Was rearing sheep when Kolhapur candidate heard of UPSC exam success
Birdev Done
's unwavering dream became his driving force behind his success in UPSC exams and securing 551st rank. Born in Kagal tehsil's Yamage village in
Kolhapur
district, Done and his shepherd relatives were rearing goats and sheep in the vast grasslands between Maharashtra and Karnataka border when the results were declared on Wednesday. The story of Done, son of a shepherd, will be narrated for generations to come, at least in his community— which moves from place to place for rearing sheep and goats.
Despite his share of challenges, Birdev Done completed his education from College of Engineering Pune and cleared the UPSC in his third attempt.
He gives credit to his elder brother for his success. "My elder brother wanted to become a cop, but financial constraints led him to choose the army. Now he is a Naik. He helped me with my education all along. I finished primary and secondary education from a public school. Since the first year of my engineering, I aimed to become an
IAS officer
. I was poor in English, so I downloaded a dictionary and improved my English. With the help of my mentor Nishant Deshmukh's grandfather, I secured some funds for coaching in New Delhi," said Done, speaking to TOI.
Done said: "Nurture a deep inner drive to become something meaningful in life, and the universe will find ways to turn your dream into reality." Done said during the interview he was asked about why there is a sudden demand for sheep's milk and also whether violent action is the way out for resolving the India-Pakistan border dispute. "I think my answers to these questions were received well by the interview panel, which helped me score well in the personality test," added Done.
Rural candidates
shine
Dilipkumar Krishna Desai, the son of an ex-army man, ranked 605th. He is from Jambulwadi village in Gadhinglaj tehsil. He did his electronics and telecommunications from RIT College Islampur. His sister Swati, who is currently a Deputy Collector, inspired him to become a civil servant.
Aditi's giant leap
Aditi Chougule from Jaysingpur town of Kolhapur district, who secured 433rd rank last time, ranked 63rd this time. She said focusing on studies helped her improve her rank.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Time of India
9 minutes ago
- Time of India
Rain stalls work, Dec new deadline for clearing legacy waste from Sec 23 dumping ground
Panchkula : In what will prolong the inconvenience for residents, the Panchkula municipal corporation is going to miss its Aug 31 deadline for clearing the legacy waste from the dumping ground in Sector 23. Dec is the new deadline for the bioremediation of the entire waste. A fresh tender to clear 1.70 lakh tonnes of waste was allotted to an agency. Work started this April with Rs 11.50 crore. However, officials told TOI that 1.25 lakh metric tonnes of garbage is yet to be lifted. The project entailed clearing the site of waste accumulated over the past 15 years. "The pace of work slowed down due to the rains. Little progress could be made. Wet garbage does not get bioremediated and gets stuck in the machine, so it will not get completed by Aug 31. We will clear it by Dec," said an MC official. It must be recalled that the city scored 99% in the category of remediation of dumpsites during the recent Swachh Survekshan. The official credited it to the removal of garbage from a dumping ground in Jhuriwala, followed by a huge pile of dump from Sector 23. The state govt had given its go-ahead for the removal of the remaining 1.70 LMT of garbage from Sector 23, which is the final phase of the work. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Your Finger Shape Says a Lot About Your Personality, Read Now Tips and Tricks Undo Under the previous tender, 3.72 LMT of waste was cleared in three years by the contractor. The second phase work was also assigned to the existing contractor. The issue of the dumping ground has remained a significant political flashpoint, particularly during the last Lok Sabha and assembly elections. Frustrated with alleged govt apathy and years of neglect, residents launched major protests, demanding a permanent solution. The area surrounding the dumping ground in Sector 23 reeks of an unbearable, foul stench, making it very difficult for residents to keep their doors and windows open to let the air in. The area is frequented by stray cattle, dogs, and other animals and insects. It presents a poor picture of the city, which got its worst-ever national ranking of 219 in the Swachh Survekshan in the segment of cities with a 50,000 to 3 lakh population. It is the city's worst national ranking in the eight-year history of the survey. Stay updated with the latest local news from your city on Times of India (TOI). Check upcoming bank holidays , public holidays , and current gold rates and silver prices in your area.
Time of India
2 hours ago
- Time of India
Elderly people, disabled get ration items at their doorstep in Coimbatore
Coimbatore: Chief Minister M K Stalin virtually launched the 'Thayumanavar' scheme in the city on Tuesday to provide ration commodities at the doorsteps of senior citizens aged above 70 years and disabled people. As part of the launch ceremony, city mayor R Ranganayaki distributed ration goods to the elderly and disabled people of ward 44 at Saibaba Colony at their doorsteps in the presence of corporation commissioner M Sivaguru Prabhakaran, district revenue officer Dr M Sharmila and other officials. In Coimbatore district, about 1,235 distribution teams have been formed to cover nearly 89,023 beneficiaries attached to the 1,401 ration shops under the scheme. The door delivery of ration commodities would benefit nearly 21,70,454 people across the state. Expressing relief, K Sarasvathi, 83, who received the essentials from the officials, said, "With my broken legs, I am unable to walk long distances. I was depending on my nephew or others in the area to buy essential items from the ration shop. There were times when I didn't get any help. Now, I don't have to depend on others to buy ration items, thanks to the 'Thayumanavar' scheme." by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Unsold 2021 Cars Now Almost Free - Prices May Surprise You Unsold Cars | Search Ads Learn More Undo Muthamma, 86, of Karuppusamy Street at Saibaba Colony, who could barely hear, was in tears after receiving her kit at her doorstep. She said, "My son, who used to get things for me, met with an accident two weeks ago. Since I suffer from low blood pressure, I sometimes faint and hence cannot travel alone. I was worried about whom to approach for support to get the essentials from the ration shop. Thanks to the CM for introducing such a scheme that exclusively addresses the elderly and the disabled. " Imrannazeer Hussain, a disabled youth, also received the ration kit from the officials at his doorstep. Commenting on the scheme, his father Hussain said, "Until now, either I had to take leave or get permission from work to buy essentials from the ration shop. This scheme is very much a benefit to the families like us." Stay updated with the latest local news from your city on Times of India (TOI). Check upcoming bank holidays , public holidays , and current gold rates and silver prices in your area.
Time of India
3 hours ago
- Time of India
‘Open-book exam fine, but with analytical questions'
Noida: Schools have welcomed CBSE's decision to implement an open-book exam for Class 9 from the academic year 2026-27. Principals believe that students will gain a deeper understanding of subjects, provided schools maintain integrity and questions are analytical, conceptual, and application-based. CBSE's decision came following the results of a pilot study conducted to evaluate the feasibility and acceptance of such a model. A framework and guidelines on how to conduct open-book exams effectively will be suggested to the schools. However, the implementation will not be mandatory. You Can Also Check: Noida AQI | Weather in Noida | Bank Holidays in Noida | Public Holidays in Noida | Gold Rates Today in Noida | Silver Rates Today in Noida Seema Jerath, principal of DLF School, Ghaziabad, and one of CBSE's master trainers in the pilot project, said, "Students have to extract the right information from the textbooks, and to do that, higher-order thinking skills have to be there. For an open-book exam, the question patterns need to be aligned with the policy first. Though this is a very good step, we're only 50% ready in terms of competency. Implementing it in the next academic year is risky. Teachers need time to understand the framework, plan the execution, and evaluate fairly." She stressed that the new format must go beyond surface-level questioning. "The right kind of research and planning is needed. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like We Have No Words For Dog The Bounty Hunter's Transformation Paperela Undo Questions must test analytical skills and evaluation—not simply allow students to lift answers from textbooks," she added. Aditi Basu Roy, principal of Grad International School, Noida, underscored the need for ethical implementation. "The exam process must be handled with integrity. While open-book exams do exist in law, they must not become shortcuts," she told TOI. Some teachers also called the decision 'progressive and much-needed'. The initiative aligns with the vision of the NEP 2020 and the NCFSE 2023, as it moves the focus from rote memorisation to deep conceptual understanding, problem-solving, and real-world application of knowledge. "CBSE has already implemented Open Text Based Assessment (OTBA), which helps students engage more deeply with content, make cross-curricular connections, and develop analytical skills beyond textbook learning. Building on that experience, the new open-book assessment framework is poised to further nurture critical thinking and lifelong learning skills, while reducing exam-related stress and making assessments more meaningful and relevant for the 21st-century learner," said Neha Sharma, principal of Apeejay School, Noida. Stay updated with the latest local news from your city on Times of India (TOI). Check upcoming bank holidays , public holidays , and current gold rates and silver prices in your area.
