Dr. Vikas Divyakirti is the founder of Drishti IAS, one of India’s most recognized UPSC coaching institutes.
He cleared the Civil Services Examination in 1996 on his first attempt, served briefly in the Central Secretariat Service, and then chose teaching as his permanent path.
Today, Drishti IAS serves lakhs of civil services aspirants across India, with a strong focus on Hindi-medium students.
This article covers his biography, education, UPSC record, the story behind Drishti IAS, and his lasting impact on civil services preparation.
Who is Drishti IAS Founder Dr. Vikas Divyakirti?
Dr. Vikas Divyakirti is an educator, author, and the founder of Drishti IAS, a well-known UPSC coaching institute based in Mukherjee Nagar, New Delhi.
He built the institute from the ground up to serve aspirants who had limited access to quality UPSC guidance, particularly those from Hindi-medium backgrounds.
The table below covers the key facts about Dr. Vikas Divyakirti at a glance.
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Full Name | Dr. Vikas Divyakirti |
| Date of Birth | 26 December 1973 |
| Known For | Founder of Drishti IAS |
| Profession | Educator, UPSC Mentor, Author |
| Field | Civil Services Preparation |
| UPSC Rank | AIR 384 (1996, first attempt) |
| Institute Founded | Drishti IAS, 1999 |
| Personal YouTube Channel | Launched 26 November 2022 |
| Notable Work | Editor, Drishti Current Affairs Today |
Drishti IAS is currently one of the best IAS training centres in Delhi, with a consistent record of producing successful civil services candidates.
Early Life and Education of Dr. Vikas Divyakirti
Dr. Vikas Divyakirti was born on 26 December 1973 in Bhiwani, a city in Haryana. He studied at Halwasia Vidhya Vihar, a Hindi-medium school. That background shaped his focus on Hindi-medium aspirants throughout his career.
Academic Qualifications:
- B.Com (Hons.) – At Zakir Husain Delhi College, University of Delhi
- BA in History – University of Delhi
- MA in Hindi Literature – First year at Zakir Husain Delhi College; final year at Hindu College, Delhi (stood 2nd in first year)
- LLB – University of Delhi
- M.Phil – University of Delhi
- Ph.D. in Hindi Literature – University of Delhi
His background in law, literature, and humanities built a strong foundation for teaching UPSC subjects.
Dr. Vikas Divyakirti UPSC Journey and Civil Services Career
Dr. Vikas Divyakirti cleared the UPSC Civil Services Examination in 1996 on his first attempt, securing All India Rank 384.
He was allotted the Central Secretariat Service and joined as a Section Officer in the Department of Official Language, Ministry of Home Affairs, Government of India.
He resigned. Then rejoined after family pressure. Then committed to leaving within six months. After working for approximately one year in total, he left government service permanently.
Teaching had already pulled him in a different direction, and he was clear about where he wanted to go. That clarity led directly to the founding of Drishti IAS.
Vision of the Drishti IAS Founder For UPSC Preparation
Dr. Divyakirti started Drishti IAS in 1999 with ₹15,000 borrowed from friends, renting chairs and a small classroom in Mukherjee Nagar.
His goal was not to build a large institute. His goal was to give Hindi-medium aspirants a real chance at clearing UPSC, something he felt the existing system had failed to provide.
- Make quality UPSC preparation accessible to Hindi-medium students.
- Build teaching around concepts, not around templates or shortcuts.
- Keep coaching affordable for first-generation civil services aspirants.
- Provide regularly updated current affairs resources tied to the UPSC syllabus.
- Extend quality guidance beyond metro cities to students across India.
That ₹15,000 beginning eventually grew into an institute with over 1,800 employees and a student base spread across the country.
Dr. Vikas Divyakirti: Teaching Style and Influence on UPSC Aspirants
Dr. Divyakirti builds understanding before anything else. His lectures turn complex topics from polity, ethics, and Hindi literature into clear explanations that students apply directly in their answers.
- Teaches concepts from the ground up, not surface-level summaries.
- Covers ethics, polity, and current affairs with analytical depth.
- Connects current affairs to the UPSC syllabus in every session.
- Runs structured mentorship programs with direct student interaction.
- Publicly raises issues that affect Hindi-medium aspirants, including the English-medium bias in CSAT.
Dr. Divyakirti runs two YouTube channels for UPSC preparation. He launched his personal channel on 26 November 2022. The Drishti IAS institutional channel has been live since 2017.
Both channels offer free lectures, exam strategy, and current affairs content to aspirants across India.
Conclusion: Drishti IAS Founder Is a Benchmark in UPSC Education
Dr. Vikas Divyakirti cleared UPSC at 22, served in the Central Secretariat Service, and left a government career to build Drishti IAS. He started the institute in 1999 with ₹15,000.
Today, it employs over 1,800 people and reaches lakhs of aspirants across India. He holds a Ph.D. from Delhi University, edits a current affairs publication, and runs free YouTube channels for UPSC preparation.
Drishti IAS remains one of the most credible choices for serious civil services aspirants.
FAQs
Dr. Vikas Divyakirti serves as the founder and Managing Director of Drishti IAS. Dr. Taruna Verma leads Drishti, The Vision, the parent trust behind the institute.
Dr. Vikas Divyakirti continues to lead Drishti IAS actively as its Managing Director. In 2024, the institute faced scrutiny when the Municipal Corporation of Delhi sealed its basement facility for safety violations.
Both serve different exam categories. Khan Sir focuses on competitive government exams in Hindi, while Dr. Divyakirti specializes in UPSC Civil Services preparation with a focus on conceptual teaching and Hindi-medium students.
Dr. Vikas Divyakirti secured All India Rank 384 in the 1996 UPSC Civil Services Examination on his first attempt and was allotted the Central Secretariat Service.
