Prachi Honey from Muzaffarpur, Bihar, achieved the All India Rank 28 in the UPSC Civil Services Examination 2025 in her fourth attempt. She graduated with a B.A. in Geography from Kalindi College, Delhi University. She achieved a total of 1021 marks after failing in the Prelims exam for three consecutive years.

• Prachi was born in Muzaffarpur in Bihar.
• Her childhood dream was to become an IAS officer like her father's aspirations.
• Prachi completed her preparation for the school exam locally before moving to Delhi for her higher studies.
• She started her UPSC CSE preparation after her post-graduation.
• Prachi had to give her UPSC Prelims exam four times before finally passing it in the Fourth attempt.
• Moreover, in 2024, she also secured BPSC Rank 92 (69th BPSC).
• Prachi avoided the usage of social media during her preparation.

• Prachi's UPSC preparation was a year-long process that began with failures in Prelims despite hard work.
• Prachi relocated to Delhi after completing her post-graduation.
• She studied independently as well as through coaching classes.
• She learned from BPSC's success without the service entry.
• Her success came in 2025 after hard work in revision, focusing on PYQs, mock interviews, and finally clearing CSE Mains and Interviews.
• Prachi avoided social media distractions during her preparation.

Prelims Strategy of Prachi

• Failing in Prelims thrice taught Prachi a lesson, and she took up extensive PYQs for confidence and concept clarity.
• She cleared basics first, incorporated Mains strategy from the start through self-notes, and kept revising.
• In her successful attempt, she aimed for 146+ marks through a strategy called ‘MADE’ which stands for Modify, Analyze, Develop, Execute.

Mains Strategy of Prachi

• For Mains, Prachi focused on the importance of the syllabus and PYQs, and developed a strong foundation in Optional subjects through repeated basics study.
• She took up personal notes for GS and Essay, and practiced answering from the very start of her Prelims strategy.
• She implemented strategies like writing answers, which made her stand out.

Interview Strategy of Prachi

• In the Personality Test, Prachi was questioned based on her Detailed Application Form (DAF).
• She was questioned about traveling for which she objectively explained the pros and cons of schemes and their implementation through technology.
• She took up mock interviews and suggested that one should avoid knowledge-based questions and maintain eye contact without staring.

• Firstly, understand the entire syllabus & the exact requirements by the UPSC.
• Understand the basics by repeated reading for a strong foundation.
• Prepare self-notes for all subjects and refer to them periodically.
• Begin with the Mains preparation simultaneously with Prelims, with answer writing practice.
• Avoid using social media and avoid distractions from phones and the internet.
• Take foundation courses for a proper framework, but focus on self-study as well.
• Understand mistakes from Prelims failure and improve strategies.
• Practice mock tests for personality and speaking skills.
• Always remain committed, as the UPSC journey is long and requires genuine hard work.

What courses did Prachi Honey take from Next IAS?

She did GS Foundation Course & Current Affairs Value Addition (CA-VA), helping her improve her answer writing skills to achieve AIR 28 rank.

How did Prachi Honey overcome her three Prelims exam failures?

By solving PYQs extensively, following the ‘MADE’ strategy, and sticking to basics by repeatedly revising during her fourth attempt.

What are the marks of Prachi in UPSC CSE 2025?

She secured 820 marks in Mains and 201 marks in Interview, totaling 1021 marks to achieve AIR 28 rank.

What is Prachi's family background?

Prachi is an elder sibling to her two sisters. Her father, Rajnikant Verma, is a headmaster. Her mother, Chetna Kumari, is a teacher at Tirhut Academy in Muzaffarpur, Bihar.

What is Prachi's educational background?

Prachi did her Class X from DAV Public School, Class XII from Holy Cross Public School (Muzaffarpur), and Bachelor's in Geography from Kalindi College under Delhi University.