Left Modelling, Cracked UPSC: How a Miss India Aspirant Became a UPSC Role Model

Left Modelling, Cracked UPSC

• Taskeen Khan left pageantry, became IRS officer after 4 UPSC attempts.
• She showed resilience, overcoming financial hurdles and repeated failures.
• Her journey inspires others to follow their true calling and serve the nation

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The stage lights were hot, the applause was loud, and the crown felt light on her head. Taskeen Khan, a young woman from Uttarakhand, had just been crowned Miss Uttarakhand. The path to Miss India seemed clear, a world of glamour waiting for her. But in her heart, a different dream was quietly taking root—a dream not of walking the ramp, but of walking the corridors that shape the nation.

Taskeen was always more than what met the eye. In school, she was the basketball champion diving for the ball, the fierce debater winning national competitions, and the bright student with a sharp mind. When financial constraints kept her from joining the prestigious NIT after qualifying, she didn’t break. She modeled, she acted, she worked hard. Yet, she felt a pull toward something else, a deeper calling to serve.

One day, she made a brave choice. She stepped away from the sparkling world of beauty pageants. She left her Miss India dream, packed her bags and moved to Delhi in 2020. With the support of free coaching from Jamia Millia Islamia, she began her new journey: preparing for the UPSC Civil Services Exam, one of the toughest exams in the world.

The path was not kind. For three years in a row, she stumbled at the very first hurdle—the Prelims exam. Each failure felt like a heavy blow. The world outside whispered; it would have been easier to return to the glittering life she had left. But Taskeen’s resilience was her real crown. She remembered the discipline of the basketball court and the courage of the debate stage. She picked herself up, adjusted her strategy, and studied harder.

In 2022, on her fourth attempt, her perseverance wrote a new story. She cleared the Prelims, then the Mains with a strong 756 marks in the written test. Facing the interview panel, the same poise that once graced the stage shone through, earning her 171 marks. With a total of 927 marks, she secured an All-India Rank of 736.

The girl who was once Miss Uttarakhand was now IRS officer Taskeen Khan, a role model for thousands.

Taskeen’s story is not about giving up one dream for another. It’s about listening to your true calling. It’s a reminder that success is not a straight line—it’s a journey of falls and comebacks. Her crown is no longer made of glitter, but of an unwavering spirit. She proved that the greatest role you can play is not on a stage, but in the service of your country, and that true beauty lies in the strength of your resolve.