Success Story: She Quit Her Job To Try For UPSC, Failed 7 Times. But Became IFS Officer In First Attempt – News18

Last Updated:January 27, 2025, 17:22 IST

Vennam Anusha failed in all her UPSC Civil Services Examination attempts at various stages. However, on the advice of her mentors, she appeared for the IFS exam and achieved AIR-73 on the first try

It is said that luck knocks on everyone’s door at least once, and it is up to you to take advantage of it. Something similar happened to Indian Forest Service Officer (IFS) Vennam Anusha. After exhausting all her attempts at the UPSC Civil Services Examination, she found herself at a crossroads, feeling extremely disappointed with life. However, just when she thought all hope was lost, a ray of light appeared which changed Anusha’s life forever.

IFS Vennam Anusha hails from Bapatla district in Andhra Pradesh. She faced several challenges from a young age, including the loss of her father. However, she always came back stronger and achieved what she was dreaming of for years.

Inspiring Journey

Anusha was always good at studies and consistently ranked as a topper till Class 12. However, her father’s death deeply shook her. It caused so much emotional damage that she struggled even to pass the entrance exams for college. Despite these challenges, she completed her BTech in IT from Bapatla Engineering College in 2014.

After completing her BTech, she worked in the private sector for a year-and-a-half. In 2017, she left her job and dedicated herself fully to UPSC preparation. Between 2015 and 2021, she appeared for the UPSC Civil Services Examination seven times but missed clearing various stages each time. In 2019, she was eliminated from the UPSC Civil Services main exam by just one mark.

In 2020, when the Covid-19 pandemic hit, she doubled down on her preparation. Unfortunately, luck once again betrayed her. She failed the CSAT by a mere 0.05 marks. Despite this setback, she made her final attempt, where she reached the interview round but fell short of the final selection by just four marks.

How She Became an IFS Officer

After failing her last attempt in the UPSC Civil Services Exam, Anusha was devastated, and all her dreams seemed shattered. During this period of despair, one of her mentors suggested she appear for the Indian Forest Service Exam.

Although she had never considered joining the IFS before, this new possibility sparked hope. Anusha moved to Delhi to prepare for the IFS exam. In 2023, she appeared for the UPSC IFS exam for the first time and qualified with an all-India rank of 73.