Journey of Hope!

Hi Guys, My name is  Dwij Goel and I have secured AIR 71 in UPSC CSE 2022 and would be joining IAS soon.

I come from a small town named Kharkhauda,near Meerut, U.P. After finishing my basic education from Meerut, I have done B.Tech in mechanical engineering from NIT- Bhopal. After my graduation in 2019, I worked for a year in Hero MotoCorp limited, Gurgaon as Assistant Manager. 

In September 2020, I left my job to prepare full time for upsc. In my first attempt (2020) I cleared prelims but couldn’t clear mains. But, meanwhile I got selected in UPPSC(state services) but I was not satisfied with it so didn’t join. 

In 2021, I improved, plugged all loopholes and attempted mains in January 2022 with all my heart. After mains, I also started working on some of my ideas apart from UPSC. Between Mains and interview I Co-founded an EdTech startup with my friend and worked 3-4 months, but eventually it failed due to some flaw in marketing, and it was a setback for me. I got upsc interview call in the meantime but missed the final list by 5 marks. I felt devastated, as I couldn’t make it because of poor marks in interview.

Nothing was working for me, 2 years already passed away after I quit my  job and I was still sitting at the same place. 

This was the time I started doubting myself. My closest friend and my got to go person also left me. But as they say “what doesn’t kill you makes you stronger”.

Me, my friends Shubhratosh and Asad also couldn’t make it to the final list and they were also disheartened by it. 

With prelims around the corner (after 5 days only ) ,we three together gathered all the courage we had for our 3rd attempt and attempted again. I attempted UPPSC also, after 1 week of UPSC. Then I went for a week long trip with my friends and recharged myself for mains again, considering it as my last attempt . We 3 together cleared prelims and wrote UPSC mains again in September 2022. When one feels demotivated , other one is there to help out. We prepared together, made notes together and made lifelong memories. This was probably the good thing out of all, that we 3 together were kicked out by UPSC, and now in our utopian beliefs hoping to go LBSNAA together next year, the probability of which is (0.0033 %). We prepared and attempted mains together. Just after 1 day of finishing of UPSC mains , I also wrote UPPSC mains (to get Deputy collector post ) considering this as my last attempt in civil services journey. 

Till 9th October 2022, things were not working for me. Then suddenly on 10th October UPSC released reserve list of 2021 attempt and luckily I got my name there. I was allotted PONDICS, and currently I’m working as Commissioner Municipality in Pondicherry. Then, on 8th April 2023 I got UPPSC final result and I got Rank 19 and got selected as Deputy Collector (SDM as they say). Finally, I appeared in UPSC interview on 17th April 2023 and has now secured AIR 71. 

So, this has been a roller coaster ride of emotions, fear, anxiety, failures and hope. As rightly said “ hope is a good thing, maybe the best of things, and no good thing ever dies.” I was very hopeful and optimistic about seeing the light at the other end. 

And yaa, Asad has got AIR 86, Shubhratosh has got AIR 358 and we are going LBSNAA together !!!

Pic: 3 idiots at post-selection party :p

“Lite hai”