- By Sarju Saran Tiwari
- Wed, 06 Aug 2025 12:57 PM (IST)
- Source:JND
IAS Neha Byadwal: Neha Byadwal’s story isn’t one of overnight success — it’s a tale of sheer persistence, focus, and an unbreakable spirit. Born in Jaipur and raised in Raipur, she grew up battling both language barriers and academic self-doubt. Where most people would have chosen the easier way out, Neha chose courage over comfort.
At just 24, Neha cleared the UPSC Civil Services Examination, one of India’s most prestigious and difficult exams, to become an Indian Administrative Service (IAS) officer. But her path was filled with detours — including multiple failures, societal pressure, and an overwhelming fear of English.
From Small-Town Roots to National Recognition: Early Life of IAS Neha Byadwal
Born on July 3, 1999, in Jaipur, Rajasthan, Neha spent her formative years in Raipur, Chhattisgarh, due to her father’s job as a senior Income Tax Officer. Raised in a humble joint family, Neha initially struggled with languages — Rajasthani was her mother tongue, Hindi posed a challenge, and English felt insurmountable. In fact, she failed Class 5 — a moment that could have broken anyone’s confidence. But for Neha, it was the wake-up call she needed.
Instead of giving up or switching to a Hindi-medium stream as advised by others, she fought back harder, determined to win on her own terms.
How Neha Byadwal Cracked UPSC: Strategy, Struggles & Study Plan?
Neha's road to success was paved with multiple failures. She attempted the UPSC exam five times, failing in the prelims twice and mains once before finally succeeding. Her strategy included:
- Studying 17–18 hours a day
- Giving up mobile and social media for 3 years
- Solving full-length mains tests under timed conditions
- Preparing with the help of her father (for history & maths) and family (for interview mock sessions)
- Each failure taught her something valuable — not just about the exam but about herself. She believed in honest self-assessment, refining her approach with each attempt.
About Neha Byadwal IAS Rank, Marksheet & Posting:
In her fourth attempt, Neha scored 960 marks and secured All India Rank 569 in UPSC 2023. However, her final and most celebrated attempt was in 2025, where she achieved AIR 260, at the age of 24.
| Particulars | Details |
|---|---|
| Name | Neha Byadwal |
| Rank | AIR 260 (2025 UPSC CSE) |
| Posting | Joint Magistrate, Jalaun, UP |
| Cadre | Gujarat |
| Education | B.S. & M.S. in Economics, IIT Kanpur |
| Age | 25 (as of 2025) |
What Life Lessons Learn from IAS Officer Neha Byadwal?
Neha’s story is more than a personal achievement. It offers valuable lessons to lakhs of aspirants:
- Failures are just feedback: Use every setback as an improvement opportunity.
- Discipline > Distractions: Her mobile-free life proved that focus wins.
- Language is not a barrier: She overcame English fear with relentless practice.
- Family support is priceless: Her father, brother, and aunt all played critical roles.
- Consistency matters: Her daily self-study hours and mocks were non-negotiable.
Neha Byadwal UPSC Preparation Strategy: What Every Aspirant Should Learn
Neha credits her UPSC success to a five-pillar strategy:
1. Honest Self-Assessment: Neha's journey began with self-awareness. She acknowledged her lack of effort in the first attempt and, from the second onward, regularly assessed her performance to fine-tune her preparation.
2. Equal Weight to Prelims & Mains: After failing to clear Prelims and later Mains, she understood the need to treat both stages equally. She balanced objective readiness for Prelims with rigorous Mains answer writing.
3. Timed Answer Writing Practice: With her brother's help, she practiced full-length Mains papers under time constraints, which sharpened her precision, speed, and structure—key to scoring well in written exams.
4. Strong CSAT Strategy: Despite struggling with maths earlier, her SSC prep with cousins strengthened her basics. She focused on accuracy and speed, making CSAT an area of confidence.
5. Personalised Mock Interviews: Family-conducted mock interviews boosted her confidence, refined her communication, and prepared her for real interview dynamics in a supportive environment.
Her journey proves that UPSC is not just a test of knowledge but of character, consistency, and resilience.
IAS Neha Byadwal —A True Symbol of Hope
Neha Byadwal’s life embodies that no barrier — be it language, failure, or fear — can stop a person with a dream backed by determination. From failing Class 5 to becoming an IAS officer serving in Uttar Pradesh, she broke every stereotype and set an example for future aspirants.
Her message is loud and clear:
"You don’t need to be perfect to succeed, you just need to be persistent."