5 November 2026
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How a Year-Long Break Helped Tripti Kalhans Ace the UPSC Exam

Indian Masterminds Stories

Success often stems from the lessons learned from successive failures. Sometimes, after facing multiple setbacks, taking a break and rethinking your strategy can be crucial. This was the case for Tripti Kalhans, who overcame four failures before cracking the code of the UPSC Civil Services Exam.

In her first three attempts, Tripti couldn’t clear the initial hurdle—the prelims. After failing at the Mains in her fourth attempt, she decided to take a year-long break. This break renewed her determination and allowed her to give her 100%.

All her hard work paid off when she cleared the UPSC CSE 2023 with an AIR 199. Her journey was far from easy, but after years of relentless effort, she achieved her dream. In a conversation with Indian Masterminds, Ms. Kalhans, who is also a sportsperson, shared, “I didn’t want to wait for my last attempt. I never approached UPSC CSE with a Plan B, so it was a do-or-die situation for me. Taking a break after four attempts was not an easy choice, but it was necessary.”

Ms. Kalhans credits her sports training for teaching her to face failures with grace, renewed vigor, and better strategy. She changed her optional subject before her last attempt, and the rest is history. While one attempt is still left will she opt to give another to get better rank? Why did she change her optional after writing Mains only once? Did she take coaching, or did she clear the exam on her own? Watch the exclusive conversation to find out all the details about her inspirational journey.

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