Monika Srivastava from Aurangabad, Bihar has achieved a remarkable milestone by securing All India Rank (AIR) 16 in the UPSC Civil Services Examination. The results were announced recently, marking a significant moment for her family and the entire district. Monika, who hails from Satyendra Nagar in Aurangabad, made headlines not just for her rank but for her inspiring journey from a high-paying corporate job to becoming a top civil servant. Her success is being celebrated across the state as she joins the Indian Administrative Service.
From IIT Guwahati to High-Paying Corporate Job
Before entering the field of civil services, Monika built a strong academic and professional foundation. She completed her B.Tech in Computer Science and Engineering from the prestigious IIT Guwahati in 2016. Following her graduation, she worked as a Senior Software Engineer at PayPal in Chennai.
She was earning a reported annual package of ₹35 lakh during her corporate stint. However, driven by a desire to serve the public, she decided to leave the corporate sector and focus entirely on administrative services. Her father, Brijesh Srivastava, is an Assistant Engineer, and her mother, Bharti Srivastava, is a Principal.
Consistent Performance in State and Central Exams
Monika’s journey to the top rank involved consistent effort and previous successes. Before cracking the UPSC with such a high rank, she had already proved her mettle in the state services.
- BPSC Success: She was the Female Topper and secured Rank 6 overall in the 66th BPSC examination in 2022.
- Current Role: She is currently serving as the Assistant Commissioner of State Taxes in Bihar.
- Previous UPSC Attempt: In the 2023 cycle, she secured AIR 455. She took leave to prepare better and improved her rank drastically to AIR 16 in the 2025 cycle.
