When you are preparing for the UPSC civil services exam, setbacks, difficult choices, and moments of self-doubt are natural. But every aspirant has to navigate tough times to achieve success.
Dev Prabhakar Singh Tomar’s journey to securing AIR 629 in UPSC CSE 2025 is one such story of persistence and perseverance.
Tomar, who comes from the Chambal region, had earlier pursued his engineering education at IIT Ropar. His academic journey was followed by a professional stint in the Netherlands, where he was working in a high-paying job.
However, he eventually decided to leave his overseas career and return to India to prepare for the UPSC Civil Services Examination. The decision meant giving up a stable professional path and committing himself to a lengthy, uncertain preparation process.
Early life
Dev Prabhakar Singh Tomar is the grandson of a ‘baaghi’ or rebel in the Chambal region decades ago. While speaking to Josh Talks, Tomar disclosed that his grandfather had become a ‘baaghi’ pr rebel around 75 years ago because of family problems and disputes involving the government at the time.
Tomar has spoken about how his family’s circumstances later changed, with his father choosing education and a salaried career as a teacher.
Tomar’s own academic journey began in a Madhya Pradesh Board school. He later shifted to a CBSE school in Class 6, a transition he has described as challenging. Coming from a rural background, he initially found the new academic environment and language unfamiliar.
Reaching IIT Ropar for engineering
By Class 11, he began considering engineering as a career, started preparing for engineering entrance examinations and became interested in the IITs.
Unlike many aspirants who travel to established coaching centres for entrance preparation, Tomar prepared largely on his own. His family could not afford to send him to Kota for coaching, so he relied on books and self-study while continuing his regular schooling.
Eventually, his efforts paid off, and he secured admission to IIT Ropar, where he studied Electrical Engineering.
Job in the Netherlands
While his friends were getting placed at various companies, he was unable to secure a job.
He started applying for jobs independently and eventually received an offer from Philips in the Netherlands. He moved to the country and started his career.
Despite having a good professional environment, Tomar began questioning whether the life he had built abroad was the one he wanted.
Starting UPSC journey
He resigned from his job and returned to India to start his UPSC Civil Services journey. After multiple attempts, Tomar eventually cleared the UPSC Civil Services Examination 2025 with AIR 629.
Tomar was subsequently selected for the Indian Railways Traffic Service (IRTS) and is currently serving in the Railway Ministry.
Tomar’s journey from the Chambal region to IIT Ropar, followed by a professional stint in the Netherlands and years of UPSC preparation, reflects a career path shaped by persistence and difficult choices.
His story also highlights how setbacks can become part of a longer journey towards achieving an academic or career goal.
