From Tea Seller to Become IAS Officer, Himanshu Gupta From Bareilly Fights Odds to Cracks Civil Services Exam Without Coaching

Himanshu Gupta, a native of Uttar Pradesh’s Bareilly who once used to sell tea at a local shop is now an IAS officer. An inspiration for all UPSC civil service aspirants, Himanshu had to face many hardships to crack the exam. He took the exam thrice. While in the first two attempts he could not clear it, he did not lose hope and finally secured 304th rank in the UPSC Civil Services Exam 2019.

His father was a daily wager who opened a small scale tea stall. Himanshu had to support his family. Aimed at cracking the UPSC exam, he used to read newspapers daily while sitting at the tea stall. Unlike other students, moving to Delhi to prepare for the exam, Himanshu decided to do self-study through digital notes and videos. He was determined to achieve his dream, and the decision proved to be in his favour.

He pursued his graduation from Hindu College, Delhi University which he claims was his first time visiting a metro city. Despite getting a job after



college, he decided to work in India and prepare for UPSC civil services. To support family needs he joined as a research scholar at a government college. He thought it to be an ideal position which he claimed not only helped him earn a stipend but also offer an academic atmosphere to prepare for civil services.

To be successful in any examination, it is necessary to have full determination, says Himanshu. In his first attempt, due to his low rank, Himanshu was appointed to the Indian Railway Service. In 2019, with better strategy and preparation, Himanshu finally achieved the 304th rank in the exam and became an IAS officer.

“You can prepare for the exam from anywhere," he said. There is no need to move to a big city to prepare for the UPSC or any other big examination. And, this can be learned from IAS Himanshu Gupta’s track record. A person can achieve success from anywhere, you just need to be fully determined, focused and put in all your efforts.