From one classroom to another

My journey in government service began early, at the tender age of 19.

- KRISHAN KUMAR CHUGH

For a young man, the corridors of power were intimidating, but I was determined that my job would not mark the end of my education; it would only be the beginning.I lived a double life: official files by day and textbooks by night. Over the years, I balanced my duties while acquiring an MA, an MBA, and a Law degree. It was not a smooth ride. I chased the dream of the Civil Services, clearing the Preliminary Examinations twice, yet missing the final cut. But I refused to let a scorecard define my potential. I channelled that perseverance into the Limited Departmental Competitive Examination conducted by the UPSC.

That success in 1982 was a watershed moment - it wasn't just a promotion from a non-gazetted to a Gazetted Officer; it was proof that if one door closes, hard work forces another open. When I assumed charge as a Section Officer in the Planning Commission (now NITI Aayog), I realized that “rank” is earned not just by exams, but by the hunger to learn.

Today, decades later, standing before the Central Administrative Tribunal (CAT) in the black robes of an Advocate, I realize the journey was never about the designation. It was about the classroom.

My elder brother once told me, “No one can stop you from the merit list.” But the merit list is not a destination; it is a moving target. Through my rise from the ranks to Director, and now in my second innings in law, my mantra has evolved into three simple pillars: Planning, Perseverance, and Perfection.