Quick Profile:
Name: Gudelli Srujana
Rank: AIR 55, UPSC Civil Services Examination 2025
Attempts: 6
Home Town: Pedapalli, Telangana
Optional Subject: Anthropology
Education: B.Tech (Computer Science Engineering), JNTU College of Engineering, Manthani
Father: Gudelli Rajesham – General Mazdoor, Singareni Collieries Company Limited (SCCL)
Mother: Gudelli Rani – Homemaker
State Service: Selected as Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) through Telangana Group-1
Current Status: Undergoing DSP training in Telangana through TGPSC
Hobbies: Vipassana meditation, watching wildlife documentaries
A Story That Feels Familiar to Many Aspirants
Every UPSC rank has a long story behind it. When people see AIR 55, they usually see only the final result. But the journey that leads to that result is often filled with years of preparation, small improvements, failures, and moments of doubt.
Gudelli Srujana’s journey reflects exactly that reality. Her success did not come quickly. It came after six attempts, several difficult phases, and two close misses that could have easily discouraged anyone.
What makes her story meaningful is that she never stopped improving. Each attempt helped her understand the exam better. Each failure helped her refine her strategy.
By the time she appeared for the exam again in 2025, she was not just attempting UPSC. She was carrying with her years of learning and preparation.
That preparation finally turned into AIR 55.
The First Spark of a Dream
The idea of becoming an IAS officer entered Srujana’s mind during her school days.
At home, her father would often talk about IAS officer Smita Sabharwal and the work she had done as a district collector in Telangana. He admired the way she handled public issues and helped people.
Young Srujana listened to those conversations carefully. Gradually she began to feel that becoming an officer was not just a job, but a responsibility.
That thought stayed with her. Over time it slowly grew into a clear goal.
Growing Up in a Simple Family
Srujana grew up in Pedapalli, a town where people value hard work and perseverance.
Her father, Gudelli Rajesham, works as a General Mazdoor in Singareni Collieries Company Limited. It is a physically demanding job that requires long hours and consistent effort.
Her mother, Gudelli Rani, has been the emotional strength of the family. She supported her daughter’s education and believed in her ambitions.
When Srujana chose UPSC preparation, her parents did not pressure her to take a safer career path. Instead, they trusted her completely.
That trust helped her stay mentally strong during the long preparation journey.
A Student Who Was Active Beyond Academics
Srujana was always a sincere student.
She completed her 10th class from Vaani Secondary School in 2012 with 9.7 CGPA. Later she studied Intermediate (MPC) at Sri Chaitanya Mahila Junior Kalashala, Miyapur, scoring 94%.
She then joined JNTU College of Engineering, Manthani and completed B.Tech in Computer Science Engineering in 2018 with 78% marks.
During her college years, she was actively involved in several activities.
She served as team lead in the EXCITE prototype development program, where students worked on projects related to Internet of Things (IoT) technology.
She also worked as Head of Corporate Relations during the college fest, coordinating events and managing external partnerships.
Her work was recognized through prizes, medals, and scholarships, including recognition from Singareni Collieries Company Limited for an afforestation drive conducted in her college.
Outside academics, she developed interests like Vipassana meditation and watching wildlife documentaries, which later helped her manage stress during preparation.
Choosing Civil Services Over a Corporate Job
During the final year of engineering, Srujana received a campus placement offer from Tata Consultancy Services (TCS).
For many students, accepting such an offer would have been the natural choice.
But Srujana had already made up her mind. She wanted to prepare for UPSC Civil Services.
She decided not to join the corporate job and instead focused completely on her preparation.
It was not an easy decision, but it allowed her to pursue the goal she had carried since school.
First Two Attempts: A Phase of Learning
Srujana openly says that her first two attempts were not very productive.
At that stage she did not fully understand the exam pattern, the syllabus, or the right sources for preparation.
Like many beginners, she was still exploring how to approach the exam.
Those attempts, however, were not wasted. They helped her understand the seriousness and depth of UPSC preparation.
They became the foundation for the structured preparation that followed.
Prelims Failures and an Important Lesson
In her third and fourth attempts, Srujana could not clear the Preliminary Examination.
However, she noticed something encouraging when she analysed her performance. Her General Studies Paper-1 scores were improving.
But in 2022, she faced a setback when she failed CSAT, despite performing well in General Studies.
This experience taught her an important lesson.
She realised that in exams like UPSC, time management matters as much as knowledge.
Srujana’s Advice on CSAT
After that experience, Srujana began advising aspirants not to get emotionally attached to any particular question.
If a question is taking too long, it is better to skip it and move ahead.
Many aspirants lose valuable time trying to solve one difficult question out of stubbornness. According to her, UPSC requires quick decisions and smart strategy.
A Shift in Focus in 2023
In 2023, Srujana focused mainly on the Telangana Group-1 examination, so she did not appear for the Civil Services exam that year.
However, she applied for the Indian Forest Service examination, where she cleared the CSAT stage but could not progress further.
Even though she did not clear the exam, the preparation helped strengthen her conceptual understanding.
The Most Demanding Year: 2024
The year 2024 became one of the busiest phases of her preparation.
Within a span of three months she appeared for three major examinations.
- September 2024 – UPSC Civil Services Mains
- October 2024 – Telangana Group-1 Mains
- November 2024 – Indian Forest Service Mains
She cleared the mains stage of all three exams.
This meant she had to prepare for multiple interviews at the same time, which required intense focus and preparation.
Becoming a DSP
During this period, a major milestone arrived.
Srujana secured a place in the Telangana Group-1 final merit list and was selected as Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP).
She is currently undergoing training for the DSP position in Telangana through TGPSC.
Although it was a major achievement, her ultimate goal remained the UPSC Civil Services Examination.
Two Very Close Misses
Despite strong written performance, the interview stage proved challenging.
In UPSC Civil Services 2024, she scored 780 marks in mains and 259 marks in Anthropology, but secured 120 marks in interview, missing the final list by 10 marks. You can see her marks here:
In the Indian Forest Service exam, she again missed the final list by 25 marks, even though she scored 172 marks in interview.
Coming so close to success twice in the same year was emotionally difficult.
Resetting for the Next Attempt
After the Forest interview, she had only about 20 days left for the next Civil Services Prelims.
Just five days before the exam, the IFoS result confirmed that she had missed the final list again.
She remembers feeling disappointed briefly. But she quickly decided not to let the result disturb her preparation.
Instead, she focused on what was still in her control — the next exam.
The La Excellence Core Batch Ecosystem
In 2025, Srujana joined the La Excellence IAS Core Batch, which provided a structured preparation ecosystem.
The program emphasised daily answer writing, peer discussions, and continuous evaluation.
Her peer group included aspirants like Lakshmi Rachana (AIR 178), Ramu Sowrotu (AIR 463), and Sravan Kumar (AIR 768). You can see Sravan wearing Red Shirt in the first bench of middle row. Srujana is seen writing exam in the second bench right behind Sravan. Also you can see Laxmi Rachana behind Srujana, who secured rank this year. In this pic you can see Ramu Sowrotu and Panduranga , both secured the rank of IPS this year.
Preparing together created a healthy competitive environment. They discussed answers, exchanged ideas, and encouraged each other to improve.
This ecosystem played a significant role in strengthening her preparation.
La Ex Mentors Who Guided Her Preparation:
Srujana also received guidance from several mentors during this phase.
IAS officer Sai Chaitanya Jadhav helped her in Anthropology preparation. Her efforts finally lead to 301 marks in Anthropology. Remember this year is a tough year for Anthropology aspirants.
Kalyan Sir guided her in essay and ethics preparation, which increased her marks in essay and ethics by 10 marks each.
Anush Sir helped her improve answer structure and ethics writing. He used to personally evaluate her copies and hold discussions on how to add value. La Excellence core batch and the above mentors helped increase her marks by 60 marks. A significant impact of Core Batch on Srujana’s Rank.
For the interview stage, she credits Venkat Mohan Sir, whose discussions on DAF and interview approach helped her improve her personality test performance.
Anthropology Preparation Strategy:
Srujana’s Anthropology strategy focused on consistent practice and revision.
She continued writing test series regularly, even during the years when she failed prelims.
Her preparation involved PYQ mapping, focusing on thinkers and keywords, and repeated revision.
Sometimes when she felt tired, she did not force herself to write complete answers. Instead, she brainstormed points for topics, which helped maintain continuity in preparation.
Support from Her Siblings
Srujana’s siblings also played an important role during her preparation.
Her elder brother Gudelli Raviteja works in the film industry as an assistant director.
Her younger brother Gudelli Vishnuteja is studying Architecture at NIT Rourkela.
She often discussed topics with them and even explained subjects to them as part of her revision.
She describes them as her best friends during the preparation years.
The Sixth Attempt That Worked
After years of preparation and gradual improvement, Srujana appeared once again for the UPSC Civil Services Examination 2025.
This was her sixth attempt.
This time she cleared Prelims, Mains, and Interview, securing All India Rank 55. She scored 301 in Anthropology.
Her journey shows that success in UPSC often comes through patience, persistence, and steady improvement over time.
For many aspirants preparing for this exam today, Gudelli Srujana’s story is a reminder that progress may be slow, but consistent effort eventually leads to success.
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