Rae Bareli youth defies odds, scales UPSC with AIR 73
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Lucknow: Defying odds, Shivam Singh cracked UPSC Civil Services exam in 2023 after four failed attempts. But as it was not to his expectations, Shivam continued and scaled merit list with 73rd rank this time.
The 28-year-old from UP's Rae Bareli also overcame financial constraints. His father, Ram Naresh, runs a small roadside stationery shop in Rae Bareli. "It was difficult but hard work and perseverance paid off. My father providing us best education helped me reach great heights," said Shivam, under training at the National Academy of Customs, Indirect Taxes & Narcotics, Palasamudram, Andhra Pradesh, after he cracked UPSC 2023 with AIR 877.
A resident of Dalmau block in Rae Bareli, this was Shivam's sixth and last attempt for UPSC. "This was my last hope and I was expecting a rank under 100. In 2021, I secured the 38th rank in UP PCS and joined as SDM Gorakhpur. For three years — 2019, 2020, and 2022 — I couldn't qualify for prelims, and in 2021 I failed to clear the mains," he said.
Shivam, the younger of two siblings, said, "In UPSC 2023, my performance in mains was below par, while I scored good marks in the interview. I evaluated my performance and found gaps in writing answers. Then I practised a lot and improved my writing and got the results," said Shivam.
A mechanical engineer from IIT Dhanbad, Shivam said, "Though my father has a small business, he had great vision for his sons. Despite meagre income, he sent us to the best convent schools in our district and then took a loan to support my brother's education. I was fortunate as I got a fee waiver for my engineering."
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Moreover, SAF adoption will also generate employment opportunities in the sustainability sector. 1. The cost of producing these biofuels, which is more than double that of conventional fuels, makes its large-scale adoption difficult for airlines without passing the burden onto consumers. 2. The production, storage, blending, and transportation of SAF require the development of new infrastructure, which would add significantly to the initial cost of adoption. 3. Another key issue is the availability and sustainability of feedstock required for SAF production. The characteristics and variety of necessary feedstock mean that there is no guarantee of year-round supply. 2. ISCC CORSIA is a prerequisite for commercial SAF production. Notably, the year 2027 will be an important one for adoption of SAF globally with the mandatory phase of CORSIA kicking in. 3. CORSIA, which applies to international flights, would require airlines globally to offset any growth in carbon dioxide emissions beyond the 2020 levels. Using jet fuel blended with SAF is one of the ways through which carriers can keep their emissions under permissible levels. 4. India, too, will have to comply with the mandatory phase starting 2027. In line with the CORSIA framework, India's National Biofuel Coordination Committee (NBCC) has set the initial indicative targets for blending of SAF with jet fuel 2027 onwards, starting with international flights. 5. The indicative targets are: 1 per cent blending in 2027 and 2 per cent in 2028. The government is expected to announce SAF blending mandates for domestic flights in India as well, but only after blending for international flights begins 2027 onwards. Consider the following statements with reference to sustainable aviation fuel: 1. SAF is a biofuel that is produced from sustainable feedstocks 2. ISCC CORSIA is a prerequisite for commercial SAF production. 3. India's National Biofuel Coordination Committee (NBCC) has set the initial indicative targets for blending of SAF with jet fuel 2027 onwards. How many of the statements given above are correct? (a) Only one (b) Only two (c) All three (d) None (Sources: Used cooking oil to fuel for planes: India's first sustainable aviation fuel plant to start production by year-end, How India's biofuel potential complements its leadership in sustainable aviation fuel) Subscribe to our UPSC newsletter. Stay updated with the latest UPSC articles by joining our Telegram channel – Indian Express UPSC Hub, and follow us on Instagram and X. 🚨 Click Here to read the UPSC Essentials magazine for July 2025. Share your views and suggestions in the comment box or at
