Sami Ahmad, TwoCircles.net
Patna: Ravi Raaz, 24, is one of the eight successful aspirants with visual disability who cracked what is considered India’s prestigious but toughest test, the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC), examination.
Hailing from Mahuli village in Bihar’s underdeveloped Nawadah district, about 100 kilometers south of Patna, the state capital, he secured the 182nd rank and may get the Indian Administrative Service (IAS) or Indian Revenue Service (IRS) cadre. This success came in his fourth attempt, literally achieved through the eyes of his mother Vibha Sinha, who is a graduate and homemaker.
Ravi had normal vision until his school days but later developed a visual disorder called Retinitis Pigmentosa. It damaged his retina and caused ninety percent vision loss. That is why, he used a scribe to write his papers.
He loves to read and recite shayari (poetry), which he mentioned as his hobby in the UPSC examination form. He attributes his success to the following couplets:
Aankhon mein raha, dil mein utar kar nahin dekha;
Kashti ke musafir ne samandar nahin dekha.
Jis din se chala hun, meri manzil par nazar hai;
Aankhon ne kabhi meel ka patthad nahin dekha.
(He stayed in my eyes but never looked deep into my heart. Like a traveller of the boat who never saw the sea.
From the day I began, my eyes have been fixed on the destination; Never once did they glance at the milestones along the way)
Talking to TwoCircles.net over phone, Ravi said, “After grade 10, my mother used to read books and notes for me. Similarly, when it was required to write, my mother’s hand came in handy. For making notes, she wrote what I told her to write.”
Acknowledging Ravi’s commitment and excellence, his mother said in Magahi (a local dialect), “Hamar butru padhe mein bahut badhiya halo (My son was very good at his studies, and we were quite hopeful).”
She further said, “Everyone dreams with closed eyes, we dreamt with our eyes wide open. I have got the happiness of the entire world as Ravi got top rank in UPSC examination. We have lived our dream together.”
Talking about the joint effort of Ravi’s family to ensure his success, Vibha said, “Ravi’s father (Ranjan Kumar Singh – a farmer by profession) too toiled together but I and Ravi were shadow of one another.”
Ravi started his UPSC preparation through self-study. After clearing the prelims, he moved to Delhi and got assistance from a coaching centre.
Sharing his educational background, he said, “I studied in Nawadah till graduation. My subjects were history, geography and political science.”
Ravi talked about the tools and devices developed for visually impaired people and encouraged others to use them. “I use InstaReader to get the written words read aloud, NVDA (Non-Visual Desktop Access) for computer and TalkBack for phone screen usage.”
He advised visually challenged aspirants to choose their allowed scribe carefully. He said there should be excellent bond between the examinee and the scribe and both should practice together.
from right is his scribe.
He emphasised even visually challenged aspirants need to work hard and study seriously. “They should not expect any relief for being visually impaired, as there is enough competition even among such people,” he cautioned.
He said studying at home depends on two factors. “How comfortable you feel at home, as you do not face the related physical and economic challenges outside your home. The ambience at home is also important.”
Ravi has one sibling, a sister, who is married.
He used online resources extensively in his preparation. He advised reading NCERT books for a solid foundation. He also had a Plan B – Bihar Public Service Commission (BPSC) examination – and a Plan C, for which he enrolled in a B.Ed. program. However, he said Plan C is generally not required.
Ravi shared that many myths are created around the UPSC viva (interview) questions, but one should remain cool and calm. He said he was asked about Bihar’s glorious past and the reasons for its current situation. He was also asked about which social sector he was interested in working for.
When he spoke about the marginalised sections of society, he was asked to be more specific. He said he wanted to work for the PwBD (Persons with Benchmark Disabilities).
Ravi had earlier cleared the BPSC exam and was selected as a revenue officer but did not join, as he was keener on joining the IAS. “There is a diversity of works that attracted me. You get experience of working in a diversified field. It breaks the monotony of life,” he said.