Cracking the coveted and one of the most difficult exams in India, the UPSC (Union Public Service Commission), is a significant achievement. Aspirants undergo intensive preparation to clear this exam, and most aspirants pursue it with the assistance of coaching classes. However, there are certain exceptions, and IAS Siddharth Shukla is one such individual who serves as an encouraging example of persistence and self-study.
Hailing from Azamgarh, Siddharth Shukla studied at St. Xaviers School of Rohini in Delhi. Then, he ranked first in his class and completed his history degree at Delhi’s Khalsa College. After his graduation, Siddharth decided to follow in his father’s dream and began preparing for the UPSC CSE.
Siddharth’s approach to Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) preparation sets him apart- he chose not to enrol in coaching classes instead, he dedicated himself to self-study. Inspiring other aspirants regarding the same IAS Siddharth Shukla recently shared a post on social media site X (earlier Twitter) describing UPSC coaching as a looting institution.
IAS Siddharth Shukla further cautioned students to stop falling into the trap of institutions and advised them to stop paying lakhs of rupees to the institutions and instead buy the main books and read them. In the now-deleted post, Siddharth Shukla wrote, “These institutions are made to loot the students, instead of paying fees worth lakhs, buy the main books and read them in one sitting, no coaching institute can help you succeed in this examination. Don’t fall into the trap of coaching institutes.”
Despite his best efforts, Siddharth failed miserably in the mains on his first attempt. On his second attempt, he passed both the preliminary and main exams but failed to make it to the interview round. He met a similar fate on his third attempt. Following his unsuccessful attempts, he participated in the UPPCS in the interim and eventually passed the CAPF test in 2020 with an AIR 27 after passing the CDS and SSB examinations. Before becoming an IAS officer, he was appointed Assistant Commandant in the Central Industrial Security Force (CISF).
However, he did not give up and he was confident that he would make it. His consistency, perseverance and determination paid off, and he secured an impressive All India Rank (AIR) 27 on his fourth attempt. In the UPSC Exam 2022, Siddharth Shukla secured an AIR 18 and became an IAS officer.
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