Nothing is impossible when you aim for it. Bihar's Preeti Kumari's journey from being a working mom to taking up an SDM job is an example of determination, dedication and hard work
Nothing is impossible when you aim for it. Bihar's Preeti Kumari's journey from being a working mom to taking up an SDM job is an example of determination, dedication and hard work.
Preeti Kumari was working a 9-to-5 job, managing household responsibilities and caring for her six-month-old daughter while she prepared for the Bihar Public Service Commission's (BPSC) 70th Combined Competitive Examination. She cleared the exam, secured a rank of 166, and qualified for the SDM post.
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Kumari's achievement is particularly notable because she appeared for the BPSC interview with her six-month-old daughter in her arms.
Preeti comes from an education-oriented family. Her father, Nand Kishore Prasad, is a teacher at a Navodaya Vidyalaya, while her mother, Anita Kumari, is a homemaker. She completed her Class 12 education at Jawahar Navodaya Vidyalaya in Darbhanga.
Soon after that, she went on to pursue a BSc and a BEd from the Regional College in Bhubaneswar before completing an MSc in Life Sciences from Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU), Delhi.
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After completing her education, she worked as a teacher at a Navodaya Vidyalaya and a government school in Delhi for around three years.
While working as a teacher, Preeti married Saroj Kumar, a resident of Muzaffarpur, in 2023. Following her marriage, she had to balance her professional commitments with household responsibilities. She was working from 9 am to 5 pm while also taking care of her family and, later, her infant daughter.
Despite her challenges, Preeti continued with her preparation to become a civil servant. In her first attempt, Kumari could not crack the exam, although she cleared the prelims.
Instead of giving up, she reassessed her preparation strategy. After marriage and motherhood, it was difficult for Preeti to find uninterrupted hours for preparation, but she kept going, making the most of the time she had. She worked specifically on her weaknesses.
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According to the Live Hindustan report, Kumari said that success in a competitive examination is not necessarily about studying for long hours. Consistency and making the best use of available time are equally important.
Preeti's revised approach, along with strong support from her family, had helped her clear the exam on her second attempt and become an SDM.
Her journey highlights how disciplined preparation, consistency, and family support can help candidates pursue competitive exam goals even while managing professional and personal responsibilities.
Papri Chanda is the Deputy Chief Content Producer at Hindustan Times Digital. With over 12 years of experience as an education journalist, she has worked across multiple media platforms, building deep expertise in education policy, examinations, and higher education systems. In her current role, Papri manages the day-to-day editorial work for the education beat. She plans daily content, decides story priorities, and oversees breaking-news coverage in a fast-moving digital newsroom. She works closely with reporters to ensure stories are accurate, timely, and meet editorial standards. Papri plays a key role during major exam cycles, CBSE and state board exam results, and policy announcements. Her work focuses on covering India’s education system, including the Ministry of Education, UGC, CBSE, NEET, JEE, CUET, and important higher-education policy changes. Prior to joining Hindustan Times Digital, Papri served as Correspondent – Education at Times Now Digital, where she delivered high-volume breaking news under intense newsroom deadlines and conducted interviews with key policymakers and academic leaders. Earlier, at Dainik Jagran, she independently managed the education and careers vertical, leading coverage of competitive exams, government jobs, and admission cycles, while mentoring junior writers and streamlining editorial workflows. Papri holds a Master’s degree in Mass Communication from the University of Burdwan. Outside work, she enjoys travelling, reading, experimenting with new recipes, and exploring diverse cuisines.Read More
