Candidates From Humble Backgrounds Set An Example By Clearing Rajasthan Administrative Services Exam
Vikas Siyag and Raksha Sharma offer hope to numerous others from ordinary backgrounds who are burning the midnight oil aiming to obtain government employment
Published : October 16, 2025 at 6:17 PM IST
Bikaner/Jaisalmer: Government jobs remain the most sought-after vocation, particularly for the underprivileged and the marginalised, as this is the only way out of drudgery. Vikas Siyag of Kolayat in Bikaner and Raksha Sharma of Ramdevra in Jaisalmer have cracked the Rajasthan Administrative Services (Main) exam, offering hope to numerous others from ordinary backgrounds who are burning the midnight oil, aiming to obtain the coveted government employment.
Both of them have fought poverty to emerge victorious in their struggles. Vikas is the son of a truck driver who has secured the 10th rank, while Raksha’s father is a taxi driver.
Vikas is currently working as a Junior Assistant in the Education Department at a school in Ranjitpura, a locality very close to the Indo-Pak border. He told ETV Bharat that living in a small two-room accommodation, he and his elder brother are the first graduates in their extended family.
Vikas said that now his lifelong dream has come true. He had cleared the RAS (Preliminary) exam in 2021 but could not clear the Mains. But he once again took the exams in 2023 and has eventually cleared them. He attributed his success to Guru Jambheshwar, his parents and his own hard work.
His father, Nathuram Siyag, previously worked as a truck driver but now owns his own trucks. He also does farming. His mother, Pappu Devi, is a simple housewife.
Vikas said his previous failure became his inspiration to achieve his goal. He said, "In my previous attempt, I could not concentrate on the Mains because the exams coincided with the busy schedule of the school where I was working in March. Having failed, I resolved to succeed in this exam next time."
He rented a room in Ranjitpura, which is 80 km from Kolayat. He shared the accommodation with two of his friends who were preparing for the lecturer's exam. After school, his primary focus was on studies. He had to battle frequent power cuts in the border area during his preparations.
He had come to know about the RAS after his graduation in 2018. He managed to secure a government job at a junior level in 2019 and aimed for the RAS once he reached the age of 21. He has now managed to clear the exam on his second attempt.
He is the first one in his extended family to hold a government job. His older brother is a teacher with the Education Department, where he is currently on probation.
Meanwhile, Raksha also overcame limited resources and difficult circumstances to clear the RAS exam in her second attempt. Her father, Madan Sharma, has studied only up to Class 8 and supports the family by driving a taxi.
Despite financial constraints, Raksha’s parents never let their daughter's studies suffer. Her father even took a loan to fund her education. The loan continues to be repaid.
Raksha received her primary education in the rural area of Ramdevra, where communities refrain from sending girls to study alone. But her father put trust in her and sent her to Jodhpur and Jaipur to prepare for the RAS exams. She succeeded in the second attempt, securing 570th rank.
She related that she studied continuously for 8 to 12 hours daily while avoiding social and family events to focus solely on her goal.
During the interview, she was asked several questions about her home district. She revealed that she had also cleared the RAS (Mains) exam in 2024, for which the interviews are yet to be conducted.
Her home witnessed unprecedented celebrations once the results were declared on Wednesday, with well-wishers continuing to arrive till late into the night, even as her mother, Maina Devi, could not hold back her tears of joy.
Raksha gave the credit for her success to her parents and teachers. She urged all the girls not to be afraid and to fight against the odds to achieve their dreams.
She is an inspiration for every girl in her area by becoming the first female RAS officer from Ramdevra.
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