Meet man, first became CA, CS, pursued UPSC to fulfil father's dream, cracked exam with AIR...; Know his preparation tips

Sometimes, we set out on a certain path but life has completely different plans for us. And yet, we find beauty in that transition. A similar story is that of Madhav Agarwal, who dreamed of becoming a Chartered Accountant (CA), fulfilled that, but eventually shifted to civil services. In fact, he ended up cracking the coveted Civil Services Exam (CSE) -- annually conducted by the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) -- with flying colours. Read on to know more about his inspiring journey.

Hails from business family
Madhav, who comes from a business family in Gwalior, Madhya Pradesh, was always passionate about academics. A top student from his early years, Madhav attended the Little Angels School in his hometown and the Daly College in Indore. He went on to pursue a Bachelor or Business Administration (BBA) in Mumbai before completing his CA in 2019. He also pursued and completed the Company Secretary (CS) course.
But that wasn't it: Soon after, Madhav took up UPSC exam preparation as it was his father's wish to see him become a civil officer. The change of course wasn't easy as Madhav faced a number of setbacks and failures. But he stayed true to his hardworking and patient nature, sitting for the prestigious exam as many as five times. In the 2023 attempt, Madhav finally cleared all stages of the exam and secured an all-India rank (AIR) of 211, getting a place in the Indian Police Service (IPS). However, determined to secure the IAS branch, Madhav gave yet another attempt and cracked the exam with an exceptional AIR of 16 in the 2024 attempt, thus fulfilling his father's yearslong dream.

Preparation tips
In media interviews, Madhav has shared several key tips for UPSC preparation. He believes candidates should prepare their own notes, analyse their answers, and also maintain a balanced routine to ensure mental wellbeing. He has also revealed that he often turned to meditation to manage stress and stay focused.
"UPSC is not a 100 meter race, but a 5 kilometer race," he said of the journey in one interview.