17 October 2026
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The Life & Times of an UPSC Aspirant in Allahabad

For Mr. Desh Deepak Verma, 1978-batch IAS officer of Uttar Pradesh cadre, UPSC preparation isn’t a distant past. Its like yesterday’s memory. In this video interview, he discusses how he prepared for UPSC exam and qualified as well.
Indian Masterminds Stories

I had come to Allahabad for graduation after doing my school studies from Gorakhpur. But, I found everybody in Allahabad preparing for UPSC Civil Services Exams. That inspired me too to join the quest. Lo and behold, I got selected for the UPSC – in Indian Revenue Services (IRS). I thought, this is the limit for me and went on to do the training in Mussoorie before going for the revenue training in Nagpur. Here again, I found everybody was preparing for the IAS, says Mr. Desh Deepak Verma, former IAS.

Please watch the full interview by clicking on this link…

Mr. Verma, retired as Secretary to the Government of India before serving as Secretary General of Rajya Sabha. During his tenure as an IAS officer, he did his field training as SDM in Etawah and joined the service at Sitapur. He served as District Magistrate in four districts – Almora, Aligarh, Bareilly & Agra; and Commissioner in Allahabad and Lucknow divisions (more details in first part of the interview with the link given below – …….)

In this interview, he discusses his UPSC journey and the atmosphere prevailing at the time in Allahabad, how 3-4 aspirants used to be crammed up in a single claustrophobic room and how even the cook in hostel mess used to taunt the aspirants about burnt chapatis.


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