From 49% in Graduation to AIR 498: How Utkarsh Srivastava’s UPSC Journey with Physics Wallah Turned Setbacks into Success

Cracking the UPSC Civil Services Examination is often associated with students who have always been academic toppers. However, Utkarsh Srivastava’s journey tells a very different and inspiring story. Coming from Gorakhpur in Uttar Pradesh, Utkarsh did not begin his journey as a high-scoring student. In fact, his marks in school and college were quite average, and he even struggled to complete his graduation. Yet today, he stands among the successful candidates of the UPSC examination with AIR 498.

His journey is not about perfect marks or a flawless academic record. Instead, it is about persistence, learning from failures, and using the right support system to stay on track. With the help of Physics Wallah’s courses, mentorship, and preparation programs, he gradually strengthened his strategy and finally achieved success.

Early Academic Challenges That Shaped Utkarsh’s UPSC Journey

Utkarsh openly shared that his academic journey was not extraordinary.

     “I scored 62% in Class 10 and around 74% in Class 12.”

His graduation was also challenging.

     “In graduation, I even had a backlog in Geography, and I completed my Bachelor of Arts with only 49%.”

Despite these academic struggles, he decided to prepare seriously for competitive exams. However, the UPSC journey was far from easy in the beginning, and he faced several setbacks before achieving success.

     “This was my fifth attempt, and in this attempt I secured Rank 498.”

Before this breakthrough, he had already experienced multiple disappointments during his preparation.

     “In fact, I failed in PCS prelims five to six times.”

Like many aspirants, he went through phases where even clearing the prelims stage seemed difficult. Yet, instead of giving up, he continued learning from every attempt and gradually refined his preparation strategy.

The Turning Point That Inspired Utkarsh to Aim Higher 

One moment during his early preparation phase changed the direction of Utkarsh’s career goals. He once appeared for the Jail Warden recruitment in the Uttar Pradesh Police, where candidates had to complete a physical race. Unfortunately, he narrowly missed qualifying.

     “In that race, I lost by just seven seconds.”

At that moment, he saw a senior IPS officer arriving at the venue, which sparked a powerful realisation.

     “When I saw the IPS officer’s vehicle arriving there, I felt a strong motivation that if I am preparing for something bigger, why should I settle for something smaller?”

This moment became a defining turning point in his journey and strengthened his determination to seriously pursue the UPSC Civil Services Examination.

How Physics Wallah’s Courses and Mentorship Supported Utkarsh’s UPSC Preparation

During his UPSC preparation, Utkarsh relied on Physics Wallah’s foundation courses and mentorship support to strengthen his understanding and stay consistent. He shared that specific subject classes helped him build clarity in important topics.

     “In the foundation courses, I attended the ethics classes of Atul Garg sir and the history classes of Devendra sir.”

He also appreciated the engaging teaching style used in the classes.

     “Devendra sir explains history in a very fun way.”

These classes helped him understand complex topics more easily and stay motivated throughout his preparation. Along with structured courses, mentorship also played a crucial role in keeping his preparation disciplined.

     “The mentorship was truly amazing during my journey.”

He explained that mentors regularly checked on his progress and guided him throughout the process.

     “At least twice every week, I used to receive calls from my mentor, Neeraj sir.”

These regular interactions helped him stay accountable, maintain consistency, and remain focused during the long UPSC preparation journey.

Simplifying Preparation with Limited Resources and Concept Clarity

Like many successful aspirants, Utkarsh eventually realised the importance of limiting study resources and focusing on revision rather than constantly adding new materials.

     “In my recent attempt, I reduced my book list.”

He relied on a few trusted resources and emphasised conceptual understanding rather than covering too many books. For prelims preparation, he used well-known standard material.

     “For prelims, I studied Laxmikant.”

He also focused carefully on important subjects such as economics and the environment, which helped improve his accuracy in the exam.

Overcoming Criticism and Staying Motivated with Support from Family

During the early stages of his preparation, Utkarsh faced criticism from people who doubted his abilities because of his academic background.

     “People used to make fun of me, saying that someone who was failing earlier is now preparing for IAS and IPS.”

Despite these comments, he stayed focused on his goal and continued preparing with determination. Like many aspirants, he experienced moments of self-doubt, but he chose to remain consistent and keep improving his preparation.

Along with the guidance and support he received during his preparation journey, his family, especially his father, played an important role in keeping him motivated.

     “My father told me that even if you want to study for ten years, keep studying. You will definitely achieve it.”

This belief from his family gave him the confidence to continue working toward his goal without feeling pressured to give up.

Utkarsh Srivastava’s journey shows how the right guidance and consistent effort can transform an aspirant’s preparation. Through Physics Wallah’s foundation courses, mentorship, and programs for prelims and mains, he was able to stay focused and gradually improve his strategy. Utkarsh’s AIR 498 is proof that with determination, discipline, and the right support, even a self-described “backbencher” can turn their journey into a remarkable success story.