IIT graduate turned down Amazon for UPSC, faced 3 setbacks, but his next move took him to IIM Ahmedabad
We all remember the famous English poem from our school textbooks, “The Road Not Taken,” which goes:Two roads diverged in a wood, and I—I took the one less traveled by,And that has made all the difference.Little did we know that these lines would come to personify themselves in adulthood. For Vivekananda, they have taken a completely different turn, shaping a journey that is as unconventional as it is inspiring.For many engineering graduates, an offer from Amazon during campus placements would be an opportunity they would never want to let go. But Vivekananda, a 2021 B.Tech graduate in Computer Science and Engineering from IIT Hyderabad, chose differently.He had secured an offer from Amazon as a Software Development Engineer (SDE). Yet, instead of beginning his corporate career, he decided to prepare for the UPSC Civil Services Examination, driven by his strong interest in governance, economics, public policy, and public service.Four years later, his UPSC journey did not culminate in a place on the final selection list. But that was not the end of his story. In fact, it marked the beginning of another remarkable chapter.With a 99.92 percentile in CAT 2025, Vivekananda has now secured admission to IIM Ahmedabad, one of India’s most prestigious management institutes. His story was shared by a X account Vikas Alwys.
He had the Amazon offer, but he trodded on a different road
Vivekananda’s journey is a reminder that a successful career does not always follow a straight line.After graduating from IIT Hyderabad in 2021, he secured an SDE position at Amazon during campus placements. It was, by conventional standards, a dream outcome for a computer science graduate from one of India’s premier institutes.But Vivekananda had other ambitions.His interest in governance, economics, and public policy pushed him towards UPSC preparation. Rather than choosing the safer and more predictable option, he decided to pursue what he genuinely wanted.That decision meant putting a promising technology career on hold and stepping into one of India’s most competitive examination journeys.
Four years, three UPSC attempts, and no final list
The UPSC journey tested his determination repeatedly. Vivekananda appeared for the Civil Services Examination thrice, in 2022, 2023, and 2025. He cleared the Preliminary Examination in all three attempts, indicating that he had the requisite academic qualifications and preparation to pass through the first significant round.However, he could not succeed in getting into the final selection list.For many candidates, four years of preparation and successive failures may have been too much to bear. But Vivekananda’s life story turned out differently.An unsuccessful UPSC exam result was never considered to be the end of the road for him.
When one dream did not work out, he did not stop moving
One of the most striking aspects of Vivekananda’s journey is that he continued looking for opportunities to put his strengths to use.His aptitude for mathematics helped him clear SSC CGL 2025. In September 2025, he was selected as a Customs Inspector.By then, his journey had already moved far beyond the conventional campus-placement-to-corporate-job route.But he was not done.With another major examination ahead, Vivekananda turned his attention towards the Common Admission Test (CAT).
Just 45 days to CAT, and a 99.92 percentile
Perhaps the most astonishing part of the story came next. Vivekananda had only around 45 days left to prepare for CAT. Yet, he managed to crack CAT 2025 with an extraordinary 99.92 percentile.The result opened another prestigious door. He joined IIM Ahmedabad, giving his four-year UPSC journey an unexpected but powerful continuation.What began with an IIT degree, an Amazon offer and a decision to pursue civil services eventually led him to one of India’s most sought-after management institutions.
You are not defeated unless you think you are
Vivekananda’s journey carries a message that extends well beyond competitive examinations.There will be moments when years of effort do not produce the result you expected. There will be times when people around you may wonder why you changed direction. And there may be moments when you question whether the road you chose was worth walking.But an unsuccessful attempt is not the same as an unsuccessful life.Vivekananda left an Amazon opportunity to pursue UPSC. He cleared the Preliminary Examination three times but did not reach the final list. He then cleared SSC CGL and became a Customs Inspector. With just 45 days of CAT preparation, he secured a 99.92 percentile and eventually entered IIM Ahmedabad.His story is not about never failing. It is about refusing to let failure have the final word.And perhaps that is the most powerful takeaway of all: you are not defeated unless you decide that you are.
