A small town prodigy’s journey of determination and discipline to the civil services

Bhubaneswar: Kassey Suhita Anupamm’s path to the Indian civil services is a story of focused ambition, quiet resilience, and years of disciplined effort. Today, as she has stepped into one of the most respected roles in public service, her journey stands as a powerful inspiration—especially to young aspirants from small towns who dare to dream big.

Born and raised in Guntur, Andhra Pradesh, Suhita, set her sights on becoming a civil servant while she was still in school.

“I once saw the District Magistrate’s (DM) vehicle in my school with that light on the top of it and that inspired me,” she said.

“Also, my mother had dreamt of getting into civil services but didn’t get the opportunity and hence I wanted to fulfill her dream by getting successful in it,” added Suhita.

Suhita’s pursuit of her dream was built on a foundation of academic excellence. A student of Lutheran English Medium School, she consistently topped her class, securing the first rank in 10th grade.

She followed that up with the highest marks in English at Andhra Pristine College, where she pursued her intermediate education. Suhita won an award as recognition for her achievement.

Given her academic track record, Suhita was a natural fit for GITAM University and she credited the university for her success in the UPSC examinations.

“Managing time for the preparation was a challenge as I was also simultaneously doing my Civil Engineering at GITAM,” she said. “But, the discipline that the institution maintained in terms of planning the classes was of great help. There was no cancellation of classes and the schedule was strictly followed. This helped me manage my time for the preparation of civil services. Also, GITAM University helped me learn how to analytically and logically study for a competitive exam which further strengthened my confidence,” added Suhita.

A job with the civil service is among the most sought after in India and fittingly its examinations are among the toughest to crack with the bar for success set extremely high. Roughly a million students take the examinations every year but typically only 0.2 percent make the cut.

That places Suhita in incredibly rarefied company. She has this advice to offer for those who want to follow in her footsteps.

“I personally think that you have to be very oriented towards your goal and not get distracted. It is not a short run and you should have a plan of at least four-to-five years. I know there is pressure but you need to be in touch with your subjects. You have to be your own competition and not compare yourself to anyone.”