Introduction
Cracking the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) exam is a dream for millions of students in India. If you look at the recent results, the success story of 1st Rank IAS Topper 2020 Shubham Kumar stands out.
This is a profound source of inspiration for everyone. Because he achieved the absolute top spot in one of the toughest exams in the world, his journey teaches us great life lessons.
This blog post will share his inspiring life, school education, and smart strategies to help you pass your exam.
The Background of a Champion
Shubham Kumar hails from Kumhari village, which comes under the Kadwa block in the Katihar district of Bihar. This area is highly prone to massive seasonal floods, making local life quite difficult. Despite these tough geographical challenges, Shubham never allowed his rural background to limit his massive dreams.
His father, Mr. Devanand Singh, works as a bank manager in the Uttar Bihar Gramin Bank, and his mother, Punam Devi, is a dedicated homemaker. Additionally, his elder sister works as a talented scientist at the prestigious Bhabha Atomic Research Centre (BARC). Because his family always valued education deeply, Shubham received incredible guidance right from his childhood days.
Schooling and Elite College Education
Shubham began his primary school education in his native village of Kumhari. However, he later moved to the famous Vidya Vihar Residential School in Parora, Purnia, where he successfully cleared his Class 10 exams in the year 2012.
- Class 12 Education: He shifted to Chinmaya Vidyalaya in Bokaro, Jharkhand, and finished his intermediate studies in 2014.
- Graduation: He cracked the highly competitive IIT entrance exam with an impressive 219th rank. Afterward, he secured admission at IIT Bombay and completed his B.Tech degree in Civil Engineering with flying colors.
The Hard Journey of Three UPSC Attempts
Success did not happen overnight for this young engineer from Bihar. He had to face failures and smaller victories before reaching the absolute top spot. Because the UPSC exam is highly unpredictable, he had to keep changing his strategy.
- First Attempt (2018): He appeared for the exam immediately after his college graduation but unfortunately could not qualify.
- Second Attempt (2019): He invested significantly more effort and managed to secure the 268th rank. Because of this rank, the Indian Defence Accounts Service (IDAS) selected him.
- Third Attempt (2020): While undergoing his official training at the National Academy of Defence Financial Management (NADFM) in Pune, he kept studying. Finally, his consistency paid off, and he topped the entire nation at the young age of 24.
Shubham Kumar’s Core Strategy & Optional Subject
Choosing the correct optional subject is a highly crucial decision for every single IAS aspirant. Interestingly, despite having a strong engineering background from an IIT, Shubham chose Anthropology as his optional subject. Because he felt very comfortable with the Anthropology syllabus, he scored top marks in the Mains written exam.
Furthermore, Shubham always received constant motivation from his father. His father helped him maintain a highly positive attitude during stressful moments. Also, the director of the NADFM training academy in Pune gave him strong support. This helped him manage his studies and training duties.
Vision and Focus Areas as an IAS Officer
After the final results were declared on the official UPSC website (upsc.gov.in), celebrations broke out across Bihar. Chief Minister Nitish Kumar and Deputy Chief Minister Tarkishore Prasad congratulated Shubham and his proud parents immediately.
When talking about his ultimate dream, Shubham stated that his main goal is to serve the underprivileged sections of society. Therefore, he wants to focus heavily on these three major sectors during his administrative career:
- Development of Villages: Building robust infrastructure in remote rural blocks.
- Employment Generation: Creating real job opportunities for the rural youth.
- Poverty Alleviation: Implementing government schemes properly to wipe out poverty.
Conclusion
To wrap up everything, the Success Story of 1st Rank IAS Topper 2020 Shubham Kumar teaches us that your current location or past failures cannot stop you from winning. Shubham’s experience shows that consistent effort and smart choices help you overcome setbacks and keep progressing.
We highly recommend that you sit down and plan your own personalized study routine today. First, analyze the core micro-topics of the syllabus from the absolute basics, just like Shubham did. Maintain a positive attitude and consistent practice to turn small village dreams into an All-India success story.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Q1. Which state does the 2020 UPSC topper Shubham Kumar belong to?
Shubham Kumar belongs to the state of Bihar. He was born in the Kumhari village, which is located in the Katihar district of Bihar.
Q2. What was the optional subject of IAS topper Shubham Kumar?
Shubham chose Anthropology as his optional subject for the UPSC Mains examination, even though he completed his graduation in Civil Engineering.
Q3. Which college did Shubham Kumar attend for his graduation?
He completed his B.Tech degree in Civil Engineering from the highly prestigious Indian Institute of Technology Bombay (IIT Bombay).
Q4. How many attempts did Shubham Kumar take to clear the IAS exam?
He cleared the exam in his third attempt. He failed in 2018, got the 268th rank in 2019, and finally secured the 1st rank in his third attempt in 2020.