Priyanka Methani has hogged the limelight and made the people of Chandigarh proud by bagging the 59th rank in the UPSC Civil Services Examination 2014. She wished to join Indian Foreign Service as she was interested in International Relations and thus would like to serve as an IFS officer. Indian Foreign Service Priyanka Mehtani is a Chartered Accountant (CA). She is an icon and a true inspiration for the millions of Indian students and showed that nothing is impossible.
“It’s a long drawn process, not only did I had to stick to a path I had chosen for myself, I also had to avoid burn out,” says Priyanka Mehtani.
Marks Obtained
| Total Marks | Marks Obtained | |
| Total (Written) | 1750 | 782 |
| Interview | 275 | 184 |
| Total | 2025 | 966(47.70%) |
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Family Background
Priyanka Mehtani belongs to Chandigarh. Her father Sanjay Methani is a CA and her mother is an assistant Professor of chemistry at a Government College in Chandigarh. She followed her dad Sanjay Methani’s footsteps and feels the “services always called out to her”.
Educational Background
Priyanka Mehtani is an alumnus of St Stephen’s College, New Delhi. Priyanka has also done the three-year LLB course at Punjab University. She’s also done a short term course in Business Management (MBA) from Stanford University.
Optional Paper
Priyanka Mehtani cracked this prestigious UPSC Exam with Commerce as her optional subject. One good thing with the UPSC preparation was that she learnt to prioritise.
Attempts
Priyanka Mehtani achieved this feat in her second attempt, as she could not qualify for the Civil Services last year, but she didn’t lose faith and believed in herself.
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Preparation Strategy of Priyanka Mehtani
Priyanka Mehtani set a benchmark and focused on preparing herself in a subject for a week or a month. She studied for approximately 10 hours daily. She stayed abreast with current affairs by reading newspapers daily. She used to set weekly targets for herself and followed the schedule religiously.
Priyanka Mehtani said, “I had been working hard and preparing for the past two years. I was hoping for the best”. Though she was taking coaching for two years, she said, “Each person’s preparation strategy is unique. There is no fit formula for cracking the exam. You must know what your strengths are and prepare it accordingly.”
Priyanka Mehtani credited hard work for her achievement. She finds her inspiration in people she sees and meets on a daily basis.
Tips for Young Aspirants
- Being consistent and determined is the key to success.
- Stay updated with current affairs by reading newspapers daily.
- Go through NCERT Books to clear your basic concept.
- Don’t be engaged with other Competitive exams, just focus on one.
- There is no short-cut to success.
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