Ravi Sihag: Biography, UPSC Rank, Education, Career and Success Story 2026

Ravi Sihag is an inspiring name in India’s UPSC preparation community, particularly among candidates preparing through Hindi medium. His biggest achievement came in the UPSC Civil Services Examination 2021, when he secured All India Rank 18 and became the highest-ranked Hindi-medium candidate. His journey is especially notable because he had already cleared the examination twice before achieving his dream of becoming an IAS officer.

This article explores his education, family background, UPSC attempts, examination strategy, Hindi-medium journey, career, and the lessons aspirants can take from his experience. His story shows why persistence matters in competitive examinations and how repeated attempts can become opportunities for improvement when a candidate carefully analyzes previous performance.

Ravi Sihag Quick Facts 2026

Category	Details
Full Name	Ravi Kumar Sihag
Profession	IAS Officer
UPSC Exam	CSE 2021
All India Rank	18
UPSC Attempts	4
Hindi-Medium Status	Highest-ranked candidate in CSE 2021
Earlier Rank	337 in 2018
Earlier Rank	317 in 2019
Optional Subject	Hindi Literature
Cadre	Madhya Pradesh

Early Life and Educational Background

Ravi Sihag was raised in a farming family in Rajasthan. Reports describe his father, Ramkumar Sihag, as a farmer and his mother, Vimala Devi, as a homemaker. His early education took place in a village environment, which became an important part of his personal story as he later entered one of India’s most competitive examinations.

He completed his graduation in 2015 and subsequently began preparing seriously for the civil services examination. His background is frequently highlighted because he demonstrated that students from rural and Hindi-medium educational environments can compete successfully at the national level with disciplined preparation and appropriate resources.

UPSC Attempts and AIR 18 Success

The UPSC journey was not an overnight success. In his first attempt in 2018, he secured rank 337. In 2019, he improved his performance and obtained rank 317. However, his third attempt in 2020 did not produce the desired result because he could not clear the preliminary stage.

The breakthrough arrived in 2021, when he secured AIR 18 in his fourth attempt. This result also made him the topper among Hindi-medium candidates, turning his repeated attempts into one of the most discussed UPSC success stories among Hindi-medium aspirants.

Hindi Medium and UPSC Preparation

Ravi Sihag’s success is particularly important for students who choose Hindi as their examination medium. He used Hindi for his UPSC papers and selected Hindi Literature as his optional subject. His performance demonstrated that language choice does not automatically determine a candidate’s chances of success.

At the same time, he emphasized the usefulness of understanding basic English because many important study resources are available in English. His approach was not to treat English and Hindi as competing choices, but to develop enough English comprehension to access resources and then express answers effectively in Hindi.

Ravi Sihag’s Study Strategy

One of the most useful ideas associated with Ravi Sihag’s preparation is the principle of using limited resources and maximum revision. Instead of collecting large numbers of books and study materials, aspirants can identify dependable resources and revise them repeatedly.

This strategy is especially relevant to UPSC because the syllabus is extensive and repeated revision can strengthen recall. His journey also demonstrates the importance of analyzing mistakes after every attempt rather than treating failure as a final judgment on one’s ability.

Career Before Becoming an IAS Officer

Before achieving AIR 18, Ravi Sihag had already cleared the UPSC examination twice. His 2018 rank of 337 resulted in selection for the Indian Defence Accounts Service, while his 2019 rank of 317 was associated with the Indian Railway Traffic Service.

Despite receiving opportunities in other services, his goal remained to enter the IAS. His decision to attempt the examination again demonstrates the difference between achieving a respectable result and achieving a specific career objective. His persistence ultimately paid off in the 2021 examination.

IAS Career and Madhya Pradesh Cadre

After securing AIR 18 in UPSC CSE 2021, Ravi Sihag entered the Indian Administrative Service and was allotted the Madhya Pradesh cadre. An official Government of India Gazette published in 2025 lists Ravi Kumar Sihag among IAS officers of the 2022 batch in the Madhya Pradesh cadre, with a date shown as 29 August 2024.

His career also includes training at the Lal Bahadur Shastri National Academy of Administration in Mussoorie, an important institution for civil-service training. Biography sources report that he began training there in 2023 and participated in activities during the training period.

Family Background and Rural Roots

Ravi Sihag’s background is one reason his success story resonates with many aspirants. He came from a farming family in Rajasthan and reportedly helped his father in agricultural work before fully moving toward his civil-services preparation.

His journey illustrates that a candidate does not necessarily need an elite educational background or metropolitan upbringing to succeed in the UPSC examination. Strong fundamentals, consistent preparation, appropriate guidance, and the willingness to improve after setbacks can play a much more important role.

Lessons From His UPSC Journey

The story of Ravi Sihag provides several practical lessons for UPSC candidates, especially those studying in Hindi medium.

Do not consider language a permanent barrier.
Understand basic English to access wider study material.
Use limited, reliable resources.
Revise repeatedly instead of constantly changing books.
Analyze every unsuccessful attempt.
Practice answer writing regularly.
Keep the long-term career goal in mind.
Maintain consistency even after setbacks.

FAQs:

Who is Ravi Sihag?

Ravi Sihag is an IAS officer who secured AIR 18 in UPSC CSE 2021 and became the highest-ranked Hindi-medium candidate in that examination.

What was his UPSC rank in 2021?

He secured All India Rank 18 in the UPSC Civil Services Examination 2021.

How many attempts did he take?

He appeared four times, with ranks of 337 in 2018, 317 in 2019, no qualifying result in 2020, and AIR 18 in 2021.

Was he a Hindi-medium UPSC candidate?

Yes. He wrote the UPSC examination in Hindi and was the highest-ranked Hindi-medium candidate in CSE 2021.

Which optional subject did he choose?

He selected Hindi Literature as his optional subject.

Where is he from?

He is from the Sri Ganganagar region of Rajasthan and grew up in a rural farming-family environment.

What did he do before becoming an IAS officer?

He had previously been selected for other services after clearing UPSC, including the Indian Defence Accounts Service and Indian Railway Traffic Service.

What is his most useful preparation advice?

His preparation approach emphasizes limited resources and maximum revision, along with consistency and effective use of study material.

Does English matter for Hindi-medium UPSC aspirants?

He has advised Hindi-medium aspirants to develop basic English comprehension because many useful resources are available in English.

What is the biggest lesson from his success?

His biggest lesson is persistence: an unsuccessful attempt does not have to end the journey if the candidate learns from mistakes and improves the preparation strategy.

Conclusion

Ravi Sihag’s journey is a powerful example of persistence in the UPSC Civil Services Examination. After securing ranks 337 and 317 in his first two successful attempts and facing another setback in 2020, he returned with a stronger strategy and achieved AIR 18 in 2021.

His success is particularly meaningful for Hindi-medium and rural-background aspirants because it challenges the idea that language or location should limit ambition. His emphasis on limited resources, repeated revision, basic English comprehension, and consistent effort provides practical guidance for future candidates. The journey from a farming family in Rajasthan to the IAS demonstrates that persistence, preparation, and a clear goal can create remarkable results.