https://indianmasterminds.com

ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT

Failing in 97 Competitive Exams Before Clearing UPSC CSE

IRAS officer Amartya Banerjee cleared UPSC CSE in his fifth attempt and got AIR 524. He had appeared in almost 103 competitive exams before, out of which he failed in 97 exams.
Indian Masterminds Stories

Failures had become a part of life for Indian Railway Accounts Service (IRAS) officer Amartya Banerjee until he finally cleared the UPSC exam in 2016. He failed to clear 97 competitive exams and even landed up in a do-or-die situation for UPSC Civil Services Exam. Coming all the way from West Bengal, Amartya Banerjee had a very tough journey on the road to UPSC. Indian Masterminds presents his success story, that came only after 97 failures.

SHANTINIKETAN EXPERIENCE

Born and brought up in West Bengal, Mr. Banerjee completed his schooling mainly from Kolkata and joined Visha Bharti University in Shantiniketan, founded by late Maharishi Devendranath Tagore and later expanded by his son Rabindranath Tagore. It was the first time he was living away from his home for studies.

In an article, Mr. Banerjee wrote, “In many ways (which I realised much later) the University and its ethos have shaped me in ways more than one. Santiniketan is a wonderful place to stay, the gardens, the pathways, the forests at the far end, the culture and all.”

TURNING POINT IN LIFE

After completing his studies at Visha Bharti, he came to Delhi for further studies. He took admission in Delhi University for post-graduation. He had his first brush with civil service when he was at home and his father had brought question bank of the civil service exam and kept it in a small wall shelf. However, when he came to Delhi, his passion for civil service was ignited by a very good friend of his, Ronak Chaudhary, who is currently working as a Rajasthan Administrative Services officer.

Mr. Banerjee mentioned, “I loved the fact that someone who came from such a humble background (he had seen grinding poverty and a hand-to-mouth existence while growing up) could speak and dream of these exalted standards with a desire so restless that it was a sheer pleasure to behold.”

Soon he completed his post-graduation and started preparing for the civil services exam. However, during his studies at Visva Bharti and DU, he never got exposed to the examination as nobody in his batch was even mildly interested in appearing for it. He knew it was a tough journey for him.

COMPETING FOR A BETTER FUTURE

During this time, he not only focused on the civil services but also applied in an array of exams like Bank, SSC, CDS, CAPF, Delhi Metro, Municipal Corporation of Delhi, Allahabad, etc. He said, “In the midst of this, to support my own endeavours, I started taking up small, part time assignments in different sectors, using a mix of my own writing ability and some contacts.”

These opportunities made him support his family during the tough time they were going through and, also, provided him with some economic stability for the time being. In 2014, he got placed for a permanent job as a senior research assistant in an organisation. However, his mind was still revolving around civil services as he used to spend his travelling time in reading newspapers and other informative stuff for the examination.

After appearing for umpteenth number of examinations, he finally made his way through the West Bengal Civil Service Examination in 2014 and was allotted the Food & Supplies Department by mid-2016. Till then, he had already appeared for the UPSC Civil Services Exam four times and wasn’t able to even clear the prelims.

FINALLY CRACKING UPSC

Anybody in his shoes would have started pursuing other ambitions, but he took his last shot at UPSC in 2016, and finally cleared the examination, scoring an All-India Rank 524 to get into the Indian Railway Accounts Service (IRAS)!


Indian Masterminds Stories
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
Related Stories
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
NEWS
Union Minister Bhupendra yadav
No Immediate Plan to Regulate AC Temperatures: Environment Minister Bhupendra Yadav Clarifies, Says 20–28°C Cap May Be Considered Only After 2050
Punya Salila Srivastava IAS
IAS Punya Salila Srivastava Gets Additional Charge of Health Research; IRS Pankaj Bodkhe Repatriated from KVIC
education
Gujarat Achieves 100% Textbook Distribution Before Academic Year: Over 6 Crore Books Delivered
Punjab_govt_resized
Punjab: 8 IAS & 9 PCS Transferred, Amandeep Kaur-II Posted as Addl Deputy Commissioner, Amritsar
Bihar’s Makhana
Desi Makhana Goes Global: From IIT Dreams to Entrepreneurial Reality in Bihar, as Makhana from Bihar Gains International Recognition
Thermal Power
Pirpainti Power Push: Private Power Majors Show Interest in Bihar’s Largest Thermal Project at Pirpainti
IPS Smiti Chaudhary
Obituary: Haryana's Senior IPS Smiti Chaudhary Passes Away at 48 in Nashik, Leaves Behind Legacy of Integrity & Service
Indian Railways
From Isolation to Integration: New Rail Corridor Signals Hope for Naxal-Affected Bastar, Final Survey Phase of Kothagudem–Kirandul Line Underway
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
Videos
Ex IRS C Rajendiran
Ex-IRS Officer C. Rajendiran Illuminates Thirukkural’s Timeless Wisdom in Exclusive Interview
WhatsApp Image 2025-06-25 at 5.07
Why Has the DGCA Fined Air India Rs 5 Crore Since Privatisation?
Former Diplomat Ashok Sajjanhar
Iran Is Weakest Now, Needs a Face-Saver
ADVERTISEMENT
UPSC Stories
Sanish Kumar Singh
“If you want it badly enough, you’ll find a way,” Sanish Kumar Singh AIR 8, UPSC IFS 2024 
The real interview, he says, was much more humane. “The board was conversational. The chairman opened...
Raju Wagh
When the Battlefield Became a Study Room and a Dream Took Flight
Amid IED blasts and anti-Maoist operations in Bastar, CRPF Commando Raju Wagh taught village kids, studied...
WhatsApp Image 2025-06-18 at 10.31
"I Just Wanted to Breathe Again": The Man Who Fought Death and Made It to UPSC
Struck by COVID at the peak of his UPSC prep, Devanand Telgote spent months on ECMO, unsure he'd live,...
Social Media
Shailaja Chandra
“Nanis & Dadis Have a Brain”: Former IAS Officer Shailaja Chandra Weighs in on 1970s vs 2025 Life Debate - “This Generation Has It Better”
Responding to Viral Post on Middle-Class Struggles, Ex-Bureaucrat Offers Candid Reflection on Then and...
Tigress Arrowhead
The End of an Era: A Queen Falls - Ranthambore’s Iconic Tigress Arrowhead (T-84) Passes Away at 14, Hours After Daughter’s Relocation
Ranthambore mourns the loss of one of its fiercest and most beloved tigers, Arrowhead, the granddaughter...
Screenshot 2025-06-13 194001
Wild Elephant Disrupts Riverside Picnic, Sparks Debate on Human Encroachment; IFS Parveen Kumar Shares the Video - Watch Here!
Mr. Kaswan used the viral video, which has garnered over 1.5 lakh views, to highlight the risks of human...
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
Latest
Union Minister Bhupendra yadav
No Immediate Plan to Regulate AC Temperatures: Environment Minister Bhupendra Yadav Clarifies, Says 20–28°C Cap May Be Considered Only After 2050
Punya Salila Srivastava IAS
IAS Punya Salila Srivastava Gets Additional Charge of Health Research; IRS Pankaj Bodkhe Repatriated from KVIC
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
Videos
Ex IRS C Rajendiran
WhatsApp Image 2025-06-25 at 5.07
Former Diplomat Ashok Sajjanhar
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT