Shah Margi Chirag UPSC AIR 4 Topper 2024

Shah Margi Chirag: Early Life and Education

Shah Margi Chirag is from the vibrant state of Gujarat and has her educational background at Gujarat Technological University (GTU), Ahmedabad. She has a Bachelor’s degree in Computer Engineering, which is a subject far from the traditional humanities subjects that UPSC aspirants usually choose.
Despite being an engineer, Shah Margi was the exception in opting for Sociology as her optional subject, exhibiting her strategic mind and inter-disciplinary flexibility. Her academic career is proof that UPSC CSE is open to candidates from any discipline, and the key to success lies in sensible preparation, not in institutional history.

UPSC Journey and Achievement

Shah Margi Chirag’s journey through the UPSC CSE 2024 was filled with hard work, focus, and smart strategy.

• Preliminary Exam:
  The UPSC CSE Preliminary Exam 2024 took place on June 16, 2024, with a record 9,92,599 applicants, of which 5,83,213 candidates appeared for the exam. Only 14,627 candidates cleared the prelims and qualified for the Main Examination.

• Main Examination:
  After a challenging and intense preparation phase, 2,845 candidates moved to the final stage—the Personality Test (Interview), where Shah Margi Chirag’s performance shone through.

• Final Result:
  Out of the total candidates who appeared for the UPSC CSE 2024, 1,009 candidates were recommended for appointment across various prestigious services, including IAS, IFS, and IPS. Interestingly, three out of the top five rank holders were women, with Shah Margi Chirag securing AIR 4.

Why Sociology as an Optional?

Despite coming from a technical background, Shah Margi chose Sociology as her optional subject, which is a smart and popular choice among aspirants due to:

• Its overlaps with General Studies papers (especially GS1 and GS2),

• Relevance to Essay and Ethics papers,

• Ease of understanding for candidates from both technical and non-technical backgrounds.

Her success with Sociology emphasizes the fact that subject selection is about strategy, interest, and resource availability—not just academic history.

Inspirational Takeaways from Shah Margi Chirag’s Journey

• You don’t need to be from IITs/NITs to become a UPSC topper.

• Optional subjects should reflect personal interest and strengths.

• Strategic preparation, discipline, and resilience are the real keys to cracking UPSC.

• Women from diverse educational backgrounds are increasingly dominating UPSC results, breaking stereotypes.