From 6th Grade Failure to IAS Topper: Rukmani Riar's Inspiring UPSC Journey

• Rukmani Riar, from Gurdaspur, Punjab, overcame early academic struggles, including failing 6th grade, to become an IAS officer.
• She graduated from Guru Nanak Dev University and earned a gold medal in social sciences from Tata Institute of Social Sciences, Mumbai.
• After interning with NGOs, she decided to pursue civil services and cracked the UPSC exam on her first attempt through self-study.
• Rukmani achieved an All India Rank (AIR) of 2 in the 2011 UPSC civil services exam.
• Her preparation tips include reading NCERT books (Classes 6-12), magazines, newspapers, and practicing with mock tests and previous year papers.

Why It Matters: Rukmani Riar's journey proves that dedication and self-study can lead to UPSC success despite early academic setbacks.