In Mahuli village of Bihar’s Nawada district, celebrations erupted when the UPSC Civil Services Examination 2025 results were announced. Among the country’s top achievers was 27-year-old Ravi Raaz, a visually impaired aspirant who secured All India Rank 20.
For the small farming family he comes from, the achievement carried immense meaning. Ravi’s father, Ranjan Kumar Sinha, works as a farmer, while his mother, Vibha Sinha, manages the household. His elder sister is married. Ravi is the first person in his family to attempt the civil services examination, let alone clear it.
Yet what makes his story remarkable is not only the rank but the path that led to it: a journey built on patience, family support, and years of persistence.
A DREAM THAT BEGAN WITH A CONVERSATION
Ravi’s ambition did not begin with a grand plan. It started during his school years. While studying in Class 9, he overheard friends discussing the idea of becoming an IAS officer. Most of them never pursued it seriously. But the idea stayed with him.
“Some people in my school friends group were discussing civil services. They didn’t pursue it themselves, but I decided to consider this as my first step in knowing what UPSC is,” Ravi shared in an exclusive conversation with Indian Masterminds.
As he grew older, the meaning of the civil services became clearer to him. By 2021, he had fully committed himself to preparing for the examination.
STUDYING WITHOUT SIGHT, LEARNING THROUGH SOUND
Preparing for UPSC is demanding for any aspirant. For Ravi, who is visually impaired, the challenge was even greater.
Thick textbooks, current affairs notes and answer-writing practice had to be approached differently. Ravi depended largely on audio lectures, digital resources, and assistance from his mother.
His preparation space was simple: a small room where his mother would sit beside him, a book open in her lap.
She would read aloud newspapers, books, and study material, while Ravi listened carefully, absorbing every detail. When it was time to write practice answers, he would dictate, and she would write.
Over time, this routine became the backbone of his preparation.
THE MOTHER WHO BECAME HIS EYES
At the centre of Ravi’s journey stands his mother, Vibha Sinha. She had never coached a student before and had no formal training. Yet she spent countless hours reading study material aloud to her son.
Page after page, day after day, their home transformed into a classroom.
Ravi openly credits his parents for his success.
“My parents are the real architects of this achievement. My mother, Vibha Sinha, and my father, Rajan Kumar Sinha, are my motivation.”
While his mother supported his studies directly, his father ensured that the family continued to support Ravi’s dream despite a farmer’s uncertain income.
FIVE ATTEMPTS, MANY SETBACKS
Ravi’s path to success was far from straightforward.
He appeared for the UPSC Civil Services Examination five times.
- First attempt: Cleared prelims but could not clear mains.
- Second attempt: Could not clear prelims.
- Third attempt: Again, could not clear prelims.
- Fourth attempt: Secured AIR 182 and was selected for the Indian Revenue Service (IRS).
- Fifth attempt: Achieved AIR 20 in UPSC CSE 2025.
Between these attempts, Ravi also appeared for the Bihar Public Service Commission (BPSC) exam.
He failed twice before eventually clearing it in his third attempt and being recommended as a Revenue Officer. Despite the opportunity, he chose not to join the service because his focus remained on UPSC.
“Yes, my bet could have been reversed; I might not have achieved it. But I was certain that if I prepared sincerely, I would still be somewhere better,” he says.
WHEN RANK 182 WAS NOT THE END
After his fourth UPSC attempt, Ravi had already secured AIR 182 and was allotted the Indian Revenue Service. Many aspirants would have stopped there. Ravi did not.
Even while undergoing IRS training, he continued preparing for the examination once more, hoping to improve his rank.
That decision paid off when the 2025 results were declared and his rank jumped from 182 to 20!
SIMPLE PREPARATION, SMART USE OF TECHNOLOGY
Ravi kept his preparation approach straightforward. He focused on strong basics, limited resources, and repeated revision. He avoided experimenting with too many materials and instead concentrated on mastering what he already had.
He enrolled in coaching for his 2024 and 2025 attempts and used YouTube lectures for CSAT and Geography. A free video subscription from a coaching institute also helped him in the early stages.
For ethics answer writing, Ravi joined a Telegram mentorship group, where teachers reviewed his answers and sent feedback through voice notes. He also used Artificial Intelligence tools cautiously, mainly for generating examples for ethics answers.
“AI can make some things easier, but it cannot replace books. I did not let it replace my core preparation.”
STUDYING IN HINDI AND FINDING RESOURCES
Ravi prepared for the examination in Hindi medium, a choice many aspirants consider difficult because of limited resources. But he believes the challenge can be managed.
“We can either complain or work around the challenge. Resources do exist; they may not always be easy to locate, but if you are serious about the exam, you have to make the effort to find them.”
He points out that several Hindi-medium candidates have secured top ranks in recent years, proving that language does not determine success.
INSIDE THE INTERVIEW ROOM
Ravi appeared for interviews three times: once in BPSC and twice in UPSC. His BPSC interview left a particularly strong impression.
According to Ravi, the chairperson was surprised by the clarity and confidence of his answers. He remembers the moment vividly.
“The chairperson himself asked me how I could answer so confidently and present things so clearly,” he told Indian Masterminds.
In UPSC as well, the interview boards asked him a wide range of questions. They covered his hometown, current affairs, service profile, opinion-based issues, and case studies. The diversity of questions, he says, required calm thinking rather than memorised responses.
HIS MESSAGE TO UPSC ASPIRANTS
Today, Ravi’s achievement has brought pride to Mahuli village and the entire Nawada district of Bihar. But beyond the rank, he hopes his journey will encourage other aspirants.
Many students, he says, believe that toppers are somehow extraordinary.
“Toppers are not from another universe. Earlier, even I used to think they were from another planet. But they are just people who believed in themselves and kept working.”
His advice to aspirants is simple: ‘keep preparation straightforward, trust your strengths, and stay honest with your efforts’.
“If you believe in yourself, keep things simple and work honestly in your responsibilities, you can achieve what you wish.”
A STORY LARGER THAN A RANK
Today, Ravi Raaz’s achievement has brought pride to Mahuli village and the entire Nawada district of Bihar. But beyond the rank, his journey carries a deeper message.
In a world that often associates ability with physical capability, Ravi’s story shows that ambition, family support and consistent effort can open doors that once seemed unreachable.
For many young aspirants across the country, especially those facing physical or financial challenges, his journey offers a powerful reminder: sometimes the path forward begins with simply believing that it is possible.
