Determination Defined: IAS Aakriti Sethi's Path to AIR 249

February 9, 2024

3 Minutes

IAS Aakriti Sethi

Many of us who want to appear for the UPSC exam start by listening to stories of those who have already done it. Hearing about their success makes us feel like we can do it too. This story is about Akriti Sethi, a girl with big dreams, and the journey she took to secure AIR 249 in 2022. 

Early Life

Akriti grew up in a big family in Ambala Cantt, Haryana. Being in a big family meant not having a lot of things for herself. When Akriti was born, some people in her family weren’t happy because she was born a girl but her grandfather was very supportive. He called her “Lucky,” believing she would bring good fortune to the family. Her family treated her and her brother equally, which was very important to her. 

School Days

Akriti went to a private school. Even though her family didn’t have much, they had strong values. When Akriti saw her sister do well in school, she wanted to do well too. After a teacher pointed out she didn’t do well in 9th grade, Akriti promised to be the best in her class in the 10th and 12th grades, and she did it. She was good at everything - sports, music, dancing, and leading groups.

Choosing Her Path

After finishing college in Delhi, Akriti wasn’t sure what to do next. Then, a family member suggested she try to become an IAS officer, a government job. This idea excited her, but she had to work in a company first because she had financial problems. 

The Tough Journey

Akriti tried the UPSC exam for the first time in 2017 without studying much but did surprisingly well, which made her family believe she could pass. In 2018, she was confident but missed passing by just a few marks. This started to shake her own belief in herself. By 2019, after not doing well in another exam, she felt mentally low and almost gave up on her dream. Despite these challenges, her family encouraged her to move to Delhi and continue her studies, even finding a way for her to stay there despite money being a problem. She met people who helped her see she needed a clearer plan to pass the UPSC. She tried hard again after 2020 but still didn’t pass, which was tough on her. In 2021, despite feeling very anxious and going through a tough time again, she tried once more. After not doing as well as she hoped, she took a break to figure out what was going wrong. She faced pressure from her family about other life choices, like marriage, but she focused on analysing her mistakes and how to improve. Finally, after failing five times, she cleared the civil services exam on her sixth attempt. 

Advice for UPSC Preparation

Prepare for the mains exam while you are preparing for the prelims exams. Note-making is very important and will help you with revision. Give plenty of time to the optional paper as it is high-scoring. The interview round can be tricky. During her interview, she was asked to debate on the topic “perseverance doesn’t always lead to success”, she smiled and maintained her calm and replied she couldn’t argue against trying hard because her own story showed that perseverance does lead to success. Her advice is to stay positive and believe that things will work out.

Conclusion

Akriti’s story shows all of us that even if you fail at first, you can still achieve your dreams with hard work and support from your family and friends. She reminds us to always believe in ourselves and never stop trying.

Click here to know more about Aakriti's journey.