From Prodigy to Pioneer: Roman Saini’s Journey from Youngest IAS Officer to Edtech Trailblazer

Image Source: DNA India

Roman Saini’s story reads like a modern legend—one marked by academic brilliance, bold decisions, and a relentless drive to make a difference. At just 16, Roman Saini cleared the highly competitive AIIMS entrance exam, one of India’s toughest, and went on to secure his MBBS degree by 21. His early medical career included a stint at the National Drug Dependence Treatment Centre at AIIMS, but his ambitions soon shifted to public service.

At 22, Saini passed the UPSC Civil Services Examination, one of India's youngest IAS officers, and was made an Assistant Collector in Madhya Pradesh. Despite all the prestige and security of the IAS, Roman felt he had to do something regarding a bigger issue: the lack of affordable, quality education for aspirants across India.

Driven by his passion for teaching and the urge to democratize education, Roman did the unthinkable and resigned from the IAS at 24. He joined hands with a friend Gaurav Munjal and later Hemesh Singh to co-found Unacademy, which began as a small YouTube channel offering free educational content. Their simple but ambitious vision was to provide quality learning content to millions of students, especially those who were taking competitive exams like UPSC.

Today, Unacademy stands as one of India’s leading edtech platforms, valued at over Rs 26,000 crore, with more than 50 million active users and a network of over 18,000 educators. Roman Saini’s journey from prodigy doctor to IAS officer and now as an entrepreneur has inspired countless young Indians to pursue their passions and redefine success beyond traditional milestones.

Key Highlights:

Cleared AIIMS entrance at 16, earned MBBS by 21

Became one of India's youngest IAS officers at the age of 22, with a posting in Madhya Pradesh

Quit IAS at 24 to follow his passion in teaching and education reform

Co-founded Unacademy, which is now a multi-billion rupee edtech firm empowering millions of students

Sources: India.com, News18, Times Now, India Today, LinkedIn