The Civil Services Exam (CSE) conducted by the UPSC is one of the toughest exams in India. Millions of aspirants nurture their dreams, but only a handful fulfill them by becoming an IAS, IPS, IRS, or IFS officer.
It takes years of hard work, consistency, and determination to fulfill our dream. A glaring example is IAS Nandini KR, the topper of UPSC 2016. The brilliant mind had to overcome many obstacles including a battle with dengue to secure All India Rank (AIR)-1. Nandini’s story is nothing less than an incredible tale of perseverance and success.
Nandini is a native of Karnataka’s Kolar district. Being the daughter of a teacher, she was a brilliant student. She is a civil engineering graduate from MS Ramaiah Institute of Technology in Bangalore.
After her engineering, she secured a job in the Public Works Department of Karnataka. However, her desire to become an IAS officer was sparked by her firsthand observation of the government’s activities, which prompted her to begin preparing for the UPSC, a report in News18 stated.
Her UPSC journey wasn’t a bed of roses. Nandini gave her first attempt in 2013, but could not even clear the Prelims. In her second attempt, she secured an AIR-642. However, she could not qualify to become an IAS and her rank got her a job in the Indian Revenue Service.
However, her dream was to become an IAS officer. So, she relocated to Delhi where she enrolled in a coaching center to further her UPSC preparation. She faced even more difficulties and had to battle dengue before her third main exam.
Unfortunately, she had to miss that exam due to dengue. But, her perseverance and commitment paid off in her fourth attempt as she secured the highest rank in UPSC 2016 with AIR-1.