Inspiration for Working Professionals to Crack IAS: UPSC Topper R Vaithinathan

Many working professionals try their hand at the UPSC civil services every year.

Even candidates who prepare full-time find clearing the IAS exam a herculean task.

There are many aspects to the IAS preparation like covering the UPSC syllabus, taking mock tests, preparing notes, studying for daily current affairs section, etc.

Some give up halfway while there are many success stories of working professionals who have cleared the IAS exam while in a full-time job.

This article talks about the story of UPSC topper Dr. R Vaithinathan, a working doctor who cracked the civil services exam in his fifth attempt.

Aspirants would find this article very helpful while preparing for the UPSC 2021.

IAS Topper Story

• A doctor from Puducherry, Vaithinathan took inspiration from his sister who had cleared the civil services in 2009 becoming an IPS officer.
• But the path towards IAS glory was not an easy one for Vaithinathan. The first opposition he faced was from his parents who were strictly against their medico son pursuing the civil services.
• It was during his medical internship that he got exposed to the administrative snags in the system, not to mention the unavailability of good medical services to the poor people in our country.
• Vaithinathan completed his MBBS from the Vinayaga Mission Medical College in 2010 and was a gold medalist there.
• He took up a job as a junior resident in a Chennai hospital where he started his IAS preparation as well.
• His ward duties were for 2-3 hours where he would attend patients. He also had to attend emergencies there.
• The remaining time, he utilised for studies.
• Later this gritty aspirant moved to Delhi where he worked 24-36 hours at a stretch and then got a two-day break for studies.

Reading UPSC success stories can inspire candidates and propel them towards IAS success.

UPSC Topper Vaithinathan’s Number of Attempts

• In the first two attempts, Vaithinathan couldn’t clear past even the prelims.
• In the next attempt, he reached the interview stage because of a better knowledge of the exam requirements.
• In the fourth attempt, he found success at last with an amazing rank of 37 in the UPSC 2015.

Vaithinathan’s optional subject was Sociology. Read more about the sociology optional at the linked article. He chose this optional and not medical science, the subject of his graduation. Read more on how to select the optional subject for the IAS mains here.
Candidates can check out the relevant links given below to prepare for the UPSC exam-

UPSC Topper Marksheet

The IAS marksheet of Vaithinathan is given below:

For more such stories, check our Get Inspired segment.

You can also read some amazing stories of working professionals who found success in the IAS exam here.

Related Links: