A farmer's daughter from a small village in Amroha district is now posted as SDM in Jamania, Ghazipur, and her journey from two UPSC setbacks to a top UPPCS rank is turning into an inspiration for young women across her region.
Raised by a farmer father and an anganwadi worker mother
Nidhi belongs to the Hasanpur tehsil area of Amroha district in Uttar Pradesh. Her father, Veerpal Singh, works in farming, while her mother is employed as an anganwadi worker. The family had limited resources, but her parents never let that come in the way of her education. That upbringing paid off when Nidhi secured the 39th rank in UPPCS 2023 and went on to be appointed Sub Divisional Magistrate, commonly known as SDM.
From a village school to Kasturba Vidyalaya
Nidhi's early schooling took place in her own village. She later got admission into Kasturba Gandhi Balika Vidyalaya, a residential school for girls, where her outlook and approach to studies changed. It was there that she began taking her academics far more seriously. She went on to complete a BSc with Zoology, Botany and Chemistry, and it was during her college years that she decided to pursue a career in the civil services.
Two UPSC failures, then a change in strategy
Nidhi first prepared for the Union Public Service Commission, or UPSC, but did not clear the exam in two attempts. Instead of giving up, she used the setbacks to reassess her preparation. She decided to shift her entire focus to the UPPSC exam, a decision that turned out to be the biggest turning point of her life. She believes failure does not mean the end of the road; it is an opportunity to identify weaknesses and build a better strategy.
Not more study, the right study
According to Nidhi, the real challenge for aspirants today is not a shortage of books or material, but an overload of content. She says the candidates who succeed are the ones who learn to filter out what actually matters. She began by thoroughly understanding the entire syllabus, analysed previous years' question papers, and focused only on the material that was genuinely needed, avoiding time spent on unnecessary resources.
Handwritten notes became her biggest strength
Throughout her preparation, Nidhi made her own handwritten notes. These notes proved to be the most useful tool during revision just before the exam. She says that if aspirants study from limited and reliable sources and prepare their own notes along the way, their preparation becomes far more effective.
Now SDM in Jamania, flood relief her top priority
Nidhi currently serves as SDM in Jamania, Ghazipur. She says her goal in joining the administrative services was never just to hold a position of power, but to solve the everyday problems of ordinary people. With flood like conditions currently affecting her area, ensuring effective relief work and the proper implementation of government schemes has become her immediate priority.
An inspiration for daughters across 50 villages
Nidhi says being seen as a role model by people in her village and the surrounding areas feels like her biggest achievement. Her journey from a farming family to the administrative services is now giving thousands of daughters in rural areas the courage to dream big and work towards achieving those dreams.
