Shubham Kumar UPSC AIR 1 2020, Age, Attempt, Marksheet

Shubham Kumar from Bihar, secured All India Rank 1 in the UPSC Exam 2020 in his third attempt. His journey began with setbacks, he couldn’t clear his first attempt in 2018, but with persistence, he achieved AIR 290 in 2019, which earned him a place in the Indian Defence Accounts Service (IDAS). Still, his goal was clear, to join the Indian Administrative Service (IAS). 

In 2020, he turned that aspiration into reality. Shubham’s decision to pursue civil services was fueled by his commitment to uplift the underprivileged, especially those in rural India. His focus areas include employment generation, poverty reduction, and rural development, reflecting his vision of inclusive growth and grassroots change.

Shubham Kumar UPSC AIR 1 2020

Shubham Kumar, an IIT Bombay graduate, secured All India Rank 1 in the UPSC CSE Exam 2020. It was his third attempt when he finally cleared the exam and emerged as the topper. His journey is a reminder that setbacks are part of the process. Shubham faced failures in his earlier attempts but chose to learn from them instead of giving up. His story continues to inspire countless UPSC aspirants who might feel discouraged after setbacks, proving that persistence and resilience are just as important as preparation in cracking the exam.

Also Read: Shakti Dubey UPSC AIR 1 2024

Shubham Kumar Educational Background

Shubham Kumar’s academic journey reflects both consistency and excellence. He began his schooling at Vidya Vihar Residential School in Purnia, where he stood out as a bright student and regularly scored high marks. Later, he moved to Jharkhand and completed his senior education at Chinmaya Vidyalaya, Bokaro.

In 2013, he joined the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Bombay, one of the country’s most prestigious institutions, to pursue a B.Tech in Civil Engineering, completing his degree in 2017. His engineering background, paired with a growing interest in public policy and governance, became the foundation for his decision to prepare for the Civil Services Examination.

Beyond academics, Shubham also pursued certifications across diverse fields, which broadened his perspective and strengthened his knowledge base, qualities that continue to help him as a civil servant.

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Shubham Kumar Optional Subject

For the UPSC CSE Exam 2020, Shubham Kumar selected Anthropology as an Optional Subject. His decision proved highly effective, with 170 marks in Paper I and 150 marks in Paper II, contributing significantly to his final score.

Shubham emphasized the importance of choosing an optional subject that aligns with one’s academic strengths and personal interest. According to him, optional subjects play a decisive role in the final outcome, as the marks carry considerable weight in the overall score.

He shared that his focused preparation in Anthropology during his third attempt made all the difference. His advice to future aspirants was simple yet practical, avoid picking up new study materials during the revision phase. Instead, consolidate what you’ve already studied and integrate current affairs from newspapers, particularly to link them with topics like environment and science, which often overlap with the syllabus.

Shubham Kumar Marksheet

Kumar secured All India Rank 1 in the UPSC CSE Exam 2020 with a total score of 1054. He scored 878 marks in the written exam and 176 in the personality test. His optional subject was Anthropology, which played a significant role in increasing his overall score. The final result combined performance in the written exam and the interview (personality test). With this outstanding performance.

Shubham Kumar Challenges

Shubham’s UPSC journey was far from easy. He faced setbacks early on, failing in his first attempt in 2018. Instead of giving up, he refined his preparation strategy, which helped him secure a rank in 2019. Still, he wasn’t fully satisfied, his goal was clear, to join the IAS. Coming from an engineering background, he also had to overcome the challenge of adapting to the UPSC Syllabus 2020, which leans heavily toward humanities. His story reflects resilience, focus, and determination.