SHRUTI SHARMA UPSC 2021-22 Rank-1

Shruti Sharma, hailing from Bijnor, Uttar Pradesh, secured All India Rank 1 in the 2021 UPSC Civil Services Examination in her second attempt. A highly determined and focused individual, Shruti has been passionate about serving the nation since her early days. Her interest in civil services was driven by her desire to bring positive changes to society. Shruti holds a degree in History from St. Stephen’s College, Delhi, and pursued her postgraduate studies at the Delhi School of Economics. She attributes her success to consistent hard work, disciplined study, and guidance from the Jamia Millia Islamia Residential Coaching Academy (RCA). Her optional subject was History.

Quick Information Table:

Shruti Sharma's academic journey began at Cambridge Primary School in Delhi, followed by Sardar Patel Vidyalaya. She graduated from St. Stephen’s College, Delhi, with a History (Honors) degree and later pursued a Master’s degree at the Delhi School of Economics. Despite her family background of engineers and doctors, Shruti was the only one to follow a path in the Arts and Humanities. She began preparing for UPSC at Jamia Millia Islamia’s RCA after her first attempt in 2019, where she narrowly missed the Mains cut-off by just one mark due to an issue with her medium of instruction​.

Shruti comes from an educated family with strong professional backgrounds. Her father, Sunil Dutt Sharma, is an architect and runs a construction consultancy firm. Her mother, Rachna Sharma, is a former teacher. Shruti’s brother is a state-level cricketer representing Uttar Pradesh in the Under-25 category. Her family has been very supportive of her civil services journey, and they were a significant source of motivation during her preparation​.

Shruti Sharma has always believed in contributing to society and making a difference through her career. She wanted to leverage the opportunities and responsibilities of the civil services to impact people’s lives positively. Shruti mentioned that she comes from a relatively privileged background and felt it was important to give back to society in a meaningful way. Additionally, she saw the diverse and dynamic nature of civil services as an avenue for both personal and professional growth. This motivated her to pursue the IAS, aiming to use her position to instigate constructive changes at the grassroots level​.

Marks Obtained:

Shruti's first attempt at the UPSC CSE was fraught with challenges. Due to a technical glitch, she had to take her Mains examination in Hindi instead of English, which resulted in her missing the interview call by just one mark. This initial setback taught her important lessons about the exam process. Despite the disappointment, she remained resolute, focusing on improving her approach for her second attempt. The shift in her strategy, along with guidance from mentors, helped her overcome these challenges and secure the top rank​.