Most UPSC success stories begin in cities, privileged schools, or with access to rich resources. But the journey of IAS Moin Ahamd Mansoori—2023 batch, West Bengal cadre, currently serving as OSD in the MSME & Textiles Department, Government of West Bengal—began in a quiet village called Jaitpura near Moradabad, Uttar Pradesh. His path was shaped not by comfort or certainty, but by struggle, self-belief, and a burning desire to change the course of his family’s life.
LIMITED MEANS, BIG CURIOSITY
Moin was raised in a humble family where finances were always tight. His schooling—from primary to secondary—was done in the village itself. There were no elite schools, no English-medium coaching centres, and no extracurricular clubs shaping him. But there was curiosity—an element that would define his future.
As a young boy, he grew up in a house where newspapers were more than a source of news; they were his first window to the world beyond the village. Whenever he saw headlines about the DM, SP, and SDM visiting nearby areas, he wondered who these people were and why their work mattered so much.
“As a child, I didn’t know what power or position meant. I just saw that people listened to officers and respected them. That planted the first thought in me that maybe I, too, could do something meaningful someday,” Moin shared in an exclusive interview with Indian Masterminds.
TWO DREAMS: CRICKET OR CIVIL SERVICES
Like many children in India, Moin dreamt of wearing the Indian cricket jersey. He played cricket through his early college years, hoping to make something out of it. But alongside that dream, another quietly grew: if not cricket, then he wanted to serve the country as an IAS officer.
He chose the path of academics and took the PCM (Physics, Chemistry, Mathematics) stream in Class 12. After completing his B.Sc. from a government college nearby, he turned towards UPSC preparation with Political Science as his optional.
But dreams are one thing; circumstances are another.
WHEN LIFE DEMANDS RESPONSIBILITY EARLY
In August 2016, while still pursuing graduation, Moin took a decision most young aspirants never have to face—he opened a small cyber café in his village. Not to earn pocket money, but to support his family and ensure basic household needs were met. His family’s financial situation had been weak for years, and he stepped up so no one slept worrying about the next day.
For two years, from 2016 to 2018, he ran the shop and studied side-by-side.
“Running a cyber café in the morning and studying for UPSC at night taught me time management more than any self-help book ever could.”
His days were split between handling customers, maintaining accounts, repairing printers and systems, and then studying late into the night for a dream that often felt beyond reach.
REACHING DELHI
By the final year of college, he knew serious preparation required guidance. He estimated that three years in Delhi—coaching, food, rent—would cost around ₹3 lakhs. But he had only ₹30,000–₹40,000. There was no property to sell, no savings to fall back on, and no wealthy uncle to fund his dream.
So he took a gamble on hope.
He borrowed money—some through a credit card loan on his grandfather’s account, some from the cyber café itself. It was a risky move for a family already struggling, but he had no alternative. With borrowed money and a heart full of uncertainty, he moved to Delhi.
In 2019, he began his preparation in full swing. But Delhi was far more expensive than he had imagined. Coaching fees consumed most of the funds, and within months, the three-year budget evaporated. Still, he attempted UPSC 2019, hopeful but underprepared, and could not clear prelims.
WHEN SETBACK MEETS REFLECTION
In 2020, he appeared again. But this time, COVID-19 hit. Delhi shut down; financial resources hit rock bottom. He returned to his village—not because he wanted to, but because he had no choice.
Many would have given up by this point. But failure didn’t break him; it made him observe his gaps.
“Every failed attempt told me something different. Instead of asking, ‘Why me?’, I asked, ‘What next?’ That mindset saved me.”
THE TURNING POINT
He learnt about entrance-based scholarships for UPSC coaching. If one cleared their test, coaching institutes would offer free coaching, accommodation, food, and other facilities.
He prepared, gave the exam, and qualified for the Athiya Foundation—a moment that changed everything.
Athiya Foundation not only provided support but also became a second home. The founder personally helped him with pocket expenses whenever needed.
From 2020 to 2022, he made three continuous attempts. The first two did not yield results, but each year he recorded his mistakes, analysed himself, and refined his strategy. No attempt was wasted; every attempt taught him something essential.
A RESULT THAT CHANGED EVERYTHING
In 2022, Moin secured success in UPSC with AIR 296. It was his first interview and fourth attempt overall. When his name appeared on the list, he was at home. He didn’t shout, didn’t run around. He walked to his parents and shared the news quietly.
His mother cried. His father, who had silently endured the family’s hardship for years, had tears in his eyes. Their son had not only succeeded—he had changed the destiny of the entire household.
For a family that often felt looked down upon in the village because of their financial status, everything changed overnight. Respect replaced judgement. Happiness replaced struggle.
“The day I got selected, it wasn’t my success alone. It was a relief for my parents, a reply to society, and a promise to myself that I will help those who live the struggle I lived,” Moin told Indian Masterminds.
WHAT FINALLY WORKED FOR HIM
Moin’s preparation was built on clarity and discipline:
For Prelims:
- Revised NCERTs thoroughly
- One source per subject
- PYQs without fail
- 15–20 mocks + analysis
- Tracking accuracy and guess patterns
For Mains:
- Limited sources aligned strictly to syllabus
- Validating sources through PYQs
- Answer writing practice as the key
For Interview:
- Mock practice with friends
- Self-recording for body language and confidence
- Working on genuine feedback
- And above everything, sincerity.
A JOURNEY THAT LIGHTS THE WAY FOR OTHERS
Today, as an IAS officer serving in West Bengal, Moin carries his past not as a burden, but as a reminder of how far one can travel with belief and effort. His story resonates not because it is dramatic, but because it is real, relatable, and rooted in the struggle many aspirants face today.
He often tells youngsters:
“You don’t need perfect conditions to achieve your dreams. Start with what you have, and life will provide the rest on the way.”
From a village cyber café to the IAS—his life sends out a powerful message to every student sitting in a small town, with limited resources but limitless hope:
Success does not ask where you come from. It only asks how far you’re willing to go.
IAS Moin Ahamd Mansoori proved that dreams are not reserved for the privileged—they are earned by those who dare to keep moving forward.
