Pranjal Patil has cracked one of India’s most challenging exams – the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) Civil Services. Besides years of hard work, dedication and determination, it also demanded tremendous will power and grit for Pranjal to overcome the odds and become India’ first visually impaired IAS officer.
Her Journey
Pranjal lost her eyesight due to a childhood incident. She was struck in the eye by a classmate and lost one eye when she was just six years old. Tragically, she soon lost sight in the other eye as well. But her unwavering resolve and fierce spirit took her down an incredible path. She finished her education at Mumbai’s Kamala Mehta Dadar School for the Blind and then attended St Xavier’s College to pursue a degree in Political Science. This was followed by a Master’s Degree in international relations from Jawaharlal Nehru University in Delhi, before further going on to pursue her PhD and M.Phil.
An Inspiration
Pranjal Patil’s daring journey began from a small-town called Ulhasnagar in Maharashtra. UPSC is one of the toughest competitive exams in India and coaching centres are a popular choice among candidates seeking guidance and preparation. Pranjal’s strategy was distinct - she set out on her UPSC adventure with self-belief, steadfast determination, and an insatiable appetite for information, equipped with an unwavering resolve to prove herself. She not only cleared the UPSC examination without any coaching but topped with the highest score!
She felt that she would be under too much stress from coaching, and so studied for her exam by using a specialised software, which helped her read her books. Pranjal, who loves reading and has endless curiosity, used a strict self-study schedule as part of her preparation plan. To improve her comprehension of different subjects, she studied with a variety of materials, used the internet, and had discussions with friends and mentors. Pranjal appeared for the test twice: in 2016 and in 2017. On her second attempt, she achieved AIR 124, and in 2016 she was placed 744.
Pranjal’s accomplishment challenges the idea that formal coaching is the only method to succeed in competitive exams, sending a strong message to aspirants. She is an inspiration to future public servants and anyone enduring hardship, particularly because she is the first visually-impaired Indian Administrative Service (IAS) officer. Her success shows that even the most daunting obstacles can be overcome with perseverance and diligence.
Challenges
Pranjal’s vision impairment prevented her from working for the Indian Railway Accounts Service. In her interviews, she had expressed her sadness at being rejected by the Railways department. She stated that she had to endure agonising pain, because of the failure of her eye surgery. Due to her visual impairment and the complexity of the UPSC syllabus, she had to come up with creative study methods. Her dependable allies were screen-reading software, audio lectures, and Braille books. She developed extraordinary time management abilities to reconcile her academic pursuits along with her everyday obligations and personal necessities.
Pranjal considers herself to be uniquely capable, rather than impaired. Her journey serves as a reminder that only one’s level of determination and spirit will define their achievement, not their circumstances. Pranjal Patil will always be remembered as a symbol of bravery and tenacity, with boundless potential of the human spirit.
Image source: ZeeNews, DNA