For years, Soumil Saxena kept appearing for some of India’s toughest competitive examinations — and repeatedly returned without the result he wanted. UPSC Civil Services, RBI Grade B, NABARD Grade A, IBPS PO, LIC AAO, CAT and several other examinations appeared on his list of unsuccessful attempts.But the St Stephen’s College graduate did not stop. After facing setbacks in more than 15 competitive examinations, Saxena secured selection as an SBI Probationary Officer, worked in banking for nearly two years and then returned to CAT preparation. The result: a 99.86 percentile in CAT 2025 and admission to IIM Ahmedabad.His journey offers a reminder that one unsuccessful examination — or even several — does not necessarily decide where a career eventually leads.
From St Stephen’s College to five years of competitive exams
Saxena graduated in Physical Sciences from St Stephen’s College, Delhi, in 2022. According to the educational details shared on his professional profile, he completed his graduation with a grade of 9.318.Before college, he scored 94.60 per cent overall in Class XII, with 97 per cent in his best four subjects, after scoring a 10 CGPA in Class X.After graduation, however, his journey through competitive examinations became considerably more difficult.Between 2022 and 2025, Saxena attempted examinations across the civil services, banking, insurance and government recruitment sectors.His unsuccessful attempts included three attempts at the UPSC Civil Services Examination in 2023, 2024 and 2025; RBI Grade B in 2023 and 2024; NABARD Grade A in 2022 and 2023; RBI Assistant; AAI Junior Executive; UPSC EPFO; IBPS PO; LIC AAO; MPPSC; NIACL AO and CAT 2023.
The breakthrough that changed the journey
Amid the setbacks came important breakthroughs.In 2023, Saxena cleared the SSC Combined Graduate Level examination and the SBI PO examination. He subsequently joined the State Bank of India as a Probationary Officer.His professional profile shows that he worked as an SBI PO in Bhilai, Chhattisgarh, and later in Maksi, Madhya Pradesh, including a rural posting. He spent around one year and eight months with the bank.For someone who had spent years preparing for competitive examinations, the SBI PO selection brought professional stability. But Saxena had not completely moved away from his plans for management education.
Studying for CAT after long banking hours
Preparing for CAT while working as a full-time banker meant fitting study hours around an already demanding routine.Reflecting on his preparation, Saxena wrote about the discipline required to continue studying despite work commitments, describing a routine involving “early mornings, late nights” and preparation after long banking hours.The approach paid off.After an unsuccessful CAT attempt in 2023, Saxena returned to the examination and scored 99.86 percentile in CAT 2025. He subsequently secured admission to the MBA programme at IIM Ahmedabad, where his profile lists his programme tenure from June 2026 to May 2028.
What three UPSC setbacks taught him
The Civil Services Examination remained one of the longest-running chapters of Saxena’s competitive-exam journey.He appeared for UPSC CSE in 2023, 2024 and 2025 but did not achieve the outcome he had hoped for.In a LinkedIn post reflecting on those years, Saxena wrote about the doubts that followed repeated setbacks. “I still remember sitting with my result, wondering if I had made a mistake spending years chasing a dream that wasn’t meant for me,” he wrote.Yet, looking back, he said those years had given him something beyond an examination result: resilience.The preparation process, the repeated failures and the need to begin again after disappointing results became part of the experience he carried into later opportunities.
From 15 failures to SBI PO and IIM Ahmedabad
Saxena’s journey is not a simple story of failure followed by one dramatic success.It includes multiple setbacks, selections in SSC CGL and SBI PO, a banking career and eventually a CAT score that opened the doors to IIM Ahmedabad.His own message captures the larger lesson: “You are not defeated unless you think you are.”For aspirants preparing for competitive examinations, Saxena’s journey may offer a practical reminder. A failed attempt can be disappointing, but it does not always mean the end of a larger career goal. Sometimes, the next opportunity may come through an entirely different examination — and sometimes, changing direction can lead to an unexpected destination.Disclaimer: This article is based on publicly available information and social media posts shared by the individual and sources cited. TOI Education has not independently verified all claims, examination results, educational qualifications or career-related information mentioned above.
