Sonepat’s Pradeep Singh tops UPSC exam

Mukesh Tandon

Tribune News Service

Panipat, August 4

Pradeep Singh, an undertraining officer of the Indian Revenue Service, has topped the Civil Services examination, the result of which was declared on Tuesday by the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC).

Pradeep says he wants to contribute to the country’s education sector.

Pradeep, who hails from Tewri village in Gannaur of Sonepat district, cracked the exam in his fourth attempt and belongs to a farmer family.

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Talking to The Tribune, Pradeep said: “It is an unbelievable and unexpected moment for me. It is a very pleasant surprise and I had not expected that I would be the first ranker. I am feeling very happy and my family and friends are also very happy.”

“My father, Sukhbeer Singh, is a former sarpanch of the village and has always motivated me. Due to his motivation and my determined preparation, I was able to achieve the goal to become an IAS officer,” he added.

“I have put in a lot of effort. After getting selected in the IRS in 2014, I had taken the exam again in 2015 but could not crack it. I took the test again and topped it. It is a wonderful experience,” Pradeep says.

Holding a Bachelor of Engineering (Computer Science) degree from DeenBandhu Chhotu Ram University for Science and Technology, Murthal, Sonepat district, Pradeep was selected as an Inspector in the Income Tax Department through SSC in 2015 and has served there for four years.

“My father motivated me and I started preparing for the UPSC examination. I cracked it in 2018 and bagged 260th rank and joined as an IRS officer. I am, at present, under training at the National Academy of Customs, Excise and Narcotics in Faridabad,” Pradeep said.

“I want to work in the education sector and will work to provide the benefits of the government schemes to the deprived people and who are left behind due to poverty, so that they can come into the mainstream by education and can play an important role in the development of the country,” Pradeep said.

The UPSC topper, in his message to the students, said: “If I can top the Civil Services examination, then anyone can crack it. Anyone can get success. One only needs to be focused and have strong determination.”

Sukhbeer Singh, Pradeep’s father said it was an unbelievable moment for their family and his dream had come true.

Pradeep’s mother, Sheela Devi, is a housewife; his elder brother, Ajit Singh, is a mechanical engineer and working in the insurance sector while his younger sister has completed MSc Maths this year.