Top scorers are usually seen as people who never fail and always succeed in life. But that’s not true for everyone. Some folks face failures and bounce back so impressively that the country recognizes their skills and talent.
One such inspiring tale is about Ishita Kishore, an IAS officer who secured the top position (AIR 1) in the UPSC CSE 2022 exam. Hailing from Greater Noida, Ishita is the daughter of a former Air Force officer and a teacher at a private school. She’s the younger of two siblings; her elder brother is a lawyer.
Ishita completed her graduation in economics from Shri Ram College of Commerce, Delhi University in 2017. She was also a national-level football player who participated in the Subroto Cup in 2012.
After graduation, she worked with Ernst & Young in risk advisory for a while. However, her true passion was in civil service, so she left her job in 2019 and started preparing for it. Ishita faced multiple attempts at the UPSC exam. In her first two tries, she needed help to clear the prelim exam.
Finally, in her third attempt, she not only qualified for the interview round but secured the top rank (AIR 1). Her optional subjects were political science and international relations, and she mostly relied on self-study, putting in 80-90% of the effort herself.
Her UPSC 2022 exam mark sheet became popular on social media, revealing her final mark as 1094. In an interview with a news agency, Ishita shared her success strategy. She used to study for at least eight to nine hours a day for UPSC preparation.
Achieving the top rank in the civil services examination was like a ‘dream come true’ for her. She expressed her intention to focus on women’s empowerment after becoming an IAS officer. “To succeed, you need discipline and sincerity. No matter how intelligent you are, you have to put in the hours and the work,” she emphasized.
