Ankit Sharma, a young engineer from Jamshedpur, has secured rank 218 in the Bihar Public Service Commission (BPSC) exam 2026, earning his selection as a Sub-Divisional Magistrate (SDM). What makes this achievement remarkable is not just the rank but the story behind it: a corporate career left behind, the loss of a parent mid-preparation, and a conscious decision to rely on self-study alone rather than any coaching institute.
Grief That Could Not Break His Focus
Six months before the results came in, Ankit lost his father, Parmeshwar Sharma, to a heart attack. Parmeshwar was a well-regarded chemistry teacher in Jamshedpur, and his sudden passing was a devastating blow to the family. Through that period of grief, Ankit's mother, Indu Sharma, a homemaker, stood beside him steadily, encouraging him to keep going. Despite the personal tragedy, Ankit refused to let sorrow derail his preparation and continued working toward his goal without falling apart.
From Engineering College to a German IT Company
Ankit completed his Class 10 from Motilal Nehru Public School, Jamshedpur and his Class 12 from Musabani. His interest in technology led him to pursue a B.Tech degree from the Indian Institute of Information Technology (IIIT) Gwalior between 2016 and 2021. After graduating, he joined Nagarro, a German IT company, and worked out of Gurugram, building a career in data analysis. He also took on freelancing projects alongside his regular job, developing a broad professional profile in the process.
Walking Away From the Corporate World
Despite a stable income and a growing career, Ankit felt a persistent pull toward public service. The desire to contribute meaningfully to society stayed with him through his corporate years. In 2023, he made the decision to leave that world behind and prepare for civil services. He did not enrol in any coaching institute, choosing instead to rely entirely on self-study and personal discipline. That commitment to his own process would eventually prove to be the right call.
First Attempt Falls Short, Second Attempt Delivers
His first attempt at the BPSC did not succeed. Rather than treating that as a signal to quit, Ankit treated it as a diagnostic exercise. He studied where he had gone wrong, identified his weak areas, and committed to not repeating the same mistakes when he tried again. In his second attempt, that methodical and honest preparation paid off. He cleared the exam with rank 218, securing his selection to the SDM post.
Mentoring Over 14,000 Students Through KAIVALYA
Ankit's story does not stop at his own success. Even while preparing for the exam, he launched an online education platform called KAIVALYA, which now has more than 14,000 students enrolled and preparing for various competitive examinations. In effect, while chasing his own goal, he was simultaneously building something that thousands of others could rely on to chase theirs. His journey is a demonstration that adversity, when met with resolve, has a way of sharpening rather than stopping a person.
