The much-anticipated final results for the Civil Services Examination (CSE) 2025 for the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) was released earlier today. The final merit list is made up of 2025 marks, of which 1750 marks are for the Main Examination and 275 marks are for the Personality Test (UPSC Annual Report 2023-24).
Anuj Agnihotri has topped the civil services examination 2025. Rajeshwari Suve M and Akansh Dhull bagged the second and third ranks respectively. UPSC records show that Anuj Agnihotri achieved the top position in the third attempt. Speaking after the announcement, Agnihotri said that he was “still trying to process the results”.
Before clinching the top rank in UPSC CSE 2025, Anuj Agnihotri was already part of the government system. He was serving in the Delhi, Andaman and Nicobar Islands Civil Service (DANICS), a Group B (Gazetted) cadre responsible for administrative governance in Delhi and several Union Territories.
In other words, Agnihotri had already cleared a competitive examination and was working in public service even as he continued preparing for the IAS. This article gives a structured profile of the topper in a detailed format to enable aspirants to know the benchmarks of success.
A total of 958 candidates have qualified the examination and are recommended for appointment to the Indian Administrative Service (IAS), Indian Foreign Service (IFS), Indian Police Service (IPS) and various Central Services in Group A and Group B.
Who is Anuj Agnihotri?
In a year where the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) results have once again highlighted the dominance of technical professionals, Anuj Agnihotri has emerged as the standout name, securing the coveted All India Rank (AIR) 1 for the 2025 cycle.
A resident of Rawatbhata, a small township near Rajasthan’s coaching hub of Kota, Agnihotri’s transition from a medical doctor to the nation’s top civil servant is a narrative of calculated ambition and a refusal to settle for professional monotony.
Having completed his MBBS from the prestigious AIIMS Jodhpur and finishing his compulsory internship in 2023, his leap into the civil services was driven by a desire for a ‘dynamic’ career that transcends the clinical boundaries of a hospital.
The Doctor’s dilemma: Why UPSC over medicine?
For many, leaving a secured medical career is a high-stakes gamble, but for Agnihotri, it was about the scale of impact. During his interaction with the interview board, he candidly admitted that while medicine is a fulfilling profession, he sought a role that wouldn’t feel “monotonous” or like a “job in the strictest sense.”
Despite the rigor of a five-year MBBS program, Agnihotri felt a pull toward a more “dynamic” career. During his mock interview, he noted:
“I always wanted to pursue a job that should not feel like a job in the strictest sense… the dynamic nature of the civil services and the diversity it offers was a clear first preference.”
During his interview, Agnihotri expressed a deep-seated interest in the diversity of the civil services, where one could navigate through departments as varied as statistics, social security, and health.
Interestingly, Agnihotri noted that the UPSC preparation stage itself posed more significant challenges than his five-year MBBS program, marking the exam as a unique test of mental endurance and adaptability.
Hobbies: Stand-up comedy and cricket
Beyond the rigorous academic profile, brings a refreshing sense of humor to the bureaucracy. When asked about his hobbies during the UPSC mock interview, Agnihotri revealed that he likes to perform stand-up comedy and is an avid fan of watching cricket.
This comedic timing was on full display during his interview when he shared a lighthearted anecdote from his Mains examination day. He recalled his mother asking a fellow candidate, a seemingly experienced person, to help calm his nerves.
To Agnihotri’s surprise, the ‘experienced’ candidate turned out to be more terrified than he was, a moment that helped him put the gravity of the situation into perspective and attempt the test with a better attitude.
Policy vision: Healthcare and mental health
Agnihotri’s background as a doctor heavily informs his administrative outlook. He has expressed clear views on the need for a health regulator to monitor insurance claims and auditing for schemes like Ayushman Bharat.
Coming from the Kota region, he also addressed the mental health crisis among students. He advocates for a more holistic approach in coaching hubs, suggesting “fun days” and cultural activities to break the “monotony” of the competitive grind, a philosophy he applied to his own life to maintain balance and achieve a phenomenal result.