Wardah Khan, a resident of Noida who resigned from her corporate job to prepare for civil services, achieved the 18th rank in the UPSC exam 2023, a prestigious test whose results the UPSC announced on Tuesday.

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The 24-year-old UPSC qualifier states that she has chosen the Indian Foreign Service (IFS) as her first preference and aims to bring pride to the country on global platforms.

“I, like every other aspirant, dream of seeing my name on the result list when we begin our journey. However, achieving a position in the top 20 was beyond my imagination; I never thought I would make it this far. It’s an incredibly surreal feeling at the moment. Everyone in my family is ecstatic and bursting with pride,” Ms. Khan shared with PTI.

“I have chosen the Indian Foreign Service (IFS) as my top preference because I want to enhance India’s image globally and contribute to our Indian diaspora abroad,” she stated.

Living in Vivek Vihar in Noida’s Sector 82, Ms. Khan completed her Bachelors in Commerce (Honours) at Khalsa College, Delhi University. She lives with her mother as her father passed away nine years ago.

Ms. Khan explained that during her college years, she developed an interest in geopolitics, particularly in subjects like history and polity.

Although she engaged in debates and MUNs (mock United Nations) during college, the idea of pursuing civil services didn’t occur to her at that time.

It was during her corporate job that she realized her desire to become a civil servant.

Wanted To Do UPSC To Serve Country

“After working for a corporate firm for eight months, I felt unsatisfied. I wanted to contribute to society, work for my country, and improve people’s lives,” she explained.

“Considering the syllabus and opportunities aligned with my interests, I decided to pursue civil services and left my job after eight months,” she added.

Ms. Khan mentioned that she studied at home while also taking online coaching from a private institution for a year.

Regarding tips for UPSC aspirants, the 18th rank holder emphasized the importance of mastering basics such as NCERT and Polity by Laxmikant.

“You should also create a structured syllabus for mains and prepare notes for your optional subject before beginning revision cycles. These are key factors to keep in mind,” Khan advised.

The Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) has recommended 1,016 candidates—664 men and 352 women—for appointment to various services after qualifying in the examination.

Aditya Srivastava secured the top position in the civil services examination 2023, with Animesh Pradhan, Donuru Ananya Reddy, P K Sidharth Ramkumar, and Ruhani securing the second, third, fourth, and fifth ranks, respectively.

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