The saying ‘try and try until you succeed’ has been proved right by IAS officer, Mr. K Jayaganesh. Failing over and over again in UPSC exams never stopped him even if he had to work odd jobs for it.
WAITED TABLES PRIOR TO BECOMING AN IAS
Getting into Indian Administrative Service was a dream for Mr. Jayaganesh. Hailing from a very poor family in Tamil Nadu, he academically excelled in engineering but due to lack of guidance, knowledge, and jobs, he couldn’t acquire a proper livelihood that could support his dreams. In order to make ends meet, he even waited tables at a restaurant, which provided him with just enough money to quench his hunger.
Mr. Jayaganesh, being the eldest sibling, had the responsibility of looking after the family. But his father totally supported him in all his undertakings. He was always good in studies and wished to acquire a job as soon as possible, so he could assist his father in running the family. After finishing with his class 10 th , he joined a polytechnic college and scored good marks which enabled him to take admission in a government engineering college, where he studied mechanical engineering.
HIS FATHER WAS HIS BACKBONE
It was because of his father that Mr. Jayaganesh could reach pinnacles of success. His father believed in him during all walks of life and knew that his son had the potential to achieve something big.
Whatever little amount the older man earned, he used to hand it over to Mr. Jayaganesh, to enable him to buy study material with it. All he ever wanted was to see his son accomplish his dreams and grow to be the man that he always wished he was.
GETTING INTO CIVIL SERVICES
After completing his engineering, Mr. Jayaganesh left for Bangalore to earn a proper livelihood where he landed with a job that paid his Rs. 2500. It was there that he realized the suffering of his people and folks living under poverty. He thought of the miserable conditions that the people of his village were living in. They were poor and he wanted to do something for them. He made up his mind then and there to get to such a post that will enable him to drive their sorrows away.
“It was in Bengaluru that I started thinking about my village and my friends. I wondered sadly why none of them studied and worked in good companies. Because they had no education, they always remained poor. There was not enough money to buy even proper food. There was no opportunity there; the only place they could work was the tannery in the nearby town. If they didn’t get work at the tannery, they worked as auto drivers or coolies. In short, there was no one in my village to guide the young generation. Can I help my villagers in any way, I thought?” he said in an interview.
He immediately resigned from his job and went back to his village to prepare for the difficult UPSC examinations. During his time in Bangalore, he had closely observed and realized the kind of power that civil servants have. Despite all the uncertainties and risks, he made up his mind to clear the exams. This was a decision which his father backed all the way. He even went on to the entire bonus of Rs 6500, that he had earned from a leather factory that he worked in, to his son so that so that would be able to buy all the required study material and acquire all the necessary notes from coaching centers in Chennai.
FAILED ATTEMPTS
Mr. Jayaganesh began giving the examinations but failed to clear even the preliminary exams in his first three attempts. After three failures, he enrolled himself into a state-sponsored IAS coaching in Chennai, which also provided him with free accommodation. But after clearing prelims in his fourth attempt, his free accommodation and food was snatched away due to rules of the coaching center. This forced him to do part time odd jobs simultaneously while preparing for the exam, so he could pay his bills and fill his stomach.
He also received financial assistance from his friends and soon landed a decent job of teaching sociology to UPSC aspirants. It was in his 7 th attempt that he finally cleared all the examinations and aced the interview, as well.
In 2008, he finally conquered his longtime dream. “Finally, when the results came, I couldn’t believe myself. I had secured the 156th rank out of more than 700 selected candidates. It’s a top rank, and I am sure to get into the IAS. I felt like I had a won a war that had been going on for many years. I felt free and relieved,” he stated in an interview.
His happiness knew no bounds and he was met with real joy back home. Everyone from his village received him with much love and fanfare. Mr. Jayaganesh’s story is not just a story of grit, self-belief and determination, but also of the aspirational value that IAS holds for many Indians.
