Bhubaneswar: Bubun Sahoo, a 30-year-old son of a farmer from Keonjhar, has topped the Odisha Civil Services (OCS) 2024 examination, the results of which was declared by Odisha Public Service Commission on Tuesday.
A geology graduate from Ravenshaw University, who later completed his MSc from IIT(ISM) Dhanbad, Sahoo achieved this on his second attempt. In OCS-2023, he had secured selection into the Odisha Police Service (OPS) and was undergoing DSP training when the 2024 results were announced.
After his MSc, he worked as a geologist at ONGC while preparing for the exam. He dedicated about 2.5 years to preparation overall, studying four hours daily during workdays and extending it to seven hours on weekends. Relying on self-study with books and online resources, Sahoo emphasized consistency and perseverance as the keys to his success.
“The inner call for Civil Services started when I was studying in Ravenshaw. I started my preparation during COVID. Last year, I had secured Rank 40, but now I’m happy that I have topped the exam,” he told the media.
This year’s results showed stronger female representation, with four women securing top-10 ranks—Sovna Mohanty (Rank 2), Kanak Jain (Rank 4), Sheetal Patra (Rank 9), and Itishree Jena (Rank 10)—compared to just one in the previous year. The rest of the top-10 included Jitamitra Sahu (3rd), Sangram Pradhan (5th), Aman Goyal (6th), Santanu Kumar Satpathy (7th), and Nitesh Kumar Barik (8th).
Nearly 30,000 candidates had appeared for the prelims for 200 posts, with 2,405 qualifying for the mains.
Other Inspiring Journeys
>> Atasi Aparajita (Rank 12), a graduate of BJB Autonomous College, fulfilled a childhood dream by cracking the exam shortly after graduation in 2023. She stressed the importance of setting small daily targets, maintaining consistency, and effective time management through nightly schedules. “I began my preparation after I completed my graduation in 2023.
I kept small targets and tried to achieve them with consistency. For time management, I would prepare my schedule the night before and study accordingly during the day. Self-study is very important to identify one’s strengths and weaknesses,” she said.
>> Swagatika Dhal (Rank 20) turned her consistent hard work into success through years of focused preparation. She completed schooling at DAV Unit 8, earned a BSc BEd from the Regional Institute of Education (RIE), Bhubaneswar, and pursued her postgraduate degree in Chemistry from Miranda House, New Delhi. She dedicated herself fully to OPSC this year. “My hard work paid off. I’m very happy to have achieved this rank. I was expecting a good rank, but this exceeded her expectations. I’m very happy that I’ve gotten a rank. My family is very happy,” she said, attributing her achievement to disciplined effort and family backing.
In her interview, she handled questions on hobbies, recipes, women’s empowerment, Mission Shakti, chemistry concepts, and situational scenarios like tackling drug abuse.
>> Archit Subham (Rank 26) succeeded in his first attempt through intense hard work. He maintained 8-10 hours of daily study while prioritising fitness to manage mental pressure, achieving a balanced approach that paid off. “This was my first attempt. I’m very happy. I had really worked hard for it,” he said.
>> Snigdhamayee Swain (Rank 59) cleared the examination in her very first attempt after nearly two-and-a-half years of dedicated preparation. Hailing from Kakatpur, she followed an integrated strategy for prelims and mains, studying 6-7 hours daily with a disciplined routine. She relied on self-study and social media for quality resources. She hopes to serve in the Revenue Department.
>> Mrutunjaya Dash (Rank 86) achieved success in his first attempt as well. He expressed gratitude to his parents, well-wishers, and teachers, stating that his primary duty would be to serve society.
Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi congratulated the rank holders, reminding them that administrative service is a sacred commitment to transparent, people-centric governance and effective delivery of welfare schemes to every corner of the state. “Administrative service is not merely a position, but rather a sacred vow of public service. Let it be your primary resolve to embrace it as such, to build a transparent, accountable, and people-centric administrative system, and to serve as representatives of the govt in ensuring that every welfare scheme reaches the beneficiaries in the farthest corners of society with success,” he wrote on X.