Dr. Apala Mishra secured All India Rank 9 in the UPSC Civil Services Examination 2020 — and made headlines not just for her rank, but for two extraordinary facts: she scored the highest interview marks (215 out of 275) among the entire top 10 of UPSC 2020, and she chose the Indian Foreign Service (IFS) over the Indian Administrative Service (IAS) despite being eligible for IAS. A dental surgeon turned diplomat, Dr. Apala’s journey from BDS graduate to IFS officer in her third UPSC attempt is one of the most uniquely compelling stories in recent civil services history. In this complete biography, we cover her age, family, education, marksheet, Anthropology optional, strategy, interview marks, and why she chose IFS over IAS.

Bio / Wiki

Dr. Apala Mishra IAS Biography — Early Life & Illustrious Family

Dr. Apala Mishra was born in Ghaziabad, Uttar Pradesh in 1997. She grew up across multiple cities — completing her Class 10 in Dehradun and her Class 11 and 12 from Delhi Public School (DPS), Rohini, Delhi. Her family background is exceptionally distinguished and deeply rooted in service to the nation — both in uniform and in letters.

Her father, Colonel Amitabh Mishra, is a retired Indian Army officer. Her mother, Prof. Alpana Mishra, is a respected professor of Hindi at Delhi University — a combination of military discipline and literary culture that clearly shaped Apala’s analytical yet empathetic worldview. Her brother, Major Abhilekh Mishra, is also an active Indian Army officer. Most famously, her late grandfather Hazari Prasad Dwivedi was one of India’s most celebrated Hindi litterateurs — a towering figure in 20th-century Hindi literature, known for novels, essays, and cultural criticism.

Apala Mishra UPSC — Educational Journey: From Dentist to Diplomat

• School (Class 10): Dehradun
• School (Class 11 & 12): Delhi Public School (DPS), Rohini, Delhi
• Graduation: BDS (Bachelor of Dental Surgery), Army College of Dental Sciences, Hyderabad (2017)
• Post-graduation: After completing BDS, was selected as a dentist in the Indian Army — but chose to pursue IFS instead

Dr. Apala Mishra is one of UPSC’s most compelling stories of professional reinvention. Despite completing a specialised dental surgery degree and being selected as an Army dentist, she gave that up to pursue her dream of joining the Indian Foreign Service — beginning her UPSC preparation in 2018 after completing her BDS.

Apala Mishra UPSC — Attempt-wise Performance

Apala Mishra UPSC Marksheet — Score Breakdown

The Apala Mishra IAS marksheet is particularly remarkable for her personality test score of 215 out of 275 — the highest interview score among all top-10 candidates in UPSC CSE 2020.

Dr. Apala Mishra’s UPSC roll number was 5903870. Her answer copies are available on ForumIAS for aspirants to study.

Apala Mishra IAS or IFS — Why She Chose IFS Over IAS

One of the most searched questions about Dr. Apala Mishra is: is Apala Mishra an IAS officer or an IFS officer? The answer is IFS — Indian Foreign Service. Despite being ranked 9th overall and being fully eligible for IAS, Apala deliberately chose the Indian Foreign Service.

Apala Mishra UPSC Optional Subject — Anthropology

Dr. Apala Mishra chose Anthropology as her UPSC optional subject. As a dental surgeon (BDS) by training, her choice of Anthropology — a social science — demonstrates that optional selection should be driven by interest and scoring potential, not by academic background.

• Anthropology has a concise, well-defined syllabus
• Strong overlap with GS Paper I (Society, Tribes, Culture)
• Good scoring potential for well-prepared candidates
• Her answer copies are available on ForumIAS and are studied by thousands of Anthropology optional aspirants

Apala Mishra UPSC Strategy — Preparation Approach

1. 7–8 Hours Daily Study — Self-StudyStudied 7 to 8 hours daily throughout her preparation. Her approach was entirely self-study based — she relied on standard textbooks and structured her own schedule without coaching.
2. Multiple Revisions of Basic BooksFor Prelims, revised basic reference books multiple times rather than seeking new material. MCQ practice and previous year papers (post-2013) were central to her Prelims preparation.
3. Start Answer Writing EarlyRecommended beginning answer writing practice alongside syllabus completion — not after. She advised writing answers for static sections before moving to current affairs, building a foundation gradually.
4. Integrated Preparation from the StartHer approach was unified — not segmented into stages. She prepared Prelims and Mains simultaneously, ensuring deep understanding rather than surface-level coverage.
5. Anthropology Optional — In-Depth CoverageCovered Anthropology thoroughly using standard texts, focusing on concept clarity and analytical answer writing — a key factor in her strong written total.
6. Clarity of Purpose — IFS Dream as MotivationHer singular clarity of purpose — to join the IFS — kept her focused through two failed Prelims attempts and a difficult personal period when her father was critically ill during the COVID second wave.
7. Exceptional Interview PreparationScored 215 out of 275 in the interview — the highest in the top 10 of UPSC 2020. Her army background, literary family, global outlook, and strong communication made her stand out in the personality test.

Apala Mishra in Her Own Words

“I was not well-prepared in my first two attempts and hence did not clear prelims. This time, however, I was determined to work even harder. I believe that anything is achievable if one works hard and is dedicated.” — Dr. Apala Mishra, UPSC CSE 2020 AIR 9

“Success in any field can be achieved only through self-confidence, discipline, and time management. You should always know why you want to join a particular service — that purpose-driven clarity is what helps you through the difficult days.” — Dr. Apala Mishra, on UPSC preparation

Some Lesser Known Facts About Dr. Apala Mishra

• Dr. Apala Mishra scored 215 out of 275 in the Personality Test — the highest interview score among all top 10 candidates in UPSC CSE 2020.
• She is a dental surgeon (BDS) by training — among a UPSC merit list dominated by engineers, her dental background stands out as exceptional.
• She chose IFS over IAS despite being eligible — a deliberate choice driven by her dream of representing India in international diplomacy since completing her BDS in 2017.
• She was selected as a dentist in the Indian Army after completing her BDS — but gave it up to pursue her IFS dream through UPSC.
• Her grandfather, Hazari Prasad Dwivedi, is one of the most celebrated figures in 20th-century Hindi literature — a literary heritage that likely shaped her articulate, nuanced communication style.
• Her father was in the ICU during the second wave of COVID while she was preparing for her UPSC personality test — yet she stayed composed and focused, ultimately scoring the highest interview marks in the top 10.
• She failed the UPSC Prelims in both her first two attempts — a reminder that even top rankers face repeated preliminary failures before breaking through.
• She comes from an extraordinary family of service — father (retired Colonel), mother (Delhi University professor), brother (Major), and grandfather (celebrated littérateur).
• She intends to focus on women’s health and international affairs in her career as an IFS officer.
• Her UPSC answer copies are available on ForumIAS and are studied by thousands of Anthropology optional aspirants.

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