Dr Shubham Maurya from Bhadohi district, Uttar Pradesh, cracked UPSC Civil Services examination twice – 2019 and 2020. To crack one of India’s toughest exams two times in a row is not an easy feat. A feat he managed to perform by his precision to details and confidence in his skills – qualities honed by his training in medical science. In an exclusive conversation with Indian Masterminds, the doctor revealed what made him make the jump to civil service.
FROM MBBS TO CIVIL SERVICE
It was during the time he was doing his MBBS that the thought of appearing for UPSC CSE first entered his mind. It came to his notice that some of the toppers were doctors. This aroused his curiosity and he started taking keen interest in the whole UPSC process, which culminated in his entry into the fray. He joined the bandwagon of thousands of aspirants who wanted to crack civil service exam and become an IAS or IPS officer.
With his mind made up, he started preparing himself for the exam in a focused manner. However, he soon realised that the journey was far from easy. His first two attempts ended in failure. “I reached till the interview rounds both times, in 2017 and 2018, and could not qualify. This was a very mentally challenging period for me,” he revealed.
But not someone to give up easily, he tried again in 2019. By this time, he was getting impatient and a little desperate. “I was desperate as well as low in confidence, so I appeared for the exam with very low enthusiasm,” he said.
But, as luck would have it, he qualified! He attributes this success to the repeated studies and practices for the earlier exams. With a rank of 576, he was allotted Indian Railway Traffic Service (IRTS).
IT’S UNPREDICTABLE
According to Dr Maurya, “the UPSC exam is unpredictable and even if you work really hard, you may not find your name on the ‘holy list’. To crack it, you need to have a clear target and a well-planned approach.”
He cautions that there would be times when morale would be very low and you’d feel like giving up, especially when people start questioning your capabilities after failures. “When you fail, people start doubting your abilities. At that point of time, you need to introspect and analyse all your mistakes to understand your true potential. You have to motivate yourself when nobody else does,” he advised.
HIS BACKGROUND
Dr Maurya is not a stranger to government service. His father is a retired veterinary official and his mother is principal of a government college. He completed his schooling (10+2) from St. Thomas’ School in Gopiganj and went to Kota for medical entrance exam coaching and cleared it in his first attempt. Thereafter, he joined King George Medical University in Lucknow and completed his MBBS degree in 2016.
HIS OPTIONAL CHOICE
Unlike most candidates who prefer to choose an Arts subject like Sociology or Political Science as the optional subject, Dr Maurya opted for Medical Science. “Being well-versed in the subject, I found it easy to study. However, I still cut myself off from distractions like social media surfing,” he added.
HIS TAKE ON CIVIL SERVICE
Dr Maurya thinks civil service is much more than power, position, and privilege. It is a platform from where one can bring about a change!
“Civil service is not just about having all these glorious things around you. It is a place where you can work at the grassroot level to make some good policies and contribute to the overall development of the nation. Even if you make small changes, those changes can have a great impact on society,” he opined.
