Stories
Becoming an IAS officer is a dream for millions of young Indians.
Every year, lakhs of candidates appear for the UPSC Civil Services Examination, competing for a limited number of positions in the Indian Administrative Service. For many aspirants, clearing the examination and entering the IAS represents the culmination of years of preparation, sacrifice and uncertainty.
But what happens when someone who has already achieved that dream decides to walk away?
Over the years, several IAS officers have resigned from the service before retirement. Their reasons have been very different. Some moved into politics. Some chose entrepreneurship. Others resigned after expressing strong concerns about governance, democracy or freedom of expression. Some opted for voluntary retirement instead of formally resigning.
The latest name to attract national attention is Divya Mittal, a 2013-batch Uttar Pradesh cadre officer who announced her resignation in August 2026 after 13 years in the civil services. The Indian Express reported on Divya Mittal's resignation
Her decision has once again triggered a larger question:
Why would an IAS officer leave one of India's most prestigious and secure careers?
The answer becomes clearer when the stories of different officers are examined individually.
Roman Saini moved into education entrepreneurship and became a co-founder of Unacademy. Ashwini Vaishnaw moved from the IAS to the corporate sector and eventually entered politics, becoming a Union Minister. O.P. Choudhary resigned and entered electoral politics. Shah Faesal resigned, entered politics and later returned to the IAS. Kannan Gopinathan and S. Sasikanth Senthil resigned after publicly expressing concerns about governance and democracy.
Other officers, including Kashish Mittal and Syed Sabahat Azim, followed very different paths outside government.
In August 2026, Divya Mittal announced that she had voluntarily resigned from the IAS after a 13-year career. Read the latest report on Divya Mittal's resignation
It is important to note that not every IAS officer who leaves before retirement has resigned. Some leave through voluntary retirement (VRS), while in some cases a resignation may remain pending or may later be withdrawn.
| IAS Officer | What happened after leaving? | Main reason or career direction |
|---|---|---|
| Divya Mittal | Next career phase developing | Personal priorities and aspirations |
| Roman Saini | Co-founded Unacademy | Education and entrepreneurship |
| Ashwini Vaishnaw | Corporate sector → politics → Union Minister | Career transition |
| O.P. Choudhary | Entered electoral politics | Politics |
| Shah Faesal | Politics → returned to IAS | Kashmir and governance concerns |
| Kannan Gopinathan | Public life | Freedom of expression concerns |
| S. Sasikanth Senthil | Entered politics | Concerns about democracy |
| Abhishek Singh | Acting and public life | Career outside administration |
| Kashish Mittal | Music, technology and entrepreneurship | Personal passion |
| Syed Sabahat Azim | Healthcare entrepreneurship | Affordable healthcare |
The resignation of Divya Mittal has brought the subject of IAS officers quitting the civil services back into the national spotlight.
Mittal is a 2013-batch IAS officer of the Uttar Pradesh cadre who served for approximately 13 years. During her career, she served as District Magistrate of Deoria, Mirzapur and Sant Kabir Nagar, among other assignments. The Indian Express profile of Divya Mittal's IAS career
Before joining the civil services, Mittal studied at IIT Delhi and IIM Bangalore and worked in London. She eventually returned to India and entered the civil services. Hindustan Times: Who is Divya Mittal?
During her administrative career, Mittal became particularly well known for her work in Mirzapur and her direct engagement with people.
In August 2026, she announced that she had voluntarily resigned from the IAS after 13 years.
Her resignation note reflected on her journey in public service and on the aspirations that brought her back to India after working abroad. She did not publicly state a specific official reason for resigning. Hindustan Times report on Divya Mittal's resignation
That distinction is important.
There has been speculation about why she left, but unless Mittal herself or an authoritative source confirms a specific reason, those claims should not be presented as fact.
Reports indicate that she may explore areas such as academics, writing and social work after leaving the IAS. The Indian Express report on her next phase
Her case is particularly interesting because it shows that an IAS resignation does not necessarily have to be triggered by a political controversy or a financial opportunity.
Sometimes an officer simply decides that it is time for a different phase of life.
If there is one IAS resignation story that particularly fascinates UPSC aspirants, it is that of Roman Saini.
Saini achieved academic milestones unusually early.
He cleared the AIIMS entrance examination at 16 and later cleared the UPSC Civil Services Examination at the age of 22. He joined the IAS and served in Madhya Pradesh.
For most people, becoming an IAS officer at such a young age would be a dream career.
For Saini, however, it was not the final destination.
He eventually left the civil services and moved into education entrepreneurship.
Saini became a co-founder of Unacademy, alongside Gaurav Munjal and Himesh Singh.
His story became particularly popular among UPSC aspirants because it demonstrated that someone could spend years preparing for the civil services, clear one of India's toughest examinations and still decide that entrepreneurship was the better career path.
His journey is therefore:
UPSC → IAS → resignation → education entrepreneurship
For Saini, the question was not simply whether the IAS was a prestigious career.
It was whether it was the career in which he wanted to spend the rest of his professional life.
Ashwini Vaishnaw presents perhaps the most unusual career trajectory on this list.
Vaishnaw was an IAS officer of the Odisha cadre before leaving the service in 2011. He subsequently worked in the corporate sector, including with major companies, and later moved into entrepreneurship and politics. The Indian Express on IAS officers who resigned, including Ashwini Vaishnaw
His career eventually took him to Parliament and then to the Union Council of Ministers.
His journey can be summarised as:
IAS → Corporate sector → Entrepreneurship → Politics → Union Minister
Few career journeys are more unconventional.
His story also demonstrates that leaving the IAS does not necessarily mean leaving public service permanently.
An officer can leave the bureaucracy and later return to public life through an entirely different route.
O.P. Choudhary, a 2005-batch Chhattisgarh-cadre IAS officer, resigned from the civil services in August 2018.
At the time, he was serving as Collector of Raipur.
Choudhary said he wanted to dedicate his time to his people and his home state. Shortly after leaving the IAS, he joined the BJP and entered electoral politics. The Indian Express report on O.P. Choudhary's resignation
His resignation was formally accepted by the Union Personnel Ministry before he joined the BJP. The Indian Express report on Choudhary joining the BJP after leaving IAS
His story illustrates one of the clearest alternative paths for a former civil servant:
Administration → Politics
An IAS officer works within the administrative system, while an elected politician participates directly in political decision-making.
For Choudhary, moving into politics offered a different way of serving the public.
The story of Shah Faesal is one of the most unusual IAS resignation cases in India.
Faesal, a 2010-batch IAS officer from Jammu and Kashmir, resigned from the IAS in January 2019.
He said at the time that his decision was connected to his concerns about the situation in Kashmir, including what he described as unabated killings and the absence of a credible political initiative. The Indian Express profile of Shah Faesal's resignation and return to IAS
After resigning, Faesal entered politics and launched the Jammu and Kashmir People's Movement.
However, his political career did not last.
He eventually left politics and sought to return to government service.
In 2022, he was reinstated into the IAS after the government cleared his return. The Indian Express report on Shah Faesal returning to the IAS
His career therefore became:
IAS → Resignation → Politics → Exit from politics → IAS
This is also an important example of why an announcement of resignation should not automatically be interpreted as a permanent exit.
In Faesal's case, his resignation was never accepted by the government before his return to service. The Indian Express explained Faesal's reinstatement and resignation status
Kannan Gopinathan, a 2012-batch IAS officer, resigned in August 2019.
Kannan Gopinathan resigned from the IAS in 2019, citing concerns about freedom of expression and governance.
His case was very different from officers who left for business or politics.
Gopinathan said he resigned because he wanted to protest what he described as the denial of freedom of expression to people in Jammu and Kashmir. The Indian Express interview with Kannan Gopinathan
He argued that remaining in the civil services prevented him from freely expressing his views.
But his resignation did not immediately end his service.
The government had not accepted his resignation, and he was asked to return to duty. The matter later became a prolonged administrative and legal dispute. The Indian Express: What happened to Kannan Gopinathan's resignation?
His case is therefore particularly important for anyone asking:
Can an IAS officer simply resign and walk away?
The answer is no—not necessarily.
The resignation must go through the applicable administrative process.
S. Sasikanth Senthil, a 2009-batch Karnataka-cadre IAS officer, resigned in September 2019 while serving as Deputy Commissioner of Dakshina Kannada.
In his resignation statement, Senthil said that he considered it unethical to continue as a civil servant when he believed the fundamental building blocks of India's democracy were being compromised. The Indian Express report on Sasikanth Senthil's resignation
His resignation came shortly after Kannan Gopinathan's.
The two cases therefore generated considerable discussion about whether civil servants should remain within the system when they strongly disagree with government decisions.
Senthil subsequently entered politics and joined the Congress in 2020. The Indian Express on Sasikanth Senthil joining politics
His career illustrates another route:
IAS → Resignation → Politics
Abhishek Singh, a 2011-batch Uttar Pradesh-cadre IAS officer, became known outside government circles for his interest in acting and public life.
He appeared in music videos and entertainment projects while also maintaining a public profile on social media.
Singh submitted his resignation from the IAS in 2023, and it was subsequently accepted by the government.
His career after the IAS has included acting, entertainment and other public-facing activities.
His story is particularly interesting because it represents a move away from conventional government administration into the creative and entertainment space.
Kashish Mittal, a 2011-batch AGMUT-cadre IAS officer, resigned from the service in 2019.
His resignation initially attracted attention because it came after he was transferred from Delhi to Arunachal Pradesh. The case was later discussed in the context of his desire to pursue other interests, including music. The Indian Express report on IAS resignations and Kashish Mittal
Mittal's story stands out because his alternative career was not simply another government position or a political career.
He had a strong interest in Hindustani classical music.
His journey demonstrates that professional success and personal fulfilment are not always the same thing.
Someone can achieve an extremely prestigious career and still decide that another passion deserves more of their time.
Dr Syed Sabahat Azim is another notable example of an IAS officer moving into entrepreneurship.
Syed Sabahat Azim left the IAS and founded Glocal Healthcare to provide affordable healthcare services.
Azim left the IAS and later founded Glocal Healthcare, focusing on affordable healthcare services.
His story has often been associated with a personal experience involving his father's medical treatment, which influenced his decision to work on healthcare accessibility.
His career illustrates another reason an IAS officer might leave:
to build a solution independently rather than administer an existing government system.
There is no single reason why IAS officers resign.
The cases discussed above show several broad patterns.
Some officers believe they can create greater impact outside government.
Roman Saini moved into education entrepreneurship.
Syed Sabahat Azim moved into healthcare entrepreneurship.
Ashwini Vaishnaw entered the corporate sector and later entrepreneurship.
Some officers eventually decide that they want to participate directly in political decision-making.
O.P. Choudhary moved into electoral politics after resigning from the IAS. The Indian Express on O.P. Choudhary's political transition
Ashwini Vaishnaw also moved from the IAS into politics.
Shah Faesal entered politics after resigning, although his journey eventually brought him back into government service. The Indian Express on Shah Faesal's return to the IAS
Kannan Gopinathan and S. Sasikanth Senthil became prominent examples of officers whose resignations were associated with their views on governance, democracy and freedom of expression. The Indian Express on Kannan Gopinathan's resignation The Indian Express on Sasikanth Senthil's resignation
Divya Mittal's 2026 resignation demonstrates another category.
She described her 13-year journey in the IAS and reflected on the aspirations that originally brought her back to India. However, she did not publicly give a specific official reason for her resignation. Hindustan Times report on Divya Mittal's resignation
Therefore, it would be incorrect to attribute her resignation to a specific controversy unless she or an authoritative source confirms it.
Kashish Mittal's story demonstrates that a career in government may not always be someone's ultimate personal ambition.
For some people, music, writing, teaching, research or entrepreneurship may eventually become more important than remaining in a bureaucratic career.
Government data cited by The Indian Express showed that 31 IAS officers resigned between 2010 and May 2025.
According to the report, 11 officers resigned between 2010 and 2014, while 20 resigned between 2015 and May 2025. The Indian Express analysis of IAS resignation data
However, this number should not be interpreted as the total number of IAS officers who left government service during that period.
Why?
Because resignation and voluntary retirement are different categories.
Some officers may leave through VRS rather than resignation.
No. Resignation and voluntary retirement are different ways of leaving government service.
The Department of Personnel and Training specifically handles matters relating to the acceptance of resignation of IAS officers as well as voluntary retirement under the applicable All India Services rules. Department of Personnel and Training: IAS service matters and resignation rules
| Resignation | Voluntary Retirement |
|---|---|
| Officer voluntarily resigns from service | Officer retires voluntarily under applicable rules |
| Requires the prescribed government process | Subject to applicable eligibility and retirement rules |
| Has separate service and benefit implications | Has separate retirement-related implications |
| Can sometimes raise questions about withdrawal | Governed by specific retirement provisions |
The All India Services Act, 1951 provides the legal framework under which the service rules are made. India Code: All-India Services Act, 1951
Not necessarily.
An IAS officer can submit a resignation, but it must go through the applicable administrative process.
This distinction is particularly important in cases such as Kannan Gopinathan's.
He submitted his resignation in 2019, but the government did not immediately accept it. He was subsequently asked to return to duty while the matter remained unresolved. The Indian Express: Kannan Gopinathan's stalled resignation
Therefore:
Submitting a resignation is not automatically the same as completing the exit from the IAS.
Under the applicable All India Services rules, withdrawal of resignation can be permitted in certain circumstances, subject to the prescribed conditions.
The rules specify conditions relating to matters such as the timing of the request, conduct during the intervening period and availability of a suitable post. They also place restrictions on certain situations involving private employment and political activity. All India Services rules on withdrawal of resignation
Shah Faesal's case demonstrates why this distinction matters.
He resigned in 2019, entered politics and later returned to government service after his resignation had not been accepted. The Indian Express on Shah Faesal's reinstatement
The stories of former IAS officers show several different career paths.
Roman Saini → Education entrepreneurship
Syed Sabahat Azim → Healthcare entrepreneurship
Ashwini Vaishnaw → Corporate career → Politics → Union Minister
O.P. Choudhary → Electoral politics
Shah Faesal → Political party → Return to government service
Abhishek Singh → Acting and public-facing work
Kashish Mittal → Music → Technology/entrepreneurship
Divya Mittal → New career phase following her 2026 resignation
The important point is that leaving the IAS does not necessarily mean leaving public service, ambition or professional life.
It can simply mean choosing a different route.
This is one of the questions many UPSC aspirants overlook.
An IAS officer who resigns may be giving up:
The IAS offers a level of employment security that most private-sector careers cannot provide.
Senior IAS officers can hold positions with significant responsibility for implementing government programmes and managing public administration.
Depending on posting and eligibility, officers may receive government accommodation, official vehicles and other facilities.
The IAS offers a defined progression through increasingly senior administrative positions.
The financial and retirement consequences of leaving service can depend on the applicable rules and the manner in which the officer leaves.
Therefore, an IAS officer does not simply give up a job.
They may be giving up an entire institutional career.
Not necessarily.
If success is defined only as remaining in government service until retirement, then resignation may look like abandoning a successful career.
But the careers of former IAS officers show a much more complicated picture.
Roman Saini moved into education entrepreneurship.
Ashwini Vaishnaw eventually became a Union Minister.
O.P. Choudhary entered electoral politics.
Syed Sabahat Azim moved into healthcare entrepreneurship.
Kashish Mittal pursued music.
Shah Faesal returned to government after a period in politics.
The outcomes are completely different.
The better question may therefore not be:
“Why did they give up such a prestigious job?”
It may be:
“What did they believe was worth pursuing instead?”
The relatively small number of resignations does not by itself establish that the IAS is losing its appeal.
Government data cited by The Indian Express recorded 31 IAS resignations between 2010 and May 2025. The Indian Express analysis of IAS resignation figures
The IAS remains one of India's most competitive and prestigious public-service careers.
At the same time, the stories of officers who leave reveal something important about the changing nature of professional ambition.
Many modern civil servants come from backgrounds in:
Engineering
Medicine
Management
Technology
Finance
Entrepreneurship
Some have already experienced private-sector careers before entering government.
For such professionals, the IAS may be one stage of a broader career rather than necessarily a lifelong destination.
Perhaps the biggest misconception is that every IAS officer who resigns must have become unhappy with government service.
The stories are much more complicated.
Roman Saini wanted to build an education company.
Ashwini Vaishnaw moved toward the corporate sector and eventually politics.
O.P. Choudhary wanted to enter politics and serve people directly.
Kannan Gopinathan wanted to speak about issues he considered important.
Sasikanth Senthil believed he could better pursue his goals outside the bureaucracy.
Kashish Mittal wanted to pursue music.
Shah Faesal left, entered politics and eventually returned to government service.
Divya Mittal decided after 13 years in the IAS to move into a new phase of life.
These are not the same stories.
And that may be the most important lesson.
Divya Mittal, a 2013-batch Uttar Pradesh cadre IAS officer, announced her voluntary resignation from the IAS in August 2026 after 13 years of service. The Indian Express: Divya Mittal resigns after 13 years
Divya Mittal did not publicly give a specific official reason for her resignation. In her farewell message, she reflected on her 13-year journey, her aspirations and the purpose that originally brought her back to India. Hindustan Times: Divya Mittal resignation
Roman Saini is a former IAS officer who went on to co-found Unacademy, an education technology company.
Ashwini Vaishnaw left the IAS, subsequently worked in the corporate sector and entered politics. He later became a Union Minister. The Indian Express on IAS officers including Ashwini Vaishnaw
Several IAS officers have done so. O.P. Choudhary resigned from the IAS in 2018 and joined the BJP shortly afterwards. The Indian Express on O.P. Choudhary joining politics
Shah Faesal also resigned and launched a political party before eventually returning to the IAS. The Indian Express on Shah Faesal's return to the IAS
Kannan Gopinathan resigned in 2019, saying that he wanted to protest what he described as the denial of freedom of expression to people in Jammu and Kashmir. The Indian Express interview with Kannan Gopinathan
S. Sasikanth Senthil, a 2009-batch Karnataka-cadre IAS officer, resigned in September 2019 and said he believed it was unethical for him to continue as a civil servant when he felt the fundamental building blocks of India's democracy were being compromised. The Indian Express report on Sasikanth Senthil's resignation
Kashish Mittal resigned from the IAS in 2019 and pursued his interest in Hindustani classical music and other professional activities. The Indian Express on Kashish Mittal and IAS resignations
Yes. An IAS officer can submit a resignation before the normal retirement age, but the resignation is subject to the applicable All India Services rules and government acceptance. The Department of Personnel and Training deals with the acceptance of resignation of IAS officers. Department of Personnel and Training: IAS service matters
No. Resignation and voluntary retirement are different methods of leaving government service, with separate rules and service implications.
In certain circumstances, yes. The applicable All India Services rules contain provisions governing withdrawal of resignation, subject to specified conditions. All India Services rules on withdrawal of resignation
According to DoPT data cited by The Indian Express, 31 IAS officers resigned between 2010 and May 2025. This figure should not be confused with all officers who left service because voluntary retirement is a separate category. The Indian Express analysis of IAS resignation data
The IAS is one of India's most prestigious careers. For millions of aspirants, becoming an IAS officer is the ultimate professional goal.
Yet the stories of officers who left show that prestige, authority and job security do not automatically determine a person's definition of a successful career.
Some officers discovered a stronger calling in entrepreneurship. Some moved into politics. Some wanted to create change outside government. Some followed long-standing personal passions. Others took a stand on issues they believed were more important than their official position.
And some, like Shah Faesal, eventually discovered that leaving was not the end of their relationship with public service.
The recent resignation of Divya Mittal adds another dimension to the conversation. After 13 years in the IAS, she announced that she was moving on from the service while reflecting on the aspirations and experiences that shaped her journey. The Indian Express report on Divya Mittal's resignation
Perhaps, then, the real story behind IAS officers who quit their jobs is not about people abandoning success.
It is about what happens when people who have already achieved one of India's most difficult professional goals decide that they want to define success differently.
The IAS may be a dream for millions. But even after achieving that dream, some people choose to build a different one.
For readers who want to understand the rules behind IAS resignation rather than just the individual stories, Merit Chronicle can link directly to the All India Services Act, 1951 on India Code and the relevant All India Services rules published by the Government of India. India Code — All-India Services Act, 1951 Government of India — All India Services rules on resignation and withdrawal
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