He sleeps in a library, eats and bathes at a gurdwara, all for his UPSC dream

Some dreams demand more than hard work. They demand patience, sacrifice and the strength to keep going. Mohammad Minaz’s journey towards becoming a civil servant was shaped by financial hardship, family responsibilities and difficult choices that tested his determination.

Every morning, Minaz returns to the same chair, the same books and the same goal. A 24-hour library in Delhi’s Mukherjee Nagar is where he studies for the UPSC examination. It is also where he sleeps.

Even something as basic as taking a bath means a nearly 10-kilometre journey for Minaz. He travels to Majnu ka Tila, where he also eats at a gurdwara, he told The Lallantop.

Minaz came to Delhi from Bihar’s Darbhanga determined to clear the UPSC examination. With limited financial support from his family and no money for accommodation, the 24-hour library has become both his study space and his shelter.

He spends his days studying and his nights sleeping on a chair, with his clothes and belongings tucked away in a locker. His parents, both around 75, know he is preparing in Delhi. They do not know that he sleeps in a library or that he sometimes eats only once a day.

He does not tell them. He wants them to worry less and, above all, to live long enough to see him succeed.

Mukherjee Nagar is one of Delhi’s best-known hubs for UPSC preparation, drawing thousands of aspirants from across the country each year. While many manage to find accommodation in rented rooms, PGs or hostels, some struggle to afford even the most basic living arrangements.

Minaz is one of them. He has been preparing for the UPSC for around one-and-a-half years. The 24-hour library where he spends his days studying is also where he sleeps at night. He pays around Rs 1,100–1,200 a month for the library and rests on a chair after a full day of preparation.

His clothes and other belongings are stored in a locker at the library. What began as a place to study has, for Minaz, gradually become his makeshift home. View this post on Instagram A post shared by The Lallantop (@thelallantop)A 10-KM JOURNEY FOR A BATH AND A MEAL

When Minaz needs a bath, he travels nearly 10 kilometres to Majnu Ka Tila, where he also eats at a gurdwara before returning to the library.

Food is served there around noon and again at about 8 pm, but Minaz usually eats only once a day to save the time and travel involved in making the trip twice. The journey costs him around Rs 20. Along with his library fee and other basic expenses, he says he manages his monthly needs in about Rs 3,000.HOW DOES HE MANAGE RS 3,000 A MONTH?

With very little financial support from family, Minaz relies on small jobs to cover his basic expenses. He says he helps people open bank accounts through an app, earning around Rs 300–400 per account and roughly Rs 3,000 a month.

He has chosen not to take up a full-time job, as he believes the long working hours and daily commute would leave little time for UPSC preparation.

For now, Minaz is focused on earning just enough to get by while devoting most of his time to his studies.HIS PARENTS DO NOT KNOW HOW HE IS LIVING

Minaz's family lives in Bihar. His parents are over 70, and he says his father has diabetes. The family's financial condition is also not strong. His elder brother works and helps support the household.

But Minaz has not told his parents how he is actually living in Delhi. When he speaks to them, he tells them that he is fine and studying well.

He says he fears that if his parents learn that he sleeps in a library and often eats only one meal a day, they will become worried about him. At their age, he does not want to add to their concerns.FOUR SISTERS, FAMILY DEBT AND ANOTHER RESPONSIBILITY

Minaz has four sisters. Three are married, while one is still studying and tries to meet her expenses by teaching children at home. The family is also carrying debt. Minaz says he wants to become successful as soon as possible so that he can support his parents and help his sister.

But his biggest concern is his elderly parents. He wants them to see him succeed while they are still alive.WHY HE RELIES ON PREVIOUS YEARS' PAPERS

Minaz says he developed his approach to competitive-exam preparation as early as Class 10. He believes that simply reading books is not enough to prepare for an examination.

Instead, much of his preparation revolves around solving previous years’ question papers.

His approach is to first understand what the examination asks, identify question patterns and then prepare the syllabus accordingly. He believes previous papers also help aspirants understand important topics and the role of current affairs.

Unable to afford expensive coaching, Minaz largely prepares by himself. He also takes help from students and fellow aspirants around him who have appeared for the UPSC examination for guidance.WHY HE CHOSE UPSC OVER A PRIVATE JOB

Minaz says a private-sector job could have improved his family’s financial situation, but would have left little time for the dream he has pursued for years.

He has wanted to enter government service since his intermediate years. After working at different places, he decided after graduation to devote himself fully to UPSC preparation.

For him, becoming a civil servant is about more than a government job. Having seen people in his village struggle to access government schemes, he hopes to join the administration and help ensure their benefits reach those who need them.A DREAM BIGGER THAN HIS CIRCUMSTANCES

Minaz's story is not simply about financial hardship. It is about the lengths to which one person is willing to go to pursue a goal.

At night, a library chair becomes his makeshift bed. He relies on langar at a gurdwara for his daily meal. He travels nearly 10 kilometres for a bath, takes up small jobs to cover his basic expenses and then returns to his books.

Yet every day, he returns to the same library and the same dream. He does not know when success will come. But he knows what he is working towards: clearing the UPSC examination, becoming a civil servant and, above all, giving his ageing parents the chance to see their son succeed.- EndsPublished By: Apoorva AnandPublished On: Sep 14, 2026 12:02 ISTREAD | They cracked UPSC, got IAS. 13 years later, Roman Saini and Divya Mittal moved onREAD | After 3 Mains attempts, UPSC aspirant sells years of preparation material for Rs 464