Meet woman who left medical practices for UPSC exam, secured AIR 9, topped interview but did not become IAS sue to...

The Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) exam is considered one of India's most challenging competitive exams. To succeed, individuals dedicate many hours to focused study. Each year, thousands of candidates aspire to become IAS, IFS, IRS, or IPS officers by attempting this exam, but only a few manage to pass. The exam consists of three stages: the preliminary exam, the main exam, and the interview. Today, we will talk about Apala Mishra, whose remarkable journey is a testament to unwavering perseverance and determination.

Apala hails from Ghaziabad, her brother serves as a Major in the army, and her father is a retired Colonel. Her mother Dr Alpana Mishra, is a professor at Delhi University. Education has been always been a priority in their household and she has been very serious about her studies.

She graduated from Army College with a Bachelor of Dental Surgery (BDS) degree after Class 12. Nonetheless, her desire to join the IAS was her constant motivation. She therefore started preparing for the UPSC after finishing her education. 

In 2020, Apala cracked the Civil Services test with an AIR 9 after three years of studying. She did not become an IAS officer, nevertheless. Surprising as it may seem, her first option was to become an IFS officer. In the UPSC Interview, she received 215 out of 275 marks, making her the highest scorer in the previous five years. She revealed her preparation strategy, she said she studied for 7-8 hours.