Shakti Dubey IAS is the UPSC Civil Services Examination 2024 topper (AIR 1). She comes from Prayagraj, Uttar Pradesh. She cleared the UPSC exam after her fourth attempt and finally secured the first rank in India.
She scored a total of 1,043 marks. She got 200 out of 275 in the Personality Test. This is the highest interview score among recent UPSC toppers. Shakti Dubey IAS has become a role model for lakhs of young aspirants, especially girls from small cities and towns.
This article covers the complete biography of Shakti Dubey IAS, including her early life, education, UPSC journey, marks, optional subject, family background, and career.
Quick Info – Shakti Dubey
| Detail | Information |
| Full Name | Shakti Dubey |
| Date of Birth | December 28, 1996 |
| Age (as of 2026) | 29 years |
| Birthplace | Prayagraj, Uttar Pradesh |
| Hometown | Prayagraj (Naini area), Uttar Pradesh |
| Nationality | Indian |
| Religion | Hindu |
| Category | Unreserved (General) |
| Father’s Name | Devendra Kumar Dubey (Sub-Inspector, UP Police) |
| Mother’s Name | Prema Devi (Homemaker) |
| School | St. Mary’s Convent School, Prayagraj |
| Graduation | B.Sc. (Hons) Biochemistry, University of Allahabad |
| Post-Graduation | M.Sc. Biochemistry, Banaras Hindu University (BHU) |
| UPSC Optional Subject | Political Science & International Relations (PSIR) |
| UPSC Attempt | 5th Attempt |
| UPSC Exam Year | CSE 2024 |
| All India Rank | AIR 1 |
| Total Marks | 1,043 / 2,025 |
| Interview Score | 200 / 275 |
| Service | Indian Administrative Service (IAS) |
| State Cadre | Uttar Pradesh |
| Hobbies | Writing Poetry, Playing Badminton, Debating |
Shakti Dubey IAS Early Life and Family
Shakti Dubey IAS was born on December 28, 1996. She grew up in the Naini area of Prayagraj, Uttar Pradesh. Her family originally comes from the Rampur village in Ballia district, UP. But the family settled in Prayagraj many years ago.
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Her father Devendra Kumar Dubey is a Sub-Inspector in the Uttar Pradesh Police. He works at the office of the Additional Deputy Commissioner of Police (Traffic) in Prayagraj. Growing up with a police officer father was a big influence on Shakti. Her mother’s name is Prema Devi, who is a homemaker.
Shakti Dubey IAS is currently unmarried. There is no information available about her husband or boyfriend. She has not shared any details about her personal relationship in any interview or on social media.
The family did not have a lot of resources. They did not even have a computer or a printer at home. Her father used to get study material printed from local shops for her. This shows the dedication of her entire family. Shakti Dubey IAS has often talked about how her family’s support kept her going.
Shakti Dubey Education Qualifications
Shakti Dubey was a brilliant student from the very beginning. She scored a perfect 10 CGPA in Class 10 and 94.2% in Class 12. Both results came from St. Mary’s Convent School in Prayagraj. She was also the Head of the Debate and Elocution Committee in school.
After school, she joined the University of Allahabad. She studied B.Sc. (Honours) in Biochemistry from 2013 to 2016. She graduated as a Gold Medalist with 86.5% marks. She was the topper of her batch.
Then she moved to Banaras Hindu University (BHU) in Varanasi. She did her M.Sc. in Biochemistry from 2016 to 2018. She again topped the university and became a Gold Medalist with a CGPA of 9.21. During her time at BHU, she led the Student Debating Committee. She also worked on research projects on Organic Farming and Rainwater Harvesting. Her M.Sc. dissertation was on si-RNA Nanoparticle Therapy for Cancer Treatment.
Her academic record was outstanding all the way through. But it was at BHU that she started thinking beyond science. She realised she wanted to work on bigger, real-world problems through policy and administration.
| Level | Details |
| Class 10 | 10 CGPA – St. Mary’s Convent School, Prayagraj (CBSE), 2011 |
| Class 12 | 94.2% – St. Mary’s Convent School, Prayagraj (CBSE), 2013 |
| Graduation | B.Sc. (Hons) Biochemistry – University of Allahabad, 86.5%, Gold Medalist, 2016 |
| Post-Graduation | M.Sc. Biochemistry – Banaras Hindu University (BHU), 9.21 CGPA, Gold Medalist, 2018 |
Shakti Dubey IAS UPSC Journey
Shakti Dubey IAS started preparing for UPSC in 2018, right after finishing her post-graduation. She was inspired by the story of Tina Dabi, who had topped the UPSC in 2015. Tina Dabi’s success showed Shakti that it was possible to reach the top.
| Attempt | Year | Stage Reached | Key Details |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1st Attempt | 2019 | Prelims | Failed to clear the Preliminary Examination. |
| 2nd Attempt | 2020 | Prelims | Failed again. Preparation was disrupted due to the COVID-19 pandemic and she returned from Delhi to Prayagraj to study from home. |
| 3rd Attempt | 2021 | Prelims | Could not clear the Prelims once again, but continued preparation with determination. |
| 4th Attempt | 2023 | Interview | Cleared Prelims and Mains. Reached the Personality Test but missed the final selection list by just 2 marks. |
| 5th Attempt | 2024 | Final Selection | Cleared all stages and secured AIR 1, becoming Shakti Dubey IAS, UPSC CSE 2024 Topper. |
Shakti Dubey IAS chose Political Science and International Relations (PSIR) as her optional subject. This was different from her academic background in Biochemistry. She made this choice because PSIR overlaps well with the General Studies papers and the Interview. It was a smart move that paid off.
Her preparation strategy was a mix of self-study and coaching. She studied from standard books like Laxmikant and Spectrum. She read newspapers daily for current affairs. She practised answer writing every day. She wrote three to four answers daily with a seven-minute time limit per answer. She also revised her notes regularly.
She used test series from Vajiram & Ravi, VisionIAS, ForumIAS, and NEXT IAS. She did mock interviews at multiple institutes including Chahal Academy and PW OnlyIAS. She kept her mobile phone strictly for studies and current affairs only.
Shakti Dubey IAS UPSC Marksheet
Shakti Dubey scored a total of 1,043 marks in UPSC CSE 2024. Here is the full breakdown of her marks:
| Subject / Paper | Marks Obtained |
| Essay (Paper-I) | 100 |
| General Studies – I (Paper-II) | 112 |
| General Studies – II (Paper-III) | 125 |
| General Studies – III (Paper-IV) | 86 |
| General Studies – IV – Ethics (Paper-V) | 141 |
| Optional – PSIR Paper-I (Paper-VI) | 132 |
| Optional – PSIR Paper-II (Paper-VII) | 147 |
| Written Total (Mains) | 843 |
| Personality Test (Interview) | 200 |
| Final Total | 1,043 |
Her Ethics score of 141 was outstanding. It was one of the highest scores in that paper. Her interview score of 200 out of 275 was also exceptional. Very few candidates score 200 or above in the Personality Test. Her optional subject PSIR gave her 279 marks in total, which was a strong contribution to her overall score.
You may also like to read about Divya Tanwar IAS, another inspiring civil servant from a humble background.
Current Posting
After the UPSC result, Shakti Dubey IAS was allocated the Indian Administrative Service (IAS). As the AIR 1 topper of UPSC CSE 2024, she had the first choice of cadre and chose the Uttar Pradesh cadre, her home state.
Currently, Shakti Dubey IAS is undergoing training at the Lal Bahadur Shastri National Academy of Administration (LBSNAA) in Mussoorie, where all IAS officers begin their administrative career. After completing academy training, she will undergo district training in Uttar Pradesh, where she will learn practical governance and administrative work.
After the training period, she is expected to hold independent responsibility as a Sub-Divisional Magistrate (SDM) or Joint Magistrate in the state.
| Category | Details |
|---|---|
| Service | Indian Administrative Service (IAS) |
| UPSC Rank | AIR 1 – UPSC CSE 2024 |
| Cadre | Uttar Pradesh |
| Current Status | IAS Probationer |
| Training Institute | Lal Bahadur Shastri National Academy of Administration (LBSNAA), Mussoorie |
| District Training | Assistant Collector (Under Training) in Uttar Pradesh |
| Future Role | Sub-Divisional Magistrate (SDM) / Joint Magistrate |
Social Media Presence
Shakti Dubey IAS is not very active on social media. Her official Instagram handle is @imshaktidubey1. She has over 1.58 lakh followers but has posted only 9 times. Before her UPSC result, she had fewer than 100 followers. Her follower count grew fast after she topped the country.
She keeps her social media minimal and does not post regularly. She also appeared on the UP Police podcast “Beyond the Badge“ on YouTube, which got a lot of attention from UPSC aspirants.
