Daijiworld Media Network - Andhra Pradesh
Andhra Pradesh, Sep 14: For Jeenu Sri Jaswanth Chandra, the journey to becoming an IAS officer was never about achieving success quickly. It was about staying loyal to a dream even after reaching milestones that would have satisfied most aspirants. From turning down a corporate job offering a package of more than Rs 50 lach a year to continuing his UPSC preparation after being selected for prestigious services, his story is one of persistence, purpose and an unwavering desire to serve society. In the UPSC Civil Services Examination 2025, that persistence finally earned him All India Rank 23 and his long-awaited entry into the Indian Administrative Service.
A native of Vakalapudi village in Kakinada district of Andhra Pradesh, Jaswanth was a bright student from his school days. He studied at Ashram Public School in Kakinada, where he received a merit scholarship, before completing his intermediate education in Hyderabad. He secured an impressive 173rd rank in the JEE and entered IIT Kanpur, where he completed his B.Tech in Computer Science. During campus placements, he was selected by Samsung for a package of more than Rs 50 lac per annum. Yet, instead of choosing a lucrative corporate career, he decided in 2020 to prepare for the civil services.
His first attempt, however, ended at the Mains stage. The setback was made harder by the loss of his father, Manikyala Rao, an engineer-turned-businessman who had repeatedly encouraged him to pursue the IAS. The loss affected Jaswanth deeply, and he struggled to concentrate on his studies. But the setback did not make him abandon his ambition. He returned to preparation with greater determination, treating every attempt as an opportunity to learn and improve.
What followed was an extraordinary record of consistency. In 2021, he secured a rank that earned him a position in the Indian Postal Service. In 2022, he entered the Indian Railway Management Service, while also securing AIR 51 in the Indian Forest Service. In 2023, he secured AIR 162 and was selected for the Indian Police Service. He subsequently began IPS training in Hyderabad. By then, Jaswanth had already achieved several prestigious civil-service selections, but he continued to pursue the one goal that had remained constant—becoming an IAS officer.
His biggest challenge was that he was preparing for another UPSC attempt while undergoing demanding IPS training. The schedule left limited time for studies, but Jaswanth continued his preparation with discipline. His journey demonstrated that preparation does not always happen under perfect conditions; consistency and clarity of purpose can matter more than convenience.
The breakthrough came with the UPSC Civil Services Examination 2025. Jaswanth secured 832 marks in the Mains examination and 191 in the interview, taking his total to 1,023 marks and earning AIR 23.
Behind his achievement was also the unwavering support of his family. His mother, Gollapalli Nagalakshmi, a government school teacher at Vakalapudi ZP High School, encouraged him to fulfil his father's ambition. His grandfather, Lakshmana Rao, a retired physical director at Rangaraya Medical College, also played an important role in his upbringing.
For Jaswanth, the attraction of the IAS was its wide scope for public service. He has said that an IAS officer can contribute across several areas and serve people in a broader capacity. His journey is therefore more than a story of rank. It is a reminder that success can sometimes require the courage to walk past one achievement in pursuit of a bigger purpose.
From a failed first attempt to multiple civil-service selections, from IPS training to the coveted IAS, Jeenu Sri Jaswanth Chandra's journey shows that setbacks need not define a person's destination. Sometimes, the difference between an unfinished dream and a remarkable achievement is simply the decision to keep going.