For Prachi Jain, the UPSC Civil Services Examination was never a straight road. Her journey from Narsinghpur to Bhopal, then Delhi, involved a failed prelims attempt, an interview that did not go her way, a fractured leg at a crucial stage, and finally a place in the UPSC CSE 2025 final list with an All India Rank of 714.
And yet, even after making it to the list, Jain is not ready to stop. She is already preparing for another attempt in 2027.
What makes her story striking is not simply the rank, but the way she learned to confront the exam — and herself. In an exclusive conversation with Indian Masterminds, she shared details about her journey.
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A Civil Servant Who Became the Inspiration
Jain’s story begins in her hometown, Narsinghpur, where she completed her schooling up to Class 12. She then moved to Bhopal for graduation, pursuing commerce from Sarojini Naidu Girls College.
It was during these years that the idea of civil services began taking shape.
A civil servant in her district had become widely known for his work. Watching the impact he was able to make in the area gave Jain a tangible picture of what public service could mean. That officer became her inspiration.
She decided she wanted civil services to be her career. After graduation, she began preparing for the UPSC examination. It was only in her third attempt, however, that she moved to Delhi for preparation — a decision that came after two very different experiences with the examination.
2023: The First Setback
Jain’s first UPSC attempt came in 2023. She was unable to clear the preliminary examination. At that point, she admits, her preparation had not been extensive enough.
But the setback did not end the journey. Instead, she returned for another attempt in 2024, this time with a more structured strategy.
And this time, she cleared prelims and mains, reaching the interview stage. But just when the finish line seemed close, life threw another challenge at her.
A Fractured Leg, Two Months on Bed
During the crucial two months that were supposed to be devoted to mains preparation in 2024, Jain fractured her leg.
Instead of spending those weeks writing answers, revising subjects and preparing for the examination, she found herself confined to bed. The physical setback affected her preparation and, ultimately, her performance in mains. She attended the interview, but the final list did not carry her name.
Her second attempt had taken her much further than the first, but not far enough. There was another lesson waiting.
2025: Knowing What Had to Change
When Jain entered the 2025 examination cycle, she approached preparation more strategically.
She focused particularly on areas she considered her strengths, including GS Paper 2 and GS Paper 4, while also working on Sociology, her optional subject.
Interestingly, Sociology had not been selected because of some elaborate academic connection. Jain chose it largely because study material was readily available and she found it comparatively manageable to cover.
But her optional became the weak link. Despite putting in her best efforts, she felt something was missing in her Sociology preparation. She believes the subject ultimately affected her rank.
Still, there was one major difference this time: she was clear that she wanted to see her name in the final list. And she did.
Jain secured AIR 714 in UPSC CSE 2025.
From a Difficult Interview to a Memorable One
Her two interview experiences could hardly have been more different.
The 2024 interview, she recalls, was a bad experience. She felt she could not perform at her best and believed the board and circumstances were not in her favour.
The second interview was a completely different experience. She describes it as smooth and cordial, with the questions largely moving along lines she had anticipated.
But what made the interview particularly memorable were two unexpected questions that injected humour into an otherwise serious setting.
The board asked her whether she had ever beaten somebody. Her answer was refreshingly honest: her sister.
Then came the follow-up — was her sister younger or older? Jain replied that she had beaten her elder sister.
The board then asked whether she had ever stolen anything. Again, she did not try to manufacture a perfect answer. She admitted to stealing sweets from her own refrigerator after a doctor had told her not to eat them.
Those questions, she says, helped set the mood for the rest of the interview.
The Confidence That Came After the Result
For Jain, qualifying UPSC changed more than her professional prospects. It changed how she viewed herself.
Before clearing the examination, an aspirant can only imagine what success might bring. After making it through, Jain says, she experienced the respect that comes with the achievement and, more importantly, a stronger belief in her own capabilities.
“Believe in yourself and don’t lie to yourself,” is the advice she has for aspirants.
For her, self-awareness is just as important as hard work. An aspirant knows their own strengths, weaknesses and preparation better than anyone else.
AIR 714 Is Not the Finish Line
Perhaps the most surprising part of Jain’s story is what comes next. Even after qualifying UPSC CSE and entering the service, she plans to appear again in 2027.
This time, she carries something she did not have during her earlier attempts: the confidence of having already crossed the examination once.
She believes that confidence will help her approach the next attempt differently, while also addressing the gaps she identified — particularly in Sociology. The journey, therefore, continues.
Her Message: Never Lie to Yourself
Jain’s UPSC story is not about a perfect preparation schedule or an effortless rise to the final list.
It contains an unsuccessful prelims attempt, a mains setback, a fractured leg, an interview that went badly, another interview that restored her confidence, an optional subject that she believes pulled down her rank — and finally, AIR 714.
But perhaps the most powerful lesson lies in what she says to those still preparing.
“You are the one person who knows about yourself the most. So never lie to yourself.”
For an examination where thousands spend years trying to understand what UPSC wants, Prachi Jain’s advice is strikingly simple: understand yourself first.
And if her story is any indication, sometimes the road to the final list is not about avoiding setbacks. It is about being honest enough to recognise them, learn from them and walk back into the examination room stronger than before.
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