What Makes UPSC 2025 Top-20 Tick

The biggest story of the UPSC CSE 2025 results, lost somewhere amid the cacophony of toppers’ felicitations as heroes, is that of a medical student, Anuj Agnihotri, coming up as AIR 1, breaking the traditional hegemony of engineers and humanities. He had taken medical science as his optional subject too. Besides him, AR Rajah Mohaideen, AIR 7, is also a medical graduate, though he took Anthropology as his optional in his third attempt to reach this feat.

Looks are often deceptive. Outer looks are definitely deceptive. That’s what has happened in CSE results analysis as well. These two are the only medical professionals among the top 20, which is actually dominated by humanities and engineering only. Of the top 20, six are engineers, and nine have graduated in arts. 

That’s not the full story. Among the top 20, except Anuj (optional – medicine) and AIR 12 Akshit Bhardwaj (Optional – Maths), everyone else had taken arts subjects like Sociology, Economics, Anthropology, Geography and of course, Political Science and international relations as their optional subject.

This makes it amply clear that while toppers may be from diverse fields to serve the government’s needs, arts subjects continue to remain the highest-scoring subjects. Even among the techies, except Bhardwaj, everyone opted for an arts subject.

Engineers Still Dominate

One of the most striking patterns continues to be the dominance of engineering graduates.

This trend has been visible for over a decade now. Engineering education trains students in analytical thinking, problem-solving and disciplined study habits—qualities that translate well into UPSC preparation.

However, the list also shows increasing diversity. Alongside engineers are candidates from law, commerce, medicine and humanities, suggesting that the exam continues to remain open to talent from every academic stream.

Third Attempt: The Sweet Spot

Another interesting pattern emerges when one examines the number of attempts. While AIR 16 Monica Srivastava managed to make it in her sixth attempt, AIR 2 Rajeshwari Suve M came up trumps in her fifth and AIR 6 Zinnia Aurora got selected in her fourth attempt. As many as ten candidates in the top 20 cracked the exam in their third attempt. Five succeeded in their second attempt, while only two made it in their first attempt.

This suggests that the Civil Services Examination rewards a certain maturity of preparation. The first attempt often serves as a learning experience—understanding the exam pattern, refining strategy, and building confidence. In the second attempt, many get into the service, but they manage to get into the top ranks only in the third attempt.

Geography of Success

The list also highlights the continued dominance of certain states in producing civil servants. States like Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan, Haryana, and Delhi feature prominently among the top ranks. Together, the northern belt contributes nearly half of the top 20 candidates.

Southern states such as Tamil Nadu and Karnataka also have a visible presence, reflecting their long tradition of strong educational institutions and competitive examination culture. Meanwhile, candidates from states like Bihar, Gujarat, and Madhya Pradesh also appear in the list, indicating the growing spread of UPSC success across regions.

Rising Representation of Women

Women continue to make their presence felt among the top ranks.

Nearly one-third of the top 20 candidates this year are women, reflecting a steady rise in female participation and success in the civil services examination.

Over the past decade, women have frequently topped the UPSC examination, reinforcing the changing gender dynamics in India’s administrative leadership.

Experience matters

Another noteworthy feature of the 2025 list is that six of the top 20 rankers had already been selected in previous attempts and were serving in other government services. This is third tome that Akash Dhull got selected in UPSC CSE. In 2023 he got 342^nd rank which he improved to 295 in 2024 and this year he got AIR 3.

Ishan Bhatnagar had secured 276 rank in 2023 but could not get in the next year. However, he scored big by bagging AIR 5 this year. AIR 6, Zinnia Aurora had secured 156 rank last year, while AIR 9 Astha Jain like Akash Dhull got selected third year in succession scoring 131 and 186 ranks in previous two years. AIR 16 Monika Srivastava had clocked 455^th rank in 2023 but couldn’t get in last year while AIR 20 Ravi Raj had scored 182^nd rank last year.

Such candidates often return to the examination with greater clarity and improved preparation, aiming for a higher rank or a preferred service. Their presence highlights the perseverance and long-term commitment required to succeed in the civil services examination.

The Typical Topper Profile

If one were to draw a broad profile from the top 20 candidates this year, it might look something like this:  Most toppers are in the 23–26 age group, many have engineering or humanities degrees, and a majority succeed in their second or third attempt. Their optional subjects often come from the social sciences, and they typically spend two to three years in focused preparation.

Yet, every year also produces exceptions — candidates from unconventional backgrounds who remind aspirants that there is no single formula for success.

Beyond Numbers

Ultimately, the UPSC Civil Services Examination is not just about statistics, ranks or academic backgrounds. Behind every name in the merit list lies a story of persistence, discipline and belief.

The UPSC 2025 top 20 list reflects both continuity and change — the continuing dominance of engineering graduates, the growing diversity of backgrounds, and the expanding participation of women and small-town aspirants.

Together, these patterns paint a larger picture of an examination that continues to attract India’s brightest minds — all driven by the same dream of serving the nation.

UPSC 2025 – Top 20 Candidates: Background Analysis Table