Who Is Anuj Agnihotri: India woke up to a remarkable success story as the Civil Services Examination (CSE) 2025 results were officially declared on March 6, 2026. Anuj Agnihotri, once a medical student became a public administration officer after he secured AIR 1 in UPSC CSE. His achievement instantly became one of the most discussed stories among aspirants, educators, and policymakers across the country. The Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) examination serves as one of India’s most difficult competitive tests which selects candidates for top government positions including IAS, IPS, and IFS.
Speaking to news agency PTI, “It feels very good. I’m still taking a little time to process it.” He also mentioned how he had cleared his first attempt, but got another service and in his third attempt, he secured AIR (all India rank) 1.
Who Is Anuj Agnihotri?
Anuj Agnihotri does not fit the typical profile of a civil services candidate. He graduated from the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) Jodhpur which stands as one of India’s leading medical schools after completing his MBBS studies in 2023. He made the decision to pursue public administration and governance instead of building a permanent medical career.
Sharing his journey in DANICS, the topper said, “I completed one year training in DANICS and during the training period, I got opportunity to explore the union territories. As per my observation, Andaman and Nicobar, Daman and Diu has the better infrastructure facility than Lakshadweep .”
VIDEO | Rajasthan, Rawatbhata: Visuals from the residence of UPSC Civil Services Exam 2025 topper Anuj Agnihotri.
(Full video available on https://t.co/n147TvrpG7)#upsc2025 #upscresults pic.twitter.com/dLhgQh92WP
— Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) March 6, 2026
His transition from medicine to civil services shows his desire to create far-reaching social changes which will benefit society as a whole. According to reports, Agnihotri believed that the civil services offered a “dynamic nature” of work, enabling him to contribute to policy-making and governance beyond individual patient care.
Early Life
Anuj Agnihotri hails from Rawatbhata in Rajasthan’s Chittorgarh district, where he completed his schooling before moving to Kota and later Jodhpur for higher studies. His educational path began at Atomic Energy Central School and continued at MB Public Senior Secondary School in Kota.
In an interview, Anuj said, “the dynamic nature of this profession attracts me towards civil service.”
Agnihotri developed his character through a disciplined educational background which his family instilled in him during his upbringing in Rajasthan. His father works at the Rajasthan Atomic Power Station, while his mother is a homemaker. His academic goals developed through the positive influence of his family which created a nurturing space for him.
From DANICS Probationer to UPSC Rank 1
Agnihotri had already entered the civil services system before he achieved first place in the UPSC 2025 examination. His earlier attempt at the Delhi Andaman and Nicobar Islands Civil Service DANICS resulted in him becoming a probationary officer.
His ultimate breakthrough came in his third attempt which resulted in him achieving first place through an assessment that thousands of candidates had taken to compete for few available positions.
The 2025 cycle began with preliminary tests in May 2025 which preceded the main examinations in August and the interview process that took place from January to February 2026.
The Top Rankers of UPSC CSE 2025
The examination results showed that Anuj Agnihotri achieved first place while other candidates also performed well.
AIR 1: Anuj Agnihotri
AIR 2: Rajeshwari Suve
AIR 3: Akansh Dhull
The 2025 examination cycle resulted in 958 candidates receiving recommendations for appointment to different central services positions.
