Imagine reaching the interview stage of the country’s toughest examination – the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) – only to miss the final list by a handful of marks. Many would lose confidence. Many would settle for less. But not Viral Sharma.
Now imagine simultaneously preparing for three different State Civil Services examinations, travelling across states to appear for examinations, studying without formal coaching, and eventually cracking two prestigious PCS examinations while also reaching the interview stages of UPSC CSE and UPPCS.
That is the remarkable story of Viral Sharma.
Hailing from the Terai region of Uttar Pradesh, where opportunities often remain limited compared to metropolitan cities, Viral transformed determination into achievement. His journey is not merely about securing ranks; it is about embracing failures, learning from them, and converting them into stepping stones.
Today, Viral has secured Rank 7 in Uttarakhand PCS, earning the coveted post of Deputy Collector (SDM). He has also successfully cleared the Bihar Public Service Commission (BPSC) examination, securing selection for both the Block Development Officer (BDO) and Child Development Project Officer (CDPO) posts. Earlier, he reached the UPPSC Interview stage and the UPSC Civil Services Interview, narrowly missing final selection.
Yet, his dream remains unfinished.
Rather than stopping after multiple successes, Viral is once again preparing for the UPSC Civil Services Examination 2026, determined to turn his biggest dream into reality.
As he told Indian Masterminds during our conversation, “My journey has been full of ups and downs. There were many failures before success arrived. I have experienced both. But the journey is still continuing because my ultimate goal is UPSC.”
His story is a reminder that true success is not measured only by the destination but by the courage to keep walking despite repeated setbacks.
Journey So Far
Very few aspirants can claim to have reached the interview stage of India’s toughest examinations repeatedly while simultaneously cracking multiple State Civil Services examinations. Viral belongs to that rare category.
His journey includes:
- Reaching the UPSC Civil Services Interview but narrowly missing final selection.
- Qualifying for the UPPCS Interview in his very first attempt.
- Securing Rank 7 in Uttarakhand PCS and getting selected as Deputy Collector (SDM).
- Clearing the Bihar PCS Examination, securing:
- Rank 7 for Child Development Project Officer (CDPO)
- Rank 16 for Block Development Officer (BDO)
- Preparing once again for UPSC CSE 2026 Mains with renewed determination.
Reflecting on his journey, he said, “Failures came first, then success followed. Clearing Uttarakhand PCS and Bihar PCS gave me confidence, but I still consider my UPSC journey incomplete. I will continue until I achieve my goal.”
His Background
He is a native of Belwa Moti village in Dhaurahara Tehsil of Lakhimpur-Kheri district, Uttar Pradesh. Coming from a humble educational family, he credits much of his discipline to his parents.
His father, Balram Sharma, served as a Headmaster in the Basic Education Department before retirement, while his mother, Kusum Lata Sharma, is a homemaker. His parents always emphasised education over everything else.
An academically brilliant student since childhood, Viral topped both his High School and Intermediate examinations.
He completed his schooling at Jawahar Navodaya Vidyalaya, after which he earned a B.Tech in Mechanical Engineering from NIT Allahabad (now NIT Prayagraj) in 2019.
Following graduation, he worked in the Mechanical Engineering sector in Alwar, Rajasthan, for nearly three years before making one of the biggest decisions of his life—resigning from a stable job to prepare full-time for civil services.
The Decision That Changed Everything
Like thousands of engineering graduates, Viral had a secure career ahead of him. But somewhere inside him lived a dream much bigger than a corporate job.
After working for nearly three years, he resigned in 2023 and dedicated himself entirely to Civil Services preparation.
However, his UPSC journey had already begun while he was still employed.
His first UPSC attempt came while managing both work and studies, but he couldn’t clear the Preliminary Examination. Instead of treating it as failure, he considered it preparation for the future.
He explains, “I resigned from my job in 2023 and started full-time preparation in December. Before that, I had already appeared for UPSC while working. Every attempt taught me something new.”
Preparing From a Village – Not Delhi
One of the most inspiring aspects of Viral’s story is where he prepared. Unlike the common perception that serious UPSC preparation requires years in Delhi’s coaching hubs, Viral completed most of his preparation from his home in Lakhimpur Kheri.
After resigning, he spent nearly a year in Delhi to understand the examination ecosystem and gather resources. However, he eventually returned home.
From there, he completed almost his entire preparation – including interview preparation.
He says, “I never took formal coaching. I went to Delhi mainly for guidance and resources. After that, I returned home and completed my preparation from my village.”
His journey proves that discipline matters far more than location.
Cracking Multiple PCS Exams Together
Preparing simultaneously for UPSC, UPPCS, UKPCS and BPSC is itself a huge challenge because every examination has different state-specific requirements.
Yet Viral developed a strategy that minimised duplication.
His UPSC notes became the foundation for every examination. For each state, he only prepared additional state-specific material. This enabled him to efficiently manage four examinations together.
He travelled across states for different examinations:
- Haridwar for Uttarakhand PCS
- Prayagraj for UPPCS
- Patna and Kishanganj for Bihar PCS
Despite constant travelling, he maintained consistency in preparation. The result was extraordinary.
He secured Rank 7 in Uttarakhand PCS, Rank 7 in Bihar CDPO, Rank 16 in Bihar BDO, and reached the UPPCS Interview.
The Biggest Struggle
For him, the toughest part was not studying. It was handling repeated disappointments.
He cleared stages repeatedly. Sometimes Prelims. Sometimes Mains. Sometimes Interview. But final selection often remained just out of reach.
Missing the UPSC final list after reaching the Interview stage was undoubtedly one of the biggest emotional challenges. Yet he never allowed disappointment to become defeat.
Instead, every unsuccessful attempt became preparation for the next examination.
He reflects, “I have seen failure very closely, but I have also seen success. Both have taught me equally valuable lessons.”
Preparation Strategy: One Base, Multiple Exams
When asked how he managed preparation for UPSC and three State PCS examinations together, Viral gave a surprisingly simple answer.
His foundation always remained UPSC. The same notes were revised repeatedly for different examinations.
Separate preparation was done only for state-specific subjects.
He explains, “My UPSC static notes became the base for every State PCS examination. I revised those notes again and again. Only the state-specific portions were prepared separately.”
His Biggest Weapon: Previous Year Questions (PYQs)
If there is one thing Viral repeatedly emphasized throughout the conversation, it was the importance of Previous Year Questions.
Interestingly, he never joined any formal test series for either UPSC or State PCS examinations.
Instead, he devoted almost all his energy to PYQs.
His preparation included:
- Solving 30–35 years of Prelims PYQs
- Solving topic-wise UPSC Mains PYQs
- Solving the latest five years of State PCS Mains papers
- Making one-page answer notes from repeated questions
- Revising PYQs multiple times
He says, “Never neglect Previous Year Questions. They are the closest representation of the actual examination. Test series sometimes change your thinking, but PYQs teach you how the examiner thinks.”
He also observed that in Bihar PCS, several History questions appeared directly from previous years’ papers.
According to him, repetition in State PCS examinations is much higher than aspirants realize.
The Role of Ghatna-Chakra
Another important resource in Viral’s preparation was Ghatna Chakra. He studied it extensively for both UPSC and State PCS examinations.
The magazine helped him revise current affairs as well as factual information useful for state examinations.
State-Specific Preparation
Although UPSC formed the base, each state required focused preparation.
For Uttarakhand, Viral relied heavily on PYQs. He identified topics that had never been asked despite being present in the syllabus. One such topic was folk artists.
Believing that such untouched areas had high probability, he prepared them thoroughly. Interestingly, multiple questions from that area eventually appeared in the examination.
For UPPCS, he obtained handwritten notes prepared by a topper. He used them only as a base before creating his own concise one-page revision notes.
For Bihar PCS, PYQs again remained his primary resource.
Prelims Strategy
According to Viral, Prelims preparation should revolve around three principles:
- Solve as many PYQs as possible.
- Make concise notes from those questions.
- Study one standard book for each subject.
He recommends:
- NCERTs for Geography
- Laxmikanth for Polity
- Standard Economy books
- One Current Affairs magazine for revision
Whenever a concept remained unclear, he simply searched YouTube or used AI tools for conceptual clarity.
Mains Strategy
For Mains, Viral believes answer-writing should begin only after thoroughly understanding the syllabus.
His approach involved creating one-page notes for every keyword mentioned in the syllabus.
According to him, “Every syllabus heading should have one-page notes. In the examination, space is limited. If your revision notes are concise, writing within the word limit becomes much easier.”
Unlike many aspirants, he did not rely heavily on coaching test series. Instead, he preferred practising PYQs and getting answers evaluated by experienced mentors or successful candidates.
Interview Experience
Viral appeared in multiple interviews within a short period. Each board tested completely different aspects of his personality.
UPSC Interview
The UPSC board focused primarily on his Detailed Application Form (DAF).
Questions revolved around:
- His hobbies
- Personal achievements
- Situational judgment
- International Relations
- Cricket
Since he had represented Jawahar Navodaya Vidyalaya at the Inter-Navodaya National Cricket Tournament, the board spent considerable time discussing cricket.
Bihar PCS Interview
The Bihar board asked questions related to:
- Mechanical Engineering
- Artificial Intelligence
- Bihar-specific issues
- Situational administration
During another Bihar interview for CDPO, questions focused on:
- Women and Child Development
- Government schemes
- Social welfare
UPPCS Interview
The UPPCS board emphasised:
- Situational questions
- Administrative decision-making
- International Relations
- Contemporary affairs
UKPCS Interview
The Uttarakhand interview proved to be the most unexpected.
Nearly 90 percent of the discussion revolved around Artificial Intelligence.
The board asked complex questions such as:
- Use of AI in the Public Distribution System
- Preventing ghost beneficiaries
- AI in governance
- Ethical concerns
- Highly specific technical scenarios
He admits, “Some questions completely surprised me. I had never imagined they would ask Artificial Intelligence in such depth.”
Message for Aspirants
Towards the end of our conversation, Viral shared a detailed message for civil services aspirants. His advice was practical rather than motivational.
He said, “Never underestimate Previous Year Questions. They are more valuable than any test series because they help you understand the actual thinking of the examiner.”
He also advised aspirants to avoid collecting excessive study material.
Instead:
- Stick to one standard source for each subject.
- Revise repeatedly.
- Prepare concise notes.
- Build conceptual understanding.
- Develop aptitude alongside knowledge.
On Mains preparation, he says, “Rather than solving endless test series, practise PYQs thoroughly and get your answers evaluated by a competent mentor. Quality matters much more than quantity.”
For the interview stage, he believes newspapers become extremely important.
“During Prelims and Mains, even thirty minutes of newspaper reading is enough. But before the interview, spend time analysing issues deeply. Read, think and discuss. That develops administrative maturity.”
The Road Ahead
Despite already becoming a Deputy Collector through Uttarakhand PCS and securing prestigious positions in Bihar PCS, Viral Sharma refuses to stop.
His dream remains the Indian Administrative Service.
He is currently preparing for the UPSC Civil Services Examination 2026 Mains, determined to convert years of perseverance into his ultimate goal.
Source of Inspiration for Rural Areas Aspirants
In an era where success is often measured only by final results, Viral Sharma’s journey reminds us that perseverance itself is a form of victory.
From a small village in the Terai region of Uttar Pradesh to the interview rooms of UPSC, from resigning a secure engineering job to preparing largely from home, from repeated failures to securing Rank 7 in Uttarakhand PCS and multiple selections in Bihar PCS, every chapter of his story reflects resilience.
His achievements prove that one does not necessarily need elite coaching institutes, expensive resources or metropolitan advantages to succeed. What matters is clarity of purpose, disciplined preparation, relentless revision and the courage to keep moving after every setback.
As Viral Sharma summed up his remarkable journey, “Failures came first, success came later. But the journey is still not over. I will continue working until I achieve my dream.”
For thousands of civil services aspirants across the country, especially those preparing from small towns and villages, that single sentence may become the biggest source of inspiration.
