https://indianmasterminds.com

ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT

Meet Swati Sharma Who Fulfilled Her Father’s Dream and Secured AIR-15 in UPSC CSE 2022

Swati Sharma secured AIR-15 in UPSC CSE 2022 in her third attempt. She gave the interview round in 2021 but couldn’t come in the final UPSC list. Her parents are her pillars of strength and she fulfilled her father’s dream.
Indian Masterminds Stories

Swati Sharma, a 25-year-old girl from a small middle-class family, lives in Jabalpur, Madhya Pradesh, with her parents, younger brother, and grandmother. Her father works in transportation, while her mother is a ‘stay-at-home mom’. This humble and simple family never expected that one day their young girl would offer them so much pride that their entire world would change!

This happened when the UPSC CSE 2022 results were announced and they discovered that she had not only cleared the difficult exam but had also secured AIR-15!

Indian Masterminds spoke exclusively with her to know more about her journey.

FULFILLING HER FATHER’S DREAM

Swati’s father had always wanted to see his daughter work as an IAS officer. Swati, an engineering graduate, thought she would be happier working in a corporate environment, but her father’s wishes were constantly at the back of her mind.

She soon realised that a corporate job would not bring her happiness. She desired more. She glanced around and noticed the social concerns in our environment, and the terrible state of women’s safety, and realised that as a civil servant, she would be able to influence society and contribute to its betterment. 

“That’s when I decided that I should follow my heart and fulfil my father’s lifelong dream of seeing me become a civil servant,” she told Indian Masterminds.

TWO FAILED ATTEMPTS

UPSC CSE 2022 was Swati’s third attempt at the exam. During her first attempt in 2020, she wasn’t able to clear the Prelims exam and during her second attempt in 2021, she cleared the Prelims and Mains, and gave her interview round but, unfortunately, wasn’t selected further.

She knew she had to put in a little more effort when she failed her second attempt and started preparing afresh. She chose Sociology as her optional subject as the resource materials were readily available in the market and the issue attracted her in general.

PREPARATION

She identified her mistakes from the previous attempts and tried her best to rectify those. Swati concentrated on her presentation, adding facts and numbers to her preparation. Instead of writing in paragraphs, she used bullet points or flow charts to make it easier for the examiner to understand. 

“For the interview round, I did mirror practices to improve my communication skills so I could communicate my answers properly to the panel. I asked questions to myself and then answered them. It helped me a lot,” shared Swati.

During her interview round, Swati was asked questions about OTT platforms and how they influence the position of women in society. She struggled a bit to form a good answer in her mind but ultimately went through it and impressed the board members.

‘PARENTS ARE MY PILLARS OF STRENGTH’

Swati shares that her parents are her pillars of strength and have supported her in every way possible. “It’s not mine, but OUR dream that has come true!” she shared.

Swati wants to use her position as an IAS officer to benefit her country and people. She aspires to improve the status of women in society by providing them with financial freedom and skills that will allow them to be self-sufficient. 

“I want to work for women’s safety as well so that no woman is afraid to go anywhere at any time and their families also feel safe when their daughters are moving to other cities or states for studies or to progress further,” she shared with Indian Masterminds.

Apart from women’s safety, Swati also wishes to work towards education for one and all and contribute to the social development of the country.


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