https://indianmasterminds.com

ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT

Topper’s Choice: Declined IAS, Selected IPS

Indian Masterminds Stories

The 2017 UPSC result was a blessing for Mr. Saad Miya Khan as he was rewarded for his patience and hard work over a period of five years. He bagged the 25th spot and was counted among the toppers. He could have easily got into the coveted Indian Administrative Service (IAS). However, much to everyone’s surprise, he chose the Indian Police Service (IPS) over the IAS. Indian Masterminds presents his success story today.

EARLY LIFE

Mr. Khan was allotted his home cadre, Uttar Pradesh. He was born in Bijnor and is the son of Rais Ahmed Khan, who retired from the post of Assistant Returning Officer in Muzaffarnagar.

He completed his intermediate from Bijnor’s St Mary School and moved to Kanpur in 2012.

CHOOSING UPSC

Being from the science background, he pursued BTech in Civil Engineering from Harcourt Butler Technology University in Kanpur. In an interview to the media, he had said, “I decided to sit for the UPSC exam at a very early age during my graduation. I had already made up my mind that I did not want to choose the private sector, rather sit for this exam and prepare accordingly.”

Speaking about his inclination towards the Civil Services, he said, “It is one of those jobs which allows you to make sure that justice is served to even the last person in the mile. It also gives the liberty to especially work for the poor and those who are deprived.”

With sheer determination to reach his goal, Mr. Khan started preparing for the UPSC exam right from the beginning of his college and sat for it for the first time in his second year.

FAILURES LED TO SUCCESS

He failed four times before clearing the exam with flying colours. In the first two attempts, he used to make notes from The Hindu newspaper which he later realised was unnecessary and time consuming. In the third and fourth attempts, he focused more on current affairs magazines like Vision IAS and Insights Secure. However, he failed to clear the exam with that strategy, as well.

In the fifth and the final attempt, he followed a separate strategy and focused on reading The Hindu, revising only IAS summary of Hindu editorials, Visions IAS (Dec 2016 to Sep 2017) and Insights SecureGS 3 (Jan 2017 to Sep 2017).

This time he was confident enough that he has done pretty well in comparison to his last four attempts. This confidence in expecting a good outcome turned out to be true when the CSE 2017 results were released, and he secured the All India Rank 25. It was a moment of celebration, and his home was soon filled with people sharing the happiness together.

After scoring the high rank of 25, he could have easily got into the IAS, but sticking to his vision, he chose the IPS and joined with a mission to change the perception of police service in the country.


Indian Masterminds Stories
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
Related Stories
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
NEWS
Gujarat PSUs
From Mines to Gas: Gujarat Govt-Owned Firms Outperform Sensex, Nifty in Q1 FY26; Cementing State’s Growth Engine Status
Power Grid
POWERGRID Honored with International CSR Excellence Gold Award in London
cm-patel-swagat
Gujarat: Over 3,300 Applications Received in June SWAGAT; CM Bhupendra Patel Orders Strict Compliance on Resolutions
NMDC
Indian PSUs Expand Industrial Horizon: NMDC & MECON Get International Offices in Dubai, Union Minister Inaugurates
neha-badywal
How IAS Neha Byadwal’s UPSC Preparation & Study Routine Sparks Nationwide Debate on Bureaucracy, Privilege, & Public Service
MT Yi Cheng
Indian Navy Extinguishes Blaze Aboard MT Yi Cheng 6, Rescues 14 Indian Crew
ONGC_resized
ONGC Announces Leadership Transition: Vikram Saxena Takes Additional Charge as Director (Exploration), Sushma Rawat Superannuates
Indian Oil IOCL
Arvind Kumar Appointed as Interim Director (Pipelines) at Indian Oil Following Retirement of Senthil Kumar - Know More About Him!
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
Videos
Inderjit Singh Air India
Is Air India Carrying The Burden of Split Before Privatisation?
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?
ADVERTISEMENT
UPSC Stories
IPS Deepak Meghani
Deepak Meghani, IPS: A Journey of Focus, Failure, and Quiet Discipline
A passionate writer, he has authored several books in Gujarati, ranging from exam strategy guides to...
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...
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
Gujarat PSUs
From Mines to Gas: Gujarat Govt-Owned Firms Outperform Sensex, Nifty in Q1 FY26; Cementing State’s Growth Engine Status
Power Grid
POWERGRID Honored with International CSR Excellence Gold Award in London
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
Videos
Inderjit Singh Air India
Ex IRS C Rajendiran
WhatsApp Image 2025-06-25 at 5.07
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT