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Want to work for welfare of agrarian society, says UPSC topper Pradeep Singh
Son of a Sonepat farmer, the 29-year-old is currently undergoing IRS training at the National Academy of Customs, Indirect Taxes and Narcotics in Faridabad.
Pradeep Singh from Haryana’s Sonepat district has topped the prestigious Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) examination 2019, which selects people to join the Indian Administrative Service, Indian Foreign Service, Indian Police Service, Indian Revenue Service and other civil services after three gruelling rounds of assessment.
29-year-old Pradeep, a farmer’s son, is currently undergoing training at the National Academy of Customs, Indirect Taxes and Narcotics in Faridabad.
A native of Ganaur’s Tewri village, Pradeep said, “My father Sukhbir Singh, who served as sarpanch for two terms, inspired me to become an IAS officer. He always wanted to work for the welfare of the farming community,” he added.
‘MY FATHER HELPED ME WHENEVER I HIT A WALL’
About his route to success, Pradeep said, “My focus was to cover targeted syllabus everyday. UPSC demands undeviating attention and sometimes, I felt that I was not consistent. But, my father always encouraged me.”
“After completing my graduation, I cleared the SSC exam and got my first job as an income tax officer in Delhi five years ago. I sat for the UPSC civil services exam four times. Last year, I got 260th rank,” the UPSC topper added.
Pradeep said it was quite difficult for him to juggle between studies and job. “Some of my friends also helped me in cracking this exam. I have achieved this feat by resorting to self-study,” he added.
Pradeep studied till Class 7 in government school at Tewri before his family moved to Sonepat.
He did his Class 12 from Shambhu Dayal Modern School, Sonepat, in 2008 and engineering from Deenbandhu Chhotu Ram University of Science and Technology in Sonepat’s Murthal in 2012.
His elder brother Ajit is married and younger sister Manisha is a postgraduate in mathematics. Their mother is a homemaker.
“Pradeep has made every Haryanavi proud today. I want to tell all farmers and labourers that their children have more potential to become an IAS officer,” his father Sukhbir said.
Haryana chief minister Manohar Lal Khattar has congratulated Pradeep for securing top spot in the examination.
“Pradeep has brought laurels to Haryana,” he said in a message.
