NLS Grad Shraddha Gome Secures 60th Rank in UPSC Results

We are happy to announce that yet another NLS graduate Shraddha Gome, NLS BA LLB 2018, has secured an all India rank of 60 in the Civil Services Examination 2021. The 26-year-old alum, who cleared the exam in her first attempt, is a recipient of 13 gold medals at NLSIU.

We spoke to Shraddha who joins a list of NLS alumni who have joined the Civil Services. In this interview, she shares more about herself and her plans for the future.

Please tell us about your background and what inspired you to take up Civil Services.

I am from Indore, Madhya Pradesh. I did my schooling from St. Raphael’s H.S. School in Indore. After graduating from NLSIU, I worked as Legal Manager with Hindustan Unilever Ltd for a brief stint as part of its prestigious Unilever Future Leaders Program.

As cliche as it may sound, being part of the Indian Administrative Service has been a childhood dream, a resolve which has only strengthened with time. I believe civil services provide an unparalleled platform to create positive change in the society through our work, and this has been my biggest motivation to join the Service.

What was your reaction to the results?

It was a mixture of joy, gratitude and relief. Since this was my first attempt, while I was expecting to be on the list, I could not have predicted this rank. I had even started preparing for the next preliminary examination. I am grateful that the results turned out the way they did.

Did the NLS experience contribute to this success?

NLS has played a crucial role in my journey and has made me the person I am today. For Law Optional in UPSC CSE Examination, I mainly relied on my law school notes and learnings. Most importantly, the innumerable opportunities that I received in law school, be it leadership experience as Vice-President of SBA, internships, research opportunities, and academic publications, have all contributed immensely in my personal and professional development.

Additionally, there were peers and alumni (especially Atheeth, Jeydev CS and Isha Singh from my batch) who did exceedingly well in the UPSC examinations earlier, and they served as a great source of inspiration.

What are your next steps?

I am looking forward to the training at Lal Bahadur Shastri National Academy of Administration at Mussoorie. I believe getting our name in the list is only the first step towards service to the society and nation. I hope to make everyone proud with my work as part of the Indian Administrative Service.

Would you like to pass on any tips that helped you during your preparation to your juniors/other UPSC aspirants?

I believe the UPSC CSE examination is a journey with its own share of ups and downs. Our focus should be on things which are in our control i.e. right strategy, hard work and perseverance. Further, students preparing while in law school must focus on building a strong foundation in law which will certainly help them in their UPSC preparation.