Expelled from School, Denied Class 11 Admission — Cracked UPSC in 1st Attempt

Expelled from School, Denied Class 11 Admission

• Akash Kulhari overcame school expulsion to join the Indian Police Service.
• Cleared UPSC on first try, now IG in Uttar Pradesh.
• His journey highlights resilience and perseverance over academic setbacks.

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We often hear that your past doesn’t define your future. Yet, it’s rare to see a story that proves this so dramatically. Among the countless journeys of UPSC aspirants—marked by sacrifice, sleepless nights, and relentless effort—there is one that stands apart, not for its flawless path, but for its very imperfect beginning.

This is the story of Akash Kulhari, a boy who was once shown the door by his school, only to walk through the gates of the Indian Police Service years later.

Born in Bikaner, Rajasthan, Akash was not the student teachers praise. Academics didn’t come easily to him. In his Class 10 board exams, he secured a modest 57 percent. The result was more than just a number; it led to his expulsion from school. The rejection didn’t stop there. When he sought admission for Class 11, doors were closed on him.

For many, this could have been the end of the academic road—a label of ‘not good enough’ sealed permanently. But for Akash, it became a quiet, burning motivation. It was the turning point where a simple realization took root: he had to rewrite his own story.

Given a second chance at Kendriya Vidyalaya, something shifted. The student who once struggled scored 85 percent in Class 12. This wasn’t a miracle; it was the first fruit of disciplined effort. He proved that early setbacks are not life sentences, but detours.

He earned his B.Com from Duggal College in Bikaner, but his quest for knowledge was just beginning. He moved to Delhi, to the vibrant academic environment of Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU). Here, he completed his Master’s and later enrolled in an M.Phil program. The campus, alive with ideas and debates, became the ground where a new dream was seeded—the Civil Services.

While at JNU, Akash began preparing for the UPSC Civil Services Examination—a test known for its vast syllabus and intense competition, where years of preparation are common. Defying the odds yet again, he appeared for the exam in 2005 and cleared it in his very first attempt, securing an All India Rank of 273.

In 2006, he was inducted into the Indian Police Service, joining the Uttar Pradesh cadre. Today, he serves with distinction as the Inspector General (IG) of Public Grievances and Director General of Police (DGP) Headquarters in Uttar Pradesh.

Akash Kulhari’s story is not one of inherent brilliance. It is a story of resilience. It tells us that failure is often just a harsh teacher, not a final judge. Being expelled didn’t make him a failure; it taught him to fight. Being denied admission didn’t end his journey; it forced him to find another way.

His journey from 57% in Class 10 to the IPS is a powerful reminder: the UPSC, or any great goal, is not just a test of knowledge, but a test of character. It asks, “How badly do you want it? How firmly do you believe in your own comeback?”

For every aspirant facing self-doubt, for every student carrying the weight of past results, Akash’s path offers a clear message. Your history is merely the prologue. The chapters of triumph are written by perseverance, page by page, with the ink of unwavering effort.