The Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) administers the difficult Civil Services Examination, which is known for its demanding question format and wide syllabus that frequently forces applicants to consider other options. Sonal Goel, a Panipat, Haryana resident, ran into a similar situation when her father advised creating a backup plan. Unfazed, Sonal went after her goals of qualifying for the UPSC and in her second attempt, she achieved an impressive All India Rank of 13.
Sonal, who was raised in Panipat and attended school in Delhi, finished her education there. After completing her 12th grade education, she earned a CS degree from Delhi University’s prestigious Shri Ram College of Commerce.
Sonal stated that she was first ignorant of the civil services examination but was motivated to seek a career as an IAS officer after reading an article about a civil servant in a magazine, according to a report from UPSC Pathshala.
Sonal didn’t waver in the face of her family’s early misgivings, especially her father’s concerns about how hard the exam would be. When she was studying company secretaryship and said she wanted to take the UPSC exam, her father, realising how difficult the test was, told her to make a backup plan. As a result, Sonal decided to take the UPSC test and also enrol in Delhi University’s LLB programme. She started her UPSC preparation while juggling her job as a company secretary and her studies.
Sonal was disappointed in 2006 after her first attempt did not work out. Still, she persevered, juggling her work, her LLB coursework, and her UPSC preparations. Her persistence paid off in 2007 as she achieved the 13th rank nationally and realised her dream of joining the IAS.
Sonal Goel’s journey is a tribute to the strength of willpower, demonstrating that success in difficult exams such as the UPSC is achievable with careful preparation and unwavering dedication.
Link to article –
Meet woman, ex-CS, law graduate who cleared UPSC exam in second attempt, secured AIR..
