Government School Student to IAS Officer at 24: Koyyada Pranay Kumar’s Inspiring Journey

Studying in a government school with limited facilities did not stop Koyyada Pranay Kumar from pursuing his dream of becoming an IAS officer. Born into a modest family in Raghunathpalli of Jangaon district, Pranay Kumar was inspired by his father Prabhakar, who worked with a voluntary organisation and regularly interacted with district collectors and police officials. His elder brother Uday Kumar’s unsuccessful attempts at the Civil Services Examination also became valuable lessons for him. Pranay completed his schooling at Nagaram Zilla Parishad High School, pursued ECE at the Government Model Residential Polytechnic College in Gajwel and later completed his B.Tech at JNTU-Hyderabad. He subsequently focused on UPSC preparation, including coaching at a government study centre in Hyderabad.

Pranay Kumar appeared for the UPSC examination for the first time in 2022 and was selected for the Indian Railway Management Service (IRMS). While undergoing training, he continued preparing for the Civil Services Examination. In his second attempt in 2023, he secured All India Rank 554 and realised his IAS dream. Selected for the Telangana cadre, he worked as an Assistant Collector in Narayanpet district and later served in the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment in New Delhi. He assumed charge as Utnoor Sub-Collector on September 3. Pranay says young aspirants should set clear goals, learn from failures and continue working with determination.