https://indianmasterminds.com

ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT

Resigned Cushy Corporate Job, Failed Four Times In UPSC, Finally Got AIR 95

Mahamuni Vinayak Prakashrao left the job at IBM in 2015 to prepare for UPSC. He took five attempts to chase the dream and got AIR 95 in the UPSC Civil Services Exam 2020. His Father helped him in tackling the pressure. A report by Nishant Bhadoria.
Indian Masterminds Stories

Mahamuni Vinayak Prakashrao’s story demonstrates the hard work and perseverance needed for UPSC exam preparation. Hailing from Latur district of Maharashtra, he did B.Tech in 2012 and joined the corporate giant IBM (International Business Machines).

Serving there for three years, he decided to take a calculated risk. He resigned to prepare for UPSC knowing that he had  a plan B – to take up a corporate job once again, if things went wrong. The journey which started in the beginning of 2016 finally culminated in a fruitful result after the Union Public Service Commission announced the CSE 2020 results.

MOTIVATION

In the exclusive interview with Indian Masterminds, Vinayak disclosed how he kept himself motivated throughout his journey. He said “I read lot of the stories and biographies of famous personalities of our country who faced a lot of challenges and successfully passed them and achieved their goal. These include Shivaji Maharaj, B R Ambedkar, APJ Abdul Kalam. They encouraged me a lot and filled me with positivity.”

Mahamuni Vinayak Prakashrao: The journey which started in the beginning of 2016 finally culminated in a fruitful results.

He further said “I faced multiple setbacks during my preparation period. In first three attempts I could not even clear the prelims, the first stage of the three-tier examination. The feeling of failure and frustration engulfed me but my family and friends kept motivating me. My father always helped me in handling the pressure situations as he himself is a retired teacher and understands the condition of a student very well.”

HURDLES AND SUCCESS

Finally, he cleared his UPSC CSE Preliminary and Mains exams in the fourth attempt but not the interview. This was the first time he tasted some part of success, as he had cleared both the prelims and mains, and this boosted his confidence. Ultimately, in the fifth attempt, he cleared all the stages to get AIR 95 in UPSC 2020.

Mr. Vinayak said “I followed a simple strategy and started preparing on my own, after which I joined a Test Series to know where I stand. After clearing the pre and mains exam, I started giving mock Interviews which helped me n clearing the final interview”.

At last, he said, “Only hard work and a positive mindset helped to clear this examination and if someone is looking to prepare it, they should take a calculated risk by keeping the reality in mind. The success rate is very low but with perseverance and a lot of focus, anyone can find success in this exam.”


Indian Masterminds Stories
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
Related Stories
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
NEWS
IAS Ashwani Kumar
Assam’s Bold Bet on Local Talent: IAS Ashwani Kumar’s Vision for a Digital Assam
Haryana Jungle Safari
Haryana’s Mega Jungle Safari Project Moves Closer to Reality; Phase-I Design Finalised
SBK Singh IPS CP
Delhi Police Commissioner S B K Singh Bans Aerial Platforms from August 2 to 16 for Security Reasons
IPS-logo-resized_new
10 Senior Cops Get New Roles In Bihar Police; DG Jitendra Kumar Gets Additional Charge of B-SAP
Indian Forest Services IFS officer
Jharkhand IFS Rajneesh Kumar Transferred Amid Ongoing Legal Proceedings - Details Inside
Uttar Pradesh UP Government
17 Review Officers Transferred in Uttar Pradesh Secretariat Administration Reshuffle - Details Inside
IFS-forest-resized
6 IFS Officers Transferred in Odisha to Strengthen Environmental Administration, Jagayandatt Pati Made RCCF, Koraput Circle
IAS Officers Indian Administrative Services IAS logo
4 Young IAS Officers Reshuffled in Uttarakhand, Rahul Anand Made Joint Magistrate, Dehradun
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
IAS Ashwani Kumar
Assam’s Bold Bet on Local Talent: IAS Ashwani Kumar’s Vision for a Digital Assam
Haryana Jungle Safari
Haryana’s Mega Jungle Safari Project Moves Closer to Reality; Phase-I Design Finalised
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
Videos
IAS Karn Satyarthi
Ananth Rupanagudi IRAS
WhatsApp Image 2025-07-26 at 13.16
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT