When the results of the UPSC Civil Services Examination 2025 were announced, one name that stood out near the top of the list was Monika Srivastava, who secured All India Rank (AIR) 16. Her journey is a story of academic excellence, a successful corporate career, and the courage to pursue a long-held dream of joining the civil services.
Interestingly, this was not Monika’s first success in the exam. She had earlier cleared the UPSC Civil Services Examination 2023 with AIR 455, but she continued preparing and appeared again, eventually improving her rank dramatically in 2025.
Her journey reflects the choices, doubts, and determination many working professionals face while preparing for one of India’s toughest examinations.
EARLY LIFE AND FAMILY BACKGROUND
Monika Srivastava was born in Ballia, but she grew up in Aurangabad, where her family settled because of her father’s job. Her father worked as an engineer in the Bihar government’s rural works department, while her mother served as the principal of a primary school.
Education was always a priority in the household. Surrounded by an environment that valued learning, Monika developed strong academic interests from an early age, especially in mathematics.
Her consistent academic performance eventually led her to the Indian Institute of Technology Guwahati, where she completed her computer science and engineering degree in 2016. Like many IIT graduates, she began her professional career in the technology sector.
Monika joined PayPal in Chennai as a senior software engineer. The job offered stability and growth, but the dream of joining the civil services remained somewhere in the background.
THE PANDEMIC THAT CHANGED HER PATH
The turning point in Monika’s life came during the global crisis of the COVID-19 pandemic.
During this time, she closely observed the work of her siblings, both doctors, who were serving patients on the front lines.
Reflecting on that period, Monika shares in an exclusive interview with Indian Masterminds:
“Watching my siblings serve as doctors during the pandemic made me feel that despite my potential, I was not contributing in the same way. I wanted to be part of the mainstream frontline workers.
This thought gradually pushed her toward preparing for the UPSC Civil Services Examination while continuing her demanding corporate job.
Preparing for UPSC while working full-time is widely considered one of the most difficult paths, but Monika decided to give it a serious attempt.
SUCCESS IN THE BPSC AND UPSC ATTEMPT
While preparing for the UPSC, Monika also appeared for the Bihar Public Service Commission Examination.
Her preparation paid off when she successfully cleared the exam and was appointed as an Assistant Commissioner of State Taxes in 2022.
The achievement boosted her confidence.
“It was a significant milestone that gave me confidence in my abilities,” Monika says.
However, her goal was still the UPSC CSE. She took a one-year extension from her state service position and continued preparing for UPSC.
Her effort resulted in success in 2023, when she cleared the exam with AIR 455.
Many candidates would have accepted the result and moved on. Monika, however, decided to attempt the exam again with the aim of improving her rank.
THE MOMENT SHE SAW AIR 16
The day the results of the UPSC Civil Services Examination 2025 were declared turned into one of the most memorable moments of her life.
She was traveling from Varanasi to Delhi when the result was released.
“When I opened the PDF and saw my name on the very first page, I couldn’t believe it for a moment,” she recalls.
Still unsure, she called her father to confirm the result.
“I even called my fiancée to confirm that it was really my name. My voice was trembling while speaking to them.”
Even after reaching home, the reality took time to sink in.
“That night I could hardly sleep. I kept wondering whether it was real or if I was just dreaming,” Monika told Indian Masterminds.
Looking back, she believes taking time off from work can significantly help candidates.
“Since I have been a working professional , I would recommend working aspirants to avail leave if possible before each stage of examination given the demanding nature of UPSC,” she advises.
According to her, focused preparation for UPSC is worth that risk if someone is serious about the exam.
QUESTIONS IN THE INTERVIEW
Monika’s interview panel asked questions across diverse topics, many of which were drawn from her Detailed Application Form (DAF).
Some of the areas discussed during the interview included:
- The concept of the Indian economy being in the “Goldilocks zone”
- The operating ratio of the railways and reasons behind inefficiencies
- Causes of railway accidents
- Issues related to coaching culture and dummy schools in Kota
- India’s defence manufacturing challenges and private sector participation
- The implementation and effectiveness of POSH
- Meaning and implications of rupee depreciation
- The debate around reservation as opportunity versus privilege
The questions required both conceptual clarity and balanced opinions, which are essential traits evaluated during the UPSC personality test.
ADVICE FOR ASPIRANTS
After securing AIR 16, Monika shared practical suggestions for candidates preparing for the UPSC Civil Services Examination.
She emphasises understanding the syllabus thoroughly and aligning answers with the exact keywords mentioned in it.
Another important aspect, according to her, is strengthening the static portion of the syllabus and supporting answers with real examples.
She also highlights the importance of structuring answers properly during the mains examination.
Breaking questions into sub-parts and effectively using the answer sheet space can help present ideas clearly to the examiner.
Finally, she strongly recommends practising previous years’ questions.
“Regular practice of PYQs not only helps understand the exam pattern but also improves answer writing and time management,” Monika Srivastava concluded.
