For Jainendra Kumar Nigam, appearing for a competitive examination meant facing a situation few candidates could imagine. He was in jail when he had to appear for the preliminary examination of the Madhya Pradesh Public Service Commission (MPPSC). He was escorted to the examination centre by police personnel in handcuffs, with a pen in his other hand.Years later, Nigam would achieve his goal of becoming a deputy superintendent of police (DSP), securing the 12th rank in the MPPSC examination. His journey from a small village in Madhya Pradesh’s Bhind district to the police service unfolded amid legal troubles, financial constraints and personal setbacks.
His father’s unfinished dream became his goal
According to a report by Navbharat Times, Nigam comes from a farming family in Bhind district. His father, Keshav Kumar Nigam, had aspired to clear the state civil services examination but could not fulfil that ambition amid family responsibilities and financial difficulties.Nigam decided to pursue the dream his father had been unable to realise. But the path towards a government position would prove far more difficult than preparing for a competitive examination alone.
Two stints in jail disrupted his preparation
Nigam and his family faced multiple legal cases, which he has described as false. The disputes reportedly involved attempts by powerful local figures to take control of the family’s land. The family also endured a period of severe uncertainty after their home was set on fire.Nigam was jailed twice. During one of those periods, he was preparing for the MPPSC examination. When the preliminary examination arrived, he was still in custody.He was taken to the examination centre in handcuffs, accompanied by police personnel. The unusual circumstances meant he had to sit for an examination that could shape his future while dealing with the consequences of the legal cases against him.The experience was a stark contrast to the circumstances in which most candidates prepare for competitive examinations, often balancing classes, mock tests and revision schedules. For Nigam, continuing to pursue his goal meant studying despite uncertainty about his own situation.
Nigam’s journey to the police service included imprisonment, financial difficulties and the loss of his family home.
A burnt home and a family crisis added to the struggle
The legal battles were not the only difficulties Nigam faced. His family also went through a serious accident, adding to the strain he was already under. The experience left him emotionally distressed, Nigam told NBT.At a particularly difficult point, Nigam made a promise to his mother that he would return home as a DSP. The commitment became an important source of motivation as he continued working towards the position.After securing bail in 2021, he moved to Indore to prepare for government recruitment examinations. Financial constraints remained a challenge, but he continued studying and working on his written examination skills.He prepared his own notes and wrote through around 600-700 test-series papers as part of his preparation. He also cleared several recruitment examinations, including those for constable, sub-inspector and other government positions, before joining as a naib tehsildar.However, the administrative post was not his final destination. His stated ambition remained becoming a DSP.
MPPSC rank 12 fulfilled his ambition
Nigam’s preparation eventually brought results. He was acquitted in the cases against him in 2024. He went on to secure the 12th rank in the MPPSC examination and was selected as a DSP.The achievement carried significance beyond a government appointment. It also fulfilled the aspiration that had motivated him since his father’s own attempts to enter the state civil services.His journey illustrates how competitive-examination preparation can continue even when circumstances are far removed from the usual picture of a student studying at a desk. For Nigam, the road to the police service included imprisonment, family distress and the loss of his home, alongside years of preparation for government jobs.From being escorted to an examination centre in handcuffs to earning selection as a deputy superintendent of police, Nigam’s story is a reminder of the difficult and often unseen circumstances behind some journeys into public service.
