Fourth-time lucky: After failing thrice, policeman’s son tops UPSC exams from Mumbai

Mumbai city news: Swapnil Patil has been taking the UPSC exam since 2012. This was his fourth attempt

With an all India rank of 55, a 26-year-old son of a policeman is the Mumbai topper in the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) examination, results for which were declared on Wednesday.

Swapnil Patil got an all India rank of 55. (HT)

Swapnil Patil, an electronics and telecommunication engineer from Ramrao Adik Institute of Technology (RAIT), Nerul, wants to join the Indian Administrative Services (IAS).

Patil has been taking the exam since 2012. This was his fourth attempt.

“My father and a distant relative, who is an IPS officer, inspired me to join the services,” said Patil, .

During campus placements, Patil was offered a job at a renowned information technology (IT) firm, but he didn’t take it up.

He spent a year in Delhi preparing for the examination and then moved back to Mumbai. Although he joined a coaching class in Thane, Patil feels it doesn’t help much. “I would leave home at 8am and come back around 10pm. Self-study is the key to succeed in a competitive examination,” he said.

Patil runs a social media site and a blog to help other aspirants from Maharashtra. “We need more awareness about UPSC exam. The government should support aspirants by providing infrastructure, so they don’t need to go to Delhi,” he said.