Meet IPS Poonam Dalal: She wrote Prelims at 9 months pregnant and Mains with 3-month-old baby

Meet IPS Poonam Dalal

Life, they say, doesn’t always go as planned. For Poonam, a teacher from a simple Haryana family, her journey was proof of that. But it was also proof of another truth: when determination meets opportunity, miracles happen.

Poonam’s story isn’t about superhuman strength. It’s about the quiet, everyday courage of a woman who refused to let go of her dream. After finishing school, she became a teacher, graduated from Delhi University, and then, step by step, built a strong career. She cleared the tough SBI PO exam and later the SSC CGL, joining the Income Tax Department. Each success was a stepping stone, building her confidence.

Her dream, however, was the UPSC Civil Services. After her marriage, her husband, Aseem, became her biggest supporter. But the path was winding. She cleared UPSC but was not satisfied with the service she got. She tried again. Alongside, she also cleared the Haryana PCS exam in 2011 and proudly served as a Deputy Superintendent of Police. When she exhausted her attempts at UPSC, it seemed the chapter had closed.

Then, in 2015, a surprise opportunity knocked. The government announced an extra chance for candidates from the 2011 cycle. It was a lifeline Poonam never expected. She decided to take it, no matter what.

But "no matter what" came with two of life’s biggest challenges at once.

First Challenge: The Prelims. When the day of the preliminary exam arrived, Poonam was nine months pregnant. Carrying the weight of her unborn child and her dream, she walked into the exam hall. Every seat was a test of endurance, but her focus was on the paper in front of her. She passed.

Second Challenge: The Mains. By the time the main exams came, her beautiful baby boy was just three months old. Now, her world was a whirlwind of duty and diapers. Her days were a careful dance: caring for her newborn, managing her full-time job as a police officer, and stealing every possible minute to study late into the night. Sleep was a luxury, but her will was iron. She wrote her Mains papers with the image of her baby’s face giving her strength.

The result was a testament to her spirit. Poonam secured an All India Rank of 308 and finally achieved her dream of becoming an Indian Police Service (IPS) officer.

Poonam’s story is not about doing the impossible. It’s about doing what is necessary, when it is necessary, despite all that life throws your way. It’s a message for every common man and woman: Your circumstances do not define your capabilities. Whether it’s a personal hurdle, a family responsibility, or a missed chance, the universe has a way of making room for those who keep trying.