Meet Abhinav Sharma, son of police inspector, scored 130th rank in UPSC CSE 2024; Know secrets to his success

As the results for the Union Public Service Commission's (UPSC) Civil Services Examination 2024 were declared, the dreams of many hardworking students across the country were realised. One such student is is Abhinav Sharma from Uttar Pradesh's Meerut. With an impressive all-India rank of 130th, Abhinav in on path to build a fulfilling career in civil service.

Inspiration
Abhinav got inspiration to join civil service from within his family. His father, Ramesh Chandra Sharma, is a police inspector who currently serves as the in-charge of the Delhi Gate police station in Meerut. Ramesh Sharma had started his career as a constable, cleared an exam to become sub-inspector, and eventually rose through the ranks to become an inspector. His journey in the police force left a lasting impact on Abhinav.

Journey
Abhinav completed BTech in Civil Engineering from the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Patna in 2020, and immediately started preparing for the CSE exam. It wasn't an easy journey as it took Abhinav several attempts to finally clear one of the most competitive exams in the world. He failed to clear the exam's preliminary stage in his first attempt in 2021. In 2022, he reached the interview round but didn't get selected. His third attempt in 2023 earned him a place in the Indian Postal Services but Abhinav was determined to make it to the Indian police force. In his 2024 attempt, Abhinav left no stone unturned and ranked among the top 150 candidates.

Secret to success
Abhinav gives credit for his academic success to discipline, determination, and the undying support of both his parents. In an interaction with News18, Abhinav's father, Rakesh, said his son is so dedicated to his studies that he remains blissfully unaware of everyday matters such as the prices of common vegetables.
"The greatest joy is being able to make my father proud," Abhinav told the news outlet.