Meet woman who studied Economics in London, cleared UPSC exam on 3rd attempt, later married another IAS officer, her AIR was...

The stories of those who clear tough exams like the UPSC Civil Services always inspire many. One such story is that of IAS officer Pranita Dash, who not only succeeded after several setbacks but also caught the public’s attention for her personal journey, including her marriage. Her path to success is a great example for UPSC aspirants.

Pranita Dash comes from Baripada, a small town in the Mayurbhanj district of Odisha. She completed her early schooling there, studying in Baripada until Class 5. After that, she moved to Bhubaneswar, where she continued her education up to Class 12.

Pranita’s academic journey took her further when she got admission to St. Xavier’s College, Kolkata, where she studied Economics. After finishing her graduation, she decided to pursue higher studies abroad. She went to London and got into the University of London for her Master’s degree in Economics, backed by a scholarship from the university itself.

While studying in London, Pranita developed an interest in joining the Indian Civil Services. She began preparing for the UPSC exam while she was still doing her master's. Like many aspirants, her journey was not easy. She appeared for her first exam in 2020 but did not clear it. Even her second attempt ended in failure.

However, she did not give up. Pranita returned to India, studied even harder, and finally succeeded in her third attempt, securing an impressive All India Rank (AIR) of 42. She was selected for the IAS (Indian Administrative Service) and allotted the Odisha cadre.

In her personal life, Pranita married IAS officer Avinash Kumar, a 2022 batch officer from Farsibganj, Araria district in Bihar. This made her the daughter-in-law of Bihar. The couple has become quite popular, and Pranita is also very active on social media, where she shares glimpses of her life and journey, inspiring thousands.

Her story is a perfect example of how determination, hard work, and patience can lead to success—even after failures.