Meet IAS Priya Rani, a software developer in Oracle who cracked UPSC with AIR-69!

Meet IAS Priya Rani, who transitioned from coding at Oracle to cracking India’s toughest exam with an impressive AIR-69 in UPSC. Her journey from software development to civil services reflects determination, discipline, and a deep desire to serve the nation—an inspiring leap from tech to public administration.

IAS Priya secured AIR-284 in her second attempt and missed the cutoff. Tragedy struck again after she cleared all the stages, but wasn't in the final list in the third attempt. People started saying her first success was just luck, but her fourth attempt proved everyone wrong – an impressive AIR-69!

 

 

 

 

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Her journey began in Phulwari Sharif, a village in Patna district. She always dreamed of civil services from 7th-8th standard.

“However, coming from a middle-class background, I needed a Plan B, so I pursued B.Tech in Electrical Engineering from Ranchi. Working as a software developer in Bangalore, I realized the credit in my account wasn't fulfilling. I didn't see myself in the same sector 10 years later,” Priya stated.

“Leaving Oracle, I came to Delhi, but the crowd in Mukherjee Nagar overwhelmed me. So, I decided to prepare in Rajouri instead. Self-study made my journey longer, but I learned a lot. I had my share of lows and highs. Before my first attempt in 2020, I took a year to prepare. In 2020, I gave my first attempt. Though I practiced a lot for prelims, the actual paper was different. I wasn't confident of clearing it, which affected my mains paper performance,” she further revealed.

She further continued, “I'd invested almost two years with zero results. I questioned my decision, wondering if I should continue. With every attempt, your confidence starts decreasing, and self-doubt creeps in. You begin questioning your preparation strategy. I secured a rank of 284 in my second attempt, but my interview score that year wasn't great; I got only 162.”

 

 

 

 

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A post shared by Priya Rani (@priya_rani1616)

“I decided to skip LBSNAA for my third attempt, thinking that I could get a better rank. I had missed IAS by just a few marks, so I thought I'd prepare better and take the exam again. This time, there was a lot of pressure,” she added.

“I felt like I had studied more, worked harder, and still, it didn't happen. I could not make it to the final list in my third attempt,” she recalled. However, her hard work paid off in the fourth attempt.

“On April 16 morning, I woke up early and decided to go for a walk to release the stress. I was in Kasauli and it is a beautiful place, so the weather and surroundings helped calm me a bit. Around 1 or 2 PM, the results were finally out. My brother, who was upstairs, came down with a slightly sad expression. I asked him, "Did the result come out?" He said yes, but he looked disappointed, so I asked, "Did I not make it?" Then he told me, "No, it's really good, I was just messing with you!" I asked him what rank I got, and when he said 69, I couldn't believe it.

“My father video-called me, and the tears of joy in his eyes were the most precious sight of my life. He was so proud, and I think those tears were the most valuable gift I have ever received,” she added.