For Umar Janj, a young man from Jaisalmer, Rajasthan, becoming a government officer was never just a career choice. It was a dream he had carried since childhood: to become an officer from a small village in the desert and show others from his community that the goal was achievable.
The road to that dream, however, was far from straightforward.
Before securing All India Rank (AIR) 160 in the Union Public Service Commission’s Central Armed Police Forces (Assistant Commandants) Examination 2025, Umar faced more than 15 failures across different competitive examinations and selection processes.
He was screened out of Services Selection Board (SSB) interviews, failed to make it through conference stages, and missed selection in some examinations by narrow margins.
His journey included two Combined Defence Services (CDS) attempts, three AFCAT attempts, four SSBs, four CGCAT attempts, the Rajasthan Public Service Commission (RPSC) Mains examination in 2024, SSC CPO 2024, two IB ACIO attempts, and the UPSC Civil Services Examination. In 2024, he also appeared for the CAPF interview but was missed selection by 12 marks.
Each result brought another disappointment. Yet, for Umar, giving up would have meant more than abandoning his own ambition. He wanted to keep alive the possibility of success for other young people from his village who hoped to follow a similar path.
A Family That Made His Dream Possible
Umar holds a B.Tech. degree in Electronics and Computer Engineering. His decision to pursue a career in the armed forces and government service was deeply influenced by his family, particularly his elder brother, who is currently serving as a deputy commandant in the Border Security Force (BSF).
Watching his brother serve in uniform gave Umar an example to follow. But the foundation of his ambition had been laid much earlier by his parents, especially his father, a farmer who worked hard to provide for the family.
His eldest brother also made significant sacrifices. He gave up his own studies to support the family financially and established a business in Pune. His efforts helped create opportunities for his younger siblings, while his parents continued to work towards giving their children a better future.
Their hope was simple: they wanted to see their sons become officers.
Umar is the third of four brothers. His second brother is serving as a Deputy Commandant in the BSF, while Umar has now secured selection as an Assistant Commandant through the CAPF examination. His youngest brother is also preparing to enter government service and is scheduled to appear for the Rajasthan Subordinate and Ministerial Services Selection Board’s Rajasthan Police Sub-Inspector interview this year, as described by Umar.
For Umar, his success is closely connected to the sacrifices made at home. Whenever an examination result went against him, he returned to one thought: his parents continued to work in temperatures reaching 45 degrees Celsius, yet they never stopped encouraging him.
“They would tell me, ‘Ho jayega beta’,” he shared in a conversation with Indian Masterminds.
Those words became a source of comfort during the long periods when success seemed distant.
More Than 15 Failures Before CAPF Success
Umar’s preparation was marked by repeated attempts across examinations that tested different aspects of his abilities. While written examinations demanded sustained academic preparation, defence selection processes brought their own challenges.
He appeared for the SSB four times, experiencing both screening-outs and conference-outs. These setbacks were difficult to process, particularly when he came close to selection but could not make it through.
The 2024 CAPF examination was another major disappointment. After reaching the interview stage, he missed selection by 12 marks.
For someone who had already spent years preparing, such a narrow margin could easily have become a reason to question the entire journey. Instead, Umar continued preparing and appeared again.
He was not working alongside his preparation, allowing him to devote his time to competitive examinations. That did not make the process easy. With every unsuccessful attempt came the challenge of rebuilding confidence and preparing for another result that could go either way.
He eventually cleared the CAPF Assistant Commandants Examination in his fourth attempt, securing AIR 160 in 2025.
The Result That Healed Years of Disappointment
When the CAPF 2025 result was declared, Umar was overwhelmed by the possibility that his name might finally appear on the list.
He had experienced more than 15 failures, sometimes by a single mark or a small difference in scores. There had been written examination setbacks, SSB screening-outs and conference-outs. Each had left him with another reason to wonder how much longer the journey would take.
This time, however, he did not even get to check the result himself before his friends came running into his room to tell him the news.
His hands had been shaking while he was trying to look for his name in the PDF. Before he could find it, his friends informed him that he had made it.
The news brought relief after years of disappointment. For Umar, the selection was not simply a rank or a place on a merit list. It was a moment that helped him come to terms with the many failures that had preceded it.
The first person he called was his eldest brother.
Overcome with emotion, Umar began crying. His brother initially thought he had failed again and tried to comfort him.
“It’s okay, nahi hua toh koi baat nahi, agli baar ho jayega. Ro mat, bas,” his brother told him, reassuring him that he would always be there for him.
Umar then told him that he had cleared the examination.
His brother, still hearing him cry, asked why he was crying and reminded him that he was always there to support him.
After years of trying to explain his disappointments to his family, Umar finally had the news he had wanted to share with them.
Why He Believes Aspirants Must Keep Going
Having experienced repeated setbacks, Umar believes that discipline and hard work matter more than relying on talent alone.
“This journey takes a lot. Firstly, be disciplined throughout your journey. Secondly, I would say hard work, as I think these exams don’t respect talent but hard work,” he says.
He also urges aspirants to understand that becoming an officer can take time. A long preparation journey requires patience, but it also demands a clear sense of responsibility towards the people who support the aspirant.
“While sitting on the chair, think that your parents are also sitting on the same chair,” he says.
For Umar, the thought is a reminder that a government position carries responsibilities beyond personal achievement. It also represents the hopes and sacrifices of the family that helped make it possible.
His message extends beyond individual candidates to the communities they come from.
In small villages, one person’s examination result can influence how others view the possibility of pursuing the same dream. When an aspirant tries for years and eventually quits, people around them may begin to question whether the goal is worth pursuing. They may even discourage the next generation, asking why their children should attempt something that someone else tried repeatedly without succeeding.
Umar wants young people to recognise the wider impact of their efforts. His journey from a small village in Jaisalmer to AIR 160 in the CAPF examination shows aspiring candidates that an unsuccessful attempt does not have to determine the outcome of their lives.
His selection is a personal achievement, but it can also help change what children in his surroundings believe is possible for them.
For Umar Janj, the journey to becoming an officer took four CAPF attempts and more than 15 setbacks across examinations and selection processes. What carried him through was the example set by his elder brother, the sacrifices of his parents, and the words they repeated whenever he felt disappointed: “Ho jayega beta.”
This time, it did.
