Bihar’s Shashank Gaurav secures BPSC rank 2 after four UPSC setbacks, proves persistence pays off
Success in competitive exams rarely comes without setbacks, and Shashank Gaurav from Bihar’s Chhapra district attests to this reality. After failing repeatedly in the UPSC Civil Services Examination and the Bihar Public Service Commission (BPSC) Examination, he refused to give up on his dream. His perseverance finally paid off as he secured the second highest score in India in the latest BPSC examination, turning years of struggle into a remarkable achievement.Dreams inspired by collegeShashank Gaurav belongs to Panchmahala Sahajitpur Panchayat in Baniyapur block of Bihar. He received his BSc (Honours) in Zoology from Ramjas College, Delhi University.Interestingly, becoming a civil servant was not part of childhood ambitions. According to media reports, his views changed during college when he interacted with several IAS and IPS officers at academic events. These conversations made him realize that civil service provided an opportunity to create meaningful change in society, inspiring him to pursue this career.
A long road full of failures
However, the journey has been far from smooth.Before his success in BPSC, Shashank appeared for the UPSC Civil Services examination four times. Although he reached the main stage in some attempts, he was unable to fully pass the exam. He also qualified the UPSC CAPF Assistant Commander examination with AIR 57 but failed the physical fitness test.His BPSC journey also started with disappointment. He viewed his first attempt as a learning experience for which he was not fully prepared. The second time, despite his hard work, he still missed the preliminary test qualification by a few points.Instead of giving up, he analyzed his mistake and refocused himself to try again.
Rank 2 on third attempt
Shashank’s persistence paid off in his third BPSC attempt.He successfully passed the preliminaries, main competition and interview stages and came second in the exam.According to reports, his intensive preparations will begin in September 2023, and throughout 2024 and 2025, he will devote himself entirely to his studies.
Rigorous preparation strategy
Shashank believes that the preliminary examination is the most challenging stage as it eliminates the largest number of candidates. Therefore, he devoted a lot of time to mastering the syllabus and revising it repeatedly.His daily routine reportedly includes studying for eight to nine hours starting around 9am. Instead of studying continuously for long periods of time, he arranged his schedule to study three or four times, take a walk in the evening to relax, and resume studying in the evening.According to him, shorter concentrated study periods help improve concentration while maintaining physical and mental health.
Family support during difficult times
Failure after failure naturally leads to moments of self-doubt. After his failed attempts at UPSC and BPSC, Shashank questioned his suitability for the competitive exams.He credits his father and brother for their support during these challenging stages and for encouraging him to keep going despite repeated setbacks.Their support, coupled with persistent hard work, helped him stay motivated until they achieved success.
Resilience Lessons
Shashank Gaurav’s experience shows that success in competitive exams often requires patience, persistence and a willingness to learn from failure. His rise from multiple failed attempts to achieve BPSC rank 2 is an inspiring reminder that determination and rigorous preparation can ultimately transform setbacks into success.
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