From 12th Fail to Civil Service: Manoj Kumar Sharma's Inspiring Story

Breaking through failures, IPS officer Manoj Kumar Sharma's story in '12th Fail' teaches that success is a journey, not a destination

From 12th Fail to Civil Service: Manoj Kumar Sharma's Inspiring Story

Vidhu Vinod Chopra’s film '12th Fail' has received acclaim from audiences, featuring Vikrant Massey and Medha Shankar in lead roles. Inspired by Anurag Pathak’s bestselling novel of the same name, the movie draws from the real-life experiences of IPS officer Manoj KumaDistr Sharma and IRS officer Shraddha Joshi.

Hailing from the small village of Bilgaon in Madhya Pradesh, Sharma faced substantial challenges in his early life. Born in 1977, his family struggled financially as his father worked in the agriculture department. Despite passing classes 9 and 10 with a third division and managing to pass class 11, he failed in class 12, except for Hindi, which he later cleared.

Sharma's journey in Delhi was marked by adversity. Taking up various odd jobs such as driving a tempo, working in a library, and even walking dogs for affluent individuals to support himself and cover tuition expenses, he also experienced homelessness. However, his determination never wavered. During UPSC coaching, he fell in love with Shraddha Joshi from Uttarakhand, who cracked UPSC on her first attempt and is now an IRS officer.

Despite the challenges, Sharma's time working at a library in Delhi turned out to be a turning point. Reading books by famous writers like Maxim Gorky, Abraham Lincoln, and Muktibodh during this period helped him grasp the meaning and purpose of life.

Chopra's 147-minute film chronicles Sharma's experiences during the 12th grade and his journey to clearing the UPSC exam. Initially aspiring to become an SDM, Sharma, upon arriving in Gwalior after completing his 12th grade, realized that the District Magistrate (DM) held a higher position, requiring passing the UPSC exam. This realization prompted him to come to Delhi and prepare for the Civil Services Examination.

Despite three unsuccessful attempts, Sharma persevered and finally passed the UPSC civil services exam on his fourth try. Joining the Maharashtra cadre in 2005, he currently serves as the Additional Commissioner of the West Region in Mumbai.