Before acting, Shivya was crowned Miss Shimla 2013 at the International Summer Festival which took place in Shimla. Pathania also won Miss Oye and Miss Beautiful Smile.
A year later, she debuted in television playing Aarzoo Sheikh Mahajan in Humsafars opposite Harshad Chopda. In 2016, she played Zara Khan in Yeh Hai Aashiqui and gained wide praise for portraying Sanchi Mittal in Sony's Ek Rishta Saajhedari Ka, co-starring Kinshuk Vaidya.
From 2017 to 2018, Pathania appeared as Raavi Kaur i
