A story of resilience from Uttar Pradesh highlights how persistent determination can transform repeated setbacks into administrative success. IPS officer Sarika Chaudhary, who belongs to the 2024 batch of the UP cadre, was recently appointed as the new Assistant Superintendent of Police in Saharanpur after serving as Assistant Commissioner of Police. Her transfer was part of a major administrative reshuffle by the Yogi Adityanath government involving 23 IPS officers on August 20, 2026. Behind this new professional milestone lies an inspiring journey of a brilliant student who faced four consecutive failures in the civil services examination before ultimately triumphing over self-doubt and health crises.
Academic Excellence and a Choice to Pursue Public Service
Born on January 1, 1994, in the Jhunjhunu district (Pilani) of Rajasthan, Sarika Chaudhary grew up in an environment dedicated to public administration and education. Her father, Mukesh Chaudhary, served as a Tehsildar, while her mother, Suman Chaudhary, was a principal in a government school. Throughout her schooling, Sarika stood out as an extraordinary academic achiever. After securing top marks in her Class 12 board examinations, she earned a prestigious seat at BITS Pilani for engineering. However, driven by a deep desire to enter public administration, she decided to leave engineering behind and moved to Delhi.
She enrolled at Hindu College, University of Delhi, where she completed both her undergraduate and postgraduate degrees while maintaining her position as the top performer in her college. Following her master's degree, she began pursuing a PhD at Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU). It was during her time at JNU that her interest in civil services crystallized into a clear goal. Realizing where her true calling lay, she made the bold decision to leave her PhD program incomplete and dedicate herself full time to preparing for the Union Public Service Commission examinations.
Struggling Through Four Straight UPSC Prelims Failures
Despite her outstanding academic credentials across school, college, and university levels, Sarika’s initial years in civil service preparation proved extremely difficult. Between 2019 and 2022, she attempted the UPSC Civil Services Examination four times in a row. In every single attempt, she failed to clear even the preliminary stage of the exam. Falling short at the first hurdle four years in a row created immense pressure, a situation that could easily break the confidence of any aspirant.
During this grueling phase, Sarika struggled significantly with psychological pressure and what is widely known as FOMO, or the Fear of Missing Out. Watching peers advance while her own career remained stalled triggered anxiety and self-doubt. The mounting pressure of the examination made it difficult to maintain focus. Rather than abandoning her ambition, however, Sarika took time to evaluate her strategy, analyze her past mistakes, and manage her mental health. She decided to attempt the examination for a fifth time in 2023 with a completely renewed approach.
Overcoming Health Crises and Achieving Rank 548
To overcome the psychological barriers that had hindered her earlier attempts, Sarika simplified her preparation routine. She deliberately restricted her study resources, blocked out external distractions, and concentrated strictly on her own syllabus rather than comparing her progress with others. However, an unexpected medical crisis threatened to disrupt her plans once again. Just 10 days before the crucial UPSC Mains examination, she suffered a severe migraine attack that caused intense physical distress.
Despite the severe pain and close proximity to the exams, Sarika managed her health while refusing to let the setback weaken her resolve. She appeared for the Mains examination and cleared it, moving on to the final interview stage. When the final results were announced, Sarika achieved an All India Rank of 548 in her fifth attempt. Her selection into the Indian Police Service stands as a testament to her mental strength, demonstrating that consistency and strategic focus can overcome even the most daunting obstacles.
