The upper age limit for general category candidates to take the UPSC examination is 32 years.
Taruni Pandey wanted to appear for the 2020 UPSC prelims, but she was unable to do so just four days before the exam due to a COVID-19 infection.
Taruni Pandey, 32 years old, was born and raised in Chittaranjan, West Bengal, and completed her education in Jamtara, Jharkhand. She completed a bachelor’s and master’s degree in English literature at the Indira Gandhi National Open University (IGNOU).
Since she was in third grade, Taruni had a childhood dream of becoming a doctor. Her career ambition remained resolute throughout the years. Despite initially obtaining an MBBS degree, Taruni had to interrupt her studies in the second year due to health problems. However, she remained determined to explore other avenues and prepared for the UPSC civil service exam.
After her brother-in-law’s death, Taruni had to accompany her sister to various government offices where she interacted with various bureaucrats and politicians. It was during this period that Taruni found a new calling in her life. This experience inspired her and made her realize the transformative power an individual can have within the system.
Taruni Pandey wanted to appear for the UPSC prelims in 2020. However, her plans were disrupted when she contracted COVID-19 just four days before the exam. Undeterred, she entered the 2021 exam, fully aware that it would be her last attempt as she approached the age limit for general category candidates.
The age limit for UPSC CSE for general category candidates is 32.
She achieved an impressive 14th place in the 2021 UPSC CSE exam. Taruni achieved this remarkable success in the UPSC without any coaching. Instead, she relied on self-made study materials and used online platforms such as YouTube for her exam preparation.
Despite only having four months to prepare for her UPSC prelims, Taruni devised a clever strategy to pass the civil service exam. She watched YouTube videos to take her study notes instead of relying solely on textbooks.