“Success is not final, failure is not fatal: It is the courage to continue that counts.” – Winston S. Churchill
Coming from a rural background, she often battled feelings of fear and self-doubt. Each time she entered the exam hall, nerves would overwhelm her, and she struggled to complete the paper. For years, the haunting specter of these fears held her back; from 2019 to 2022, she was unable to clear even the preliminary exams. However, she eventually came to a powerful realization: in life, winning and losing are part of the journey. One cannot live in fear of failure forever, and to succeed, one must confront those fears.
With this newfound determination, she finally cracked the prestigious UPSC CSE 2023 exam, achieving an All India Rank of 913 and becoming an IRS officer. This is the inspiring story of Payal Gwalwanshi, who set her sights on clearing the UPSC before turning 25—and achieved her goal.
In an exclusive interview with Indian Masterminds, she shared, “I set a goal for myself during my college days: I had to clear this exam by 25. If I didn’t succeed, I would pursue another field. This year, despite failing the prelims three times before, I achieved my goal at the right moment. This is my greatest achievement.”
JOURNEY SO FAR
Her UPSC journey began during her college days when she was just 21 years old. After graduating in 2019, she moved to Delhi, enrolled in coaching classes, and started her preparation. However, due to COVID-19, she returned home and continued her studies remotely.
She made a total of four attempts at the exam. In her first attempt in 2019, she was unable to clear even the prelims. The pandemic and some personal challenges led her to skip the 2020 attempt. In 2021 and 2022, she sat for her second and third attempts, but the results were the same: she did not pass the prelims. Despite these setbacks, she remained steadfast in her goal. With unwavering determination and confidence, she continued her preparation.
Finally, in 2023, her hard work paid off when she cracked the prestigious exam with an All India Rank of 913 and became an IRS officer. Remarkably, she also attempted the exam for the fifth time this year, successfully cleared the prelims, and has since written the mains.
In the meantime, she also cleared the state civil services exam and received a posting. In February this year, she was selected for the position of Agriculture Extension Officer in the Agriculture Department, but she chose not to join.
THE BIGGEST HURDLE & CRACKING IT
The main hurdle she faced in the exam was the prelims. She attributed this challenge to her feelings of underconfidence and a pervasive fear of failure. Coming from a rural background, she often doubted her abilities and believed the exam was too difficult for her to clear. This mindset left her nervous and anxious. She remarked, “This issue affects many aspirants, especially those from Hindi medium and rural backgrounds. Even what we know can lead to self-doubt.”
Gradually, she began to confront this fear. She started to believe in herself and focused more intently on her goals. She recognized that there are only two possible outcomes: winning or losing. “I told myself, why should I fear? Until now, my failures were entirely my own doing. It was my own actions that led to my setbacks,” she explained. Over time, she noticed that her fear began to dissipate. With newfound confidence, she approached the exam and managed to attempt over 95 percent of the questions.
BACKGROUND
She hails from the Balaghat district of Madhya Pradesh. Her father works as a laborer in the manganese mines, while her mother is a homemaker. Payal has two siblings: a brother and a sister. Her brother is currently a junior engineer with the railways, and her sister is preparing for the SSC exams.
Payal completed her basic education up to the 12th grade in her hometown. Following that, she earned her Bachelor’s degree in Agricultural Engineering from Jawaharlal Nehru Krishi Vishwavidyalaya (JNKVV) in Jabalpur, graduating in 2019.
UPSC JOURNEY
She completed her entire exam preparation in Hindi medium, choosing Hindi Literature as her optional subject. Payal studied diligently for about 10 hours each day, dedicating significant time to developing and implementing her study strategy.
She firmly believes that aspirants should first understand the demands of the UPSC before diving into their preparations. It’s crucial to grasp what the UPSC is looking for and the types of questions it typically asks. To better tailor her study plan, she conducted a SWOT analysis on herself to determine how and what she should study, creating a timetable that aligned with the UPSC requirements.
To aid her revision during exam time, she created short and concise notes, which proved invaluable. She emphasized the importance of these notes, noting that revising from bulky textbooks is often impractical during the exam period.
When discussing the challenges faced by Hindi medium students in the UPSC, she candidly remarked, “It is a harsh reality that there is a significant difference in the success ratio between Hindi and English medium aspirants. The root of this issue often lies in foundational education. I struggled to clear the prelims myself because I come from a government primary school where Hindi medium education is the norm. This environment doesn’t always align with the demands of the UPSC, particularly in areas like CSAT.”
She continued, “As a result, our foundational skills are often weaker compared to those from convent schools. However, if you are determined, you can certainly succeed, as the UPSC offers many opportunities.”
INTERVIEW QUESTIONS
Her interview went exceptionally well, earning her 184 marks-the second highest among Hindi medium aspirants. She noted that the questions were more analytical and situational rather than purely factual. Payal emphasized that the interview is designed to assess your personality rather than your knowledge, advising candidates to focus on showcasing who they are.
During the interview, she faced a wide range of questions, covering topics such as rural development, women empowerment, her Detailed Application Form (DAF), and the agriculture
MESSAGE
In her message to aspirants, she said, “If you truly want to succeed, dedicate yourself fully to your goal. This isn’t just a myth; it’s a reality that if you lose focus, this exam can easily turn into a five-year plan for you. From the very beginning, it’s important to clearly define your goal and prepare strategically for the exam.”
