Get Inspired

The civil services exam is perhaps the toughest competitive exam in the country. The competition is intense since out of about 5 lakh candidates who take up the IAS exam every year, only a few hundred make the cut in the end.

Apart from that, the UPSC syllabus is very vast and contains almost every topic under the sun! All this makes clearing the UPSC exam a daunting affair. Because of this, the candidates who manage to clear this exam are given a high place in society.

IAS toppers achieve instant fame when the results are announced and everyone is keen to hear their stories.

The ‘Get Inspired’ section of this website offers a sneak peak into the struggles and background stories of UPSC toppers, some of which are truly heart-wrenching and motivating.

In this section, you can read some amazing IAS success stories and get all the inspiration you need before you take up the UPSC exam challenge.

Civil services toppers come from diverse backgrounds and from various parts of our country. They truly represent the phrase, ‘from Kashmir to Kanyakumari’. While some of them come from privileged families, others come from poor and remote areas of India.

That the UPSC exam is a level-playing field and anyone who makes the right kind of IAS preparation can achieve success in this exam is only proved by the very eclectic backgrounds and situations of the IAS toppers.

Take the case of Ummul Kher, who cleared the exam in 2016; she battled unimaginable odds to reach this position – bone disorder, parents who disowned her, etc.

Or the case of 2014 topper Ira Singhal, who despite being physically challenged, strove on and worked hard to bag the first rank, which is a record for the PH category.

Read more such truly impressive UPSC success stories under this category.

Ovessa Iqbal became the first woman from Jammu & Kashmir to clear the UPSC civil services when she secured an all India rank of 572 in the...
The UPSC Civil Services Exam is considered one of the toughest exams in the country. There are many myths surrounding the Civil Services Exam....
Hariram Shankar’s story of UPSC civil services success is a lesson on perseverance. His bagged the IPS in his fifth attempt in CSE 2016. Shankar...
“Your perseverance, consistency and your passion will definitely pay for you.” – Vivek Chauhan, AIR 300, CSE 2015 Vivek Chauhan cleared the UPSC...
UPSC Success Stories - Visually Challenged Kempa Honnaiah’s Success Story Once the UPSC results are out, one can read many IAS success stories....
“It was my first attempt. I am proud that I qualified.” – Suhail Qasim Mir, AIR 125, CSE 2016 The result of the civil services 2016 brought a...
There are many inspirational stories for IAS aspirants that come out of the UPSC results that are declared every year after the civil services...
“I want to become an IAS officer and serve Bastar.” – Namrata Jain, AIR 12, UPSC CSE 2018. This happened for the first time that a lady from the...
In the 2016 civil services exam, a record 14 candidates from the state of Jammu & Kashmir have cleared the exam and made it to the...
“Continue chasing your dreams till you achieve them”. – Himanshu Jain, AIR 44, UPSC CSE 2016 A childhood fascination for the civil services led...
Reading Ummul Kher’s IAS success story will be an eye-opener for many. This feisty 28-year old has proved what a determined and gritty woman is...
“I want to join IAS and not IFS (Indian Foreign Service), as I want to be in India and serve the people.” – Nandini K.R. UPSC Results 2016 was...
“If at first you don’t succeed, try, try, try again.” In the 2016 civil services exam, a total of 1099 candidates were recommended to the civil...
Gopalkrishna Ronanki, a 29-year old teacher from Andhra Pradesh bagged the All India Rank 3 in the prestigious UPSC civil services exam of 2016....
This article shares the success story of Anmol Singh Bedi, who secured an All India Rank - 2. This article throws light on his mains exam...
At an age and time of life when most women would have abandoned hopes of a renewed career, Poonam Dalal showed the world what a woman determined...
It was his dream to become an IAS officer from childhood and in 2006, K Nandakumar secured the 30th rank in the Civil Services Exam. He is an...
The Civil Services Exam is considered the toughest competitive exam in India. The key strategy to crack the IAS Exam is persistent and constant...
A strong and unbeatable determination is the cornerstone of success. Here we give the inspiring story of Rukmani Riar who bagged the second rank...
The UPSC exam is conducted every year to induct people into the various civil services of the country. In 2013, the all India rank 11 in the IAS...