Shakti Dubey, a 29-year-old from Prayagraj, secured AIR 1 in UPSC 2024, overcoming five unsuccessful attempts.
Her perseverance marks another year of women leading the civil services exam.
On April 22, 2025, Shakti Dubey, a 29-year-old from Prayagraj, Uttar Pradesh, clinched All India Rank 1 in the UPSC Civil Services Examination 2024, outshining 5.83 lakh candidates. Beginning in 2018, she endured five setbacks: three prelims failures, one interview round loss, and a 2023 cut-off miss by 12 marks. A gold medallist in BSc from Allahabad University and MSc in Biochemistry from Banaras Hindu University, Dubey chose Political Science and International Relations as her optional subject. Her father, a UP Police sub-inspector, inspired her public service dream. After her 2023 low, she relocated to Delhi for intensive coaching, clearing her first interview on March 14, 2025. Her preparation leaned on NCERT books, mock tests, and debates honed as BHU’s Student Debating Committee leader.
Among 1,009 recommended candidates for 1,129 vacancies (180 IAS, 147 IPS), 284 are women, with three in the top five: Dubey, Harshita Goyal (AIR 2), and Shah Margi Chirag (AIR 4). With 9.92 lakh applicants, the exam’s intensity is clear. X posts, like @ETNOWlive’s with 4,000 views, lauded her “unbreakable resolve.” Dubey’s X handle (@ShaktiDubey01) shared, “Sleepless nights paid off.” Though her twin sister Pragati didn’t qualify, Dubey’s journey inspires millions, highlighting grit and India’s growing female representation in civil services.
