- By Ritesh Kumar
- Wed, 17 Apr 2024 11:27 AM (IST)
- Source:JND
UPSC Success Story: Wardah Khan, a resident of Noida, resigned from her corporate job to pursue civil services preparation. Her dedication paid off when she clinched the 18th rank in the UPSC exam 2023, results of which were issued by the UPSC on Tuesday. At just 24 years old, Wardah, the UPSC qualifier, has set her sights on the Indian Foreign Service (IFS) as her top choice. She aspires to represent her country with honor on international platforms, aiming to make India proud.
"Like every other aspirant, when we start our journey we dream of finding our name on the result list. But getting into the top 20 was unimaginable, I had not imagined to be able to be in the top 20. It's a dreamy feeling right now. Everybody in my family is very happy and beaming with pride," Ms Khan said, as reported by news agency PTI.
#WATCH | Uttar Pradesh | Noida resident Wardah Khan secures 18th rank in UPSC 2023.
— ANI (@ANI) April 16, 2024
She says, "I had never thought that I would make it to Top 20. I just wanted to make it to the list (of qualifiers). This is a huge moment for my family and me. This was my second attempt. I have… pic.twitter.com/2KoPdlDPmV
"I have opted for Indian Foreign Service (IFS) as my first preference, so I would like to further the image of India across global platforms and multilateral institutions and help our Indian diaspora abroad," she added.
Ms. Khan, a resident of Vivek Vihar in Noida's Sector 82, completed her Bachelor's in Commerce (Honours) from Khalsa College, Delhi University. She resides with her mother as the only child. Her father passed away nine years ago.
Ms. Khan developed an interest in geopolitics, history, and polity during her college days. She engaged in debates and MUNs but hadn't considered civil services as a career yet. It wasn't until her job that she realised her passion for becoming a civil servant.
"I worked for a corporate firm for eight months. That didn't sort of satisfy me. I wanted to give back to the society and wanted to work for my country and transform the lives of the people," she said.
"I realised the kind of syllabus and opportunities that this career (civil services) offers aligns with my interest and hence I decided to pursue it and quit my job in eight months," she added.
I prepared at home but also took online coaching from a private institution for one complete year, she said. On tips for UPSC aspirants, the AIR 18-holder said there are a few postulates that every candidate should keep in mind.
"First and foremost, you have to be very thorough with the basics like NCERT and Polity by Laxmikant. These are the basic books that you have to be thorough with," she said.
"You also must have made proper syllabus heads of your mains and your optional should also be prepared with notes before the cycle communities. These are some of the things that must be kept in mind," Khan added.
