From a small village in Rajasthan to securing All India Rank 32 in the UPSC Civil Services Examination 2024, Utkarsh Yadav’s journey is a shining example of resilience, determination, and relentless focus.
Hailing from Hamindpur village in Behror tehsil of Alwar district, Rajasthan, Utkarsh has carved a place for himself among the top performers of the prestigious UPSC Civil Services Examination 2024. Coming from a modest background, his father, Dayaram Yadav, is employed with Indian Railways, and Utkarsh is the younger brother of Devendra Yadav, 2016 batch IAS officer and the current District Magistrate of Dausa, Rajasthan.
Academic Background and UPSC Journey
A consistently bright student, Utkarsh graduated in Computer Science from the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Roorkee, one of India’s premier engineering institutions. Despite his strong technical background, he chose the challenging path of civil services – a decision marked by both struggle and growth.
He began preparing for the UPSC in 2021, initially studying from home before relocating to Delhi for a more focused preparation environment. His optional subject was Anthropology, a choice that eventually proved instrumental in his success.
Learning from Failure
Utkarsh’s journey, like that of many UPSC aspirants, was not without setbacks. He made a total of three attempts. In his first attempt, he cleared the prelims but failed in the mains. In his second attempt in UPSC 2023, he reached the interview stage, only to miss out on the final list. But in his third attempt in UPSC – 2024, he finally cracked the exam with an All India Rank of 32.
But rather than letting these failures deter him, Utkarsh treated them as learning opportunities. He refined his strategy, focused intensively on answer writing, and utilized various learning resources – including YouTube – for conceptual clarity and motivation. His mantra remained simple yet profound – “Take learnings from every failure.”
Like his brother, Utkarsh prepared for the IAS exam in New Delhi. On regular days, he studied for 8 to 9 hours, increasing it to 10 to 12 hours a day in the final couple of months leading up to the examination.
Wisdom from Experience
Utkarsh strongly believes that failure should never be a reason to give up. “Disappointment is natural, but stagnation is dangerous,” he says. For him, self-analysis, identifying gaps in preparation, and continuous improvement were the keys to cracking this marathon exam.
He encourages other aspirants to adopt a growth mindset – “Don’t let failure define your future. If you keep improving and keep moving, success becomes inevitable.”
A Quiet Inspiration
While his brother’s success as a bureaucrat may have served as an initial source of inspiration, Utkarsh’s journey has been uniquely his own – defined by discipline, perseverance, and a clear sense of purpose. Despite coming from a family with an administrative background, he ensured that his success was the result of independent effort and hard work.
Dreams can flourish anywhere
Utkarsh’s story is not just one of academic excellence – it’s a tale of mental strength, resourcefulness, and unshakable belief in oneself. From a quiet village in Rajasthan to earning a top-50 rank in one of India’s toughest exams, he has proven that dreams can flourish anywhere.
As he prepares to enter the world of public service, he embodies not just administrative promise, but the spirit of India’s youth – gritty, grounded, and driven to make a difference.
(This story was written by Utkarsh, currently an intern with Indian Masterminds.)
