Varanasi-born Artika Shukla, an MBBS graduate from the prestigious Maulana Azad Medical College in New Delhi, took a remarkable leap in her career path by shifting from medical studies to pursuing a career in Civil Services. Many students aspiring for the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) examinations believe that focusing on humanities subjects and opting for a familiar optional subject is the key to cracking the Civil Services Exam (CSE). While this strategy may provide an advantage, it is not the only route to success.

Artika’s journey began when her brother, Utkarsh Shukla, encouraged her to prepare for the UPSC CSE while she was pursuing her post-graduation studies at PGIMIR, Chandigarh. Intrigued by the idea, she made a courageous decision to halt her MD studies midway and embark on the path of UPSC preparation.

Contrary to the common practice of attending coaching classes, Artika relied on her brother’s comprehensive notes and self-study to equip herself for the Civil Services exams. Her determination and dedication bore fruit when she appeared for the UPSC CSE in 2015. Remarkably, in her first attempt, she secured an impressive All India Rank (AIR) of 4.

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It is noteworthy that Artika’s success was not isolated. In the same year, the UPSC CSE witnessed other triumphant aspirants, including the renowned IAS officer Tina Dabi, who secured AIR 1, followed by Athar Amir Khan with AIR 2, and Jasmeet Singh with AIR 3. They all underwent training together at the prestigious Lal Bahadur Shastri National Academy of Administration in Mussoorie and eventually became IAS officers in 2016.

In an inspiring twist, IAS Artika Shukla found love and companionship within her batch when she tied the knot with her fellow IAS officer, Jasmeet Singh.

Artika’s journey exemplifies the diversity of career paths available to UPSC aspirants. While many may opt for humanities subjects and their familiar fields, success can be achieved through perseverance and hard work, even for those coming from different academic backgrounds like engineering or medicine. Artika Shukla’s story stands as a testament to the power of determination and dedication in pursuing one’s dreams within the Indian Civil Services.