Success in competitive examinations does not always come on the first attempt, and Viral Sharma’s journey is a testament to perseverance. After narrowly missing out on the final selection lists of both the UPSC Civil Services Examination and the Uttar Pradesh Public Service Commission (UPPCS), the Uttar Pradesh native refused to give up. His determination eventually earned him top ranks in the Uttarakhand and Bihar Public Service Commission examinations. While he has already secured prestigious administrative posts in two states, Viral says his ultimate goal remains the UPSC Civil Services Examination, for which he is now preparing for the 2026 cycle.

Viral Sharma hails from Belwa Moti village in Uttar Pradesh’s Lakhimpur Kheri district. His family now resides in the Rajajipuram area. His father, Balram Sharma, is a retired school principal, while his mother, Kusum Lata Sharma, is a homemaker. Academically, Viral excelled from an early age, topping both his High School and Intermediate examinations. He later completed a degree in Mechanical Engineering from the National Institute of Technology (NIT), Allahabad. After graduation, he worked for nearly three years in Alwar, Rajasthan. However, his ambition to join the administrative services prompted him to resign from his job in 2023 and dedicate himself full-time to civil services preparation.

Unlike many aspirants who rely on major coaching institutes, Viral largely prepared on his own while staying in his native village. He travelled across different states to appear for various competitive examinations, taking the Uttarakhand PCS examination in Haridwar, the UPPCS examination in Prayagraj, and the Bihar PCS examinations in Patna and Kishanganj. Despite the frequent travel and demanding schedule, he remained focused on his preparation.

Setbacks In UPSC And UPPCS: Viral’s first priority was always the UPSC Civil Services Examination. After years of preparation, he successfully reached the interview stage but fell short of making the final merit list. He later appeared for the UPPCS examination and once again advanced to the interview round, only to miss selection in the final list. Rather than viewing the two setbacks as failures, Viral continued preparing with the same determination.

Success In Two State Civil Services: His persistence eventually paid off. Viral secured the 7th rank in the Uttarakhand PCS examination and was selected for the post of Deputy Collector. He also performed exceptionally well in the Bihar Public Service Commission examination, securing 7th rank for the post of Child Development Project Officer (CDPO) and 16th rank for the post of Block Development Officer (BDO). His simultaneous success in two state civil service examinations marked a major milestone in his journey.

Viral attributes his success to consistency and disciplined preparation rather than extensive coaching. He focused on building strong conceptual fundamentals and practised question papers from the previous 30 to 35 years. For every subject in the syllabus, he prepared concise one-page notes that he revised regularly. He also relied on a single standard book or study source for each subject, avoiding multiple references that could create confusion.

Despite securing top ranks and administrative posts through the Uttarakhand and Bihar PCS examinations, Viral says his ultimate ambition remains unchanged. He is now preparing for the UPSC Civil Services Examination 2026 and believes that setbacks should be treated as opportunities to learn rather than reasons to quit. His journey has become an inspiring example for civil services aspirants, demonstrating that perseverance, disciplined preparation and resilience can eventually lead to success, even after repeated disappointments.