‘I Didn't Told Anyone': IAS Officer's Success Post After UPSC Result Faces Criticism Due To Grammatical Error
Last Updated:
Ram Prakash, who commemorated the anniversary of his achievement on April 27, 2018, recounted his feelings from that pivotal moment.
As the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) recently announced this year's NDA 1 exam results on April 28, an Indian Administrative Service (IAS) officer took to social media to reminisce about his journey to cracking the prestigious examination seven years ago. Ram Prakash, who commemorated the anniversary of his achievement on April 27, 2018, recounted his feelings from that pivotal moment and also mentioned his wife, who had also cleared the coveted exam.
His heartfelt post on X (formerly Twitter) unexpectedly went viral, not for his inspiring words, but due to grammatical errors. Yes, you read that right. The eagle-eyed social media users were quick to spot the inaccuracies in the IAS officer's post. While the content intended to share a personal milestone and connect with aspirants, the grammatical mistakes invited both criticism and defence from social media users.
Prakash's tweet read, 'I made it to IAS at around 8:00 pm on 27th April 2018. Exactly 7 years back. I didn't told anyone in my family about the result for an hour at least. That was some feeling."
The sentence 'I didn't told anyone" immediately caught the attention of eagle-eyed social media users, who were quick to point out the incorrect verb conjugation. One user corrected him, saying, 'I didn't tell," to which Ram Prakash replied, 'OK, my mistake."
However, the matter didn't end there. Another user shared a screenshot of Prakash's post on X with the caption, 'I know that English isn't our primary language, but if this is the level of IAS officers of our country, then I've zero hopes."
A user strongly backed him and countered the criticism, writing, 'He is an IAS officer, not an English teacher? Even the Prime Minister of our country isn't good in English. Every native of countries not colonised by the British isn't. Why make fun of it like brown coolies?"
'Since when has English started governing the capability of a person? Also, a candidate can appear for UPSC in Hindi medium as well. I know Ram, he is a great officer and a stellar runner, try competing with him in a marathon and he will beat you hands down. Dont be unfair in criticism," another said.
The incident also triggered a wider conversation on the role and importance of English language proficiency within India's education. One user noted, 'It's ok as long as we can understand. Many IAS officers studied their mother tongue throughout even the exam itself."
'I've met terrible people who speak impeccable English. Let's not use that as a yardstick for a great administrator – or a great human being, for that matter. Yes, when you're in this position, making silly grammatical errors on a public platform doesn't reflect well on you. But does that warrant such harsh criticism? If I had the superpower to choose a collector for my district, fluency in English would be the last thing I'd consider," an account remarked.
Adding to the discussion, a user commented, 'More than grammar, I am not able to understand- 'missed by 0 marks' what does this even mean."
What are your views on this?
First Published:
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Hindustan Times
41 minutes ago
- Hindustan Times
27-year-old IIM student pens 'smart study' book for exam aspirants
Yugantar Gupta, a 27-year-old IIM Ahmedabad student, recently created a stir by declaring he earned a top grade for an assignment he prepared using ChatGPT at the country's top management school. The young man has always believed in working smarter than harder, a strategy he shares in his book for aspirants. Gupta, a qualified chartered accountant and a company secretary (all-India rank 12), scored a 99.58 percentile in the CAT exam held in 2023 and is pursuing MBA from the prestigious institute. His book-- 'STUDY SMART- The Ultimate Exam Guide'-- came out in 2024 to provide a "complete clarity" to students who are vying for their deserved place in the world by succeeding through a variety of competitive exams conducted in the country like JEE, CLAT, NEET, CUET, UPSC, CA, CS and even the school boards. The volume runs into 50 chapters with just over 200 pages. Also read: Rhodes scholarship for studying at University of Oxford to be available to more Indians from 2028 It talks about a host of topics ranging from 'how to study specifically for exams', 'managing distractions' to guiding students on diet, sleep, physical, emotional and mental health, preparing and sticking to the timetable with certain segments that guide them to deal with people's comments and also their own thoughts. Gupta says he spoke to "hundreds of people" across the exam spectrum--those who are currently studying, those who have succeeded, those who failed, those who succeeded after failing etc.-- before penning his thoughts. Also read: Study abroad: University of Strathclyde opens applications for MSc Artificial Intelligence & Applications course "Through this process, I've come across insights that can transform your exam journey completely. This research covered almost every exam in India. The strategies given here are a compilation of the exam preparation strategies of rank holders in UPSC, CA, CS, JEE, NEET, CLAT, CAT, CUET, 10th and 12th," he writes. The book, according to the author, tries to cover "every possible mistake" students can make in their exam journeys and it gives specific, practical and actionable advice. How to maintain concentration, improve memory, manage time and score higher are discussed across the headers. A full chapter is dedicated to creating an 'Accountability Partner' who can be any person close to a student-- someone who can motivate them, give them rewards and punishments, and can be handed over their mobile phone in order "to keep all distraction away". Also read: Study abroad: Pursue MA International Development at University of Sheffield, applications open; check course details His suggestions to the aspirants and students are straight: Keep things simple. Trust your knowledge. Trust your preparation. Trust your hard work. "Trust is the sole important thing today. You won't even remember what you got in a couple of years," he says in the book. The book also goes in detail to discuss the otherwise mundane-looking subjects like choosing an appropriate table and chair for studying and ensuring proper lighting in the study room apart from the pros and cons of joining a coaching class. The young achiever created news about a month back when he posted on his LinkedIn that he used the ChatGPT AI tool while preparing his project on cosmetics and got an A in assessment by his professors. Plagiarism is completely prohibited but AI (Artificial Intelligence) use is allowed (at IIM Ahmedabad), he posted on the social networking platform while explaining why he did what he did during the assignment. While AI tools are there to help a researcher, he said, no one is going to pay you anything anymore for researching or writing reports off the internet. "One can only add value if you can get something that's not available on the internet - personal experiences, expert interviews, original surveys, observational studies and talking to stakeholders," he posted on the social networking platform. Gupta concluded that post by quoting American entrepreneur Steve Blank, who said 'Get out of the building'.
Indian Express
3 hours ago
- Indian Express
‘Each tree is worth over one crore': Raghunath Maruti Dhole on his remarkable conservation model
Written by Kivi Lydia Vito 'When I was a child, I saw my mother cooking with firewood. I realised she was cutting trees to feed me. Our 400 generations did this for survival, and now it is my duty to replant,' says Raghunath Maruti Dhole, 69, reflecting on his forest conservation journey. Today he is responsible for a veritable revolution in the preservation of native plants in Pune. Through the Devrai Foundation, Dhole has been working to revive barren land using the model of the Devrai, sacred groves traditionally protected by local communities for spiritual reasons. Though the Naigaon-based Foundation was registered in 2013, Dhole's personal efforts date back to the 1980s. Dhole and his team including close friends–Dhananjay Shedbale, Suresh Namaji Shinde, and Uday Bhanudas Gujar–his wife and children developed a plantation model featuring between 119 and 190 native species of trees and plants. These species are drawn from sacred groves where no planting or cutting has taken place for centuries, reflecting the region's original biodiversity. 'We studied sacred groves from different regions and created a plantation plan for one acre of land, selecting 119 appropriate native species from a pool of 500,' Dhole explained. Speaking about the importance of preserving native plants and the ecological consequences of losing these native plants, he says, 'If a species of tree vanishes, one butterfly species also vanishes because each tree depends on pollination.' He continues, 'Some 40 years ago, I planted two eucalyptus trees and later found out they were exotic. At the time, I didn't know which species were native and which were not,' Dhole said. Highlighting these common planting mistakes, Dhole says, 'Palash is a native tree that attracts many birds, butterflies, and honey bees but instead, we are planting Gulmohar, which is not native to India and provides no food or support to local wildlife.' He adds that many non-native species introduced during British colonial times are vulnerable to heavy rain and winds, undermining the ecosystem's stability. The foundation offers saplings and guidance free of cost but only to those who have one acre of land, water and protection ready. 'Planting is just 1 per cent of the job, growing the tree is 99 per cent. If we charge for saplings, we turn nature into a business. That must be avoided,' Dhole emphasises. He continues, 'So far, we have contributed to 414 sacred groves on barren lands in places like Solapur, Sangli, Amravati, Kolhapur and beyond Maharashtra in Bhopal, Gujarat, Calcutta, and Goa. We have also created more than 80 ghanwans (dense forest), over 200 tree libraries, and set up 18 types of nurseries.' Dhole recounted once sending 43 saplings to Noida by plane, emphasising that roots can be safely wrapped and replanted when they reach their destination. The foundation has donated 3.4 million saplings, with a 70 per cent survival rate, over two million trees still thriving. 'If you multiply that by what a single tree gives back in terms of oxygen, pollution control, soil regeneration, each tree is worth over one crore. This is real wealth,' he adds. In educational outreach, the foundation has also created over 200 tree libraries for schools. These mini-forests feature potted plants with informative cards giving details such as botanical names, flowering periods, and medicinal uses, encouraging students to connect with nature. While acknowledging the inevitability of urbanisation, he believes a balance is possible, he says, 'If a tree must be cut for a road or building we can't avoid it but plant a hundred elsewhere. Go to your native village and invest in trees there.' He urges a return to responsibility towards the land that sustains us. 'Everyone has come from somewhere where the land has given us water, food, and childhood. It is time to repay it.' Operating without external funding, the foundation remains community- driven. 'Everyone has to repay the earth in some way. That is why we created Devrai Foundation, to ensure this work continues after I am gone,' Dhole says. Dhole's commitment is global in outlook. 'If a person wants to plant in Goa or China, let them. Trees do not recognise borders. They are a global asset.' 'What I've learned in 40 years is that people love plants but they just need direction, the right saplings and a reason to start,' he says. He continues, 'This is not charity. We cannot eat money or gold but we can eat fruit, breathe clean air, and drink water. All of this comes from trees. Nature is not asking for charity. It is asking us to remember who we are.'
Hindustan Times
4 hours ago
- Hindustan Times
UPSC CSE Prelims News Result 2025 Live: Steps to download prelims result when released at upsc.gov.in
UPSC CSE Prelims News Result 2025 Live: Check steps to download CSE Prelims results 2025 when released UPSC CSE Prelims News Result 2025 Live: The Union Public Service Commission is expected to release Civil Services Examination (CSE) Preliminary Results 2025 soon on its official website, So far, the commission has not confirmed the date and time for the declaration of the CSE Prelims Results 2025. Candidates must note that the prelims exam is only a screening test, and marks obtained here will not be counted for determining the final merit list. ...Read More CSE Prelims 2025 exam date and pattern The UPSC conducted the CSE Prelims Exam 2025 on May 25, 2025. The examination comprised two objective-type papers (MCQs), each of two hours' duration and carrying a maximum of 200 marks. For every wrong answer, one-third (0.33) of the marks assigned to that question will be deducted as a penalty. Number of vacancies The commission aims to fill 979 vacancies through this recruitment exam. This includes: 38 vacancies for candidates under the Benchmark Disability category 12 for candidates with blindness or low vision 7 for those who are deaf or hard of hearing 10 for candidates with locomotor disabilities 9 for those with multiple disabilities, including deaf-blindness The recruitment includes services such as the Indian Administrative Service (IAS), Indian Police Service (IPS), and Indian Foreign Service (IFS). UPSC CSE Prelims Result 2025: Steps to check results Candidates will be able to check their CSE Prelims Results 2025 when released by following the steps mentioned below: Visit the official website at On the home page, click on the link to download the UPSC CSE Prelims Results 2025. Enter your credentials to log in and submit. Check your CSE Prelims result displayed on the screen. Download and keep a printout of the same for future reference . Follow the blog for UPSC CSE Prelims Results 2025 date and time, direct link, and more. Follow all the updates here: June 8, 2025 12:00 PM IST UPSC CSE Prelims News Result 2025 Live: The UPSC CSE Prelims Results 2025 are expected to be released soon.
