Some Lesser Known Facts About Shruti Sharma

• Shruti Sharma, an Indian woman, achieved the first rank in the 2021 UPSC CSE examination on her second try, with a score of 1105 out of 2025.

• Shruti stands out amongst her family members who are predominantly engineers and doctors, as she chose to pursue her graduation in Arts with a focus on History. Her family lineage is deeply rooted in the medical field, with her great grandfather, Dayaswaroop Sharma, and grandfather, Devendra Dutt Sharma, being renowned doctors in their native village. Even her paternal uncle, Yagya Dutt, and cousin sister have followed the same path. In contrast, her mother pursued engineering during her student years.

• While pursuing her postgraduation at JNU, Sharma discovered the Residential Coaching Academy (RCA) at Jamia Millia Islamia, a renowned institution for Civil Services Exam preparation, through her father. In 2019, she took the entrance test for the first time. Due to a technical glitch, she had to write the prelims in Hindi, which resulted in her failing the mains by only one mark. Reflecting on the challenges she faced in her initial attempt, Sharma expressed, “This is my second attempt. Due to language-related issues, I had to write my mains exam in Hindi. Unfortunately, I missed receiving an interview invitation by a mere one mark.”
• On May 28, 2022, the UPSC Toppers 2021 list was published, drawing attention for its notable achievement. Remarkably, women claimed the top three positions, with Ankita Agarwal securing AIR 2 and Gamini Singla securing AIR 3.

• Throughout her time in school, she actively participated in student leadership roles, notably serving as a member of the student executive and being entrusted with the responsibility of managing cultural affairs in the position of secretary. Her dedication to organizing various events became a defining aspect of her school experience.

• During her time in college, she enthusiastically engaged in different styles of debates, including parliamentary debate, conventional debate, and turn quote style of debating.

• During her Mock Interview, Shruti Sharma expressed her motivations for pursuing a career in Civil Services. She explained that her privileged background has instilled in her a deep desire to make a positive impact on society. Moreover, she emphasized the abundant personal growth opportunities and the chance to broaden her horizons by encountering diverse perspectives that these services provide.
• During her interview, she also disclosed her attempt to acquire proficiency in Urdu.

• She possesses an unwavering passion for international cinema, having indulged in a diverse range of films, from Iranian masterpieces to the captivating works of Hong Kong.

• Her success in topping the UPSC Civil Services Examination was attributed to her preparation at the Jamia Millia Islamia Residential Coaching Academy (RCA).

• She chose History as her optional subject for the UPSC exam.

• Her favorite poets are Sarveshwar Dayal Saxena and Dushyant Kumar.

• During a media interaction, Shruti’s grandmother from her mother’s side disclosed her wish for Rachna to pass the Civil Services Examination. Unfortunately, at that period, Rachna and her maternal family lived in a remote rural location, making it challenging for her to access coaching centers and hindered her ability to fulfill her mother’s aspirations.