Shruti Suman
Meet Artika Shukla, a former medical doctor who successfully cracked the UPSC exam on her first attempt without any formal coaching. Achieving success in the UPSC exam requires rigorous preparation, often spanning several years. While many candidates opt for humanities subjects and choose an optional subject aligned with their academic background, some individuals, like Artika Shukla, who previously pursued fields like engineering and medicine, also find success in this highly competitive exam.
Hailing from Varanasi, Artika Shukla holds an MBBS degree from Maulana Azad Medical College in Delhi. After completing her undergraduate studies, she embarked on a journey to pursue a postgraduate degree at PGIMIR, Chandigarh, before her brother’s suggestion led her to consider a career in the Indian Administrative Service (IAS).
Inspired by her brother’s achievement in the 2012 UPSC Civil Services Exam, Artika Shukla decided to leave her medical studies halfway and commit herself to preparing for the UPSC exam. Rather than enrolling in coaching classes, she relied on her brother Utkarsh Shukla’s study materials to prepare for the Civil Services exams.
In 2015, Artika Shukla took the UPSC exam and achieved an impressive All India Rank (AIR) of 4 in her very first attempt. In the same year, other notable candidates like Tina Dabi secured AIR 1, Athar Amir Khan secured AIR 2, and Jasmeet Singh secured AIR 3. These candidates, including Artika, received training together at the Lal Bahadur Shastri National Academy of Administration in Mussoorie and ultimately became IAS officers in 2016.
Artika’s journey was also intertwined with her personal life, as she met Jasmeet Singh in 2015. Jasmeet Singh, who ranked 4th in the UPSC exam, eventually became her husband. Their connection was fostered at the Lal Bahadur Shastri National Academy of Administration, where they both underwent training. They got married in 2017.
In the UPSC Final Result of 2022, Ishita Kishore emerged as the topper, securing AIR 1. Remarkably, three other female candidates were among the top 4 selections, underscoring the significant achievements of women in the UPSC Main result. In the top 10 UPSC result, 6 of the rank holders were female, while the remaining 4 were male.
The UPSC Civil Services exam consists of three stages: the Preliminary exam, the Main exam, and the Personality Test or Interview round. The candidates who were selected in the UPSC Final Result of 2022 had successfully completed the rigorous process, including the challenging personality test, marking the culmination of their journey to become IAS officers.
