Meet man who cracked AIIMS entrace exam at 16, cleared UPSC at 22 and quit his IAS job, later build company worth Rs...

Roman Saini’s life story is an inspiring tale of passion, determination, and achievement. Known for his remarkable accomplishments, Roman is a co-founder of Unacademy, one of India’s leading educational technology companies. His journey is a testament to the saying, “Try not to become a man of success, but rather become a man of value.”

Roman Saini’s academic brilliance became evident early on. At the age of 16, he cracked the highly competitive AIIMS medical entrance exam and earned his MBBS degree by 21. He began his medical career as a doctor but soon realized he wanted to take on even greater challenges. He decided to prepare for the Union Public Service Commission Civil Services Examination (UPSC-CSE), considered one of India’s toughest exams.

At just 22, Roman cleared the UPSC-CSE and became an IAS officer, serving as a district collector in Madhya Pradesh. Despite the prestige of his civil service career, his passion for making a larger impact led him to resign from the IAS. Roman set his sights on entrepreneurship and co-founded Unacademy in 2015 with Gaurav Munjal and Hemesh Singh under the parent company, Sorting Hat Technologies.

Unacademy started as a YouTube channel offering free educational content and has since grown into a major ed-tech platform valued at Rs 26,000 crore. It provides affordable resources for aspirants of competitive exams like UPSC, making high-quality coaching accessible to thousands. Roman’s vision and dedication have been instrumental in Unacademy's success.

According to media reports, in 2022, Roman Saini earned a salary of Rs 88 lakh, while CEO Gaurav Munjal and Hemesh Singh earned Rs 1.58 crore and Rs 1.19 crore, respectively. Roman’s journey from doctor to IAS officer to entrepreneur exemplifies how one can create value and inspire countless others to pursue their dreams.