In a motivating post, IAS officer Sonal Goel reflected on her journey to clear the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) Civil Services exam - arguably one of India's toughest examinations - and shared a picture on X of her 2007 Mains marksheet, where she faced a setback after scoring low marks on her General Studies papers.
In the viral post, Goel described that she fell short of getting an interview call due to low marks in the General Studies papers in UPSC Civil Services Mains. However, this setback only fuelled her determination to perform better in her next attempt and cross the finish line to become an IAS officer.
"I then devoted myself entirely to mastering the General Studies paper and improving at other aspects of Mains emphasizing on Notes making, repeated revisions and #AnswerWriting. I poured my heart and soul into every aspect of the syllabus, along with pursuing my LLB from Delhi University and doing part time job as CS - Company Secretary," she said in the post.
As a result, Goel not only cleared the Mains examination next year, but also scored highest marks in General Studies compared to her optional subjects of Commerce and Public Administration. "Reflecting on this journey, I am reminded of the invaluable lesson it holds for the aspirants. It's a reminder that with dedication and relentless effort, no obstacle is insurmountable," she says.
"Every setback and failure is an opportunity to learn, improvise and ultimately, triumph. So Dear Students, Believe in your abilities, pursue your goals with passion, and never lose sight of your dreams," she further conveyed in her post.
The picture was uploaded on February 21 and has gotten more than 72,500 views on platform X. Social media users lauded the IAS officer for motivating UPSC aspirants with her inspiring story.
"You did that all while doing a part-time job and pursuing your LLB. Props to you for your achievement. Mad respect for you Sonal Di. This is the exact thing I needed cause I'm myself juggling multiple things and was getting demotivated thinking I won't be able to pull things off," said a user. Another netizen wrote, "Congratulations. Very nice and motivating for all UPSC aspirants specially students taking Commerce and Law as their educational curriculum."
Goel is currently posted as Resident Commissioner, Tripura Bhawan in New Delhi. She scored an all India Rank of 13 in her Civil Services exam and joined Tripura Cadre, and has held various significant positions since then. She has featured in Top 25 Women transforming India by Niti Aayog, United Nations and MyGov in September 2016.
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