https://indianmasterminds.com

ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT

Failed Prelims in Fifth Attempt, Bagged AIR 80 in Sixth Attempt

Indian Masterminds Stories

UPSC gives six chances to clear the Civil Services Examination. Some clear it in their first attempt itself, while some need multiple attempts. It is not easy to keep oneself motivated after successive failed attempts. Nikhil Mahajan from Punjab faced this situation when he failed to clear even the prelims in his fifth attempt. 

However, in his last attempt, the sixth, he made it through all the stages, and quite convincingly at that, securing AIR 80. This was UPSC CSE 2021 and it was his last attempt. And he didn’t let it go in vain. His years of preparation and hard work, not to mention his tenacity, all bore him fruit and he tasted success finally.

LOST MOTHER AT THE AGE OF EIGHT 

Nikhil was just eight years old when he lost his mother in a car accident. Suddenly, the world turned upside down for him and his father. All the responsibility of the household and of raising a child without mother fell on his father’s shoulder. While talking to a media channel, Nikhil said, “There was a lot of pressure on my father. He had to deal with the loss and, then, I was there. Many near and dear ones pressurised him to get married again as it is considered impossible for a man to raise a child alone. He didn’t lose hope and took all upon him. You won’t believe it, he even bought a recipe book to learn cooking. I can surely say that I am here because of him.”

FAILURES HIT HIS SELF-ESTEEM  

A graduate in Electrical Engineering from IIT Delhi, Nikhil started his UPSC preparation in 2015. He gave attempt after attempt but success remained elusive. He didn’t have a job, his future was uncertain, and on top of that, he failed even the prelims in his fifth attempt. That really shattered him. 

Recalling that time, he said, “The thing about failure is that it reduces your self-esteem, confidence and hope for your future. During that time, I used to miss my mother a lot and think what can I do to bring her back. Of course, nothing could be done to change the past. But, the thing that is yet to happen can be changed. I decided that there might be very minimal chance for me to clear the UPSC CSE, but I will take that and give my best shot at it.”

His tenacity and capacity for extreme hard work paid off and now he is all set to become a civil servant. According to him, the satisfaction of giving your best shot is much better than a lifetime regret of not trying at all.


Indian Masterminds Stories
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
Related Stories
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
NEWS
CM mohan yadav
CM Dr. Mohan Yadav to Lay Foundation Stone for Four Industrial Units in Sehore on August 2
Reserve-Bank-of-India_RBI_resized
Two Years After Withdrawal, Rs2,000 Notes Worth Rs6,017 Cr Still with Public: RBI
Maritime India
Sonowal Says India’s Maritime Sector Charts Green Future Under Maritime India Vision 2030
IRCTC
IRCTC Appoints Manoj Kumar Sharma as Director (Catering Services) with Additional Charge- Know More About Him
Ministry of Commerce
Nearly 2 Lakh Startups Registered on BHASKAR Platform Across India, Asserts Commerce Ministry
Union Bank of India UBI
Union Bank of India Elevates Vipan Singh as Chief General Manager Following Superannuation of Chander Mohan Minocha
India Algeria defence cooperation
India-Algeria Defence Seminar Boosts Bilateral Ties and Industrial Cooperation - Details Inside
Rahul Kumar
German Delegation Led by Rahul Kumar to Visit Uttarakhand, Focus on Youth Skill Development and Indo-German Cooperation
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
Videos
IAS Karn Satyarthi
How IAS Karn Satyarthi Transformed Gumla Through Empathy and Innovation
Ananth Rupanagudi IRAS
IRAS Ananth Rupanagudi’s Take on Corruption, Reform, and Duty
WhatsApp Image 2025-07-26 at 13.16
What Most Indians Don't Know About Jim Corbett
ADVERTISEMENT
UPSC Stories
BPSC Bihar police
From Lantern Light to Police Uniform: How Praveen Kumar from a Small Bihar Village Cracked BPSC to Become SDPO
From a lantern-lit village in Bihar to becoming an SDPO, Praveen Kumar's journey is a testament to resilience,...
IAS Priyansha Garg
Why Mindset Matters: IAS Priyansha Garg’s Mental Health Mantra for UPSC
After two failed prelims, Priyansha Garg cracked UPSC with AIR 31 in her fourth attempt, proving how...
Ashish Akshat
From Setback to State Topper: How Ashish Akshat Topped JPSC While Working Full-Time
Ashish Akshat from Dhanbad topped JPSC 2023, proving that resilience, discipline, and family support...
Social Media
Mudumalai Tiger Reserve
Mudumalai Tiger Reserve: From India’s First Sanctuary to a Tiger Conservation Success Story | International Tiger Day Special
IAS Supriya Sahu Hails Mudumalai's Role in Tiger Conservation on Tiger Day. Declared in 1940, Now Among...
Mangroves
Mangroves: Nature’s Shield Against Disasters, Says Officer Parveen Kaswan on Mangroves Day - Watch His Post Here
Mangroves, with their dense, interlaced root systems, form a mesh-like structure that serves as a buffer...
Retired IPS Inderjit Singh Sidhu
Purpose Doesn’t Retire: How 88-Year-Old Retired DIG Becomes Chandigarh’s ‘Quiet Warrior’ of Cleanliness
Inderjit Singh Sidhu’s Dawn Patrol Earns Applause, Mahindra’s Praise for a Man Who Chose Action Over...
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
Latest
CM mohan yadav
CM Dr. Mohan Yadav to Lay Foundation Stone for Four Industrial Units in Sehore on August 2
Reserve-Bank-of-India_RBI_resized
Two Years After Withdrawal, Rs2,000 Notes Worth Rs6,017 Cr Still with Public: RBI
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
Videos
IAS Karn Satyarthi
Ananth Rupanagudi IRAS
WhatsApp Image 2025-07-26 at 13.16
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT