Meet B Sivachandran, who qualified CA and CS, 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks changed his mind, cracked UPSC exam in his fifth attempt with AIR of...he is now...

This man had a promising career as a Chartered Accountant (CA) until an expected incident inspired him to serve the nation. In 2008, a Tamil Nadu-based individual was deeply affected by the 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks, watching NSG commandos carrying out the rescue operation on live television. That’s when he made up his mind to join the police service. His determination and hard work paid off, and he cracked the UPSC civil services examination(CSE ), securing an All India Rank of 23, emerging as the state topper. 

UPSC state topper B Sivachandran 

B Sivachandran, a native of Dharmapuri, completed his schooling in Chennai from DAV Gopalapuram. He qualified CA and CS accountant. He began preparing for the exams in 2018 with self-preparation. However, he later opted for Naan Mudhalvan’s course in 2023, instead of commercial coaching. For the context, Naan Mudhalvan Scheme is managed by the Tamil Nadu Skill Development Corporation (TNSDC) and led by IAS officer Innocent Divya. The platform aims to offer career guidance, competitive exam training, skill-building programs, and entrepreneurship support. Sivachandran became the first candidate under Naan Mudhalvan to achieve the feat in Tamil Nadu.

B Sivachandran's success journey

“Since childhood, I wanted to become a police officer. Reading the newspaper, I’d saw the commandos work during the 2008 Mumbai attacks and my motivation grew stronger,” said Sivachandran to a publication. He was born to a CA father and mother, who is a financial consultant. Further, he also shared his stance on spending lakhs of rupees at coaching centres for his CSE preparation. He said it is a myth that one can’t clear the civil services without coaching. He attributed Naan Mudhalvan’s courses as helpful during his preparations. Reportedly, Sivachandran cleared the exam in his fifth attempt, initially studying for 11-12 hours a day, and gradually reducing it to 6-7 hours, along with mock tests and study materials from Naan Mudhalvan. He has opted for the Indian Police Service (IPS) instead of the Indian Administrative Service (IAS), despite securing AIR 23.