The maxim “failure is the pillar of success” resonates well with the stories of the UPSC aspirants who work had with unbending dedication, unwavering perseverance and a resolute spirit. While there is a general notion that only outstanding students with academic brilliance are capable of achieving such a feat, the experiences of aspirants and their struggles have managed to break that view of the society. One such extraordinary story is that of IAS Anurag Kumar. Hailing from Katihar district in Bihar, Anurag studied in a Hindi medium school till class 8 before enrolling into an English medium school. The transition posed a tough challenge for Anurag who grappled with the complications of language barrier. Anurag failed in the maths pre-board exams in class 12, but it didn’t let him down, rather he turned this setback into a stepping stone by scoring 90% in his finals. This led him to Shri Ram College of Commerce in Delhi where he faced yet another setback of failing in numerous subjects during his graduation. Undeterred, he completed his graduation and enrolled into a post graduation course where he started preparing for the Civil Service Examination. His dedication and hard work bore fruit as he scored an All India Rank of 667 in 2017. However, not pleased with this achievement, he again put himself to his studies. In his second attempt in the UPSC Civil Services Exam 2018, he not only surpassed his previous rank but also secured a splendid All India Rank of 48. Currently serving as the Assistant District Officer in Bettiah district in Bihar, Anurag’s journey and his transformation is an inspiration for countless aspirants and students.