Till almost two years ago, appearing for the Indian Administrative Service (IAS) examination was a distant dream for 27 year-old Salman Patil. The only desire the Solapur native nurtured was to get a job in Mumbai and support his farmer family back home. But today, Patil, who gave the exam in 2011, has secured the 466th rank. Though he is eligible for a posting in the Indian Police Services and the Indian Revenue Services, he is planning to attempt the exam at least another five times, to land a good posting in the IAS.

S.A.M Hashmi, ex-principal of Akbar Peer Bhoy College and director of Haj Committee of India’s IAS and Allied Services Coaching and Guidance Cell addresses a group of IAS aspirants at Haj House, Palton Road, Fort. Pic/ Shadab Khan