Success Story: IPS Suman Nala, A BITS Pilani Engineering Graduate, Cracked UPSC In 4th Attempt
In the remote tribal region of Banaskantha, 29 families who had endured social exile for over a decade have finally returned home. Nearly 300 members of the Kodarvi community were ostracized, their homes deserted, and their farmlands neglected. Forced to leave, they survived as daily wage labourers in Surat, Palanpur, and other cities, cut off from their heritage and identity. For 12 years, no solution emerged until fate intervened in the form of IPS probationary officer Suman Nala.
A young probationary officer, Nala ended the 12-year social exile of 29 families from Banaskantha, gaining attention for her efforts. Born into a modest family, she completed an engineering degree in Computer Science from BITS Pilani in 2012 and worked for three years at Oracle, but her dream was to become a civil service officer.
Consequently, she left her job. In 2019, she secured the 508th rank in the UPSC Civil Services Exam on her fourth attempt and was selected for the post of IPS. Initially appointed to the Jharkhand cadre in 2021, she was transferred to the Gujarat cadre due to her marriage to Gujarat cadre IPS Om Prakash Jat. Since then, she has been serving in Gujarat.
Suman's journey was challenging. The UPSC syllabus and her engineering background posed difficulties, as computer science was not an optional subject. She cleared the prelims for the first time in 2016 but did not pass the mains. In 2017, she reached the interview stage but did not make the final list. She failed again in 2018, but with support from her husband (who had also cleared UPSC) and her parents, she succeeded in 2019.
Suman's strategy was effective. For prelims, she studied mock tests and monthly current affairs, believing that tests indicate what to remember and what to overlook. For her optional subject, she chose history, which she enjoyed. She prepared for prelims and mains simultaneously, focusing on prelims three to four months prior, then revising mains. Making notes was a habit that helped in revision. In the interview, she focused on her state, district, career, and education.
A 2021 batch IPS officer, she was posted as ASP in Danta. There, her domestic help informed her that her parents were among the 300 people of the Kodarvi community ostracised for 12 years under the 'Chadotara' tradition following the 2014 murder. Suman investigated the case and found that the main accused had been acquitted, yet the punishment persisted. She began discussions with the Panchs along with SP Akshayraj Makwana and Sub-Inspector Jayshree Desai. Through patient negotiations and raising Rs 70 lakh (Rs 40 lakh from the collector fund and Rs 30 lakh from NGOs), she succeeded in bringing the families back. Now the fields are flourishing, 30 houses are being built, and the children are attending school.
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First Published:
July 18, 2025, 17:16 IST
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