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Success Stories

Real stories of real achievers who cleared India's toughest government exams through dedication and hard work.

8 Inspiring Stories

These stories feature well-known government exam toppers based on publicly available information from official results and media reports.

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Tina Dabi

UPSC CSE 2015

AIR 1

Tina Dabi became the UPSC Civil Services topper in 2015 at the age of 22. A graduate from Lady Shri Ram College, Delhi University, she was the first Scheduled Caste woman to top the exam. She is currently serving as District Collector of Jaisalmer, Rajasthan.

Consistent daily study routine of 7-8 hours with NCERT books as the foundation.

UPSCIAS
UPSC Official Results 2015
K

Kanishak Kataria

UPSC CSE 2018

AIR 1

Kanishak Kataria topped the UPSC Civil Services Examination 2018. An IIT Bombay B.Tech graduate, he left his job at a leading tech company in South Korea to pursue civil services. He cleared the exam in his first attempt with Mathematics as his optional subject.

Left a high-paying tech career abroad to serve the nation through civil services.

UPSCIAS
UPSC Official Results 2018
S

Srushti Jayant Deshmukh

UPSC CSE 2018

AIR 5

Srushti Jayant Deshmukh secured AIR 5 in UPSC CSE 2018, becoming the topper among women candidates that year. A Chemical Engineering graduate from Rajiv Gandhi Proudyogiki Vishwavidyalaya, Bhopal, she cleared the exam in her first attempt at age 23.

Focused on answer writing practice and self-study without any coaching institute.

UPSCIAS
UPSC Official Results 2018
A

Anu Kumari

UPSC CSE 2017

AIR 2

Anu Kumari secured AIR 2 in UPSC CSE 2017 while being a working mother. A B.Tech and MBA graduate from Haryana, she balanced her preparation with her job and family responsibilities. Her story inspired many women and working professionals across India.

Proved that family responsibilities and exam preparation can go hand in hand with determination.

UPSCIAS
UPSC Official Results 2017
A

Aditya Joshi

SSC CGL 2019

AIR 1

Aditya Joshi topped the SSC CGL 2019 examination. Known for his disciplined preparation approach, he focused on previous year question papers and time management. His success demonstrated that SSC exams can also lead to prestigious government positions.

Practiced over 200 previous year papers to master the exam pattern.

SSCCGL
SSC Official Results 2019
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Saurabh Kumar

IBPS PO 2020

Selected

Saurabh Kumar cleared IBPS PO in 2020 coming from a small town in Bihar. Without access to expensive coaching, he relied on free online resources, mock tests, and self-study. His selection as a Probationary Officer proved that dedication matters more than resources.

Used free online resources and daily mock tests to prepare without coaching.

BankingIBPS PO
IBPS Official Results 2020
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Nandini KR

UPSC CSE 2016

AIR 1

Nandini KR topped the UPSC Civil Services Examination 2016. Hailing from Chitradurga, Karnataka, she completed her B.Tech from Siddaganga Institute of Technology. She chose Kannada Literature as her optional subject and cleared the exam in her second attempt.

Choosing the right optional subject and learning from the first attempt were crucial.

UPSCIAS
UPSC Official Results 2016
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Pradeep Singh

UPSC CSE 2019

AIR 1

Pradeep Singh secured AIR 1 in UPSC CSE 2019. An Electrical Engineering graduate from IIT Bombay, he cleared the exam in his third attempt. His perseverance after two unsuccessful attempts became an inspiration for aspirants who face setbacks.

Failed twice before topping the exam — persistence and learning from mistakes paid off.

UPSCIAS
UPSC Official Results 2019

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