Meet son of bus driver who failed in first three attempts, cleared in fourth with AIR 296, became IAS officer; He is…

Moin said that he recognised his shortcomings in the first three attempts and addressed them.

New Delhi: “Defeat happens when you accept it, victory happens when you are determined.” These lines fit perfectly with Moin Ahmed of Uttar Pradesh. He didn’t give up even after failing the UPSC Civil Services exam three times, and he didn’t lose courage even in the face of hardship. Moin was determined to bring honour to his family. It took time, but now Moin and his family’s dream has come true. Moin cracked the UPSC Civil Services exam in his fourth attempt, securing a rank of 296.

Father was a bus driver

Moin hails from Jatpura village in Dilari, Moradabad, Uttar Pradesh. His father, Wali Hasan, was a contract driver for Uttar Pradesh roadways in Moradabad, and his mother, Tasleem Jahan, is a homemaker. Moin is the second of five siblings. His elder brother works in a private company in Delhi. Despite the family facing many financial difficulties, Moin never gave up. He worked in a cyber cafe and funded his studies.

Saved money for his studies and coaching, and took a loan

Moin said in an interview that he had decided to pursue a career in the civil services while still pursuing his B.Sc. studies. He had been saving money for coaching by working at a cyber cafe since 2016 and moved to Delhi in 2019 to begin preparing for the UPSC.

He took the UPSC Civil Services Exam in 2019, 2020, and 2021. He failed the prelims in the first three exams but secured the 296th rank in 2022. He ran out of money midway through, so he had to take a loan of Rs 2.5 lakh.

What strategy did he adopt in his fourth attempt?

Moin said that he recognised his shortcomings in the first three attempts and addressed them. He took his first attempt in 2019 after five to six months of preparation, but later realised he had acted too hastily. In his second attempt in 2020, he took too many mock tests, overthinking, and studying and revising too much.

Moeen said, “In the third attempt (2021), I followed others’ strategies, studied selectively, and prioritised all subjects instead of just three or four. When I came to Delhi, I took coaching, and then studied on my own.” Moeen said he studied 7 to 8 hours daily.