Triumph Against the Odds

Sajjan Yadav's Scaling Mount UPSC is a collection of inspiring stories of young IAS officers who against all odds managed to crack the UPSC exam, considered one of the toughest exams in the world. The book also provides proven tricks, hacks and strategies to approach the exam to enable readers to succeed. Excerpts:

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F ifteen-year-old Waseem was strolling with his friends, Mohsin and Umar, on a pleasant summer evening in June 2013, feeling the cool fragrant breeze rustling through the towering chinar trees on their faces and listening to the melodious cacophony of the birds as they were returning to their nests.

All of them were from south Kashmir's Anantnag district-waseem from the picturesque village of Bragam and Mohsin and Umar from the nearby Nathipora village. They were Class 11 students at the Government Higher Secondary School, Dooru Shahabad.

The long evening walk was a ritual. During their strolls, they discussed endless topics. On that particular day, it was about career aspirations.

'I want to become an IAS officer.

They wield so much power. Mohsin exclaimed. 'How do you know?" Umar inquired, his curiosity piqued.

"They become deputy commissioners of districts. People go to them with their problems, like drinking water, electricity, employment or harassment by police, and they solve it all, Mohsin explained, enthusiasm gleaming in his eyes.

'But how does one become an IAS officer?' Umar pressed further.

"There's a gruelling exam after graduation and only the top scorers get selected for IAS, Mohsin informed. However, Waseem remained unmoved.

'Actual change on the ground isn't brought by IAS officers, but by scientists and engineers. So, I aspire to become an engineer, he declared firmly. Umar and Mohsin chuckled at Waseem's declaration, but Waseem stood firm in his resolve. However, destiny had a different plan for the immensely talented Waseem.

Sparking Waseem's Passion for Science

Waseem came from a humble background. His father, Mohmad Yousuf Bhat, was a beekeeper in the agriculture production department of Jammu and Kashmir, while his mother Ruby Jaan was a homemaker.