UPSC Success Story: The UPSC Civil Services Examination (CSE) is one of the toughest exams in the country with lakhs of aspirants preparing tirelessly each year to crack the test and secure a coveted IAS, IPS, or IFS cadre post. While there are thousands of inspirational UPSC success stories floating around on the internet, there are few which are truly special and heart-warming as they exemplify the perseverance and ability of human beings to overcome seemingly insurmountable odds.
Once such story is the truly inspirational journey of an IAS officer who overcame physical disability and crippling financial hurdles to crack the UPSC examination and realise his dream of becoming an IAS officer. This is the story of IAS Ramesh Gholap, the son of a cycle-repair shop owner from a sleepy village in Maharashtra’s Solapur district, who overcame seemingly unbeatable odds to crack UPSC exam without any kind of formal coaching and became an IAS officer, securing an All India Rank (AIR) of 287.
Ramesh Gholap was born in a financially strained lower-middle-class family in Mahagaon, a village in Solapur district of Maharashtra, Ramesh’s father, Gorakh Golap, owned a small bicycle-repair shop in the village, and the modest earnings were barely enough to keep the family of four from starvation.
However, things got even worse for the family after Gorakh, who was an alcoholic, passed away, when Ramesh was still in school, placing the family under extreme financial stress.
Soon, Ramesh and his brother began helping their mother, Vimla, to sell bangles in nearby villages in order to earn a living, and to make matters worse, Ramesh also suffered from polio which affected his left leg. Yet, the circumstances forced young Ramesh to keep marching on despite the gargantuan challenges in front of him.
Despite all the odds, Ramesh never gave up hope and preserved as he completed his education while also helping out his family to overcome financial difficulties.
After earning a diploma in education and Bachelor’s degree in arts from an open university, Ramesh began working as a teacher in 2009, and during his tenure met a tehsildar which sparked a flame inside of him, inspiring him to crack the UPSC exam, and becoming an IAS officer.
The passion to become an IAS officer prompted Ramesh to make the hard choice of quitting his teaching job and focus on preparing for the UPSC CSE. His mother, despite all the financial troubles, managed to raise a small amount of money to support Ramesh’s dream.
Ramesh then moved to Pune to prepare of UPSC exams and self-studied for 6-months before appearing in the civil services exams. But destiny was not his favor as his first UPSC attempt in 2010 ended in failure. However, Ramesh Gholap persevered and engaged in rigorous preparation to crack the test.
Ultimately, his perseverance and relentless hard word paid off in 2012 when he cracked UPSC exams with an impressive AIR of 287 in the handicapped category.
Presently, IAS Ramesh Gholap is posted as the Joint Secretary in Jharkhand Energy Department, with his story inspiring millions of UPSC aspirants who lack the financial resources for expensive coaching classes.
Once such story is the truly inspirational journey of an IAS officer who overcame physical disability and crippling financial hurdles to crack the UPSC examination and realise his dream of becoming an IAS officer. This is the story of IAS Ramesh Gholap, the son of a cycle-repair shop owner from a sleepy village in Maharashtra’s Solapur district, who overcame seemingly unbeatable odds to crack UPSC exam without any kind of formal coaching and became an IAS officer, securing an All India Rank (AIR) of 287.
Who is IAS Ramesh Gholap?
Ramesh Gholap was born in a financially strained lower-middle-class family in Mahagaon, a village in Solapur district of Maharashtra, Ramesh’s father, Gorakh Golap, owned a small bicycle-repair shop in the village, and the modest earnings were barely enough to keep the family of four from starvation.
However, things got even worse for the family after Gorakh, who was an alcoholic, passed away, when Ramesh was still in school, placing the family under extreme financial stress.
Soon, Ramesh and his brother began helping their mother, Vimla, to sell bangles in nearby villages in order to earn a living, and to make matters worse, Ramesh also suffered from polio which affected his left leg. Yet, the circumstances forced young Ramesh to keep marching on despite the gargantuan challenges in front of him.
From selling bangles to IAS
Despite all the odds, Ramesh never gave up hope and preserved as he completed his education while also helping out his family to overcome financial difficulties.
After earning a diploma in education and Bachelor’s degree in arts from an open university, Ramesh began working as a teacher in 2009, and during his tenure met a tehsildar which sparked a flame inside of him, inspiring him to crack the UPSC exam, and becoming an IAS officer.
The passion to become an IAS officer prompted Ramesh to make the hard choice of quitting his teaching job and focus on preparing for the UPSC CSE. His mother, despite all the financial troubles, managed to raise a small amount of money to support Ramesh’s dream.
Ramesh then moved to Pune to prepare of UPSC exams and self-studied for 6-months before appearing in the civil services exams. But destiny was not his favor as his first UPSC attempt in 2010 ended in failure. However, Ramesh Gholap persevered and engaged in rigorous preparation to crack the test.
Ultimately, his perseverance and relentless hard word paid off in 2012 when he cracked UPSC exams with an impressive AIR of 287 in the handicapped category.
Presently, IAS Ramesh Gholap is posted as the Joint Secretary in Jharkhand Energy Department, with his story inspiring millions of UPSC aspirants who lack the financial resources for expensive coaching classes.