https://indianmasterminds.com

ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT

A Mother of Three’s 17-Year Journey to Becoming a Revenue Officer

Jyotsna Priya, a mother of three, overcame a 17-year marriage, educational gaps, and societal pressures to crack Bihar's BPSC exam, becoming a Revenue Officer. Her journey showcases perseverance, self-belief, and the power of chasing one's dreams.
Indian Masterminds Stories

There is an old saying, ‘Age is just a number,’ and another famous proverb, ‘All things are possible for those who believe.’ The hero of today’s story is a living legend to both adages. She defied the odds to achieve her dream at an age when many would have chosen to focus on family and settle into life’s comforts. After 17 years of marriage, Ms. Jyotsna Priya has become a revenue officer, having cracked Bihar’s most prestigious civil services exam, the BPSC 69th Combined Competitive Examination (CCE), securing an impressive rank of 262.

Ms. Priya married in 2007 and dedicated herself fully to raising her children. However, at a certain point, she realized it was time to pursue her own aspirations. Her journey is remarkable in itself. When she married, she was not a graduate – she had only completed her Plus 2. But in 2014, when her children were a little older, she enrolled in college to complete her graduation. By 2018, she had earned a B.Com degree. It was around this time that she felt a strong desire to contribute more to society and not just live for herself.

In 2019, driven by a sense of purpose, Ms. Priya began preparing for the civil services. However since the age limit for UPSC had passed, she decided to focus on state civil services instead. Her inspiring journey, marked by determination and belief in herself, showcases the power of perseverance.

Indian Masterminds had the privilege of speaking with Ms. Priya to gain deeper insight into her extraordinary, inspiring path.

JOURNEY SO FAR

She began her preparation after graduating in 2019. In her first attempt that same year, she missed clearing the prelims by just 3 marks. In her second attempt, the BPSC 66th in 2020, she made it to the mains but fell short by 6 marks.

In her third and fourth attempts, she was unable to qualify for the prelims. Finally, in her fifth attempt, the BPSC 69th, she succeeded, securing a rank of 262 and earning the post of Revenue Officer.

Priya is not stopping here. Motivated by her own journey, she is taking the BPSC exam again this year, aiming to improve her rank and secure a better post. She aspires to become a DSP.

She said, “The beginning of my journey was the most difficult. I had to do everything – seek permission, endure people’s taunts, and face criticism. People would say, ‘At an age when you should be teaching your children, you’re going back to study yourself. Even if you have so many responsibilities, you should fulfill them through your children.’ I heard a lot of such remarks. Additionally, there was a long gap in my education, so it took a lot of effort to get back into the rhythm of studying and understanding the material. It was a real struggle. But in the end, everything became possible. Finally, I did it.”

Jyotsna Priya

STAND & FIGHT

Priya’s story is not just an example for women in our society, but it also offers valuable lessons on personal growth and thinking outside the box. When Priya discussed the idea of working to support her family financially while raising her children, many people suggested that she work in a parlour or take up something at home. However, Priya emphasized that in our society, women often have to compromise after marriage, but instead of accepting this, they should fight for their dreams. Priya fought for herself and pursued what she truly wanted to do.

HUMBLE BACKGROUND

She hails from the Sitamarhi district of Bihar. Her father runs a medical store, while her mother works as an Anganwadi worker.

She completed her matriculation from Sonaul Sultan High School in her village. After finishing her intermediate studies, she married Praveen Singh in 2007. Praveen runs a medical shop in Sitamarhi, and together they have three children. Her eldest daughter is 15 years old, while her twin sons are 10. Her basic education was completed in Sitamarhi.

Her children

BPSC PREPARATIONS

She did most of her preparation on her own, studying at home while living in the village. She never joined any coaching, except for an online program specifically for Mains answer writing, where she would take the exam and have her answers evaluated. In addition, she sought guidance from various mentors.

However, social media played a key role in her preparation, where she watched educational videos, took book recommendations, and made notes. She also paid close attention to previous years’ questions (PYQs), solving question papers from the last 10 years multiple times to understand the pattern of the questions. For interview preparation, she stayed in Patna for a few days and took several mock tests.

She shares, “After each BPSC test, I identified my shortcomings and worked to improve them. I maintained a diary where I noted my mistakes and made sure not to repeat them.

Optional & Essay: In the past, BPSC included an optional subject, but it has now been replaced with an essay paper. The optional paper is now merely qualifying and objective in nature. His optional subject was Hindi Literature. Her optional subject was Hindi Literature.

Reflecting on her preparation, she mentioned that while she could have cleared the exam earlier, her family responsibilities often prevented her from studying continuously, resulting in months-long gaps between her study sessions.

INTERVIEW

Her interview went well, although she was grilled thoroughly. The panel asked questions ranging from her background to current political issues. She was quizzed on her graduation subjects, particularly commerce, with questions about the fiscal deficit, budget preparation, and the national deficit.

She was also asked questions related to her optional subject, Hindi Literature, including reading some lines from the book Rashmirathi. One member asked her to explain the difference between Doha and Sortha, while another inquired about the language of the Ramcharitmanas and the Ramayana.

Ms. Manjari Jaruhar, one of the first five women police officers in India and the first from Bihar, was mentioned in the interview, with a question about her book Madam Sir. She was also asked about various Yojanas in Bihar, to which she responded by naming almost 12 initiatives, particularly focusing on Jeevika. She was grilled on the details of the Jeevika Yojana and its various aspects.

One of the board members asked her about the impact of social media, almost pushing her to describe it as a negative force. However, she firmly disagreed, sharing her positive experience. She replied, “Sir, I belong to a village, and the only medium that helped me the most is social media. Through it, I am here today. In my view, social media has many positive impacts. It depends on us how we choose to use it.”

With her husband Praveen

SUGGESTIONS

Giving a message to all aspirants, she said, “To those who are already preparing, keep pushing forward with full dedication. Strive to cover 100% of your syllabus and study it with honesty. For those who wish to start preparing but are unsure where to begin or how to proceed, I would say that a person is the creator of their own destiny. Do not settle for your circumstances – learn to fight them.”

The Bihar Public Service Commission Combined Competitive Examination (BPSC CCE) is a state-level exam conducted by the Bihar Public Service Commission for recruitment to various administrative posts in the government of Bihar. The 69th BPSC was the most recent edition of this prestigious exam.


Indian Masterminds Stories
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
Related Stories
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
NEWS
India’s Missile Strikes on 11 Pakistani Airbases Forced Islamabad Into Panic: Ex-UK Envoy Reveals Secret Saudi Defense Pact
India’s Missile Strikes on 11 Pakistani Airbases Forced Islamabad Into Panic: Ex-UK Envoy Reveals Secret Saudi Defense Pact
Devendra Kumar Tiwari Alka Tiwari  IAS Jharkhand
First IAS Couple in India to Hold Both Chief Secretary & State Election Commissioner Posts Consecutively - Know This Powerful Pair
Policing, Trust, and Investment: Insights from IPF - Indian Masterminds
Indian Police Foundation Marks 10 Years, Discussion on How Policing Builds Investor Confidence
Madhya Pradesh football training
Mini Brazil to Germany: Vicharpur’s Young Footballers Get CM Mohan Yadav’s Blessings on Vijayadashami Week
bureaucracy news
Centre Announces Key Bureaucratic Appointments & Deputation Extensions: Neeraj Surendran, Arun G, Anand Mohan Among Key Names
PM Modi CM Nitish Kumar
Bihar Receives Rs. 10,219 Crore from Centre: A Festive Gift On Vijayadashami to Fuel Development & Welfare, Backed by GST Reforms
Chhattisgarh government
Chhattisgarh CM Charts Development Roadmap: Push for Capital Expenditure, Biometric Attendance, & Transparent Governance
Vishnu Deo Sai CM
Chhattisgarh Gets Rs. 3,462 Crore Boost from Modi Government: Here's How CM Sai Pledges To Spend It!
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
Videos
IFS Ravikant Meena UPSC IFS
Ravikant Meena on IFS Preparation, Optionals, and Life in Forest Service
Siddhartha Saxena UPSC CAPF
How Siddhartha Saxena Cracked UPSC CAPF AIR 326 Against All Odds
Dr. S.K
Technology Meets Ecology: IFS Dr S K Srivastava’s Game-Changing Innovations in Forest Management | Eco Warrior Awards 2025 Interview
ADVERTISEMENT
UPSC Stories
UPSC Chairman Ajay Kumar Live Interaction
From Cut-off Dates to Coaching & Reforms: UPSC Chairman Ajay Kumar Assures Aspirants of Fairness, Transparency & a Future-Ready UPSC | UPSC@100
A Century of Service: The UPSC’s Landmark Year Begins. Chairman Ajay Kumar on UPSC’s Centennial: “Merit,...
Giriraj Parihar MPPSC 2024
From Constable to Deputy Collector: Giriraj Parihar’s 9-Year MPPSC Journey | Farmer’s Son, Brother to Five Sisters
From a jail guard to MPPSC 2024 Rank 8, Giriraj Parihar’s nine-year journey of self-study, hard work,...
Ankit MPPSC 2024 Rank 3
From Village Dreams to Deputy Collector’s Chair: Meet Ankit, MPPSC Rank 3 Hindi Medium Topper
Ankit, a Hindi-medium aspirant from Balaghat, secured Rank 3 in MPPSC 2024 and became Deputy Collector...
Social Media
World Rhino Day India
On World Rhino Day, IFS Officer Parveen Kaswan Shares Rare Insights - India Now Hosts 80% of the World’s One-Horned Rhinos
September 22 Marks Global Call for Rhino Conservation; India Holds 80% of World’s Greater One-Horned...
Parag Madhukar Dhakate
Relentless Rains Wreak Havoc in Dehradun: IFS officer PM Dhakate Warns Citizens Amid Flash Floods
Cloudbursts in Dehradun triggered flash floods. IFS officer Dr. PM Dhakate warned citizens to stay indoors...
Forest Guard Tiger Encounter
Tigers Clash in the Wild as Forest Guards Capture Rare Footage , Retired IFS Mohan Pargaien Posts Viral Video
Retired IFS officer Mohan Pargaien shares viral video of three tigers brawling in Ramnagar, as forest...
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
Latest
India’s Missile Strikes on 11 Pakistani Airbases Forced Islamabad Into Panic: Ex-UK Envoy Reveals Secret Saudi Defense Pact
India’s Missile Strikes on 11 Pakistani Airbases Forced Islamabad Into Panic: Ex-UK Envoy Reveals Secret Saudi Defense Pact
Devendra Kumar Tiwari Alka Tiwari  IAS Jharkhand
First IAS Couple in India to Hold Both Chief Secretary & State Election Commissioner Posts Consecutively - Know This Powerful Pair
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
Videos
IFS Ravikant Meena UPSC IFS
Siddhartha Saxena UPSC CAPF
Dr. S.K
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT