Every success story has a result. But not every result tells the story behind it.
For 22-year-old Pawan Kumar, the journey to securing All India Rank (AIR) 62 in the UPSC Engineering Services Examination (ESE) 2025 was not built only on hard work. It was built on rejection emails, failed interviews, missed opportunities, long office hours, and an unwavering belief that one day, everything would fall into place.
Twice, he could not clear the prestigious Bhabha Atomic Research Centre (BARC) examination. Top public sector companies like BPCL, HPCL, GAIL, NPCIL, EIL, MECON and C-DOT also turned him away. Yet every rejection strengthened his resolve instead of breaking it.
Today, after clearing the Prelims, Mains and Personality Test in his very first attempt, Pawan is expecting to join the Indian Railways Management Services (IRMS) under the Ministry of Railways. His story proves that success is often hidden behind repeated failures—and that persistence can change everything.
A SMALL-TOWN DREAM WITH BIG AMBITIONS
Pawan belongs to Ballia in Uttar Pradesh. He completed Class 12 from his hometown in 2020 with 94.2 percent marks. Without coaching, he prepared for IIT-JEE through self-study and earned admission to IIT Patna, where he pursued B.Tech in Electrical and Electronics Engineering.
Even during college, he believed that consistent effort mattered more than expensive coaching.
His professional journey was equally impressive. He worked with Fuji Electric, Power Grid Corporation of India Limited (POWERGRID) and Indian Oil Corporation Limited (IOCL). He is currently serving as a System Operation Engineer at Grid Controller of India Limited (GRID-INDIA) at the Western Regional Load Despatch Centre in Mumbai.
He also secured selections in prestigious organisations such as NTPC, NALCO, DVC, AAI, Goa Shipyard Limited and IHMCL.
Yet, his ultimate dream remained UPSC Engineering Services.
“Engineering Services offers an opportunity to contribute to policymaking, project execution and governance. I wanted to take decisions that impact millions of people. That dream motivated me to prepare for UPSC ESE,” Pawan Kumar told Indian Masterminds.
WHEN FAILURE BECAME HIS BEST TEACHER
Many candidates stop after repeated failures. Pawan chose a different path.
He faced rejection after rejection from several leading organisations. He also appeared twice for the BARC examination but could not clear it.
Instead of becoming disappointed, he analysed every setback. He identified his mistakes, corrected them and moved ahead. For him, every rejection became feedback rather than defeat. This mindset gradually transformed his preparation and made him mentally stronger.
Looking back, he believes those failures prepared him for the biggest success of his career.
BALANCING A FULL-TIME JOB AND UPSC PREPARATION
Preparing for one of India’s toughest engineering examinations while handling a demanding technical job was perhaps the biggest challenge.
Pawan never waited for “free time.” He created it.
Office breaks became revision sessions.
Travel time became learning time.
Weekends became examination days.
He converted all his notes into PDF format so that he could revise on his mobile phone whenever he got time. During office breaks, he revised formulas and short notes instead of scrolling through social media.
After office hours, he studied for three to four hours every day. Weekends were reserved for mock tests and detailed analysis.
“Preparing with a full-time job is difficult but not impossible if your goal is big enough. I revised during office breaks, studied after work every day and used weekends for mock tests,” he told Indian Masterminds.
His disciplined routine helped him remain consistent throughout the preparation.
A SIMPLE BUT EFFECTIVE STRATEGY
Pawan relied completely on self-study.
For the Preliminary examination, he repeatedly solved previous years’ question papers. According to him, previous year papers are the best guide to understand what UPSC expects.
For the Mains examination, answer writing became his biggest weapon.He wrote answers to previous years’ questions repeatedly to improve presentation and concept application. He also joined a test series and attempted every mock examination. This helped him overcome exam fear and improve his performance under pressure.
For the Personality Test, he attended multiple mock interviews, both online and offline. He prepared his Detailed Application Form (DAF) thoroughly and anticipated questions related to his work experience. He also watched previous years’ interview videos to understand the expectations of the UPSC board.
THE MISTAKES HE WANTS ASPIRANTS TO AVOID
Despite his remarkable success, Pawan openly admits that he made mistakes.
The biggest was isolating himself from friends during preparation. He now advises aspirants never to cut themselves off from people who motivate and support them. His second mistake was ignoring current affairs.
Since he belonged to a technical background, he initially believed the interview would focus mainly on engineering concepts. During the interview, however, the panel asked several non-technical and current affairs questions.
That experience taught him that UPSC values well-rounded personalities rather than technical knowledge alone.
WHY HE NEVER STOPPED AFTER GETTING A JOB
Many aspirants abandon their dreams after securing a stable government job.
Pawan never did.
Although he had offers from several reputed organisations and was already working at GRID-INDIA, he never considered ending his UPSC journey.
He believes PSU careers offer stability and good salaries, but his ambition extended beyond that.
He wanted to work in policymaking, administration and large-scale public projects that directly improve people’s lives.
That bigger purpose kept him focused despite already achieving professional success.
HIS MESSAGE TO ASPIRANTS
Today, Pawan mentors thousands of students through his LinkedIn community of over 14,000 followers.
His advice is practical.
Do not collect too many books.
Revise regularly.
Practice questions continuously.
Most importantly, never lose hope after failures.
According to him, every unsuccessful attempt teaches something valuable if one is willing to learn. His own journey stands as proof. From a small town in Ballia to IIT Patna. From repeated rejections to multiple job offers. From balancing a demanding engineering job with UPSC preparation to securing AIR 62 in UPSC Engineering Services Examination 2025.
Pawan Kumar’s story is not merely about clearing an examination.It is about refusing to let failures define your future. Because sometimes, the doors that close are only preparing you for the one that truly matters.
Also Read – Bhoopendra Dhakad: Raised in a Farming Family, Educated at IIT, Chosen by UPSC
