Inspired by senior, Delhi Police head constable, Ram Bhajan Kumar clears civil services exam

New Delhi: Delhi Police Head Constable Ram Bhajan Kumar was flooded with phone calls and messages after the results of the civil services examination were announced Tuesday.

The 34-year-old, posted at a cyber cell police station, secured the 667th rank in his eighth attempt.

Kumar is among 933 candidates -- 613 men and 320 women -- who have qualified the Civil Services Examination 2022. The results were announced by the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC).

Soon after the results were out, Kumar said he started getting phone calls and messages from his family members, colleagues and senior officers.

"It is a dream come true. This was my eighth attempt. Since I belong to the OBC category, I am eligible for nine attempts and this was my second-last.

"If I had not cleared this time, I would have still gone ahead with my preparations for the next attempt. In fact, I am appearing for the preliminary exams to be held on May 28 to improve my rank," he said.

Kumar had already started preparing to take the exam again after his last attempt. "I was preparing with a positive mindset that if I am able to clear, well and good, or else I would strive harder to achieve success and live my dream," he told PTI.

On what kept him going despite failures over the last couple of years, he said his wife constantly encouraged him and became his pillar of strength.

"I did not have anything to lose and I come from a village in Rajasthan where my father was a labourer. I have seen the struggle my family has gone through to educate us and meet our daily needs. We never lost hope then and so, when I had an opportunity in hand, I thought I will utilise it to my best," he added.

Kumar joined the force in 2009 as a constable and was first posted at Vijay Ghat in CP reserve. After serving there for sometime, he was transferred to the Shahbad Dairy police station.

Recalling his journey, Kumar said he had always wanted a larger platform to serve people and do much more than what he was currently doing for society.

He added that he wanted to set an example of dedication, hardwork and patience for everyone. "Sometimes, I thought if I fail to clear the exam, I will motivate my children to take up civil services examination and keep my dream alive through them, but it was my wife who constantly encouraged me to not give up," Kumar said.

Asked if he was inspired by anyone from his department, Kumar named Firoz Alam, who was a constable in the Delhi Police and after clearing the UPSC exams in 2019, became an ACP.

"After Alam sir secured rank, I got motivation to strive hard. He also made a Whatsapp group to encourage and motivate UPSC aspirants like me and others. He has been a constant support system till date," he added.

On his preparations, Kumar said he always preferred to stay near his place of duty so that he could get back home soon after his shift.

Having worked in various units of the force, he said he always "secretly" wished for an eight-hour shift and was sometimes fortunate to get fixed duty slots.

Kumar further said he managed at least six hours daily to study and bought study materials from Mukherjee Nagar. When exam dates would be near, he said, he used to apply for a month's leave and dedicate nearly 16 hours daily for preparations.

"Initially, it was difficult to get leave for a month, but later when my seniors got to know that I was serious about UPSC and had secured decent marks in previous attempts, they would motivate me and sanction my leave," he added.