Garima Lohia’s biography includes the complete journey of achieving UPSC All India Rank 2. Check complete details about Garima Lohia’s biography, education, personal background, preparation strategy, and more below.
Garima Lohia Biography: Garima Lohia is an inspiring figure who secured All India Rank (AIR) 2 in the UPSC Civil Services Examination 2022, one of the toughest exams in India. Coming from Buxar, Bihar, she proved that determination, self-study, and smart planning can lead to great success.
Her achievement symbolizes resilience, hard work, and focus, especially for students from smaller towns with limited resources. This biography explores her journey, education, preparation, and the motivation behind her becoming an Indian Administrative Service (IAS) officer.
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Who is Garima Lohia?
Garima Lohia is a UPSC topper who ranked second in the UPSC CSE 2022. She is from Buxar, Bihar, and comes from a middle-class business family. Despite facing personal challenges, such as the loss of her father at a young age, she stayed committed to her goal of becoming an IAS officer.
She cleared the exam in her second attempt and chose Commerce and Accountancy as her optional subject, which aligned with her academic background. She is known for her dedication, self-study strategy, and focused preparation.
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Garima Lohia (IAS) Date of Birth
Garima Lohia was 24 years old when she qualified for the UPSC Civil Services Exam in 2022. Although her exact date of birth is not officially confirmed, it is believed she was born around 1998 or 1999. Her young age at the time of success is an inspiration for many aspirants who begin their UPSC journey in their early 20s.
Garima Lohia’s Personal Life
Garima comes from a joint family in Buxar, with a strong support system. Her father, Om Prakash Lohia, a small businessman, passed away in 2015. Her mother, Sunita Lohia, a homemaker, was a key emotional support in her journey. Garima has siblings, including an elder sister who worked at a young age to support the family.
She reportedly has a younger brother named Varun Lohia. Despite hardships, Garima stayed focused on her education and goals. In her free time, she enjoys listening to self-improvement podcasts and values family support deeply.
What is the Qualification of Garima Lohia?
Garima Lohia has a strong academic background in Commerce. She completed her schooling at Woodstock School in Buxar and Sunbeam School in Varanasi, securing 98.2% in higher secondary.
She then pursued a Bachelor’s degree in Commerce (B.Com) from Kirori Mal College, Delhi University in 2020. Her academic excellence and commerce background helped her during UPSC preparation, especially in her optional subject.
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Garima Lohia Professional Background
Driven by a desire to serve her state and country, Garima chose to enter the civil services to bring positive change at the grassroots level, especially in Bihar. Her preparation began during the COVID-19 lockdown in 2020. Initially, she followed a self-study method using online resources and basic books.
She faced failure in her first attempt (didn’t clear prelims in 2021) but used it as a learning opportunity. Her goal was always to become an IAS officer to work in areas like education, health, and infrastructure development.
Garima Lohia- UPSC Rank & Preparation Strategy
Garima Lohia, who secured AIR 2 in the UPSC Civil Services Exam 2022, followed a highly disciplined and smart preparation strategy. She focused on self-study, used limited but high-quality resources, and stayed consistent in her efforts. Below is a breakdown of her preparation plan:
1. Self-Study Approach
- Garima relied completely on self-study without joining any full-time coaching.
- She used online resources, including free YouTube lectures and government websites like PIB and PRS India.
- For additional support, she enrolled only in a test series for the Mains exam to evaluate and improve her answers.
- Study Hours and Consistency
- She studied an average of 8 to 12 hours daily, with flexibility depending on the day’s productivity.
- She believed in quality over quantity, focusing on how effectively she studied, not just how long.
- She maintained daily consistency, avoiding long gaps in preparation.
3. Limited and Focused Study Material
- She carefully selected a limited number of standard books and revised them multiple times. Her sources included:
- NCERTs (Class 6–12) for basics
- Laxmikanth for Polity
- Spectrum for Modern History
- GC Leong for Geography
- Ramesh Singh for Economy
- The Hindu newspaper and Vision IAS monthly magazine for current affairs
4. Optional Subject: Commerce and Accountancy
- Garima chose Commerce and Accountancy as her optional subject, aligned with her graduation background.
- She used college textbooks, covered UPSC’s optional syllabus in depth, and practiced previous year optional papers.
5. Answer Writing Practice
- She practiced daily answer writing for General Studies and Optional papers.
- Followed a clear structure in answers: Introduction, Body, and Conclusion.
- Improved through regular feedback from the Mains test series.
- Notes Making and Revision
- She made topic-wise concise notes for all subjects.
- Created short revision notes for final days before exams.
- Followed a structured revision schedule:
- 3 times before Prelims
- 2 times before Mains
- 1 detailed revision before Interview
7. Prelims Preparation
- Focused on building strong fundamentals using NCERTs and standard books.
- Solved multiple Previous Year Questions (PYQs).
- Attempted several mock tests to practice elimination techniques and time management.
- Regularly followed current affairs from newspapers and monthly compilations.
8. Mains Preparation
- After Prelims, she focused fully on Mains-specific preparation.
- Practiced answer writing and essay writing once a week.
- Kept updating notes with current examples and facts.
- Appeared for full-length mock tests within time limits to improve speed and answer quality.
9. Interview (Personality Test) Preparation
- Attended multiple mock interviews to build confidence.
- Studied her DAF (Detailed Application Form) in depth to prepare personal and academic questions.
- Improved communication and developed the habit of giving balanced and thoughtful responses.
10. Learning from Setbacks
- Did not clear Prelims in her first attempt (2021).
- Used the failure to identify weak areas and adjust her strategy.
- Stayed motivated through podcasts and family support, keeping her focus intact.
11. Key Preparation Principles
- Self-discipline and time management were at the center of her preparation.
- Preferred understanding over memorization.
- Believed in multiple revisions, mock practice, and maintaining a positive mindset.
- Encouraged others to stick to basic resources, avoid distractions, and trust their preparation process.
How Many Attempts Did Garima Lohia Take?
Garima Lohia cleared the UPSC Civil Services Exam in her second attempt. In her first attempt in 2021, she could not pass the Prelims stage. However, she turned that failure into motivation to work harder and smarter. Her second attempt in 2022 resulted in AIR 2, showcasing her ability to learn from setbacks and remain determined.
FAQs
- Who is Garima Lohia?
Garima Lohia is a UPSC topper from Buxar, Bihar, who secured All India Rank 2 in the 2022 Civil Services Examination. - What was Garima Lohia’s optional subject in UPSC?
Garima Lohia chose Commerce and Accountancy as her optional subject in UPSC, aligning with her academic background. - How did Garima Lohia prepare for the UPSC exam?
She relied on self-study, used online resources, revised limited study material, and practiced answer writing and mock tests regularly. - How many attempts did Garima Lohia take to clear UPSC?
Garima Lohia cleared UPSC in her second attempt in 2022 after not qualifying the Prelims in her first attempt. - What is Garima Lohia’s educational qualification?
She holds a B.Com degree from Kirori Mal College, Delhi University, and had an excellent academic record throughout school.
