It is never too late to start working on your dreams. No matter how difficult the road to your dreams are, you can still achieve them, if you’re tenacious enough to work towards them. Parth Gupta from Jammu, who cleared UPSC CSE 2021 with AIR 72, proves it beyond any doubt. He had failed the exam four times consecutively, but cleared it twice after that. He is already working as a trainee IRS (Custom & Indirect Taxes) officer, and this time, with AIR 72, he is set to join a service of his choice. We present his journey today – how from being aimless once upon a time, he gave himself a dream and didn’t rest until he achieved it.
JOINED THE BANDWAGON
While speaking on a media platform, Mr. Gupta described himself as the character portrayed by actor Hrithik Roshan in the movie, Lakshya. “I was good in studies but I was clueless about what to do in my life. At one point of time, I wanted to become a scientist and then I wanted to become a soldier. However, everything changed when I passed my 12th. Since I was not clear, so I did what everybody else was doing,” he said.
He appeared for engineering entrance exams and got admission in NIT Hamirpur (Himachal Pradesh). After graduation, he took a job in Bangalore.
“Till then I didn’t even know the difference between civil engineering and civil services,” he said.
DETERMINATION TO DO SOMETHING GOOD
Once in Bangalore, he started enjoying his job and life there. One year passed this way and he started realising that the job doesn’t allow him to connect with people. “I was born and brought up in Jammu and used to visit my native place frequently. I was deeply connected to my roots and wanted to do something for my village and people. Secondly, my mother was a teacher and I have always thought that if you utilize the potential of teaching resource, then we can change everything for good. But, all of this were just my thought, I was not able to do it,” he said.
After talking it over with his parents, he decided to try for civil services as it provides an opportunity to take initiatives and do good for society.
FAILED FOUR TIMES
He gave his first attempt in 2015 but couldn’t clear Mains. After that, in consecutive attempts in 2016, 2017 and 2018, he couldn’t make it to the final list. He had already left his job and had nothing to hold onto, except his parents. “My parents were supportive. Even when I didn’t give result in the fourth attempt, they encouraged me to do it again. They also suggested me to move to Delhi from Bangalore, as it was a better place to prepare for exams like this. It was a tough decision but I did that. And, after intense preparation of one year, I cleared in 2019 with AIR 240. I was assigned IRS and was happy to do that,” he said.
However, although the service was good, he started feeling that it was for him. “Soon I realized that this wasn’t my dream. I had to do something in the field of education and for the welfare of society. IRS was not meant for that. So I decided to go for another attempt for IAS. I am hopeful that with AIR 72, I will get the service of my choice,” he said.
In his advice to UPSC aspirants, he says that if they want to do something in life, they have to ditch their comfort zone. Bangalore was his comfort zone, but he left it and chose what is right for him.
