The story of 26-year-old Febin Jose Thomas, who achieved his IAS dream in the fourth attempt, is one of perseverance.
Hailing from Pathanapuram and an alumna of the National Institute of Technology, Calicut (NIT-C), he says it is clarity and resolve that fuelled his four-year journey that ended on Tuesday with an all-India rank of 133.
“For me it was a long tiring process, but I was sure about my target. If you ask me, every aspirant should have clarity about his aim as that alone will help to tide over setbacks with determination. Motivation from others is temporary as it was my inner motivation and consistency that helped me,” he says.
His passion was sparked by a hostel warden when he asked him to pursue Civil Services as Febin always excelled in social studies. “I was a Class 9 student when Koshy sir pointed out this career path and it was my inspiration. After Plus Two, I wanted a basic degree and completed mechanical engineering from the NIT-C. Till then I had put my dream on the back burner,” he says.
Febin started preparing for the Civil Services during his fourth year in the NIT and started reading extensively for the same. “I mainly depended on The Hindu and even today you will find tall stacks of the newspaper in my room. I used to spend over two hours reading the newspaper and it played a crucial role in cracking the exam,” he says.
While his first two attempts were not successful, he could secure a place in the Indian Revenue Service in his third attempt in 2022. “My rank was 254 and later I availed study leave from Nagpur academy for the exams. I had the full support of my family.”
Unlike many successful candidates, Febin had no concrete strategy or study schedule as he followed a flexible one. “There was no time table. I read a lot, revised books, made notes and did mock tests like everyone else. There was no fixed time for studies or early morning sessions,” he says.
He adds it’s the diversity of the service that drew him to the profession. “An IAS or IPS officer in India will get varied opportunities to serve. We are not limited to a single silo and you will also get many avenues to learn and prove yourself,” he says.
