https://indianmasterminds.com

ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT

Juggling UPSC and UPPCS, She Finally Became SDM

Sunishtha Singh cracked UPPCS with 16th rank in her 4th attempt She is currently undergoing training in Lucknow Her story is an example of how one should balance preparation of two difficult exams
Indian Masterminds Stories

The saying, ‘Never sail on two boats’, strangely did not apply in the case of Sunishtha Singh, who prepared for two difficult exams together – UPSC and UPPCS. While doing so, she exhibited unparalleled determination and resilience, and finally cracked the UPPCS exam, bringing an end to her seven-year journey of rigorous preparation.

No doubt she faced many setbacks and heartbreaks on the way. But, her willpower and perseverance eventually saw her through. Despite the daunting challenges posed by the demanding syllabi and competitive environment, her unwavering commitment propelled her towards success. Her remarkable achievement serves as an inspiration to aspirants navigating the complex landscape of civil service examinations, embodying the essence of perseverance and excellence.

Speaking exclusively to Indian Masterminds, Ms. Singh narrated her inspiring journey.

Sunishtha Singh

JOURNEY SO FAR

She started her preparation in 2016 after graduation, but gave her first attempt in 2019 due to age barrier. This was her first UPPCS attempt and she could not crack the prelims. In 2020, she did not give UPPCS as she was focusing on UPSC CSC. In UPPCS-2021, her second attempt, she cracked the mains and reached till the interview round, but could not make it to the final list. In UPPCS-2022, she failed again and could not crack even the prelims. In her 4th attempt in UPPCS-2023, she finally cracked the exam with rank 16 and is now going to become a SDM.

Meanwhile, simultaneously, she was walking on her UPSC journey as well. She gave a total of four attempts but could not clear the exams, despite writing two mains. In her first UPSC CSE attempt in 2019, she failed in the prelims. In her second attempt in 2020, she cracked prelims and wrote the mains, but could not crack it. In UPSC-2021, she failed again in prelims and in UPSC-2022, she failed in mains.

Looking back to that phase of her life, she said, “The guidance received at the beginning differed from what was provided after coming onto the stage. However, once the correct guidance was given and preparation resumed, the situation improved positively for me. That’s why from 2020, I always wrote mains or reached the interview.”

Sunishtha Singh being felicitated by UP Government

BACKGROUND

Ms. Singh originally hails from Kaiserganj in Bahraich district. Her father runs a medical shop there, while her mother is a homemaker. She has an elder sister and a younger brother. Her grandfather was a big motivational force behind her civil service journey.

She did her basic schooling till 12th in Hindi medium from her home district Bahraich. Then she moved to Lucknow for further studies and completed her graduation (B.Com) from IT College, Lucknow in 2016.

UPPCS PREPRATION

She adeptly juggled her UPSC and UPPCS preparation together, masterfully navigating the common syllabus while dedicating specialized time to the unique requirements of each exam. It’s true that balancing both preparations together demands a strategic approach, focusing on the overlapping syllabus while customizing study plans for the unique aspects of each exam, which she did.

Syllabus and PYQs were two important weapons for her in these exams. She did deep analysis of PYQs in each of her attempt, to understand the questions. Apart from that, she also focused on test series.
She said, “PCS prelims is a fact-based exam and cover current affairs in detail. So, one has to study hard in that way.”

She studied ‘Ghatna Chakra’ books for getting the gist or summary in less time, besides the standard books. In UPSC, her optional was Public Administration.

She said, “I never faced any problem to prepare for two exams at the same time. It’s just that you need to plan well. When optional was removed from UPPCS, I had to study UP Special differently, which I managed.”

INTERVIEW

Her interview was interesting. There were a lot of questions from her hobby – cooking. Apart from that, she was asked questions from various topics like Waste Management, Rainwater, Women Empowerment, India’s GDP, etc.

She was asked questions like: How would you cook roti? Make a slogan on Waste Management. How would you save water with better use? How would you empower women in your area?

A member also asked her, “What kind of waves come out in the kitchen and how will you use them?”

Another member asked, “What was the temperature of Prayagraj last night?” She had reached Prayagraj a day before the interview.

SUGGESTIONS

Giving suggestions for aspirants, she said, “Everything is doable. There is Internet now, which makes your preparation very easy if you use it rightly. You will also get toppers’ copies on Internet. Find and learn from these. And, don’t deviate from your goal, minimize your resources and study hard.”

FUTURE AIM

As she has two more UPSC CSE attempts left, she said, “I will certainly give UPSC after thorough preparation.”

And, as SDM, one of her top priorities would be women empowerment. She added, “Apart from that, I will try to reach every common man wherever I get posted and will try to implement government schemes in such a way that everyone is benefited.”


Indian Masterminds Stories
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
Related Stories
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
NEWS
NCST Holds Review Meeting with NHPC
NCST Holds Review Meeting with NHPC on Implementation of Safeguards for Scheduled Tribe Employees
MP CM Collector Award Niti Aayog
Sampurnata Abhiyan: Madhya Pradesh Leads NITI Aayog Campaign; Collectors from 8 Districts Win Gold
Mohan Yadav
MP CM Mohan Yadav Pushes for Sustainable, Community-Driven Rural Water Policy; Targets 100% Tap Coverage by March 2027
Ajay Bhadoo IAS
IAS Ajay Bhadoo Gets Extended Term as DGFT - What It Means & His Career Journey
THDCIL_Receives_ABMS_Certification_for_Integrity_and_Transparency
THDC India (THDCIL) Awarded ISO 37001:2016 Anti-Bribery Certification by BIS - Details Inside
Ministry of Environment
Environment Ministry Clarifies Petrol Vehicle Tender, Cites E-Vehicle Flexibility
Bokaro Steel Plant
PESB Selects Priya Ranjan to Head Bokaro Steel Plant, SAIL’s Key Production Unit
REC Limited wins ‘Best Design Thinking Award’ at 5th Distinguished NBFC (DNA) Awards
REC Limited Bags ‘Best Design Thinking Award’ at 5th Distinguished NBFC Awards
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
Videos
Dr
Resisted Flawed Schemes, Transferred Thrice In Three Months, Found Solace In Writing
WhatsApp Image 2025-08-11 at 4.48
IAS SVR Srinivas on Mumbai Trans Harbour Link, Tough Calls, and the Real Power of IAS Officers | Video Interview
WhatsApp Image 2025-08-08 at 5.25
Dharavi Redevelopment: IAS Minds Turning 100-Year-Old Slum into a Modern City | Video Interview
ADVERTISEMENT
UPSC Stories
IAS Minnu P M
“Lazy, Sleepy, Yet Determined”: Minnu P M’s Honest Take on Cracking UPSC
Minnu PM, once a clerk in Kerala Police, cleared UPSC with AIR 150 after five years of struggle. Her...
IPS Ashish Tiwari
From IIT and Investment Banking to Public Service, Meet IPS Ashish Tiwari 
Ashish Tiwari, IIT graduate and former investment banker, chose public service over global finance. As...
WhatsApp Image 2025-08-12 at 7.27
First Attempt IRS, Fourth Attempt IPS: The Relentless Pursuit of Jitendra Kumar Yadav Who Cracked UPSC 3 Times
IPS Yadav is originally from Chhattisgarh. He was first selected for the IRS through UPSC and later for...
Social Media
Masahiro Hara
From Go Board to Global Use, How QR Codes Changed the World: IRAS Officer Ananth Rupanagudi Spotlights Masahiro Hara’s Vision
IRAS officer Ananth Rupanagudi shared a video on Masahiro Hara, the inventor of QR codes, highlighting...
IFS Susanta Nanda Video
A Mother’s Duty: Tigress Watches Over Cubs Splashing in Waterhole — Heartwarming Video Shared By Retd. IFS Officer Susanta Nanda
A tender wildlife video shared by Retd. IFS officer Susanta Nanda shows a tigress keeping watch over...
Mohanmala
Kaziranga Mourns: Beloved Elephant Mohanmala Passes Away After Five Decades of Service
Kaziranga National Park mourns the loss of Mohanmala, a beloved elephant who served over 50 years as...
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
Latest
NCST Holds Review Meeting with NHPC
NCST Holds Review Meeting with NHPC on Implementation of Safeguards for Scheduled Tribe Employees
MP CM Collector Award Niti Aayog
Sampurnata Abhiyan: Madhya Pradesh Leads NITI Aayog Campaign; Collectors from 8 Districts Win Gold
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
Videos
Dr
WhatsApp Image 2025-08-11 at 4.48
WhatsApp Image 2025-08-08 at 5.25
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT