Life is often an uneven ride full of potholes and unseen dangers at every turn of the path , but those who do not mind rising up to the various challenges turn out real winners. A real life example of this is IPS officer of the 2020 batch, Mr. Arvind Kumar Meena who hails from the tribal community and is currently receiving training in Hyderabad.The financial condition of Mr. Meena’s family, who lost his father in childhood, was very bad. But with the help of his hard work and faith in himself, he kept on climbing the stairs of success.
Mr. Meena first got a job in Government of India’s public undertaking Coal India and then became Assistant Commandant in Sashastra Seema Bal (SSB). He was then selected for IFS in the year 2019. In the year 2020, the officer got selected for the IPS with AIR-676 in the ST category. His success story is not only an inspiration for his Meena Community but for all.
FATHER’S STRUGGLE
This success of Mr. Meena is also important because even though his financial condition was quite drastic, his father did not abandon the dream of seeing his son travelling in a government car with a red light on its hood. His father did not just dream big, but also sacrificed a lot for it. To teach his son, he used to live on rent in a town away from the village and would cook himself. The officer started helping his father in everything from a very young age. But when his father passed away, while he was still young, Mr. Meena’s mother took the reins of responsibility in her hands and guided him to his destination.
Speaking to Indian Masterminds, Mr. Meena says, “It was a very difficult time for my mother after the death of my father. In our society the life of a widow is very difficult; it was very difficult to live life in poverty, too. But my journey was made easy because my family helped me. My maternal uncle supported me financially and my mother was with me at every step. Trust me, family support is the most important thing in the UPSC journey.”
BEGINNING
Hailing from Naharkhora village of Dausa district of Rajasthan, Mr. Meena’s father was a farmer and mother a homemaker. He completed his B.Tech from NIT Raipur. While studying in college, Mr. Meena had made up his mind to fulfill his father’s dream. But due to the financial condition of the family, after completing his graduation, he started working for Coal India. After some time, he went to Delhi to prepare for UPSC and joined a coaching. But the officer says that he benefited from his self-study more than coaching and focused more on that.
PREPARATION
Mr. Meena faced several disappointments in life. Although due to being extremely meritorious, he got a scholarship from the Rajasthan government and also had the support of the family; but his biggest problem in the UPSC journey was mainly psychological. Many a times, students get mentally disturbed by the exam environment and by seeing more meritorious candidates than themselves.
Mr. Meena says, “I used to see that many students preparing in Delhi are very meritorious. Having studied at IIMs and IITs and in front of people who spoke fluently in English, I used to feel inferior at times. But you have to overcome this type thinking and mental state. That’s why whenever I used to get frustrated like this, I used to talk to family members and meet friends. And then they all used to make me believe that I am very talented and can do this.”
REQUIREMENT FOR UPSC
Mr. Arvind says that the most important thing for UPSC is dedication and patience. If these two are not in you then UPSC is not for you, because it is a very long journey, but with the help of these two attributes you can win this battle. Along with this, discipline and self-confidence are also important. With the support of family, you will come out of every difficulty. Enjoy this journey and care of your physical fitness.
