UPSC success without coaching: How Radhika Gupta became IAS officer in just 2 attempts
UPSC sucess story: Radhika Gupta, an IAS officer from Madhya Pradesh’s Alirajpur district, cleared UPSC in her second attempt through self-study. Despite initial selection in Indian Railways, she pursued her IAS dream with dedication.
Cracking UPSC Civil Services exam remains a coveted goal for many in India, and IAS officer Radhika Gupta's journey has become an inspiration for aspirants. Gupta, who cracked the UPSC Civil Services exam in 2020, hails from a deprived region of Madhya Pradesh and has set an example for others in her hamlet. She comes from Alirajpur district - which has the “lowest literacy rate in India”.
'Mantra of Success'
During the 'Mantra of Success' program organized by the Madhya Pradesh government, Radhika - who secured the 18th rank in the Civil Services Examination - shared that in her first attempt, she was allocated to the Indian Railways due to a lower rank. However, she always dreamt of becoming an IAS officer. Determined to achieve her goal, she continued studying while working and ultimately succeeded in the 2020 Civil Services Examination.
"The district I come from has the lowest literacy rate, but it played a crucial role in shaping my personality. It became my biggest source of inspiration. Living there helped me realize the immense value of education in one's life. I learned many important life lessons. This exam taught me patience and perseverance," Radhika said.
'Studied 9-10 Hours Daily'
After completing her engineering degree, Radhika started working in Delhi with a corporate firm. That’s where she realized her dream of becoming an IAS officer. During her job, she learned about the coaching system in Rajendra Nagar. After understanding the entire curriculum, she quit her job and returned to Indore for preparation.
"Since I had attended JEE coaching in Kota, I was familiar with the coaching system, so I decided to stay away from Rajendra Nagar’s coaching culture.
I studied for 9–10 hours daily, followed a strict timetable, and stayed away from social media. However, I made sure to play table tennis, as it’s my passion. I had made up my mind to attempt the exam twice - if I cleared it, great; if not, I would return to my corporate job. That’s why I didn’t even fill out any other government job applications," Radhika said.
Radhika pursued Mechanical Engineering from SGSITS Indore and chose Anthropology as her optional subject for the UPSC exam.
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