When Mavis Tak was a school student, financial difficulties forced her and her elder sister to stay away from school for a year because their father could not afford their tuition fees. Years later, after two unsuccessful attempts at the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) Civil Services Examination, she cleared it in her third attempt and joined the Indian Police Service (IPS). Today, Tak is a 2022-batch IPS officer of the Uttar Pradesh cadre and serves as Additional Superintendent of Police (ASP) in Sonbhadra district. She is the first woman IPS officer to hold the ASP post there. According to the official website of UP police, her appointment took effect on September 19, 2026.Her journey from a family that struggled to pay school fees to a career in the police service also reflects her father Abdul Karim Tak’s determination to educate his three daughters, despite criticism from relatives and members of society.
Her father faced questions about educating his daughters
According to the official website of UP police, Mavis was born on September 24, 1996, in Falna, in Rajasthan’s Pali district. As reported by NDTV, her father moved the family to Mumbai in 2003 in search of better economic opportunities. He worked in different roles, including typing and translation assignments, to support the family.The financial pressure affected the children’s education. Mavis and her elder sister had to leave school for a year when their father could not pay their tuition fees. Their father continued working to support the family and ensure that his daughters could resume their studies. The family also faced social criticism over spending money on girls’ education. In an interview with NDTV, Mavis recalled that people questioned her father’s decision to educate his daughters, asking, “What will you make them by educating them so much? a collector or an SP?”Her father did not allow such remarks to determine their future. He encouraged all three daughters to study and pursue careers. According to an earlier report by TOI, Abdul Karim had himself been unable to clear the civil services examination. He subsequently devoted himself to helping his daughters pursue the ambition he had not achieved. Mavis acknowledged the importance of her parents’ support in a 2022 interview with TOI. “My father is my main support and both my parents are pillars who stood behind me and helped me become what I am today,” she said.
From a school dropout to a postgraduate degree
Tak first appeared for the UPSC Civil Services Examination in 2019.
Tak completed her early schooling in Rajasthan before moving to Mumbai with her family. She later studied at New Cambridge School and Royal College of Arts, Science and Commerce in Mumbai, according to NDTV. She graduated in political science and went on to pursue postgraduate studies in Indian Federation and Language Politics. Her education gave her the academic background to begin preparing for the civil services examination. Her father’s dream of seeing his daughters enter public service influenced her decision to pursue the UPSC examination.
Two failed UPSC attempts, then AIR 386
Tak first appeared for the UPSC Civil Services Examination in 2019. She was unable to clear the preliminary examination in her first two attempts. Instead of abandoning her plans, she continued preparing and worked on the areas where she had struggled. She relied on self-study rather than joining a coaching institute, as per various media reports.Her third attempt brought the result she had been working towards. She secured All India Rank 386 in the UPSC Civil Services Examination 2021, earning selection to the Indian Police Service (IPS). As per a TOI report in August 2022, she was the first woman from Mira-Bhayandar to clear the civil services examination and secure the IPS cadre. Her college in Mira Road invited her to unfurl the national flag at its Independence Day celebrations and felicitated her for the achievement.
Her posting in Sonbhadra
Tak is a member of the 2022-batch Uttar Pradesh cadre. Before her transfer to Sonbhadra, she served in Banda district, where she held responsibilities including Circle Officer (City), Cyber and Crime. The Uttar Pradesh government transferred her to Sonbhadra in September 2026. Her appointment marked the first time a woman IPS officer held the ASP post in Sonbhadra, according to NDTV.Tak’s story has received attention not only because she cleared the UPSC examination without coaching, but also because of the circumstances in which she pursued her education.
