Most aspirants flock to Delhi for UPSC preparation, but this 21-year-old did the exact opposite and bagged AIR 61 in first attempt

Time of India

08-06-2025

"I Had to Sit With Myself First"
No Coaching, No Pressure - Just Focus
From Panchkula to SRCC to Civil Services
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While lakhs of UPSC aspirants rush to Delhi's Mukherjee Nagar every year in search of coaching centres, shared flats, and hope, 21-year-old Aastha Singh made the bold choice to walk away from the chaos. The result? A stunning All India Rank (AIR) 61 in her very first attempt at the UPSC Civil Services Examination 2024 — without the help of any coaching institute.Aastha's story flips the script on what it means to chase the civil services dream in India. In an interview with Careerwill App, the Panchkula-born topper revealed that it wasn't the crowded classrooms or peer pressure of Delhi that helped her but a quiet decision to prepare from the comfort and clarity of her home.When asked how she achieved what many fail to do even after years of attempts during an interview with Careerwill App, Aastha's answer was simple yet profound. 'The most important thing I did was to sit with myself and understand who I really am,' she said. She undertook a personal SWOT analysis — studying her own strengths and weaknesses with clarity.Having studied Economics at Delhi University's prestigious Shri Ram College of Commerce (SRCC), Aastha knew the city's distractions well. 'If I stayed in Delhi, I would spend too much time managing laundry, food, or even floods. It would be hard to maintain my mental sanity,' she said, reflecting on the little stressors that add up.And so, instead of staying in the so-called UPSC capital, Aastha returned home, saving time, money, and peace of mind — all while building the discipline required to self-study.Aastha made another strategic move: skipping the traditional foundation courses. 'I realised I could cover the syllabus faster by tailoring my own study methods,' she shared. With no dependency on coaching centres or batchmates, her preparation was self-paced and sharply focused — helping her complete the syllabus within a year and attempt the exam with full confidence.Even before her UPSC result was announced, Aastha had already proved her mettle. She cleared the Haryana Public Service Commission (HPSC) exam in the same year, securing Rank 31 and serving briefly as an Additional Excise and Taxation Officer (AETO) with the Haryana Government. It was clear that her strategy worked — and fast.Born and raised in Panchkula, Haryana, Aastha has been a top-performing student since her school days. With her father Brijesh Singh serving as Quality Head at a pharmaceutical company, and family roots in Jaunpur district of Uttar Pradesh, Aastha's upbringing was steeped in discipline and ambition.After completing her schooling in Panchkula with Commerce, she chose to major in Economics at SRCC. While most of her peers focused on corporate placements or higher studies abroad, Aastha felt a deep pull toward the civil services — a dream she began nurturing even before graduation.Her rank may have made headlines, but Aastha's vision for her IAS career is rooted in ground realities. According to an interview with Zee News, she expresses a strong desire to work for women's empowerment and tackle structural issues that affect marginalised communities.Sometimes, the biggest success stories are written not in crowded libraries, but in quiet rooms with deep self-awareness and discipline. At just 21, she has proved that the path to UPSC success doesn't have to follow the herd. Sometimes, taking a step back is the fastest way forward.