"Continuous study, self-confidence, hard work and perseverance are key to success," Gaikwad, an IIT Bombay alumni, who had cleared the UPSC exams earlier and was undergoing training as 'assistant defence controller', said.
He thanked his parents, Dr Shrikant Gaikwad, a former principal, mother Professor Anita Gaikwad and brother Shailesh as well as teachers for being successful in an extremely tough and competitive exam.
The civil services (preliminary) examination, 2020 was conducted on October 4 last year. As many as 10,40,060 candidates applied for the examination, out of whom 4,82,770 appeared, a UPSC statement said.
A total of 10,564 candidates qualified for appearance in the written (main) examination which was held in January, 2021, and, of them, 2,053 qualified for the personality test (interview), from which 761 were finally selected, it said.