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 speak about IAS officer Smita Sabharwal and the work she had done as a district collector in Telangana. He admired the way she addressed public issues, interacted with people, and worked towards solving local problems through the administration.
Listening to these conversations at home left a strong impression on young Srujana. She began to understand that a civil servant’s role was not just about holding a position of authority, but about taking responsibility for improving people’s lives and bringing positive change in society.
Over time, this idea stayed with her and gradually turned into a clear aspiration. What began as curiosity during her school years slowly developed into a firm goal—to become an officer and contribute meaningfully to public service.
Growing Up in a Simple Family
Srujana grew up in Pedapalli, a town where people deeply value hard work and perseverance. The environment around her was shaped by families who believed that dedication and consistent effort could gradually change one’s future.
Her father, Gudelli Rajesham, works as a General Mazdoor in Singareni Collieries Company Limited. It is physically demanding work that requires long hours and steady effort. Watching her father’s discipline and commitment to his job had a quiet influence on Srujana as she grew up.
Her mother, Gudelli Rani, has been the emotional strength of the family. She supported her daughter’s education at every stage and encouraged her to pursue her ambitions with confidence.
When Srujana decided to prepare for the UPSC Civil Services Examination, her parents did not pressure her to choose a safer or more predictable career path. Instead, they trusted her decision and gave her the freedom to pursue her goal.
That trust became a source of strength for Srujana and helped her remain mentally steady during the long and demanding 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 her engineering degree, Srujana received a campus placement offer from Tata Consultancy Services (TCS). For most engineering graduates, such an opportunity would naturally lead to the start of a stable corporate career.
However, by that time Srujana had already developed a clear interest in preparing for the UPSC Civil Services Examination. The aspiration that had taken shape during her school years was still very much alive in her mind.
After thinking carefully about her priorities, she chose not to join the corporate job. Instead, she decided to dedicate her time and energy fully to UPSC preparation.
It was not an easy decision, especially because it meant stepping away from a secure career option. But for Srujana, it was a conscious choice to pursue the goal she had been carrying since her school days — becoming a civil servant and working in public service.
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 was unable to clear the Preliminary Examination. These results were disappointing, but she did not stop there. Instead, she carefully analysed her performance to understand where she needed to improve.
During this analysis, she noticed something encouraging. Her General Studies Paper-1 scores were gradually improving, which meant her conceptual preparation and understanding of the subjects were moving in the right direction.
However, in 2022, she faced a setback when she failed the CSAT paper, even though she had performed well in General Studies. This result was frustrating because she realised that despite having sufficient knowledge, the qualifying paper had become the obstacle.
This experience helped her understand an important aspect of the UPSC examination. She realised that success in the exam depends not only on knowledge, but also on effective time management, strategy, and the ability to make quick decisions during the exam.
Srujana’s Advice on CSAT
After that experience, Srujana began advising aspirants not to get emotionally attached to any particular question in the exam.
She explains that sometimes a question may look familiar or may seem like it should be solvable. Because of that feeling, many aspirants keep trying to solve it again and again, even when it is taking too much time. In the process, they lose valuable minutes that could have been used to solve easier questions.
According to her, the smarter approach is to quickly assess whether a question is worth the time. If it seems complicated or time-consuming, it is better to skip it and move to the next one. Once the easier questions are completed, the remaining time can be used to revisit difficult ones.
She believes UPSC exams are not only about knowledge but also about judgement under time pressure. Making quick and practical decisions during the exam often makes a significant difference in the final outcome.
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. Much of her time during that period went into preparing for the state service exam and strengthening her overall preparation base.
However, she still applied for the Indian Forest Service examination. In that exam, she was able to clear the CSAT stage, which was significant for her, especially after the CSAT setback she had faced earlier. Although she could not progress further in the examination, the experience added to her preparation.
Even though the final result did not go in her favour, the preparation for that exam helped her improve her conceptual clarity and exam temperament, which later proved useful in her subsequent attempts.
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, an important milestone arrived in Srujana’s journey.
She secured a place in the Telangana Group-1 final merit list and was selected as Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP). For her family, this was a proud moment and a recognition of the years of effort she had put into preparation.
She is currently undergoing training for the DSP position in Telangana through TGPSC, beginning her career in public service at the state level.
Even though this achievement brought stability and recognition, Srujana did not lose sight of her larger goal. The dream she had carried since her school days — clearing the UPSC Civil Services Examination — continued to guide her preparation and efforts.
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 Service interview, Srujana had only about 20 days left before the next Civil Services Preliminary Examination. It was a short window of time, and mentally it was not an easy phase because she was still waiting for the IFoS result.
Just five days before the prelims, the IFoS result was declared, confirming that she had missed the final merit list once again. For a brief moment, she felt disappointed. After coming so close in both exams, it was natural to feel the weight of the result.
However, she quickly reminded herself that thinking about the result would not help her at that stage. She decided not to let the disappointment disturb her focus. Instead, she shifted her attention to what was still within her control — the upcoming preliminary examination.
With that mindset, she returned to her routine and concentrated on preparing calmly for the exam ahead.
The La Excellence Core Batch Ecosystem
In 2025, Srujana joined the La Excellence IAS Core Batch, which provided her with a structured and disciplined preparation environment. The program focused on daily answer writing practice, peer discussions, and continuous evaluation, helping aspirants improve both content and presentation for the Mains examination.
One of the important aspects of the Core Batch was the peer learning ecosystem. Srujana prepared alongside aspirants such as Lakshmi Rachana (AIR 178), Ramu Sowrotu (AIR 463), and Sravan Kumar (AIR 768), who also secured ranks in UPSC CSE 2025. Studying together created a healthy and motivating environment where students regularly discussed questions, exchanged ideas, and learned from each other’s approaches.
In the photograph from the classroom, Sravan Kumar can be seen wearing a red shirt in the first bench of the middle row, while Srujana is seated just behind him in the second bench, writing the test. Lakshmi Rachana is seated behind Srujana, and she too secured a rank this year. In the same image, Ramu Sowrotu and Panduranga, who also secured ranks in the examination and are set to join the Indian Police Service, can be seen among the aspirants.
Preparing together in such an environment created a sense of healthy competition and mutual encouragement. Regular discussions and continuous practice helped the aspirants refine their answers and stay consistent in preparation.
For Srujana, this ecosystem played a significant role in strengthening her preparation and maintaining focus during her final attempt.
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 strategy for Anthropology optional was built around consistent practice and regular revision. She believed that optional subjects require steady engagement over a long period rather than last-minute preparation.
Even during the years when she could not clear the prelims, she continued writing Anthropology test series. She did not stop preparing for the optional just because the prelims result was not favourable. According to her, this continuity helped her gradually improve her understanding of the subject and strengthened her answer-writing ability.
Her preparation included mapping previous year questions (PYQs) carefully, identifying recurring themes, and focusing on important thinkers, keywords, and concepts. She repeatedly revised the same material instead of constantly searching for new content.
There were also days when writing full answers felt difficult or exhausting. During such times, instead of skipping the subject entirely, she would simply brainstorm points for different topics. This method helped her stay connected with the subject and ensured that her preparation remained consistent over time.
Support from Her Siblings
Srujana’s siblings also played an important role in supporting her during the long years of preparation.
Her elder brother, Gudelli Raviteja, works in the film industry as an assistant director, while her younger brother, Gudelli Vishnuteja has completed Architecture (B.Arch) at NIT Rourkela and is working.
Despite being busy with their own careers and studies, they remained closely connected with Srujana throughout her preparation journey. She often discussed various topics related to her subjects and the examination with them. At times, she would even explain concepts and topics to them as a way of revising her own preparation.
These conversations helped her reinforce her understanding while also keeping the preparation process less isolating. She fondly describes her brothers as her best friends during the preparation years, who encouraged her and stood by her through both successes and setbacks.
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, and by this time her preparation had matured through the lessons she had learned from earlier attempts. She approached the exam with greater clarity, better answer-writing skills, and stronger confidence built over years of consistent effort.
In this attempt, she successfully cleared Prelims, Mains, and the Interview, ultimately securing All India Rank 55. Her performance in the optional subject was particularly strong, where she scored 301 marks in Anthropology, reflecting the consistency and depth she had built in the subject over time.
Her journey highlights an important reality about the UPSC examination. Success rarely comes instantly. It often comes through patience, persistence, and steady improvement with each attempt.
For many aspirants preparing for this exam today, Gudelli Srujana’s story serves as a reminder that progress may sometimes feel slow, but consistent effort and belief in the process eventually lead to success.
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