3 months ago
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Sanjay Dharaiya—a nonmigratory of Chhattisgarh’s Mahasamund territory who secured 946th fertile successful the 2025 Union Public Service Commission (UPSC)’s Civil Services Examination (CSE)—says his beingness experiences were each the information helium needed.
His travel to selection, a “childhood dream”, was derailed by astir a decade-long conflict with crab that relapsed aggregate times, forcing him to acquisition 4 surgeries. The unwellness near him with partial proceeding nonaccomplishment and paralysis connected 1 broadside of his face. Even earlier this curveball deed him, his way was not linear.
Early inspiration
“I studied astatine a Jawahar Navodaya Vidyalaya School, and the president utilized to beryllium a elder IAS officer. That planted the effect successful my caput astatine a precise aboriginal age. But fixed my background, I had to instrumentality up jobs to fend for myself. I started moving close aft Class XII arsenic a authorities schoolhouse teacher portion continuing my studies. That was followed by stints successful assorted PSU/government jobs, including the State Bank of India and India Posts,” said Mr. Dahariya, a time aft the CSE results with 958 names were announced.
Each occupation near him six to 7 hours for preparation. However, helium felt UPSC mentation required a bigger window. “Unlike different aptitude-based exams I cracked earlier, UPSC requires immense knowledge, which successful crook demands sustained and focused preparation. I could not bash it successful a structured mode earlier,” said the 38-year-old.
Battling crab and aggregate surgeries
Then successful 2012, the conflict with crab started. “I felt swelling connected the close broadside (of face) and underwent a biopsy that detected a tumour successful the parotid gland, a salivary gland located connected that side. The precocious lobe (of the gland) was removed done surgeries but a portion of the tumour remained successful the little lobe, starring to a relapse successful 2013 and different surgery. In 2015, the gland was wholly removed aft a 3rd surgery,” helium says, adding that helium had received attraction successful Raipur, Bhilai and Mumbai.
The adjacent mates of years were spent successful regular check-ups and aesculapian follow-ups. By then, helium was posted astatine India Post Payments Bank successful his location territory of Mahasamund. In 2018, helium cleared an introspection for the Intelligence Bureau and did not join. Instead, helium near his occupation and chose to absorption connected the UPSC.
“My wellness had stabilised by then, and I thought that aft each that I had endured, I should hole for the introspection successful a full-fledged manner. I made my archetypal of 3 UPSC attempts successful 2019,” helium said.
Turning point
In 2022, helium moved to Raipur and started preparing. Much of his clip was spent successful the city’s Nalanda Parisar—a 24-hour nationalist speechmaking portion and library—where helium would scope astatine 8 americium and survey precocious into the evening. The remaining clip was spent successful the 120-square-foot country successful Samta Colony, which resembles galore civilian services coaching accommodations recovered successful hubs specified arsenic Delhi’s Old Rajinder Nagar oregon Patna’s Ashok Rajpath—with neatly arranged books, a azygous bed, a survey array with a computer, and different array utilized for cooking.
He said The Hindu paper was a changeless companion and helped him immensely with his preparations. “I person to springiness owed recognition to the paper that I work from time 1 of my mentation until my interrogation connected January 5, and I proceed to work due to the fact that it has go a habit,” helium said.
While an Indian Revenue Service (IRS) posting is guaranteed astatine this rank, the coveted Indian Administrative Service (IAS) posting is inactive not confirmed, helium said. “I volition get to cognize lone connected Monday. My ain investigation is that with my rank, preservation presumption and aesculapian relaxation, I person a changeable astatine it. I ne'er springiness up hope,” helium said.
