IPS officer’s UPSC tips go viral, but grammar error in video steals the spotlight

For many UPSC aspirants, the journey to cracking one of the country’s toughest exams is riddled with self-doubt, setbacks, and emotional turmoil. IPS officer Sameer Sharma knows this struggle all too well. From scoring just 34% in Class 11 to accumulating 24 backlogs during his engineering days, Sharma’s journey to cracking UPSC civil services examination was anything but smooth.

Sharing his experience on Instagram, Sharma emphasised that the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) exam is not just a test of knowledge but an emotional battle that must be won. He distilled his 18-month preparation into four key lessons for aspirants. However, some eagle-eyed Instagram users were amused to see a grammatical error in the video. Read on to find out more.

IPS officer Sameer Sharma’s guide to cracking UPSC:

Emotional Resilience: Sharma believes that the biggest fight was with his own doubts and fears. Controlling emotions and maintaining focus proved to be the game-changer in his preparation. He advises aspirants to develop mental toughness and not let setbacks shake their confidence.

Crisis to Comeback: Failure is inevitable, but it is how one responds that defines success. The IPS officer said he faced “multiple setbacks” but viewed every crisis as an opportunity to rise stronger. He encourages aspirants to embrace challenges as learning experiences.

Consistency Over Perfection: Despite starting “from zero,” Sharma made small daily efforts that eventually built his foundation. He stresses the importance of consistency over the pursuit of perfection, stating that gradual improvement is key to clearing the exam.

Mindset is Everything: According to Sharma, self-belief played a crucial role in his journey. Even when nothing seemed to work, his unwavering belief in himself made all the difference. He urges aspirants to develop a strong, positive mindset and push forward despite the odds.

Take a look at his video below:

The IPS officer’s video has gone viral with over 9 million views and hundreds of comments. Many UPSC aspirants thanked him for the life lessons, while others praised his journey.

“One of the greatest comebacks of all time,” wrote one person. Another asked the IPS officer to share his strategy for studying.

The error

However, more than a few Instagram users spotted a grammatical error in Sharma’s video. They pointed out that in the fourth slide, he mistakenly wrote: “Do not heard about UPSC 18 months before exam.”

Sharma presumably wanted to say that he “Had not heard about UPSC till 18 months before the exam.”

The error did not go unnoticed, with several comments pointing it out. “IPS mein English subject nahi hota kay? (Is English not a subject required for becoming an IPS?)” mocked one Instagran user.

“4th slide me grammar galat hai, IPS? (fourth slide has wrong grammar, IPS?),” another asked.

Several people simply commented “Do not heard” to make the IPS officer aware of his oversight.