In Madhya Pradesh, during a forest ranger recruitment exam, a real-life version of the hare and tortoise story unfolded. Pahad Singh, a candidate from Dabra, Gwalior, had taken the lead in the 24-kilometre hike, which was the first hurdle in clearing the physical test. However, much like the overconfident hare, Pahad Singh decided to take a break to rest, assuming he was far ahead of the others.
Unfortunately, he overslept and woke up to find that the race was already over, and he had lost. The incident took place in Khandwa, Madhya Pradesh, and 60 contestants made it past the finish line, but Pahad Singh was found sleeping by the track before the last checkpoint. When he was awakened, he explained that he had sat down to rest due to blisters on his feet and had fallen into a deep sleep.
JP Mishra, the forest range officer of Khandwa, stated that the recruitment drive was organised for 38 forest ranger positions for marginalised communities. A total of 114 candidates applied for the exam, and 61 candidates, including nine women and 52 men, participated in the race. The primary goal was to complete the 24-kilometre hike in four hours, which ended at 10:30 in the morning.
