A political science graduate from Delhi University’s Lady Shri Ram College, she, like Tina, cracked the UPSC examination in her first attempt.

While the sisters’ success may seem to have taken the edge off the highly competitive exams, Ria says there are no shortcuts. Her strict regimen involved a “minimum of 8-10 hours of studying daily, which could go up to 12-13 hours”.

“The key is maintaining consistency in your studies, because the exam requires constant studying. It requires a lot of discipline, dedication and patience too, because you end up spending a year appearing for exams since it’s divided into three stages,” Ria told The Indian Express.

The long study hours also mean that candidates have to find time for themselves. “This exam is difficult so you need some stress buster. I mostly read fiction and do a lot of painting,” she says, adding that she likes reading Agatha Christie.

Ria says her elder sister Tina Dabi, 27, was “a big help. She guided me through the basics… how you have to go through the preparation, what are the books you have to read. But then she gave the exam five years ago… the syllabus changes, the pattern changes, so you have to do a lot by yourself.”

On Friday evening, Tina, a Joint Secretary in the Finance Department with the Rajasthan government, shared the news of her sister’s success on her social media. “I am delighted to share that my younger sister Ria Dabi has got rank 15 in UPSC 2020 exam,” she wrote. Like Ria, Tina, who scored AIR 1 in 2015, is a political science graduate from LSR.

Ria also counts her mother as a constant source of inspiration. While their father works with Bharat Broadband Network Limited (BBNL), their mother took voluntary retirement “to focus on me and my sister,” Ria says.

The Dabi family home in Delhi, where Ria lives with her parents, is dotted with her paintings. “I like canvas painting, Indian folk art, and Madhubani paintings,” she says.

Like her sister, Ria would like to work in Rajasthan. “Rajasthan is my first preference, and second is Madhya Pradesh. Rajasthan has always been dear to my heart because my family hails from there and many of our relatives live there, mainly in Jaipur. And it is a state which has a lot of scope for work on various problems related to education, health, women, agriculture, etc.” she says.

Her message to those appearing for the examination is simple: “If you have the motivation to give this examination, then you should give it, you should believe in yourself, put in all your hard work and dedication. And when you make it, you will surely be proud of yourself and be able to work for the country and it will give you a lot of satisfaction.”