by Vikas Divyakirti is an Indian educator, author and former civil servant best known as the founder and managing director of Drishti IAS. This article covers his age, education, UPSC rank, wife, family, government-service journey and role in 12th Fail.
View this post on Instagram
A common misconception describes him as a former IAS officer. Vikas Divyakirti did clear the UPSC Civil Services Examination, but he was allocated the Central Secretariat Service rather than the Indian Administrative Service. He later left government service and returned to teaching.
Vikas Divyakirti: Quick Facts
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Full Name | Dr Vikas Divyakirti |
| Reported Date of Birth | 26 December 1973 |
| Age in September 2026 | 52 years |
| Birthplace | Bhiwani, Haryana |
| Profession | Educator, author and former civil servant |
| Known For | Founder of Drishti IAS |
| Education | BA, MA and PhD in Hindi Literature |
| UPSC Rank | AIR 384 |
| Allotted Service | Central Secretariat Service |
| Government Department | Department of Official Language, Ministry of Home Affairs |
| Wife | Dr Taruna Verma |
| Son | Satwik Divyakirti |
| Notable Film Appearance | 12th Fail |
Who Is Vikas Divyakirti?
Vikas Divyakirti is one of India’s best-known civil-services educators. He is recognised for explaining difficult concepts in clear, conversational Hindi and connecting examination subjects with literature, philosophy, ethics and everyday experience.
Before building Drishti IAS, he taught at colleges affiliated with the University of Delhi and briefly worked for the Government of India. His work later expanded from classroom coaching to books, magazines, recorded courses and public discussions, bringing him an audience beyond competitive-examination candidates.
View this post on Instagram
Before establishing Drishti IAS, he worked as an assistant professor at Delhi University and briefly served in the Central Secretariat Service. His career eventually moved towards full-time teaching, educational publishing and digital content.
Age, Birthplace and Early Life
Public profiles widely report that he was born on 26 December 1973 in Bhiwani, Haryana. His official Drishti profile does not publish a birth date. Based on the commonly reported date, he was 52 years old in September 2026.
Published profiles say his father taught Hindi literature at a college and his mother worked as a schoolteacher. He later moved to Delhi for higher education and explored different subjects before making Hindi literature his principal academic field.
Published profiles say his father taught Hindi literature at a college and his mother worked as a schoolteacher. He later moved to Delhi for higher education and explored different subjects before making Hindi literature his principal academic field.
Vikas Divyakirti’s Education
His academic journey covers several disciplines. At the University of Delhi, he completed a BA in History, an MA in Hindi and a PhD in Hindi Literature. He also cleared the NET-JRF examination.
His official profile also refers to study in sociology, philosophy, law and management, while other accounts mention training in translation. This multidisciplinary background is visible in lectures that connect literature with governance, ethics and social behaviour.
Vikas Divyakirti’s UPSC Journey and Rank
He appeared for the Civil Services Examination in 1996. The final result was announced later, and he secured All India Rank 384 in his first attempt.
He was initially considered for a position connected with the Central Industrial Security Force but faced a medical issue during the allocation process. He subsequently joined the Central Secretariat Service.
In June 1999, he began working as a desk officer in the Department of Official Language under the Ministry of Home Affairs. He resigned after serving for a few months, although the formal relieving process reportedly took longer.
He also made further attempts to improve his civil-services result. In one attempt, he reached the interview stage but did not receive another final selection. He has said that 2003 was his final UPSC attempt.
Was Vikas Divyakirti an IAS Officer?
No. He was not allotted the Indian Administrative Service.
He cleared the UPSC Civil Services Examination and joined the Central Secretariat Service. Calling him a former civil servant is accurate, while describing him as a former IAS officer is incorrect.
Why Did Vikas Divyakirti Leave Government Service?
Teaching was already an important part of his professional life. Government service provided him with administrative experience, but education remained closer to his interests and abilities.
After resigning, he returned to teaching and focused on developing structured guidance for civil-services candidates, especially students preparing through Hindi medium.
Founding of Drishti IAS
Vikas Divyakirti and Dr Taruna Verma established Drishti IAS in November 1999. The institute initially concentrated on improving access to civil-services preparation for Hindi-medium aspirants.
At that time, English-medium candidates had greater access to coaching material and examination guidance. Drishti attempted to reduce this gap by developing Hindi study material, classroom programmes, magazines and examination analysis.
Over time, the organisation expanded into English-medium courses, digital classes, mobile learning, test series and educational publications. Vikas Divyakirti serves as its founder and managing director.
Teaching Style and Public Popularity
He is known for using examples, humour and conversational language to explain difficult ideas. Instead of limiting a lecture to examination facts, he often discusses the social and philosophical questions behind a topic.
His popular subjects include:
- Ethics and integrity
- Essay writing
- Hindi literature
- Social issues
- Philosophy
- Governance
- Civil-services interviews
His official profile describes his broader objective as creating a “culture of discourse” in which people discuss social and political questions through reasoned conversation rather than forced agreement.
His lectures are available through Drishti IAS platforms and his personal YouTube channel.
Vikas Divyakirti’s Wife and Son
He is married to Dr Taruna Verma. The couple married in 1997 and later worked together in establishing Drishti IAS.
Taruna Verma has been associated with the organisation’s teaching and management. The couple has one son named Satwik Divyakirti.
They generally keep their family life separate from Vikas Divyakirti’s public work, although he occasionally discusses parenting and relationships during interviews.
View this post on Instagram
Books and Educational Work
He has contributed to educational publishing along with classroom teaching. One of his recognised books is Nibandh-Drishti, developed with former civil servant Nishant Jain. The book focuses on essay preparation for competitive examinations.
Drishti Publications also offers an Ethics, Integrity and Aptitude book based on his classroom lectures. Apart from books, his work includes editorial guidance, recorded courses, discussions and educational videos.
Vikas Divyakirti in 12th Fail
He appeared as himself in Vidhu Vinod Chopra’s 2023 film 12th Fail. The film stars Vikrant Massey and follows the journey of civil-services aspirant Manoj Kumar Sharma.
His presence added authenticity to the portions dealing with UPSC preparation and the interview process. The appearance also introduced him to many viewers who had not previously followed civil-services coaching content.
Vikas Divyakirti Career Timeline
| Year | Career Event |
|---|---|
| 1996 | Appeared for the Civil Services Examination |
| 1998 | CSE result declared; secured AIR 384 |
| 1999 | Joined the Central Secretariat Service |
| 1999 | Established Drishti IAS with Taruna Verma |
| 2001 | Formal government-service relieving process completed |
| 2022 | Launched his personal YouTube channel |
| 2023 | Appeared as himself in 12th Fail |
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Vikas Divyakirti’s age?
His date of birth is widely reported as 26 December 1973, which made him 52 years old in September 2026. The date of birth is a more evergreen reference because his age changes every year.
What is Vikas Divyakirti’s educational qualification?
He holds a PhD in Hindi Literature from the University of Delhi. His broader academic background includes history and reported study in sociology, philosophy, law, management and translation.
What was Vikas Divyakirti’s UPSC rank?
Published interview-based accounts report that he secured All India Rank 384 in the Civil Services Examination. He was allotted the Central Secretariat Service rather than the IAS.
Was Vikas Divyakirti an IAS officer?
No. He cleared the UPSC Civil Services Examination but was not allocated the Indian Administrative Service. He worked in the Central Secretariat Service under the Ministry of Home Affairs.
How many UPSC attempts did he make?
He was selected through his first attempt and later made additional attempts to improve his service allocation. Interview-based accounts describe 2003 as his fourth and final attempt.
Why did he resign from government service?
He found teaching more closely aligned with his interests and communication abilities. After leaving government service, he concentrated on coaching, educational publishing and building Drishti IAS.
Who is Vikas Divyakirti’s wife?
His wife is Dr Taruna Verma. She has been associated with the growth, teaching and management of Drishti IAS.
Does he have a son?
Yes. He and Dr Taruna Verma have one son named Satwik Divyakirti.
What role did he play in 12th Fail?
He appeared as himself in the 2023 film. His scenes were connected with the UPSC preparation and interview process.
Is his net worth publicly verified?
No audited or reliably verified public figure for his personal net worth is available. Amounts circulated by unofficial biography websites should be treated as estimates rather than established facts.
Conclusion
Vikas Divyakirti has built a distinctive career across university teaching, civil service, educational publishing and public communication. His decision to return to teaching led to the establishment of Drishti IAS and a wider role in Hindi-medium civil-services education. His simple explanations and multidisciplinary approach continue to connect with UPSC aspirants and general learners.
