From UPSC Setbacks to Top State Civil Services Ranks: Viral Sharma Refuses to Give Up on His Dream

Viral Sharma belongs to Belwa Moti village in Lakhimpur Kheri district of Uttar Pradesh. A consistently outstanding student, he secured the highest marks in both his High School and Intermediate examinations. He later completed a Bachelor's degree in Mechanical Engineering from the National Institute of Technology Allahabad and worked in Alwar, Rajasthan, for nearly three years.

In 2023, Viral resigned from his job to dedicate himself entirely to civil services preparation. Without enrolling in any formal coaching institute, he prepared primarily from his village. During this period, he travelled across different states to appear in competitive examinations, including the Uttarakhand Provincial Civil Services Examination in Haridwar, the Uttar Pradesh Provincial Civil Services Examination in Prayagraj, and the Bihar Provincial Civil Services Examination in Patna and Kishanganj.

His perseverance ultimately produced remarkable results. Viral secured Rank 7 in the Uttarakhand Provincial Civil Services Examination and was selected as a Deputy Collector. He also secured Rank 7 in the Bihar Provincial Civil Services Examination for the Child Development Project Officer post and Rank 16 for the Block Development Officer post.

Despite earning top ranks in multiple state civil services examinations, Viral maintained a disciplined and straightforward preparation strategy. He focused on solving question papers from the previous 30 to 35 years, prepared one-page notes for every topic in the syllabus, revised them regularly, and relied on one standard source for each subject throughout his preparation.

Even after achieving success in state civil services, Viral Sharma remains committed to his ultimate ambition of joining the Union Public Service Commission Civil Services. He is currently preparing for the Union Public Service Commission Civil Services Examination 2026, continuing the journey that began with his dream of serving through the country's highest civil services despite repeated setbacks.