Inspiring Journey: UP Trader’s Daughter Achieves AIR 9 in UPSC Exam

In a remarkable achievement, Aastha Jain, the daughter of a small trader from Shamli district in Uttar Pradesh, has secured All-India Rank 9 in the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) Civil Services Examination.

Residing in the Saravgyan locality of Kandla, Aastha is the second daughter of Ajay Kumar Jain, who runs a confectionery shop near the Laxmi Narayan temple. The family includes three daughters and a son.

Aastha completed her early schooling in Kandla before moving on to the Scottish School in Shamli for her high school and intermediate education.

After finishing her intermediate studies, she expressed her desire to prepare for civil services. Her family supported her ambition by sending her to the University of Delhi, where she completed her BA and began her UPSC preparation.

Her preparation was largely self-directed, with some coaching in Delhi and the use of online resources for study material.

This was Aastha's third attempt at the UPSC exam. She had previously ranked 131 in her first attempt, where she was under training for the Indian Police Service, and 186 in her second attempt.

Her success has brought joy to her hometown, with locals visiting her family to offer congratulations. Ajay celebrated by distributing sweets in the market.

Aastha has always been a bright student, securing 496 out of 500 marks in her intermediate examination in 2019, where she finished fourth nationally.

Over a phone call from Hyderabad, Aastha credited her success to the support of her parents, siblings, and teachers.

The Civil Services Examination, conducted on May 25, 2025, saw 576,793 candidates participate. Out of these, 14,161 qualified for the written examination held in August 2025, with 2,736 candidates progressing to the personality test.