From Police Constable to UPSC Officer: He broke stones for school fees, failed civil services exam 7 times

Ram Bhajan Kumar

Every year, lakhs dream of clearing the UPSC exam. But for some, the dream is not just about a job, it's about changing their entire world. This is the story of one such person, Ram Bhajan Kumar. His journey wasn't a miracle. It was built on a foundation of hardship, shaped by failure, and finally won with a will that refused to break.

Ram Bhajan came from a very simple family in Bapi village, Rajasthan. His parents were daily-wage labourers. Some days they earned, some days they didn't. Steady income was a luxury they didn't have. Decent, well-fitting clothes were rare. While relatives celebrated festivals, his family often could not afford to.

He studied in a government school because that was the only option. Books often came from kind teachers, and fees were sometimes adjusted when the children helped with small chores at school. Struggle was his first teacher. His parents, who were not educated, placed their trust entirely in the school to guide their son.

When he topped his school in the 10th class, his family saw his potential for the first time. With growing responsibilities, he started working at construction sites with his mother, breaking stones to help pay for books and household expenses. The work was hard and he often got hurt, but he learned a vital lesson: to find the right spot to strike so the stone would break easily. This same idea—finding the weak point and working on it—would later become his strategy for cracking the UPSC exam.

After his graduation, he joined the Delhi Police as a constable. The job was tough, with long, unpredictable hours. He stood guard at gates, managed computer duty, and dealt with the public directly. These years, however, built his resilience. He saw how officers could solve people's problems and decided he wanted to be one of them. That’s when he learned about the UPSC exam.

In 2015, his UPSC journey began. He enrolled in a coaching institute, even borrowing money to pay the fees. But balancing his police duties, family responsibilities (he was now a married man with a child), and studies was a huge challenge. Sudden duty calls would make him miss crucial classes.

His first attempt ended in failure, missing by just a few marks. He tried again in 2016 and 2017, but success remained out of reach. Each failure was disheartening. There were moments he wanted to give up. But then he would think about where he had come from. He asked himself a simple but powerful question: "If I stop now, my dream of becoming an officer will be gone forever. But if I succeed, my entire world will change."

In 2018, he finally qualified for the mains exam but missed the final selection. In 2019, he cleared the main papers but stumbled on the qualifying CSAT paper. He worked on his weaknesses, but 2020 also did not bring success.

Then, in 2021, just when his preparation was at its peak, tragedy struck. His father passed away. The loss plunged him into deep despair. He felt he had failed his family and questioned the point of his struggle.

But in that darkness, he found a new reason to fight. He thought of his children and the life he wanted to give them. He decided to channel his grief into determination, making one final, foolproof plan.

In his eighth attempt, with support from his department and a relentless spirit, he finally cleared the prelims. He practiced writing answers for hours by hand. For the interview, he sought guidance from those who understood his background, practicing mock interviews and speaking in front of a mirror to build his confidence.

The day he finally cleared the UPSC Civil Services Examination (2022) and secured a rank in the 600s was one of the happiest days of his life.

His message to every aspirant is simple yet powerful: "Ask yourself honestly, did you give 100%? Try giving your all. If you do, success will follow. And even if it doesn’t, you will never be left with the regret of not having tried your best."