When life tested her with unimaginable loss, 16-year-old Rupam Sonali chose courage over despair. Orphaned as a teenager after losing both her parents, she promised her dying mother that she would “do something big in life.” Today, at just 22 years old, Rupam has fulfilled that promise — clearing the Jharkhand Public Service Commission (JPSC) exam in her very first attempt, without any coaching or financial support.
A Journey Born from Loss, Fueled by Love
Rupam’s story begins in tragedy. Her father passed away when she was just 11. Years later, her mother succumbed to blood cancer within a week of diagnosis. Left alone with her elder sister Rupali, the girls faced not just grief, but cruel words from relatives who dismissed them as helpless.
“People told us we had no future. But I couldn’t give up — not after what my mother went through,” Rupam recalls. “I decided to make her proud, no matter what it took.”
Turning Pain into Purpose
To survive and continue her education, Rupam began teaching students from Class 2 to 11 while pursuing her college degree. Every day, she woke at 4 AM to study, travelled 80 km to Ranchi for classes, and returned by afternoon to teach neighbourhood children.
“The lockdown years were actually a blessing,” she says. “I could save travel time and focus completely on my preparation.”
Without access to coaching or mentors, Rupam built her own strategy — studying NCERTs for basics, using M. Laxmikanth for Polity, and depending heavily on previous year question papers. Her approach was simple but powerful: read less, revise more.
The Moment That Changed Everything
The morning her results were declared, Rupam received a 3:30 AM call from a Deputy Superintendent who had once interviewed her. “Rupam, you’ve cleared JPSC,” he said. In disbelief, she woke her sister, and both burst into tears.
“It wasn’t just an exam result,” says Rupali. “It was the victory of every tear, every sleepless night, every insult we had endured.”
A New Beginning
Rupam has now been selected for the Jharkhand Finance Service and will soon join as a State Tax Officer. Yet, her ambitions go beyond her own success. She plans to start a YouTube channel to help underprivileged aspirants prepare for civil services without costly coaching.
“My dream is to make others believe that your background doesn’t define your destiny,” she says. “If I can do it, so can you.”
Rupam’s Golden Advice for Aspirants
Master the NCERTs: Build strong conceptual foundations.
Focus on PYQs: Patterns often repeat — use them wisely.
Prioritise revision over material: One book ten times is better than ten books once.
Stay consistent: It’s a marathon, not a sprint.
Trust yourself: Your belief is your biggest weapon.
Today, when those same relatives who once doubted her visit to congratulate her, Rupam smiles quietly. Her mother’s words echo in her heart — “Never lose hope.”
And indeed, she never did.
