Financial constraints can’t stop my dreams, says Jagner, UPSC rank-holder from Agra – Times of India

The aspiration to work towards strengthening the country’s administrative set-up inspired 22-year-old Sachin Agarwal. He hails from Jagner, a village in Agra district, to appear for the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) examination. The student has made his parents proud by securing 610 rank in the examination.

Beginning

Sachin is the only one among six siblings who can pursue his academic interest. “My father and elder brother run a small cement shop and my mother is a housewife. All my four sisters are married,” he says. The family lived in Jagner village until a few years ago, when Sachin’s father sold a small piece of land and the family moved to the city. “At present, we live in a small rented accommodation and we are building a small house of ours,” says Sachin.

Till the fifth standard, Sachin studied in a government school in his village. “It was difficult to study in a school with a dilapidated building and apathetic teachers rarely attended classes,” he says.

Ray of Hope

Sachin came across a newspaper advertisement for Vidyagyan, a residential school for underprivileged students, which changed his life. “I have passed the entrance exam of the school. “Although initially nervous, being part of a group coming from a similar financial background has all faded,” he says.

according to academics

Sachin has always been a mediocre student. “In class XI, the morning meeting addressed by our principal became a great source of inspiration. The school head again said that our future is what we will build from it. Even though we have not been excellent students till now, we have our own Tomorrow has the power to change,” he explains.

At this time, Sachin was fascinated by the inspiring stories of UPSC graduates that regularly appeared in a school magazine. “An Indian Administrative Service (IAS) officer came to school for one thing, which made me resolve to crack and crack the UPSC exam,” he says.

Confused about the way forward, Sachin reads an article exploring the UPSC topper’s journey where he completed his graduation before attempting the civil services exam at the age of 22 to become an All India Rank 1 holder. Had it. “I decided to take the same route. I did class XII in Science stream and secured 93.4% marks in the board. I did BA (History Hons) from Kirori Mal College, University of Delhi and started preparing for UPSC at the same time.

overcome obstacles

Financial issues always acted as a stumbling block for Sachin. “For a person from my background, spending three years in Delhi is an extremely expensive and unimaginable prospect. This time my school really helped. I was able to pursue college and coaching with the scholarship provided by my school,” he says.

Sachin made his first UPSC attempt in 2020 and secured 610 rank. “I have decided to accept postings only by IAS, Indian Foreign Service (IFS) or Indian Revenue Service-Income Tax (IRS-IT). I know my current rank may not be high enough, so I have decided to give second attempt. I have given my preliminary exam and qualified for the main exam,” he says.

advice to all

Sachin says that it is important to focus on a set goal. “I have met many students who are confused about their final destination. According to me, it is extremely important to decide on your ultimate goal, no matter what background you are from. Once you make your decision, working hard to achieve it becomes easier and will be fruitful,” he says.