Labourer’s son Pawan Kumar clears UPSC; ranks 239

It has been an extraordinary journey for Pawan Kumar, the son of a labourer who has grown up in a mud house in extreme poverty with an asbestos roof above his head but is now set to become an officer after clearing Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) exams.
Kumar, who hails from Bulandshahr in Uttar Pradesh, had all the reasons to compromise with his dreams but decided to fight with his destiny and achieve it and finally cracked the civil services exams, securing AIR 239.
The Civil Services Examination conducted by the UPSC is one of the most challenging competitive examinations in India, with a rigorous process spanning around one year and requiring extensive preparation. The exam recruits candidates for higher Civil Services of the Government of India, including the Indian Administrative Service, Indian Foreign Service, and Indian Police Service.
Pawan said that he mostly did self-study as the condition of his family was such that he could not afford expensive coaching classes.
“This was my third attempt. My family had a very big role to play in my journey, especially my parents and my sisters. The exam is tough, and the syllabus is very vast, but it is not impossible to crack it. Taking coaching is not necessary. The condition of my family was such that I could not afford such expensive coaching classes. I mostly did self-study. You can make use of the internet for help, and carry on with honesty in your attempts. Perseverance is very important,” Kumar said.
Pawan Kumar’s small mud house, where half a dozen cattle are tied under the thatched cowshed, is now buzzing with his well-wishers.
Pawan Kumar’s elated mother, Suman Devi, who was waiting to witness the day of his son’s success, was carrying pride in her heart and voice.

“I feel good that we got to see this day. We have a thatch roof that leaked when it rained. It caused us a lot of trouble. We don’t have money to be able to afford a gas cylinder, that’s why we still use a stove. I worked hard as a labourer. He would study at home in silence, using his mobile phone,” Suman Devi said.
Mukesh Kumar, Pawan’s father, who spent several nights awaken worrying about the foods and daily needs, got overwhelmed over his son’s performance and his journey, irrespective of their circumstances.

“His hard work and our support for him, irrespective of our circumstances, have brought him to this stage. We did all sorts of odd jobs to be able to afford his and our daughters’ education. We saved money with a lot of difficulty so he could prepare well. We couldn’t renovate our house because we educated our children. Our roof leaked during rain, and we would all spend the night sitting in one place, but he was adamant about studying. We often went to bed hungry. God has now blessed us,” Mukesh Kumar said.
Pawan Kumar’s sister Goldie remembered the hard work her family did just to afford a mobile phone to Pawan.

“We lived in a peaceful environment, and he liked silence. He lived and studied under this roof, and when there was no electricity, he would study in the light of the kerosene lamp. We did all sorts of odd jobs for money. He needed a mobile phone, so we all worked hard to afford a phone for him so he could study,” she said.
Meanwhile, Aditya Srivastava, an alumnus of IIT Kanpur, topped the UPSC Civil Services 2023 exam. Srivastava and Animesh Pradhan scored AIR 1 and 2, respectively, followed by Donuru Ananya Reddy in the third spot