“One day, in retrospect, the years of struggle will strike you as the most beautiful.” – Sigmund Freud
Every once in a while, a story emerges not from the pages of books but from the battlefield of life – raw, painful, and powerful.
Meet Shubham Muchhala, who didn’t just crack an exam; he conquered his demons, broke generational barriers, and proved that failure isn’t final until you stop trying. He faced rejection after rejection at the very last stage, while others moved on, succeeded, or gave up. He lived with the heartbreak of being “almost there” for nearly a decade. There were phases when depression crept in, where pessimism ruled, and where hope was just a faint memory.
After five interview setbacks, seven prelims, six mains, and nine years of relentless struggle, this son of a farmer from Khargone, Madhya Pradesh, has emerged victorious with Rank 4 in MPPSC 2024, securing the coveted post of Deputy Collector. Interestingly, he also secured Rank 2 in the Hindi Medium toppers list, just behind Ankit, who topped the Hindi Medium category and secured 3rd rank overall.
A story that brings tears, evokes goosebumps, and instills hope.
Indian Masterminds interacted with Shubham to learn more about his inspiring journey and how he achieved success despite facing overwhelming odds. He said, “My background is very ordinary. You won’t find anyone in such positions – not even remotely. Not just in my family, but in my entire region, no one has reached this level. This has happened after nearly 30 to 50 years. In all these decades, no one from my community or area has become a Deputy Collector. That’s why this success holds such deep significance.”
Journey So Far – Not Just Attempts, but Battles
Shubham’s MPPSC journey began in 2016, right when he was in his first year of graduation. Unlike many, his preparation wasn’t an afterthought; it was a decision made early and followed with unrelenting consistency.
His first attempt in 2019 was promising – he cleared prelims and mains and reached the interview stage. But the result didn’t favour him. Then came the second, third, fourth, and fifth attempts – each time clearing prelims and mains, and each time being left out of the final list.
“Reaching the interview stage five times and failing every time… most people would give up. I almost did too.”
His sixth attempt, however, changed everything. Despite the emotional baggage, despite the depression after MPPSC-2022 where he landed on the waiting list, Shubham didn’t surrender. Instead, he returned stronger – and this time, he secured Rank 4.
He cleared 7 prelims, 6 mains, and finally, in his 6th main attempt, he secured Rank 4 in MPPSC-2024.
“It was a do-or-die battle. I had no backup. I couldn’t go back to farming. This was my only shot at life,” Shubham said.
Background – From Soil to Service
Shubham hails from a small village in Khargone district, under Sanawad tehsil. A proud member of the Gurhar community, his roots are grounded in rural India.
“My father is a small farmer. My mother, too, works hard every day in the fields. We never had anyone in such positions, not just in my family, but not even in my region. Becoming a Deputy Collector after decades means a lot.”
He studied in a government school, and later graduated in BA from Atal Bihari Government College, Indore. With no English background, no elite schooling, no exposure to city privileges, and only four bighas of land at home, his dream was bigger than his circumstances.
Preparation Strategy – Rebuilding from Scratch Again and Again
Shubham’s preparation was not linear – it was resilient.
Syllabus Changed, Dreams Didn’t
“I studied from 2016 to 2019, took my first attempt in 2019. Then syllabus changed, almost 50% of what I had prepared became useless. I had to start over. And then it changed again. Still, I adapted.”
He didn’t give up even when Public Administration and World History (his strong subjects) were removed.
Strategy for Mains –
- Focused on factual enrichment from Economic Survey
- Used graphs, data points, and real-life examples
- Practiced full-paper writing, never left any question unattempted
- Worked hard on Hindi language paper, despite struggling with translation
- Ignored his phone, studied 14 hours/day close to the exams
“My English was weak, so I had to score better in other papers. And I did.”
Interview Strategy – From Fear to Fluency
“I had zero stage exposure. Never spoke publicly. I used to freeze in interviews.”
Yet, over time, he trained himself –
- Practiced in front of mirrors
- Gave mock interviews
- Spoke with friends, even if broken
- Practiced fluency in Hindi
The result? 150/185 marks in the interview, making him the second-highest scorer in the interview round.
Interview Questions Faced
Shubham recalls several questions –
- Folk Culture: Sang the Gangaur song of Nimar region
- Deputy Collector’s Duties: “What would you do if selected?”
- DSP Role
- Ahilyabai Holkar’s contributions (any four works)
- Duties of Citizens
- Constitutional Amendments
- Delimitation and Triple Talaq
- Natural Farming
“I answered with full flow, stayed calm, and tried to connect with the panel emotionally and culturally.”
Message to Aspirants – Grit Over Talent
“I have only one message: The greater the struggle, the greater the victory.”
Shubham urges aspirants to –
- Stay consistent
- Have faith (in self and God)
- Never compare your timeline with others
- Keep learning from failures
- Believe: If not now, then soon
“All my friends were getting selected. I felt like a failure. But I always believed I wasn’t any less. God was testing me. I held on. And now, here I am.”
Support from Government Schemes
Shubham also credits the MP Government’s Civil Services Incentive Scheme, which offered him financial aid.
“It helped me afford books, classes, and food. Such schemes can change lives. Mine did.”
