Meet woman who quit high-paying job in abroad for UPSC exam, but failed to crack it thrice, took 3-year break and then…

Patience and persistence are key to become successful in life. One such inspiring story is of IFS Pujya Priyadarshini.

Born and raised in a middle-class family from Delhi, she did her graduation in B.Com and then pursued post-graduation in Public Administration from the University of Columbia in New York. Thereafter, Pujya secured several job offers from companies. She worked in a renowned company for two years.

However, she wasn’t happy with her job and wanted to do something that benefits society and the entire nation. That is when she chose to become an IAS Pujya's initial attempt in 2013 was a failure. Subsequently, she took a three-year gap to prepare properly. In 2016, she qualified till the interview round but faced another failure.

Undeterred, she resolved she gave another attempt in 2017. However, she narrowly failed to attain success in 2017 which triggered her to consider quitting the UPSC journey.

However, she discovered renewed determination with the support of her family. She finally cracked the 2018 UPSC examination by securing All India Rank 11 and becoming an IFS.

She is currently working as a diplomat and is posted in France.

While mentoring UPSC aspirants, Pujya Priyadarshini highlighted the importance of hard work and patience in preparing for the UPSC exam. Her story is a testament to power of unwavering dedication and hard work.