Dr Vikas Divyakirti is the founder and director of Drishti IAS, a coaching centre for UPSC aspirants in Delhi.Vikas grew up in a middle-class family in Bhiwani, Haryana, where he completed his schooling. He was interested in politics since his school days and won almost all of his school’s parliamentary elections. Dr Vikas Divyakirti during his school days.In an interview, he revealed that he was very poor in the English language and failed in the subject in almost every class during his schooling. However, he somehow managed to pass the annual examinations.Having completed his schooling in Bhiwani, Haryana, he attended Delhi University’s Zakir Husain Delhi College.Dr. Vikas attended Delhi University to pursue a career in politics because his father wanted him to be a politician, and he became a member of the Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP).His first year at Zakir Husain saw him become very popular, and he was active in the national agitation against the Mandal Commission formed under the Janata Party government under Prime Minister Morarji Desai.While he pursuing his first year at college, his family faced financial constraints, and he had to do some odd jobs including as a salesman, and selling calculators. He also worked at a printing firm and assisted his brother in his printing business. Later, they started their own printing business.His plan was to contest the student election and become the president of the Student Union; however, he was advised against contesting the election because it would put his life in danger, so he decided not to contest.While studying at Delhi University, he won many cash prizes in various debates he participated in.Having earned his Master’s degree, he decided to sit for the UPSC exam. He passed the UPSC examination on his first attempt in 1996 with sociology as an optional; he ranked 384th, and the CISF assigned Vikas the post of Assistant Commandant, but he was deemed medically unfit due to flat feet. He then joined the Ministry of Home Affairs’ central secretariat.