Who is Swati Sharma? UPSC IAS 2023 Topper, AIR 17

In the fiercely competitive Civil Services examination, Swati Sharma has clinched the 17th All India Rank (AIR) in the recently unveiled UPSC IAS 2023 final Results. Her remarkable journey, from being a determined aspirant to attaining the coveted AIR 17 and emerging as a UPSC 2023 topper, serves as a true inspiration.

Ms. Sharma, the daughter of a retired Army officer and a homemaker mother, highlighted that there aren't many women from her state in civil services. "I aspire that my achievement will motivate more women from Jharkhand," she expressed. This year, among the top 25 achievers, 10 were women. For some of these candidates, clearing the exam took multiple attempts and years of dedicated effort.

Swati's educational journey began in various parts of the country due to her father's military career. She completed her primary education at Army Secondary School, Kolkata, and her secondary education at Tagore Academy in Sakchi. In 2019, she obtained an MA in Political Science from Jamshedpur Women's College. Swati was inspired by her teacher, Zakir Akhtar, to pursue the UPSC exam. Despite facing initial setbacks in her first two attempts, Swati persevered and made her final attempt in Delhi, where she moved for focused preparation. Swati credits her success to learning from past mistakes, adopting effective study habits, and maintaining a positive mindset. Her achievement has brought immense joy to her family and has received widespread congratulatory messages from well-wishers and acquaintances.

"There's no single secret to cracking the civil services," stated Swati Sharma, aged 25, who secured the notable 17th rank in this prestigious examination, the results of which were announced by the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) on Tuesday. Ms. Sharma, who cleared the exam in her third attempt, devoted one and a half years to preparation in Karol Bagh. She mentioned that she primarily studied independently and only joined coaching classes for mock tests.