UPSC: Two Bengal candidates reach final merit list

Kolkata: Meghna Chakrabarty and Paramita Malakar from Bengal, both of whom have been successfully placed in the final merit list of the UPSC Civil Services Examination 2024, the results of which were declared on Tuesday, have apparently proved that strong determination and fixed goals can work wonders in life.

Both received coaching from the state-run Satyendra Nath Tagore Civil Services Study Centre in Salt Lake.

Meghna had failed to clear the UPSC prelims in her first attempt but didn’t lose hope. She studied with determination and dedication and in her second attempt emerged with flying colours. Paramita, on the other hand, tested failure in four attempts in the prelims. In the fifth attempt, she could not make it because of only four marks. She ranked 812 in 2023 and further improved her ranking to 477 in UPSC 2024.

A resident of AK block in Salt Lake, Meghna earlier lived in Mumbai. Since Class VI, she studied at Modern High School in Kolkata and completed her History honours.

She did her Masters in International Relations. She studied 8 to 12 hours daily. “One should have a clear mind on why one is appearing for the UPSC. Your goal should be fixed and you need to manage time in the most effective manner,” Meghna advised the UPSC aspirants.

Paramita, hailing from Khardah in North 24-Parganas, graduated with Physics and joined an IT company. She worked there for seven years and then joined a nationalised bank. She started attempting for UPSC from 2019.

In 2023, she cracked the examination and joined the Indian Revenue Service (IRS). She emerged with flying colours in 2024 with the dream of becoming an IAS.

“I believe failures cannot deter you if you are determined and stubborn in what you want to achieve. Shedding tears over failure will make you weak and deviate from your path,”

said Paramita.