Many believe that those with high academic results in school are best suited for prestigious roles like IAS. However, Nitin Shakya defied this notion by cracking UPSC despite a rocky relationship with his school studies.

In fact, Nitin was initially denied the admit card for his class 12 exams because his principal was sure he would fail. However, his determination and work ethic were unwavering. Not only did he pass, but he scored well, which boosted his confidence and motivated him to pursue a medical career.

Nitin passed the medical entrance exam, completed his MBBS from Maulana Azad Medical College and specialized in Anesthesia and Critical Care. Later he worked at Lok Nayak Hospital, Guru Nanak Eye Center and Sushruta Trauma Centre. During this time, he served children in slum areas and realized that as an IAS officer, he could make an even bigger impact.

Driven by this desire to serve, Nitin started preparing for the UPSC Civil Services Examination (CSE). In his first attempt, he cleared the prelims and mains, but fell short by 10 marks in the interview. He persevered through his second and third attempts, although he did not pass the mains and prelims respectively.

Despite these setbacks, Nitin’s dedication did not waver. In his fourth attempt in 2018, he finally cleared the UPSC exam and fulfilled his dream of becoming an IAS officer.