A Journey of Strength and Fortitude
Nagpur is the city of aspirations for many. Namrata comes from the city of Nagpur with high ambitions. She failed many times but did not let her ambitions fade. From modest beginnings to securing an All India Rank of 671 in UPSC Civil Services Exam 2024 is not only a tale of educational success — it’s a testament to the unrelenting human spirit that never gives up, regardless of how seemingly impossible things seem to be.
Humble Beginnings: A Family That Believed In Education
Born to agriculturist Anil and homemaker Sangita, Namrata grew up in an environment of commitment, self-discipline, and the unyielding focus on the importance of education.
With limited resources at their disposal, her parents helped to instill in her the idea that knowledge and perseverance could unlock doors to worlds much greater than their humble abode. For them, education is a value and a lifelong pursuit of self-improvement and the need to serve society.
Academic Life: From Science to Social Sciences
Namrata’s professional existence was an embodiment of this philosophy. A steady performer during school and college life, she achieved 88.91% in Class 10 board exams in 2010. She liked studying even during higher secondary education, where she picked the science stream and obtained 85.51% marks in Class 12 at Shivaji Science College, Amravati.
This scientific background motivated her to pursue a Bachelor of Science (B.Sc.) degree from Rashtrasant Tukadoji Maharaj Nagpur University, graduating in 2015 with a remarkable 80.89%. Although her initial academic path was in the sciences, Namrata’s increasing fascination with governance, public policy, and social concerns led to a daring decision to switch over to the humanities for further studies.
Following her Master’s in Maths in 2017, she had enrolled for a Master’s in Political Science in IGNOU, which she later on completed in first division in 2023. This deliberate change of academic interest had helped in the process of widening her vision, a virtue which later on stood in her good stead while writing the General Studies and Essay papers in the UPSC exams.
Namrata’s initial venture into UPSC preparation was in 2016, out of a sense of wanting to make a difference at the grassroots level. Her initial effort was not even at the Civil Services but at the Central Armed Police Forces (CAPF) examination, and she cleared prelims but was not able to carry it further. She did not give up there and kept going for both CAPF and UPSC CSE for the following eight years.
From 2016 to 2023, her efforts were hit-or-miss — clearing prelims every now and then, failing mains by a thin margin in 2022. Anyone else would have quit, but Namrata took every failure as constructive feedback, a chance to redo her strategy, delve further into her topic, and toughen up mentally.
Her perseverance was ultimately rewarded in 2024 when she obtained AIR 671 — a win on the strength of countless unspoken sacrifices, altered study schedules, and unwavering belief in herself.
Beyond Books: The Well-Rounded Personality That Shaped a Leader
While UPSC is broadly seen as a measure of academic merit, Namrata realized right from the start that overall development was equally important. Alongside academics, she sought out extracurricular pursuits that taught discipline, leadership, and compassion.
She was given the INSPIRE Scholarship for Higher Education for steady academic excellence and cleared the Junior Research Fellowship (JRF) in Political Science, a remarkable achievement for a student of science converting to humanities.
Namrata also had a ‘B’ Certificate in NCC, where she commanded her contingent’s drill command — an experience that taught her crisis management, coordination, and leadership. She also worked as a volunteer with NSS, conducting menstrual hygiene awareness campaigns in rural villages, confronting grassroots social problems squarely. Her work with NGOs dealing with women and children welfare activities demonstrated her concern for social justice in the real sense of the term and not as per books.
To keep her life in equilibrium in the face of UPSC study pressures, Namrata took up Kathak dance as an art of creative expression and learned Vipassana meditation, which taught her stress management, enhanced concentration, and instilled mental toughness — traits required to navigate the tough, long-drawn UPSC process.
Lessons from Namrata’s Journey: What UPSC Aspirants Can Learn?
Namrata’s determined achievement has a few lessons for everyone who wishes to write the UPSC exams. She firmly believes that failure is not permanent, but a learning and developing experience. With every failure, she became wiser regarding the needs of the exam and her readiness.
Her choice of changing from Mathematics to Political Science was an important one, as it enabled her to confront General Studies and Essay papers with more ease and from a multidisciplinary mind. That is an ability that she believes each aspirant needs to adopt — the ability to remain fluid and shift tactic when needed.
Equally impressive, Namrata stresses the importance of all-round growth. Her NCC, NSS, volunteering, and classical dance experience added to her interview profile, while Vipassana assisted in stress management during exams. She feels that one must work on developing things that feed the mind and soul as much as academics.
Finally, she is in favor of persistence versus overnight success. In Namrata’s scenario, there was no shortcut — it was a product of small, steady steps taken over the years.
Her journey with La Excellence:
She joined ‘La Excellence Interview Guidance Programme’, where she was guided on DAF and Personality Development by top most faculty like Dr. Rambabu Sir and other working Civil Servants. She was given feedback and value addition by them and she made right changes to her strategy. Now she scored a very good score of 184 marks in her very first UPSC interview.
The Road Ahead: Civil Service as a Platform for Grassroots Change
Now, with an AIR 671 in hand, Namrata is poised to become part of the Civil Services. She wants to serve in areas which cater to poor sections, of which she is particularly interested in women’s and children’s welfare. Her wish is to use her administrative role to bring into effect policies aimed at solving grass-root problems and speak up the voiceless sections of society.
Conclusion: A Tale That Illustrates Dreams Don’t Fade
Namrata’s story is an inspiration to all exam-takers in India that success in competitive exams is not the prerogative of prodigies or the elite — it’s for those who do not lose heart. Her story is an example of how consistency, flexibility, and routine can conquer repeated setbacks.
It’s a reminder that even though UPSC is a test of knowledge, it’s a test of character as well. And there, Namrata succeeded.
Her tale testifies to one basic fact — dreams are not time-specific, only a resolute heart.
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