Clearing the UPSC Civil Services Examination (CSE) is both challenging and demanding. Each year, hundreds of thousands of IAS aspirants compete, but only a few make it to the interview stage, let alone the final selection. Missing out by a narrow margin can be disheartening for students who have dedicated a year to intense preparation. However, for those with a positive attitude and resilience, setbacks become stepping stones to future success. Such is the story of Shruti Sharma, who captured national attention by achieving All India Rank 1 just a year after she missed the interview cutoff by a single mark.
Shruti prepared for the UPSC at Jamia Millia Islamia’s Residential Coaching Academy. Her success was the culmination of four years of focused effort. A graduate of Delhi University’s St Stephen’s College and Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU), Shruti has consistently excelled academically, having attended Sardar Patel Vidyalaya in Delhi and originally hailing from Bijnor district in Uttar Pradesh.
Reflecting on her journey, Shruti recalled how she narrowly missed her first interview call by one mark due to "some issues with the medium of instruction," which required her to take the mains exam in Hindi. In her next attempt, however, she secured the top rank in UPSC 2021 with a total score of 54.75 percent.
Shruti shared that her preparation strategy involved focusing on her own notes and practicing answer writing for the UPSC Mains. She emphasized the importance of staying updated on current affairs by regularly reading general knowledge websites and newspapers. For other IAS aspirants, she suggests practicing online test series and relying on coaching notes to boost their chances of success.
