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Jagpreet
16 August, 2024
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UPSC or the Union Public Service Commission is a body that conducts examinations for designations such as IAS, IPS, IFS, and other such renowned positions in the field of civil services. It is by far, one of the toughest examinations conducting bodies recognised worldwide. Clearing any of these civil services examinations is a highly commendable attempt. Very few, however, can reach the final stage of the interview and clear that. There are several parameters on which aspirants are judged based on. While some of these may be exclusive to the preparation of civil services examinations, what remains constant across every such field is determination, perseverance, and hard work. It is not necessary that those who fail to crack the UPSC-conducted examinations cannot succeed in life.
In fact, someone who is determined to achieve what they aim to, achieve it irrespective of the field they choose. Perhaps, this is why several industry leaders have this experience to share. They might be completely transformed individuals today, but what was common in their personality as aspirants as well as industry leaders is the desire and ambition to be successful. This remained constant throughout their journey and made them who they are today. Let us learn through the stories of some of these successful leaders:
Mr Arvind Subramanian is a well-known economic advisor who is recognised for his contribution to economic policy and academia. He worked as a Chief Economic Adviser for the Government of India between 2014 and 2018. This job role involved his expertise on devising and implementing important economic policies. The popularly recognised Goods and Services Tax or the GST is one of the decisions that was made during his tenure as an economic advisor. Post this, he worked with the Watson Institute for International and Public Affairs at Brown University. This is where he began to contribute to the economic policy through teaching and writing.
“Let me tell you that I failed the IAS exam. I failed to get into the most prestigious stream at IMF. I wrote a mediocre PhD thesis. I had many many more academic papers rejected than accepted.”-
Mr Arvind Subramanian. Despite not being able to clear the civil services examination organised by the UPSC, he did not give up. Instead, he was determined to invest his time and energy into something that was more rewarding and complemented his skills and knowledge. Therefore, he went on to pursue his Ph.D. from Oxford University and then worked with international organisations such as the IMF- International Monetary Fund. With the knowledge of economics that he had combined with his extraordinary experience of working with Brown University and the government of India, he was able to successfully cater to his job role and that was an even better opportunity that he leveraged in place of the UPSC examination that he could not clear.
Mr. RK Verma – a well-known personality for his business venture- Resonance is a graduate of the popularly recognised and highly competitive university- IIT, Madras. He began his career in this field by teaching Physics to the students and preparing students for the competitive and entrance examinations for engineering. He discovered several innovative methods of teaching while he was on this journey, which led him to introduce Resonance Eduventures in 2001. Today, Resonance is recognised as one of the most premium coaching centres or institutions in India. It is very well-recognised for its contribution to the preparation for competitive examinations like IIT-JEE and NEET.
Mr. RK Verma attempted the civil services examination but could not clear it. He did not let that setback adversely affect his professional success and went on to pursue his passion by converting that setback into his strengths which gave him multiple opportunities. His institution Resonance was a success and expanded significantly over the previous years.
Paluck Prakash is a product manager who works with Housing.com- a platform that offers information regarding Mumbai-based real estate. This platform allows the customers to search for their housing property and all the necessary information such as the number of rooms, geography and much more. Puluck is a graduate of IIT Kanpur, in mechanical engineering. After graduating, he worked as a management trainee at Loyalty Rewardz Mngt Pvt Ltd and even as a product manager at ConnectedH. His experience and knowledge helped him significantly in securing the position of product manager in Housing.com which elevated his career graph.
Puluck Prakash who is an IIT graduate gave his attempt for the UPSC organised examination- CSE (Civil Services Examination). However, he realised it soon that he should not let his engineering skills and knowledge go in vain. Puluck went on to craft his journey by working as an associate product manager with Housing.com
UPSC conducts highly difficult examinations to test whether or not someone who aspires to be a civil servant has the necessary qualities of being honest and disciplined. More than the professional face, individuality counts as important. However, not being able to crack an exam does not mean that there are no other avenues. You have endless opportunities at your disposal, what counts is how well you utilise them to extract the maximum benefit. These industry leaders are the epitome of unshaken faith in their hard work and determination towards their jobs and responsibilities. Hence, you must always find a way to be focused and follow your ambition with utmost truthfulness and dedication along with choosing the right idol who can guide you through the highs and lows of your journey.
All the Best!
It is always good to have an alternative to your original plan. You may be able to give your best at your first choice, however, if circumstances are not in your favour or if you are not able to clear your examination, the next step should not confuse you or hamper your chances of succeeding. Therefore, you must identify your strengths and plan your career accordingly. This will help you secure your career.
Here are the top qualities that both, these famous industry leaders and UPSC aspirants have in common:
Perseverance
Analytical thinking
Strong work ethic
Leadership skills
Adaptability
Logical reasoning and self-belief together give you the strength required to battle setbacks or failures not just professionally but even personally.
Among the other key skills, the most important are work ethic, leadership, and the ability to make informed decisions.
Industries like education, finance, and technology are often some of the popular ones that individuals tap into. Having said that, the choice and determination of the individual decide which field they will be able to succeed in. UPSC and its tough preparation already make an individual a strong person with a strong and unshakable devotion towards their goal.
