She passed the exam on her second attempt.
Odisha native Kasturi Panda, who studied B.Tech from NIT Rourkela.
Achieving success in the UPSC (Union Public Service Commission) examination is a formidable goal that often comes after a lot of effort. It also entails a fair amount of expenditure, deterring many talented individuals from underprivileged backgrounds who deserve equal access to opportunities. While most aspirants opt for professional coaching, there are exceptional cases like that of IAS Kasturi Panda, who secured All India Rank 67 on her second attempt at the UPSC without any coaching, serving as an inspiring example of determination and self-study.
Kasturi Panda, hailing from Odisha and a graduate of B.Tech from NIT Rourkela, accomplished this remarkable feat last year. She scored a total of 1006 marks, including an impressive 822 marks in the written examination, to qualify for the Civil Services Examination. On her first attempt, Kasturi reached the interview round but couldn’t secure a spot. Undeterred, she diligently worked on her weaknesses, honed her skills, and, on her second attempt, successfully cracked the UPSC examination.
Kasturi suggests that candidates cover the UPSC curriculum by employing the smart study methodology. She suggests that candidates go over the basics extensively from Class IX to Class XII. She studied at home, putting more of an emphasis on daily practice, writing, and independent study. She planned to complete 90–94 questions in two hours to get a score of 100 or higher. She solved many test papers while staying at home to achieve that target.
During the 2022 attempt, only about thirty full-length exams were given She also made updates to the earlier practice exam. In each of her efforts, she exceeded the threshold with a strong performance.
