https://indianmasterminds.com

ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT

When Failures Can Inspire Too: Meet Pallavi Verma Who Cracked CSE in the 7th Attempt

Software tester Pallavi Verma cleared UPSC CSE 2020 with AIR 340 in her seventh attempt After each failure, she cried her heart out, but got back to preparing again for another attempt Read her story of tremendous willpower, strong determination, and immense patience to draw inspiration from failures, too
Indian Masterminds Stories

Imagine failing six times and seeing success in the seventh! Anybody would be on seventh heaven, right? Only, in the case of the person whose story we are going to present today, it was just the logical conclusion of a long arduous journey filled with potholes on the way.

She is Pallavi Verma, and along her seven UPSC exams journey, she faced six failures. Yet, she did not give up moving ahead. She got up every time, brushed aside her failures as learning experiences, and did not stop till she achieved success in UPSC CSE 2020 with AIR 340! Never once in the long journey, did she falter on motivation or determination. She just kept her focus on her goal and kept moving, preparing and appearing in the exam, again and again, until she reached the final destination.

Today, Indian Masterminds brings to you her story of self-belief, willpower, determination, and above all, patience!

BACKGROUND

Hailing from Indore, Pallavi Verma has done her graduation in Biotechnology. She is the first girl in her family who had the privilege of going to university to study. After graduating, Pallavi worked as a software tester in Chennai for 10-11 months, and from 2013, she was fully engaged in the preparation of the Civil Services Examination.

SEVEN ATTEMPTS

She worked hard in her first attempt itself, but due to lack of complete information, she couldn’t crack it. She faced failure in the prelims three times, once she reached till the mains exam but could not go beyond that, reached the interview round three times but couldn’t make it to the list. In the seventh attempt in 2020, she changed her strategy of preparation and cleared all the stages to see her name in the final list.

“UPSC is one such exam where each attempts tests the patience of the candidates. For me also, the same thing happened. During the whole UPSC journey there were many ups and downs which I faced. There will be emotional turmoil where you start doubting yourself or the goals you have dreamt of,” she said in an interview to media.

NEVER GAVE UP

During the ups and downs of Civil Services Examination, she never gave up and continued her preparation. During this time, her mother was fighting with cancer. Seeing the constant failures and this crisis in the family, Pallavi had decided not to appear in the examination, but her parents convinced her to do so. Finally, in 2020, Pallavi gave her seventh attempt and fulfilled her dream by securing 340th rank.

“After my failures, I cried for 10 days, 15 days, and sometimes for months. But then I realised that this is not the solution. I closed the option of going back again to square one. So, I moved forward with my UPSC preparation again,” she shared.

While recollecting her preparation days, she said, “I was preparing constantly even after so many attempts went into failure. This was possible just because of the constant support of my parents, family, friends, and some mentors. Whenever I felt low, I used to call them.”

ADVICE TO ASPIRANTS

Pallavi Verma advises aspirants to focus on their test practice and answer writing, and never to skip the basics. “It’s important that the aspirants analyse their practice tests, revise them, and look after their weak points.”

Apart from this, she also advises them to never make notes on the very first reading. “Never make notes on your first reading. When you do this, instead of making the notes, you end up making the summary of the book. You should make notes which help as a handy revision before the examination. Note making should come after the third or fourth phase of your revision.”

Pallavi worked hard for almost 7 years to crack this tough exam. She recognized her weaknesses, mistakes and rectified them from time to time. This and her strong willpower and capability for immense hard work brough her the desired success in the end.

However, she summed up on a note of caution to all aspirants: “This is just an exam, don’t compromise your mental and physical health for it. Don’t judge your potential by the success or failure of this exam.”


Indian Masterminds Stories
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
Related Stories
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
NEWS
Union Minister Bhupendra yadav
No Immediate Plan to Regulate AC Temperatures: Environment Minister Bhupendra Yadav Clarifies, Says 20–28°C Cap May Be Considered Only After 2050
Punya Salila Srivastava IAS
IAS Punya Salila Srivastava Gets Additional Charge of Health Research; IRS Pankaj Bodkhe Repatriated from KVIC
education
Gujarat Achieves 100% Textbook Distribution Before Academic Year: Over 6 Crore Books Delivered
Punjab_govt_resized
Punjab: 8 IAS & 9 PCS Transferred, Amandeep Kaur-II Posted as Addl Deputy Commissioner, Amritsar
Bihar’s Makhana
Desi Makhana Goes Global: From IIT Dreams to Entrepreneurial Reality in Bihar, as Makhana from Bihar Gains International Recognition
Thermal Power
Pirpainti Power Push: Private Power Majors Show Interest in Bihar’s Largest Thermal Project at Pirpainti
IPS Smiti Chaudhary
Obituary: Haryana's Senior IPS Smiti Chaudhary Passes Away at 48 in Nashik, Leaves Behind Legacy of Integrity & Service
Indian Railways
From Isolation to Integration: New Rail Corridor Signals Hope for Naxal-Affected Bastar, Final Survey Phase of Kothagudem–Kirandul Line Underway
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
Videos
Ex IRS C Rajendiran
Ex-IRS Officer C. Rajendiran Illuminates Thirukkural’s Timeless Wisdom in Exclusive Interview
WhatsApp Image 2025-06-25 at 5.07
Why Has the DGCA Fined Air India Rs 5 Crore Since Privatisation?
Former Diplomat Ashok Sajjanhar
Iran Is Weakest Now, Needs a Face-Saver
ADVERTISEMENT
UPSC Stories
Sanish Kumar Singh
“If you want it badly enough, you’ll find a way,” Sanish Kumar Singh AIR 8, UPSC IFS 2024 
The real interview, he says, was much more humane. “The board was conversational. The chairman opened...
Raju Wagh
When the Battlefield Became a Study Room and a Dream Took Flight
Amid IED blasts and anti-Maoist operations in Bastar, CRPF Commando Raju Wagh taught village kids, studied...
WhatsApp Image 2025-06-18 at 10.31
"I Just Wanted to Breathe Again": The Man Who Fought Death and Made It to UPSC
Struck by COVID at the peak of his UPSC prep, Devanand Telgote spent months on ECMO, unsure he'd live,...
Social Media
Shailaja Chandra
“Nanis & Dadis Have a Brain”: Former IAS Officer Shailaja Chandra Weighs in on 1970s vs 2025 Life Debate - “This Generation Has It Better”
Responding to Viral Post on Middle-Class Struggles, Ex-Bureaucrat Offers Candid Reflection on Then and...
Tigress Arrowhead
The End of an Era: A Queen Falls - Ranthambore’s Iconic Tigress Arrowhead (T-84) Passes Away at 14, Hours After Daughter’s Relocation
Ranthambore mourns the loss of one of its fiercest and most beloved tigers, Arrowhead, the granddaughter...
Screenshot 2025-06-13 194001
Wild Elephant Disrupts Riverside Picnic, Sparks Debate on Human Encroachment; IFS Parveen Kumar Shares the Video - Watch Here!
Mr. Kaswan used the viral video, which has garnered over 1.5 lakh views, to highlight the risks of human...
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
Latest
Union Minister Bhupendra yadav
No Immediate Plan to Regulate AC Temperatures: Environment Minister Bhupendra Yadav Clarifies, Says 20–28°C Cap May Be Considered Only After 2050
Punya Salila Srivastava IAS
IAS Punya Salila Srivastava Gets Additional Charge of Health Research; IRS Pankaj Bodkhe Repatriated from KVIC
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
Videos
Ex IRS C Rajendiran
WhatsApp Image 2025-06-25 at 5.07
Former Diplomat Ashok Sajjanhar
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT