Latest news with #TaruniPandey
India.com
04-08-2025
- Health
- India.com
Meet The Woman Who Dropped Out Of MBBS, Battled COVID, Cracked UPSC In Just 4 Months Without Any Coaching, Her AIR...
photoDetails english Meet Taruni Pandey who battled serious health issues, let go of a dream she once held dear, and missed an important exam just days before it was scheduled. But none of it stopped her. With no coaching, limited time, and immense pressure, this woman turned her final attempt into a life-changing moment, securing one of the top ranks in one of India's toughest exams. Her journey is not just about cracking UPSC. Scroll down to read her inspiring story. Updated:Aug 04, 2025, 02:39 PM IST Who is Taruni Pandey 1 / 8 Taruni Pandey was born in Chittaranjan, West Bengal who dropped her dream and cracked the UPSC with AIR 14 in 2021 despite having health issues and struggles, she still managed to crack UPSC without any coaching. What makes her journey extraordinary is that she managed to achieve this with only six months. Her Dreams 2 / 8 From a young age, Taruni had a vision of contributing to society in a meaningful way. Initially, she chose the field of medicine and her dream was to serve people as a doctor. However, as time passed and life happened, she realised her passion lay elsewhere. Education 3 / 8 Taruni started her academic journey in the medical field and enrolled in an MBBS course but then she got health issues like dengue, typhoid and cerebral malaria, according to media reports. She had to leave the MBBS and pursued her Bachelor's from Indira Gandhi National Open University (IGNOU) in English Literature. Her UPSC Inspiration 4 / 8 Taruni was drawn to the Civil Services after the death of her brother-in-law when he was accompanying her sister to many government offices and she got inspired by it, something moved inside her and she decided to start preparing for the UPSC. UPSC 5 / 8 The Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) Civil Services Examination is one of the most challenging competitive exams in India. Lakhs of aspirants appear each year, but only a few make it to the top. Taruni's success in this demanding three-stage examination , Prelims, Mains, and Interview is a testimony to her clarity of thought, rigorous preparation, and emotional strength. Her UPSC Journey 6 / 8 She wanted to appear for the UPSC exam in 2020 initially but just four days before the exam, she was tested positive for COVID-19 and unfortunately she had to skip the exam but she didn't lose hope and re-appead for the exam again next year. Cracking UPSC 7 / 8 At the age of 32, which is the last attempt for the general category, she finally cracked one of the toughest exams in India, UPSC in 2021 with the All India Rank (AIR) 14 in just 4 months that too without any coaching. Her success story is proof that the right strategy, consistency, and self-belief can make even the toughest goals achievable in a limited time. Taruni As An Inspiration 8 / 8 Taruni Pandey's story is an example of courage, clarity, and perseverance. By choosing to follow her passion and to never give up on their dreams. She is an inspiration for millions of aspirants. Her journey teaches that with the right approach and dedication, extraordinary success is possible, regardless of the time or circumstances. (All photos credit: Instagram)
India.com
02-08-2025
- General
- India.com
Meet UPSC topper Taruni Pandey, quit MBBS, cracked UPSC with just 120 days preparation and no coaching, her AIR was..., she is now...
IAS Taruni Pandey (File) UPSC Success Story: The UPSC Civil Services Examination (CSE) is arguably one of the toughest recruitment tests in India, and requires years of preparation and dedicated coaching classes to prepare aspirants for the formidable examination. However, there a few who, on the back of their sheer dedication and singular focus, are able to achieve the impossible by acing the tough exam with just a few months of self-study and zero coaching. One such inspirational story is that of UPSC topper IAS Taruni Pandey, who quit her MBBS studies to pursue her dream of becoming a civil servant, an achieved that goal with just four months of dedicated preparation. Who is IAS Taruni Pandey? Born in middle-income household in Chittaranjan, West Bengal, but raised in Jamtara, Jharkhand, Taruni Pandey had an education-oriented and studious environment at home as both her parents are government employees. Growing up, Taruni was always an exceptional student in school and desired to become a doctor. After her schooling, Taruni Pandey earned her Bachelor's and Master's degrees in English literature from IGNOU, and later pursued her dream of becoming a doctor, but fate had something else in store for her as health issues forced her to quit her MBBS studies during her second year, and prompting the young woman to explore new career avenues. How a tragic event inspired Taruni Pandey for UPSC? A crucial moment, which changed Taruni's perspective on life, and inspired her to become an IAS officer, came when her brother-in-law, a CRPF captain, was martyred in action. The event took a toll on her, but also served as an inspiration as she witnessed IAS officers and top bureaucrats coming forward to help her family. Taruni made up her mind and immediately engrossed herself in preparation for UPSC CSE by relying on self-study, online resources such as YouTube, and her own notes. Unlike majority of aspirants, Taruni Pandey did not opt for coaching classes and instead trusted her own study plan to crack the tough exam. What was her All-India Rank (AIR)? After just four months or 120 days of preparation, Taruni Pandey was ready to appear in the 2020 UPSC Prelims, but COVID-19 outbreak derailed her plans. This was a major setback as Taruni realized that her next UPSC attempt would be her last because of the age limit for Open Merit or general category candidates. However, Taruni's hard work and dedication bore fruit when she aced the UPSC CSE in 2021 with an impressive All India Rank (AIR) of 14, and achieved her dream of becoming an IAS officer.
News18
03-06-2025
- Health
- News18
From MBBS Dropout To IAS: Taruni Pandey's Journey To Crack UPSC With 6 Months Of Prep
Last Updated: Taruni Pandey, once aspiring to be a doctor, faced health issues and shifted to becoming an IAS officer. Despite challenges, she secured All India Rank 14 in UPSC CSE 2021. Ever since she was in the third grade, Taruni Pandey had dreamed of becoming a doctor. But destiny had other plans. From letting go of her childhood dream due to serious health issues to discovering a new purpose in becoming an IAS officer, Pandey's journey is nothing short of extraordinary. Born in Chittaranjan, a quiet town in West Bengal, Taruni always dreamed of becoming a doctor and even began studying for an MBBS degree, but due to health issues like dengue, typhoid, and cerebral malaria, she had to discontinue her studies midway. She then pursued her Bachelor's and Master's degrees in English Literature from Indira Gandhi National Open University (IGNOU). The idea of a career in the civil service hadn't initially occurred to Pandey. The untimely death of her brother-in-law proved to be a pivotal moment. Accompanying her sister to various government offices, she came face to face with the inner workings of the system. These experiences stirred something in her. She was deeply inspired by the impact bureaucrats and politicians could make in people's lives. That was the moment Taruni discovered a new purpose, becoming a civil servant who could bring real change. She shifted her focus to the UPSC Civil Services Examination, one of the toughest and most prestigious exams in the country. She initially planned to appear for the UPSC prelims in 2020, but life threw another challenge her way. Just four days before the exam, she tested positive for COVID-19 and had to step back. But Taruni didn't lose hope. In 2021, at the age limit of 32 for general category candidates, she gave her final attempt with a fierce sense of purpose. With only four months to prepare, and without the help of any coaching institute, Taruni relied on a smart and focused strategy. She turned to online platforms like YouTube to prepare notes and revise topics, skipping bulky textbooks and choosing a more practical and time-saving method of learning. Her hard work paid off when she secured an All India Rank of 14 in the UPSC CSE 2021. Taruni Pandey's story is a powerful reminder that setbacks don't define your future your response to them does. With grit, smart planning, and the will to rise above difficulties, she turned a personal loss and a missed chance into an inspiring victory. First Published:
