Gwalior Aspirant Overcomes Debt and Academic Setbacks to Become Bank Officer Through Self-Study

After his family’s business closed and debt forced them to sell their home, Gwalior’s Chirag Chopra continued pursuing a stable career. Years later, he secured All India Rank 79 in the 2018 IBPS Probationary Officer examination—preparing without professional coaching.

Chopra’s journey, reported by Hindustan Times and Live Hindustan, began with plans to prepare for engineering entrance examinations. After Class 10, he moved to Kota for coaching. The demanding academic environment and pressure affected his focus, and he did not clear the IIT entrance examination. He later took another entrance test, earned an average score and gained college admission.

During college, conversations with friends led him to consider banking examinations. His family was still dealing with financial strain, so paid coaching was not a realistic option. Chopra chose self-study, using books and a regular study routine to prepare for the Institute of Banking Personnel Selection Probationary Officer (IBPS PO) examination.

From family financial strain to a banking career

Chopra’s father had operated a small oil business. According to the reports, business losses and problems with partners led to its closure and left the family with debt. Selling their home added to the disruption. The coverage also describes academic disappointment and a difficult period at home after Chopra returned from Kota.

His later preparation relied on materials he could access without coaching. Reports say he studied around 12 to 14 hours a day, sometimes longer. That is a detail from his reported experience, not a recommended study target for every candidate. A practical plan depends on a person’s schedule, health, current skill level and exam requirements.

In the 2018 IBPS PO results, Chopra secured AIR 79. He joined Union Bank of India as a Probationary Officer and later became a branch manager, according to the published accounts. The result marked a turning point in his career after earlier setbacks, but it does not make his preparation path a formula that every aspirant must follow.

Chirag Chopra’s education and exam timeline

• After Class 10: Chopra went to Kota to prepare for engineering entrance examinations.
• After returning to Gwalior: He took another entrance examination, earned an average score and entered college.
• During college: He shifted his career focus to banking exams and prepared independently with books.
• 2018: He secured All India Rank 79 in the IBPS PO examination and joined Union Bank of India as a Probationary Officer.
• July 9 and October 13, 2026: Live Hindustan published the account in July; Hindustan Times published a report on Chopra’s journey in October.

What aspirants can take from the story

Chopra’s experience shows one route through competitive-exam preparation: adapting after a change in plans, choosing a goal that fit his circumstances and using self-study when coaching was unaffordable. Aspirants can take the value of persistence from the story while building their own realistic plan around official exam notifications, reliable study material, practice and revision.