‘Was a Backbencher, Failed UPSC 4 Times’: IPS Officer’s Post Wins Netizens’ Hearts
From being the invisible student in the class to cracking the highly coveted UPSC exam to join the police service, his is a story of every ordinary student whose dreams are extraordinary.
What is it like to be an average student? A typical backbencher never considered an achiever, often looked down upon by the popular cliques of toppers and sometimes even teachers.
A personal narrative by Karnataka Cadre IPS officer Mithun Kumar G K, about his struggles as a ‘mediocre’ child is winning the hearts of many.
From being the invisible student in the class to cracking the highly coveted UPSC exam to join the police service, his is a story of every ordinary student whose dreams are extraordinary.
Speaking to Humans of LBSNAA, the 2016 batch officer narrates,
” In my Childhood days I was a mediocre Student, the typical backbencher, the one on whom the brighter classmates and teachers would look down upon.
There were hardly a handful who believed in me, now when I look back and reflect on all these, they were a blessing in disguise.
I believe people clearing civil services or achieving anything else in life do not possess some extraordinary abilities or skills, they are ordinary people who believed in themselves despite all odds.
“In my childhood days, I was a mediocre student, the typical backbencher, the one on whom the brighter classmates and teachers would look down upon.
There were hardly a handful who believed in me; now when I look back and reflect on all these, they were a blessing in disguise.
I believe people clearing civil services or achieving anything else in life do not possess some extraordinary abilities or skills; they are ordinary people who believed in themselves despite all odds.
After graduation, being the eldest son, I had to join a job to support my parents who were nearing retirement. While I was working as a software professional, I felt something was missing. More than three years into job, my younger brother took up the responsibility of our home giving an opportunity for the long sown seed by my father to sprout in me.
It was an unfulfilled dream of my father. I wanted to be a civil servant and a police officer in particular. Whenever I saw a policeman on (the) road, there would be a spark in me. When I cleared the exams, many asked me why not the administrative service. I had no answers; I could not explain to them how much the uniform fascinated me and that I had always imagined myself to be in one. I believed any person in despair or an emergency would first run to either a hospital or a police station.
I failed four times at different stages in UPSC, each time having a different experience and learning a new lesson. It was tough, but it moulded me as a person.
To conclude, I would like to share a belief that was reinforced in LBSNAA (Lal Bahadur Shastri National Academy of Administration ) and SVPNPA (Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel National Police Academy),
“To go ahead or to stop is all in our mind, you never really know how far you can reach unless you try.”
Isn’t that just the best motto to live by? For the many UPSC aspirants who lose hope when faced with failure, this story reminds you why you shouldn’t give up. There will be tough times, but it only when you face these head on that you will be more determined to achieve your goals.
In the words of Jesse Jackson, “If you fall behind, run faster. Never give up, never surrender, and rise up against the odds.”
(Edited by Shruti Singhal)
