Nandini has been a meritorious student and scored 94.83 per cent marks in 12th.
Nandini attempted the UPSC exam for the first time in 2013 and failed to clear even the first stage, i.e.- UPSC Prelims on the first attempt.
Union Public Service Commission’s (UPSC) Civil Services Examination (CSE) is one of the toughest exams in India and remains a dream for many. Many of the candidates, however, had success in clearing the exam with their sheer dedication and hard work. One of those successful candidates is UPSC 2016 topper and Indian Administrative Service officer Nandini KR. According to the media reports, Nandini’s friends even mocked her before the UPSC 2016 result, whether she would be able to top these exams or not. This, however, turned out to be true and Nandini had topped the examinations. Like many other successful candidates, Nandini also had her share of highs and lows throughout the exam preparation. This space articulates her inspiring journey.
Nandini hails from Kolar district, Karnataka, and is the daughter of a teacher. She completed her schooling at a government school. She then shifted to Moodabidri constituency in Chikmagalur district to pursue her class 12th studies. Nandini demonstrated exceptional academic brilliance as a student and scored 94.83 per cent marks in 12th. Nandini then completed her engineering from MS Ramaiah Institute of Technology and got a job in the Public Works Department department of Karnataka. Nandini developed an interest in IAS preparations after watching the preliminary government work. She then started to prepare for the UPSC exam.
Nandini attempted the UPSC exam for the first time in 2013 and failed to clear even the first stage, i.e., UPSC Prelims on the first attempt. She, however, remained unperturbed by the setbacks and attempted the exam for the second time in 2014. This time, she cleared the exam with an All-India Rank of 642 and joined the Indian Revenue Service in December 2015. Nandini had accomplished a remarkable goal but had her eyes set on an even bigger dream, i.e., the IAS post. She decided to prepare for the examination by enrolling at a coaching centre in Delhi.
Preparing for the post of IAS officer proved to be an even bigger challenge for Nandini. She tried to clear the examination three times but failed and even suffered from dengue before the mains exam on the third try. Unfortunately, she had to skip the exam, due to her medical condition. Still, Nandini’s dedication and perseverance bore fruit, and she topped the UPSC 2016 with All India’s No. 1 rank. When the UPSC 2016 results were announced, she was working as an IRS officer in Faridabad.