Long duty hours, night shifts but she still cracked UPSC. Meet doctor-turned-IAS office Dr Anjali Garg, from Delhi Safdarjung Hospital
Early Life and Academic Journey
Why She Chose to Switch Paths
The Struggles of UPSC Preparation
Triumph in the Second Attempt
Life Today
The story of Dr. Anjali Garg reflects how passion and resilience can alter the course of a life. Once a practicing doctor working long hospital shifts, she stepped away from a stable medical profession to attempt one of the most challenging examinations in the country—the UPSC Civil Services Exam . Her journey demonstrates that with consistent effort and determination, it is possible to transform even the most ambitious goals into reality.Every year, lakhs of aspirants prepare tirelessly for the UPSC examination, but only a select few achieve success. While many candidates spend years making repeated attempts, Anjali's case stands out because she had already built a secure identity as a doctor before choosing to pursue governance. She initially cleared the NEET examination, went on to complete her MBBS, and later, in her second attempt at UPSC, earned an All India Rank of 79. This achievement eventually led her to join the Indian Administrative Service Anjali Garg was born on September 14, 1996, in Chandigarh, into a family engaged in business. With no immediate exposure to civil services, she had to chart her own way into the world of governance. Her academic record reflected brilliance from the beginning. In school, she achieved a flawless 10 CGPA in Class 10 and scored 96 percent in Class 12 with the medical stream. Driven by her interest in science and healthcare, she cleared the competitive NEET examination and gained admission to VMMC and Safdarjung Hospital in New Delhi, regarded as one of the country's premier medical institutions.During her years in medical college, Anjali became aware of the stark gaps in healthcare delivery across the country. She realized that while treating patients individually was rewarding, the scale of systemic change required strong policy interventions. This thought planted the idea of preparing for UPSC. Leaving medicine was not a simple choice, as she was stepping away from a steady and respected career into a field filled with uncertainty. Yet, she chose to follow her conviction, determined to make a larger difference as a civil servant.Balancing medical duties with UPSC preparation was far from easy. Anjali often worked 12-hour night shifts at Safdarjung Hospital, carrying her books to work and revising during brief breaks. The strain of managing both study and duty took a toll on her health, leading to frequent illnesses and joint pain. Her first attempt at the exam coincided with the COVID-19 pandemic, a period when her parents also fell ill. That setback could have discouraged her, but instead, it strengthened her resolve.In her second attempt in 2022, Anjali secured AIR 79. She also stood out by scoring 134 in her optional subject, medical science, emerging as the subject topper. Her success was a testament to her persistence and belief in her purpose.Currently, Dr. Anjali Garg is serving as an Assistant Commissioner in Dharamshala, Himachal Pradesh. Her journey continues to inspire countless aspirants who look up to her as proof that dedication and courage can reshape even the most certain paths.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Hindustan Times
27 minutes ago
- Hindustan Times
Ludhiana: Anganwadi workers mark Black Day, protest against Poshan app
Anganwadi workers and helpers across Punjab marked 'Black Day' on Thursday under the banner of Anganwadi Mulazim Union Punjab (CITU). Wearing black dupattas and raising slogans, they staged protests in various districts to demand their rights and highlight the problems faced by both workers and beneficiaries. The protest was held as part of a nationwide call given by the All India Federation. Anganwadi workers union protesting against the government at DPO office in Ludhiana on Thursday. (Manish/HT) Addressing the gathering, union leaders in Ludhiana accused the Centre of continuously cutting funds meant for welfare schemes. They pointed out that despite alarming figures of child malnutrition in the country, the government was weakening the Integrated Child Development Services (ICDS). Quoting national survey data, they said children were increasingly suffering from stunted growth, while Supreme Court directions clearly mandate that freshly cooked supplementary nutrition must be provided at anganwadi centres. They argued that earlier, before the Covid pandemic, freshly cooked food at centres had helped reduce malnutrition by nearly 90 per cent. However, with the introduction of digitisation, beneficiaries are now given take-home rations only after completing e-KYC and facial recognition, which often fails due to technical glitches. As a result, many poor children and mothers are deprived of their rightful share. Union leaders also highlighted India's worsening ranking on the Global Hunger Index, slipping from 96 to 105, calling it a matter of shame. They said despite ICDS completing 50 years since its launch on October 2, 1975, workers and helpers are still denied fair wages. Even the meagre honorarium has not been paid for five months, and the Centre's budget share is repeatedly delayed. The protesters demanded that ICDS be recognised as a separate department, anganwadi workers be given Class III status, and helpers Class IV status. They also demanded nursery and LKG classes be attached to anganwadis, leaving certificates be issued, gratuity benefits be implemented as directed by the Supreme Court, and proper facilities like Wi-Fi and tabs be provided. Warning both the Centre and the Punjab government, the union leaders said if their long-pending demands were not met, they would be forced to intensify their agitation in the coming days. 'A demand letter was handed over to the senior superintendent at the programme office in Ludhiana,' said Anju Mehta, one of the union members.
Hindustan Times
7 hours ago
- Hindustan Times
Urs-e-Ala Hazrat: Tree plantation, free surgeries and edu for poor mark Bareilly Urs
In a way ahead of tradition, the Urs-e-Ala Hazrat observance in Bareilly this year was not limited to religious gatherings but transformed into a large-scale community welfare programme. Spearheaded by social activist and awardee Farmaan Hasan Khan, the initiative integrated environmental conservation, healthcare, and education into the annual commemoration of Imam Ahmad Raza Khan at the Dargah Ala Hazrat. Celebrations at Urs-e-Ala Hazrat in Bareilly (HT Photo) Held on August 20, the programme included the planting of 107 trees, free surgical procedures for 107 patients from economically weaker sections, and free education for 107 students preparing for NEET and Classes 6 to 12. 'An Urs is not just a religious occasion, it is also an opportunity to serve humanity,' Khan said, explaining the philosophy behind the initiative. The event was organised by the Aala Hazrat Huzur Tajushshariah Welfare Society, founded by Khan, in collaboration with doctors, educators, and voluntary groups from across India. Their combined efforts ensured that the programme delivered tangible benefits to the community rather than remaining a symbolic gesture.
The Hindu
9 hours ago
- The Hindu
Report recommends restoring State autonomy in health and medical education for better outcomes
A report by Ezhilan Naganathan, MLA, Thousand Lights Constituency, Chennai, and part-time member of State Planning Commission, has highlighted the increasing centralisation of the health and medical education sectors and has called for restoring constitutional and operational State autonomy. According to the report, submitted to the High-Level Committee on Union-State Relations, set up by the government of Tamil Nadu, there are six key areas where the Union government has encroached upon the State's functioning, overriding State-specific needs and State-specific delivery of healthcare. The first is medical education, originally in the State List and then brought to the Concurrent List. This arrangement, where the Union government frames policy for healthcare and medical education while the State delivers the healthcare services, creates a policy-implementation gap, it says. The report recommends restoring medical education to the State List and allowing States to be the sole authority for public health and medical education. The second area is replacing the Medical Council of India (MCI) with the National Medical Commission (NMC), a move that, the report argues, limited the States' role in framing curricula and guidelines. It also flags concerns with NEET and NEXT (exams for admission to medical college and for licensing practice), pointing out that NEET heavily favours the CBSE/NCERT syllabus and that it has led to a massive coaching class industry, not to mention leading to a decrease in government school students being able to secure admission. It recommends abolishing the NMC, bringing back the MCI, and allowing States to decide on admission procedures and examination systems. One other area the report deals with is organ transplantation programmes: it notes that recent moves by the Union government to centralise organ allocation and data management through the National Organ and Tissue Transplant Organisation (NOTTO) 'have raised serious concerns about efficiency, fairness, and federal balance,' especially as Tamil Nadu has been a pioneer in this field. The report, among other things, recommends a dual-tier system, with State-led allocation for intra-State matches, and NOTTO's role limited to inter-State sharing when no State recipient is available; and ensuring Central rules cannot override State policies that protect socioeconomically disadvantaged patients. The report also examines the centralisation of drug regulation, focusing on the role of the Central Drug Standard Control Organisation and its impact on States; the operational model of Centre-funded health schemes, which often come with conditions; the imposition of uniform parameters that fail to reflect State-specific health priorities; and what it terms 'cultural centralisation'. According to the report, this refers to the standardisation of health communication, public campaigns, and even medical curricula 'in ways that undermine linguistic plurality, regional identity, and locally evolved practices.' The report points out that centralisation 'risks flattening diversity into inefficiency' and urges that States be empowered financially and institutionally for better health systems.
