Meet Pooja Gupta, daughter of police mother, who secured AIR 42 in UPSC 2020

With hard work and courage, one can break any stone. Such is the story of Pooja Gupta , the daughter of Sub Inspector Rekha Gupta posted in Delhi Police, who secured AIR 42 in the UPSC Civil Services Examination 2020.

Pooja Gupta decided to study as a doctor after 12th standard, but UPSC was always her calling. Along with studying for becoming a doctor, he kept preparing for the coveted UPSC exam. Pooja was selected for IPS by clearing UPSC in her very first attempt but Pooja's grandfather's dream was to see her as an IAS office. So even after becoming an IPS, Pooja continued to prepare for the Civil Services exam and in UPSC 2020, she fulfilled her dream of becoming an IAS by getting 42nd rank.

Pooja Gupta's mother Rekha Gupta is an Assistant Sub-Inspector in Delhi Police. Her father does a private job. Pooja was inspired by her mother's uniform and wanted to appear for the Civil Services exam. She secured AIR 147 rank in her first attempt in Civil Services Examination 2018.

She recalls being honoured by the then DCP of Police Police during her school days. Since then she wanted to become an IAS officer. However, she pursued medicine after school. But then, she was drawn to her IAS dream and worked hard to achieve it.

Explaining her preparation strategy, Pooja said that initially she made the Internet a medium. Toppers' conversation on YouTube helped them create a chart for their preparation. She relied on NCERT and newspapers. At the same time, some government websites like PIB and PRS were also constantly monitored and content extracted from there. It was easy for her to choose an alternative subject and anthropology is a subject she loves a lot.

Pooja's family supported her to the fullest while studying medicine as well as during the UPSC preparation.