Passing the UPSC Civil Services Examination is a dream that thousands of aspirants spend years chasing. Dr Ritika Emma Achieve it not once, but twice. In her first successful attempt, she secured an All India Rank (AIR) of 186 and secured a seat in the Indian Police Service (IPS). For many, this marks the end of the journey. However, for Ritika, this is just a milestone. Her dream has always been to become an IAS officer.What makes her story compelling is not just the rise in her rankings (from AIR 186 to AIR 33 in one year) but also the conviction behind her decision. A qualified MBBS doctor, Ritika believes that while treating patients is one of the noblest professions, many challenges in healthcare can only be solved through better governance and policy making. This belief prompted her to give up a promising medical career and prepare for one of India’s toughest exams.
She’s not giving up on medicine — she wants to improve the systems behind it
Ritika was born and brought up in Dehradun, Uttarakhand, and after completing her education, pursued MBBS from Dr. Susila Tiwari Medical College, Haldwani. As a medical student, she experienced the health care system up close.It reinforced her belief that doctors save lives every day, but policy determines how effectively health care reaches people. From the availability of hospitals and medicines to public health programs, nutrition, sanitation and medical infrastructure, many decisions affecting health care are made at the policy level.This realization inspired her to move beyond clinical practice. Instead of treating one patient at a time, she wants to contribute to decisions that improve health care for the entire community. She believes that the Indian Administrative Service will provide such an opportunity.
From IPS to IAS: Refusing to settle for anything less than her dreams
Ritika’s UPSC journey is based on perseverance and continuous learning. She reached the personality test stage in an earlier attempt and then cleared the Civil Services Examination 2022 through AIR 186 to get a seat in IPS.Despite realizing the dream of thousands of candidates, she still chose to take the exam again. It’s not that she’s unhappy with IPS. Instead, she remains committed to her original goal of joining the IAS.She returned to preparations with greater clarity, continued taking anthropology as her elective subject, and refined her strategy. Her hard work paid off in the Civil Services Examination 2023 and she secured AIR 33.Her performance reflected consistency at every stage of the exam:• Power: 804 points• Personality test: 212 points• Total score: 1016 pointsThe result was that she was offered a place in the Indian Administrative Service and was posted to the Gujarat cadre.
She said success is more important than exams
Today, Dr. Ritika Aima is serving in the Gujarat cadre department and is currently serving as Supernumerary Assistant Collector, Tapi District. Apart from her administrative responsibilities, she also shared insights about her UPSC journey on Instagram, discussing preparation strategies, interview experience, coping with stress and maintaining mental resilience through multiple attempts.However, one message stands out above the others. Ritika believes that no test result should define a person’s worth or success in life.She writes that professional achievements and exam rankings should never be the only measures of success. She believes that true success comes from having the courage to face life’s challenges every day with hope, resilience, and honesty, no matter the outcome.Interestingly, despite passing UPSC twice, she also encouraged aspirants to have a plan B. In her view, having alternatives reduces unnecessary stress and allows candidates to prepare with greater confidence and clarity.Dr. Ritika Aima’s story is not just about improving UPSC rankings or changing services. This is the story of a man who knew the impact he wanted to create. She chose to leave medicine not because she no longer believed in the profession, but because she believed she could contribute to health care in a different way through governance, policy development and public administration. Sometimes, success isn’t about accepting the first opportunity that comes your way. It’s about staying true to the goal that inspired the journey in the first place.Disclaimer: This article is based on public information and statements shared by the individuals involved, including posts on their official social media where applicable. This information is for educational and informational purposes only.