC Civil Services Examination 2025 and will join the Indian Police Service (IPS). But the achievement came after years of preparation, five UPSC interviews, one government job, and a previous selection into the Indian Revenue Service (IRS).
His story is not built around instant success. It is about continuing the process when results do not arrive immediately.
GROWING UP IN A FAMILY ROOTED IN PUBLIC SERVICE
Wasim was raised in Muzaffarpur in a family where government service was part of everyday life. His father worked as a block agriculture officer with the government of Bihar, while his mother served as a head teacher in a government school.
Watching both parents interact with people and fulfil their responsibilities shaped his understanding of service from a young age.
“I always saw public service closely because both my parents dedicated their lives to it,” Wasim shared in an exclusive interview with Indian Masterminds. “My father’s sincerity towards his work subconsciously motivated me towards civil services.”
Academically, he consistently performed at the highest level. In 2014, he secured Rank 1 in Bihar PMT, one of the biggest achievements for a medical aspirant in the state. The result earned him admission to VMMC & Safdarjung Hospital, New Delhi.
For most students, entering one of India’s top medical colleges would have marked the end of a difficult journey. For Wasim, it became the beginning of another.
HOW MBBS CHANGES HIS CAREER DIRECTION
During his years at VMMC and Safdarjung Hospital, Wasim came face-to-face with the realities of India’s healthcare system. As a medical student and later as a doctor, he saw how policy decisions affected hospitals, doctors, and patients on the ground.
The experience gradually pushed him towards administration.
“Civil services would provide me a larger platform to expand the scope of public service beyond individual patient care as a doctor,” he explains.
The decision to prepare for UPSC while coming from a medical background was not unusual, but sustaining that preparation over several years proved to be the real challenge.
Five UPSC Interviews and Years of Uncertainty
Many aspirants spend years preparing without reaching the interview stage even once. Wasim faced the UPSC interview board five different times.
Each attempt came with new lessons, changing expectations, and different outcomes.
“I had different experiences in all the five interviews,” he says. “Most discussions revolved around my background, DAF entries, current affairs, and questions related to the medical field and health sector.”
The journey included both success and disappointment.
Along the way, he cleared the Bihar Public Service Commission examination and served as a labour enforcement officer. Later, in UPSC CSE 2024, he secured AIR 281 and joined the Indian Revenue Service (Income Tax).
For many candidates, getting into IRS would have been enough reason to stop preparing. Wasim chose otherwise.
He continued studying while already being part of the civil services system because his goal remained unchanged.
That persistence finally resulted in AIR 157 in UPSC CSE 2025 and a place in IPS.
THE PREPARATION STRATEGY THAT WORKED
Unlike aspirants who constantly switch strategies, Wasim focused on improving specific areas with every attempt.
For Prelims, his preparation centred heavily around Previous Year Questions (PYQs) and identifying recurring themes.
“For prelims, I did extensive analysis of PYQs and focused on high-yielding areas,” he says. “That helped me clear prelims every time with a comfortable margin.”
For Mains, answer writing became the foundation of his preparation.
He continuously worked on structuring answers better, improving presentation, and adding relevant examples and data wherever required.
“For mains, I extensively practised answer writing and kept improving through value addition,” he says.
Wasim chose anthropology as his optional subject. Along with self-study, he took guidance from coaching institutes and appeared for multiple test series to improve consistency.
“I took guidance from a few institutes and wrote multiple test series. Along with that, I refined my preparation through self-study.”
LEARNING TO HANDLE SETBACKS
One of the defining aspects of Wasim’s UPSC journey was learning how to continue after setbacks.
Repeated preparation cycles often bring exhaustion, self-doubt, and pressure from expectations. Appearing for five interviews meant repeatedly rebuilding focus after every result.
His journey reflects something many aspirants experience but rarely discuss openly — success in UPSC often takes much longer than expected.
There was no single lucky attempt or dramatic turnaround moment. Improvement happened gradually across years of preparation.
The interviews sharpened his personality. Mains’ preparation improved his writing. Repeated prelims helped him identify patterns and eliminate mistakes.
Most importantly, the process taught him emotional discipline.
Now preparing to join IPS, Wasim believes that hard work alone is not enough for this examination. Strategy, guidance, and emotional stability matter equally.
“Once you’ve decided to prepare for this exam, give your 100%,” he says. “To clear this exam, you need two things — hard work and the right guidance.”
He also advises aspirants to prepare mentally for failures and delays.
“Become emotionally strong in the face of doubts and setbacks. Keep working hard in the right direction and you will succeed.”
A JOURNEY BUILT ON STAYING IN THE PROCESS
From topping the Bihar PMT in 2014 to studying medicine at VMMC & Safdarjung Hospital, from becoming a labour enforcement officer to joining the IRS and finally securing IPS, Dr. Wasim Ur Rahman’s story is ultimately about staying committed to a long-term goal.
Many candidates begin UPSC preparation with ambition. Very few continue with the same seriousness after repeated setbacks.
Wasim did.
And after five UPSC interviews, that consistency finally brought him to the IPS.
