'Competition Is More In Our Head': IAS Officer Pari Shares UPSC Preparation Advice In Viral Video

An IAS officer from the 2020 batch, Pari, shared insights into her journey of clearing the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) Civil Services Examination with an All India Rank (AIR) of 30. She is currently serving as an additional district magistrate in Sikkim under the North East Cadre.

In a viral conversation with photographer Ankit, who runs the Instagram account @FramesByAnkit, Pari introduced herself and spoke about her professional journey. She revealed that she completed her MA in 2019 before joining the IAS in 2020.

Pari also spoke about her background and said she was among the first people from her community to clear the UPSC examination.

Mother’s career inspired civil services

Speaking about what inspired her to become an IAS officer, Pari said her mother is a Rajasthan police officer. Growing up, she witnessed her mother’s work and the impact she was able to create at the grassroots level.

Pari recalled that her mother was among the first women officers to serve as Station House Officer (SHO) at several police stations. Seeing her mother work with people and bring about change inspired Pari to pursue a career that involved fieldwork and public service.

“I also wanted to do more of a field job and also work with people and for people,” Pari said, explaining that the desire had been in her heart since childhood.

Advice for UPSC aspirants

Pari also shared advice for candidates preparing for the Civil Services Examination, stressing that belief and confidence are crucial for aspirants dealing with the intense competition surrounding the UPSC exam.

“First thing is belief and confidence are very important,” Pari said, adding that aspirants can often feel overwhelmed when they see candidates from prestigious universities and diverse academic backgrounds competing for the same examination.

Recalling her own preparation journey, Pari said, “Even when I started preparing, I thought like, ‘Where will my turn come?’ You see like brilliant people all around from top universities.” She added that she came from a “very normal background” and studied at a “very normal school and college”.

Competition and mental strength

However, Pari believes that the competition aspirants perceive is often greater in their minds than it is in reality. “The competition is more in our heads. Real competition is actually very, very less,” she said. According to her, the number of people who are genuinely and sincerely preparing for the examination is smaller than aspirants may think.

Pari also said that candidates can sometimes become overwhelmed by the pressure surrounding the UPSC examination. “The people who are actually preparing are fewer, and we sometimes get troubled by all the pressures that are around us,” she said.

Encouraging aspirants to remain consistent and sincere in their preparation, Pari said, “If you are preparing sincerely, it's not that tough. It's a mental game.”

She further described the UPSC examination as more than simply an exam to be cleared, saying, “UPSC is not just about clearing an exam; it's a test of your mental strength and belief in yourself.”

Published on: Friday, August 21, 2026, 01:31 PM IST