Meet woman who first worked at TCS, then left SBI job, cracked UPSC exam with AIR...

Cracking the UPSC exam is not just an aspiration for some, instead it is life's only mission for some. Such is the story of Paramita Malakar from a modest family in West Bengal. Despite having a good job with an excellent salary, Paramita decided to take the UPSC exam. In her first attempt, she couldn't even clear the preliminary level, which shattered her confidence.

Paramita Malakar earned her honors degree in Physics in 2012. After graduation, she got a job in a BPO, which was necessary due to her family's financial situation. However, she didn't work there for long and decided to pursue a career in the corporate sector.

After a few attempts, Paramita landed a job at TCS. During this period, while working, she decided to aim for civil services through the UPSC exam in 2018. She took the exam but failed badly at the preliminary level. Due to her job, she had very little time to prepare. Subsequently, her tenure at TCS also didn’t last long. While working, she took and passed the State Bank of India exam, securing another job.

Failing the UPSC in her first attempt made Paramita doubt her ability to pass any major exams. Her confidence wavered, but she resolved to keep trying. In 2020, she secured a significant position as the Sub-Divisional Information and Cultural Officer (SDICO). According to Indian Masterminds, Paramita continued to prepare for the UPSC while taking other smaller government job exams to boost her confidence.

By 30, she had taken exams for LIC, Bank Clerk PO, Railway, and the West Bengal Public Service Commission. By then, she had failed the UPSC four times. In 2022, with thorough preparation, she passed the preliminary and mains stages of the UPSC exam but didn't clear the interview. She was gearing up for her sixth attempt. In 2023, Paramita appeared for the exam again, cleared both the preliminary and mains stages, and was called for the interview.

On April 16, 2024, when the UPSC results were announced, Paramita experienced a miraculous moment. Her name was on the merit list with an all-India rank of 812. Reflecting on her journey, Paramita remembers the times when repeated failures shook her resolve. She recalls, "Constantly changing jobs limited my study time. In 2022, I changed my strategy. In my last attempt, I was always worried whether I would pass or not. The vast syllabus and lack of mock tests increased my anxiety. However, in 2023, I enrolled in a coaching institute in Kolkata, which proved to be a game-changer."