Meet man, slept with beggars, worked as autorickshaw driver, peon, cracked UPSC with AIR 121, he is now…

IPS Manoj Kumar Sharma Success Story: The UPSC Civil Services Examination (CSE) is arguably one of the toughest recruitment exams in the country and a majority of aspirants who clear it, usually come from a strong, or at least stable, educational and financial background. However, there a few rare cases where some really special people have aced the UPSC CSE with just pure will, determination, and back bending hard work.

One such individual is IPS Manoj Kumar Sharma, an IPS officer from Madhya Pradesh whose remarkable journey from dire financial crisis to a celebrated civil servant is truly a heartwarming and inspirational tale of perseverance and iron will.

Who is IPS Manoj Kumar Sharma?

Born in a low-income home in Morena, Madhya Pradesh, Manoj Kumar Sharma had a hard childhood filled with struggles and little to no resources, due to the family’s dire financial situation. Growing up, Manoj was a below-average student at best, and struggled in school, barely managing to pass Class 10th by reportedly resorting to cheating in some subjects, and then failing to clear Class 12th in his first attempt.

As he stepped into adulthood, the financial condition of Manoj’s family deteriorated even further, forcing him to give up on his dreams of receiving a proper education, and making something of his life. Manoj Kumar began to work odd jobs, working as an auto-rickshaw driver alongside his brother, and as a peon, to support his family and fund his education.

However, a turning point came in Manoj Kumar’s life when the local police uprooted and seized the tent he and his family had turned into a makeshift hut, citing incomplete paperwork. The incident triggered a chain of events that led him to embark on his journey of becoming a civil servant.

As the story goes, Manoj visited the local District Magistrate’s office after the cops had seized the family’s tent home, and there he began inquiring about how to become a Sub-Divisional Magistrate (SDM).

From street-dweller to UPSC success

But the road ahead was far more difficult than Manoj had anticipated, especially for someone like with almost zero resources to spend on coaching and text books required to study for UPSC exams. At one point, Manoj Kumar had to sleep among beggars at a local temple because he did not have a home or any money to spend.

However, despite all the hardships, Manoj Kumar Sharma never faltered in his resolve to clear the UPSC CSE, and ultimately achieved his dream of becoming a civil servant in 2005 when he cleared the tough exam with impressive All India Rank (AIR) of 121, and was accorded the Indian Police Service (IPS).

After achieving the impossible, Manoj has not stopped working hard and continues to work diligently as an honest IPS officer, which has now led him to the coveted post of Inspector General (IG) in the Maharashtra Police, a clear testament to his dedication and perseverance and hard work.

The inspiring journey of IPS Manoj Kumar Sharma has been documented on the big screen in 2023 Bollywood film ’12th fail’, where the main character, inspired by the remarkable IPS officer, is played by actor Vikrant Massey.

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