IAS without UPSC: How a boy who lived in orphanage, worked as domestic help and delivery boy became a civil servant

B Abdul Nasar

We all know the classic story. To become an IAS officer, you have to pass the incredibly tough UPSC exam. It's a path often filled with expensive coaching classes and years of stressful studying. But the story of a man named B. Abdul Nasar shows us a different, equally challenging road to the same dream. His story is deeply inspiring, but it's also a testament to the extraordinary perseverance required when opportunity is hard to come by.

Nasar's life started with great difficulty. His father passed away when he was just five years old. His mother worked as a house cleaner to provide for the family, but it wasn't enough. He and his siblings had to live in an orphanage in Kerala for 13 years.

His childhood was about work, not play. By the time he was ten, he was already working jobs as a cleaner and a delivery boy to help his family make ends meet. He kept studying, but he also kept working by delivering newspapers, tutoring other students and working as a phone operator, all to pay the bills.

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He began his career in public service as a Health Inspector in the state government. For many, this would have been a stable and respectable career. For Nasar, it was just the beginning. He didn't have the means to prepare for the UPSC exam, so he chose a different path: he decided to be the very best at the job he had, while relentlessly pursuing advancement through the state's own competitive system.

His hard work and dedication paid off when he cleared the Kerala Public Service Commission (PSC) exam for the highly competitive Civil Service Executive post. He joined the state civil service as a Deputy Collector in 2006.

He continued to excel, year after year, building an outstanding record of service. As per the IAS rules and regulations, his exceptional performance led to him being promoted to the Indian Administrative Service (IAS). He served with distinction as the District Collector of Kollam from 2019 to 2021 and is currently serving as the Secretary for the Fisheries Department, Government of Kerala.

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He had finally reached his dream, not through the conventional exam, but by a lifetime of incredible hard work within the system itself. His story is amazing, but it makes you think. It shows that while talent is everywhere, opportunity is not. Nasar’s path required decades of patience and was only possible after a childhood of struggle.

It's a powerful reminder of the many brilliant people who never get a fair shot at their dreams. His success is a victory, but the long and difficult journey he had to take is a quiet tragedy in itself.