https://indianmasterminds.com

ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT

Son of a Kargil War Veteran Bags AIR-9 In UPSC CSE 2021

Preetam Kumar scored All India Rank 9 in the UPSC CSE 2021 exams, the results of which were declared on Monday. He failed twice in the examination before he could clear it in his third attempt. He plans to work with all his strength for the welfare of the common people.
Indian Masterminds Stories

A resident of Kotra village in Sikar district, Rajasthan, Preetam Kumar bagged AIR-9 in the UPSC CSE 201 results declared yesterday. However, his journey into UPSC wasn’t as smooth as one would think. He had to face multiple challenges and failed attempts before he could finally achieve his dream.

Indian Masterminds exclusively spoke with Preetam, who shared details about his life, journey, and UPSC preparation.

WISH COME TRUE

Preetam’s father, a Kargil war veteran, always wanted his son to join government services to serve the nation but in the early days, Preetam did not pay much heed to it.

However, later on, while in college, he analyzed his career options and found civil services to be a better career option than others. He acquired more information about it and liked the ideologies of the service and the power that it holds. That’s when he decided to get into the civil services.

UPSC PREPARATION

Preetam started preparing for the examination in 2018 and joined coaching for a year, in Delhi. However, later on, he decided to do self-study for the examination, and thus, began his journey toward civil services.

“My study pattern is that I study slow and try to grasp the depth of a subject, rather than moving quickly and retaining nothing. I have kept my sources limited and read them regularly. I keep on adding them whenever I spot an important piece of information that I feel is worth taking a look at. Then, when the exams approach, I go through all my notes and revise regularly,” Preetam told Indian Masterminds.

He sat studying in his room for long hours and gave ample time to single subjects. He considers Mathematics to be his strongest point and focused on it thoroughly which gave him good dividends.

CLEARED THE EXAM IN HIS THIRD ATTEMPT

This was not the first time that Preetam gave the examination. He sat for the exam twice before, but unfortunately, could not clear it. Both times, he made it to the interview level but missed it with a tiny margin.

“It was a breaking moment for me last time when I only got 132 marks in the interview. I felt miserable but with the unconditional support and love of my friends, I was able to overcome it, and prepare with an even stronger zeal,” says Preetam.

He had never imagined that he would not only clear the examination in this attempt but also bag AIR-9, and feature in the list of top 10. Expressing his happiness, Preetam said, “Even in the morning that the results were declared, I was hoping to be at least in the top 300. I couldn’t believe my eyes when I saw the result. This is truly the happiest moment of my life.”

Preetam with his family

FUTURE PLANS

Talking about his plans for his future in the service, Preetam stated that first and foremost, he will fulfill the defined responsibilities of his post, with all his strength and diligence. Further, he will try to maximize public welfare by interacting with them and involving their ideas in whatever he will take up.

MESSAGE FOR ASPIRANTS WHO COULDN’T CLEAR EXAM

From his personal experience, Preetam knows how it feels to search for one’s name in the results pdf and not find it. It leaves one disappointed and demoralized.

“I would ask the aspirants to not take it to heart. I understand that it hurts deeply for a few hours, but you should come out of it, collect yourself, and begin preparing from scratch once again. Believe in yourself and the final result will be worth it,” he says.

MESSAGE FOR ASPIRANTS

Preetam further wishes to spread the message that ‘hard work is the key’ to all aspirants who will give the exam in the years to come.

“Give your all to the preparation. Do not get diverted while preparing and keep all the distractions away from you. Focus only on your studies and goals.”

Preetam comes from a rural background and has mostly lived in hostels throughout his early education days. He was always good at sports and still loves playing them. By bagging AIR-9 in his third attempt, he has made everyone around him proud.


Indian Masterminds Stories
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
Related Stories
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
NEWS
BPCL_resized
BPCL’s Sanjay Khanna Conferred with “TITAN - Refining Innovation Award” for Pioneering Excellence in HSE and Refining
Vartika Shukla CMD of EIL (1)
Vartika Shukla, CMD of EIL, Honored with Women’s Leadership Award at IOGTC 2025 - Know About Her
Judiciary_india
Karnataka Bar Council Urges Supreme Court Collegium to Reconsider Transfer of Four High Court Judges
NTPC Green Energy Ltd NGEL
NTPC Green Board to Consider Rs 5,000 Crore Bond Issue in FY26
Govt
5 Officers Reshuffled in Uttarakhand Secretariat
Indian Oil IOCL
Indian Oil to Invest Rs. 24,000 Crore in Gujarat for Refinery Expansion and Petrochemical Projects
IFS Indian Forest Service resized (IFoS)
14 IFS and 6 State Forest Service Officers Transferred in Madhya Pradesh, HU Khan Made CF&CEO (CAMPA) at HQ, Bhopal
Concor and gail MoU
CONCOR and GAIL Sign MoU to Promote Clean Fuel and Green Logistics
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
Videos
Aditya Vikram Agarwal
The Shouts of Joy Were Real: Aditya’s UPSC Rank 9 Was a Family Celebration
Dr Lokesh M IAS
E-Rickshaw Chaos, Waterlogging, Traffic Mess — Can Noida Fix Its Daily Chaos? | Exclusive with Dr Lokesh M, IAS
IRS Padmapani Bora UPSC
IRS Padmapani Bora’s 16-Year-Long Journey in Governance
ADVERTISEMENT
UPSC Stories
Aditya Vikram Agarwal
The Shouts of Joy Were Real: Aditya’s UPSC Rank 9 Was a Family Celebration
“UPSC is not the only path. If you are in any field… UPSC is not the only way to serve the nation. Be...
Raj Krishna Jha UPSC
Managing Study with a Full-Time Job, 4 Failures, & a Dream: UPSC Topper Raj Krishna Jha's Journey | Exclusive
From repeated failures to AIR 8, Raj Krishna Jha’s UPSC success proves that perseverance and strategic...
Utkarsh Yadav UPSC Rajasthan
Brother of Dausa DM Cracks UPSC with AIR 32: Utkarsh Yadav’s Inspiring Journey from Hamindpur to IAS
Utkarsh Yadav, an IIT Roorkee graduate from rural Rajasthan, secured AIR 32 in UPSC 2024 after three...
Social Media
GozJlgrXYAAHoKv
Murals for Cleanliness: Thoothukudi District Launches Art-Inspired Sanitation Drive in Panchayats
Local artists add colour and messages to village walls, promoting hygiene and community pride
Himanshu Nagpal IAS
Varanasi's Beggar Rehabilitation Initiative Recognised by UIDAI, CDO Himanshu Nagpal Shares the News
Mr. Himanshu Nagpal is a 2019-batch IAS officer
IAS Vaishali Chopra
Young IAS Vaishali Chopra Takes a Stand Against Caste Bias During Field Training in Uttar Pradesh
While the issue itself may seem small, the post is resonating widely online for its honest reflection...
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
Latest
BPCL_resized
BPCL’s Sanjay Khanna Conferred with “TITAN - Refining Innovation Award” for Pioneering Excellence in HSE and Refining
Vartika Shukla CMD of EIL (1)
Vartika Shukla, CMD of EIL, Honored with Women’s Leadership Award at IOGTC 2025 - Know About Her
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
Videos
Aditya Vikram Agarwal
Dr Lokesh M IAS
IRS Padmapani Bora UPSC
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT