Five Prelims Attempts to AIR 2: Rajeshwari Suve M's Seven-Year UPSC Journey

 

Clearing the UPSC Civil Services Examination's first stage is where most journeys end. Rajeshwari Suve M failed to clear the Preliminary Examination four times - and cleared it on her fifth. When the CSE 2025 final result was declared on 6 March 2026, she stood at All India Rank 2 (Roll No. 4000040), the only woman in the top five.

Roots in Madurai

Rajeshwari hails from Vadipatti in Tamil Nadu's Madurai district. She grew up in a household where education and discipline were part of everyday life - her father runs a small business and her mother is an Associate Professor in a government institution. Conversations about academics and public issues were common at home, and the idea of serving in the civil services took shape early.

An engineer's foundation

After schooling under the Tamil Nadu State Board, she moved to Chennai to study Electrical and Electronics Engineering at Vel Tech Multi Tech Engineering College, affiliated with Anna University, graduating in 2018. Engineering trained her to think analytically and stay patient with complex problems - habits that later carried her UPSC preparation.

Five Prelims attempts, one lesson each time

Rajeshwari's journey was anything but a sprint. She was appearing in the Preliminary Examination for the fifth time when she finally cleared it. Each failed attempt taught her something different - better answer writing, clearer concepts, sharper time management. She also appeared for the Indian Forest Service Examination along the way, gaining experience of the selection process. She has said herself that the early failures helped build the level she eventually reached.

A serving officer before the top rank

Rajeshwari was no stranger to government service when the result came. She was already working as a Deputy Collector (Training) at the District Collector's Office in Dindigul, Tamil Nadu - first-hand exposure to government schemes, public grievances and district administration that few aspirants get before the examination.

Sociology as the lens

For her optional subject she chose Sociology, using it to explore society, inequality, institutions and governance - a natural fit for someone preparing for public administration and already working inside it.

Lessons for aspirants

• Failing Prelims is not the end. Four failures preceded her breakthrough; her fifth Prelims led straight to AIR 2.
• Diagnose every failure. She changed how she prepared after each attempt instead of repeating the same plan.
• Work experience compounds. District-level administrative experience sharpened both her answers and her interview presence.
• Pick an optional with purpose. Sociology connected her study directly to the governance questions she cared about.

Sources: PIB press note, Civil Services Examination 2025 final result (6 March 2026); Times of India Education (6 March 2026); The New Indian Express (7 March 2026).