Meet woman who failed UPSC exam 4 times, later topped with AIR 1, check her marksheet here

The Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) declared the Civil Services Examination (CSE) 2024 results on April 22, 2025, and once again, a female candidate has taken the top spot. Shakti Dubey has secured All India Rank 1, making her the UPSC Topper 2024. Her journey is a powerful example of dedication, hard work, and never giving up, and it has become a source of inspiration for thousands of UPSC aspirants across the country.

Shakti hails from Prayagraj, Uttar Pradesh—a city known for its educational and cultural heritage. She completed her schooling there and later pursued a degree in Biochemistry from the University of Allahabad. She didn’t stop there. She continued her education and earned a Master’s degree in Biochemistry from Banaras Hindu University (BHU) in 2018.

Though she had a strong academic background in science, Shakti felt a calling to serve society in a more direct way. This feeling grew stronger after her postgraduation, and that’s when she decided to prepare for the UPSC Civil Services Examination. She wanted to make a real difference in people’s lives, and the civil services seemed the right path for her.

Shakti began her UPSC journey in 2018 and appeared for the exam five times. It wasn’t a smooth ride—she failed the preliminary exam three times. In her fourth attempt, she cleared the prelims and mains but couldn’t make it to the final list. However, she did not give up. In her fifth attempt, she qualified in all three stages—Prelims, Mains, and the Interview—and went on to secure the top rank in India.

She chose Political Science and International Relations as her optional subjects and received coaching and mentoring at Vajiram & Ravi, where she also gave back by guiding fellow aspirants through their preparation.

Shakti Dubey Markesheet:

Shakti’s answer sheets from the 2024 Mains exam are now being looked at as models of excellence. They show a clear structure, strong arguments, effective keyword use, and good analytical thinking—qualities that are vital for scoring well in the exam.

Her story is a reminder that success may take time, but with patience, discipline, and belief in oneself, anything is possible.