UPSC IAS First Attempt Toppers – Who cleared UPSC in First Attempt?
By BYJU'S Exam Prep
Updated on: November 14th, 2023
IAS Toppers, who cleared in first attempt, are the biggest source of inspiration for the candidates who aim to clear the UPSC exam in the coming years. The Civil Services exam is considered one of the toughest exams in the country, conducted by the Union Public Service Commission every year to appoint individuals for the posts of IAS, IFS, IRS, IPS, and more. So, it is important for the aspirants to know about the officers who cleared UPSC in the first attempt to get motivated and well-prepared for the exam.
Though it is a difficult exam, some candidates clear it on the first attempt with sheer determination and dedication. Below you will find the list of the UPSC first attempt toppers, along with the expert’s tips to clear the IAS exam in the first attempt.
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Who Cleared UPSC in First Attempt?
Most people appearing for the UPSC Exam find it difficult to crack the exam even after years of practice. But a few candidates like Artika Shuklaj, Srushti Deshmukh, Tina Dabi, Anmol Sher Singh Bedi, Saumya Sharma, and more have cleared the IAS Exam in the first attempt and became UPSC first attempt toppers.
Below is the table with the list of the IAS officers who cleared the UPSC Exam on the first attempt from 1999 to 2021, along with their ranks and year of passing the exam:
| Name of Topper | Rank | Year |
| Bhawna Garg | 1 | 1999 |
| Sorabh Babu Maheshwari | 1 | 2000 |
| Ankur Garg | 1 | 2002 |
| Roopa Mishra | 1 | 2003 |
| Shah Faesal | 1 | 2009 |
| Amrutesh Aurangabadkar | 10 | 2011 |
| Roman Saini | 18 | 2013 |
| Bharti Dixit | 5 | 2013 |
| Aman Mittal | 20 | 2014 |
| C M Srikanth Varma | 18 | 2014 |
| Ajay Kumar Dwivedi | 17 | 2014 |
| Ananya Das | 16 | 2014 |
| Saketa raja Musinipally | 14 | 2014 |
| Renu Raj | 2 | 2014 |
| Artika Shukla | 4 | 2015 |
| Tina Dabi | 1 | 2015 |
| Kothamasu Dinesh Kumar | 6 | 2016 |
| Saumya Pandey | 4 | 2016 |
| Anmol Sher Singh Bedi | 2 | 2016 |
| Dr. Neha Jain | 12 | 2017 |
| Saumya Sharma | 9 | 2017 |
| Koya Sree Harsha | 6 | 2017 |
| Srushti Deshmukh | 5 | 2018 |
| Shreyans Kumat | 4 | 2018 |
| Kanishak Kataria | 1 | 2018 |
| Neha Banerjee | 20 | 2019 |
UPSC First Attempt Toppers
Get to know the brief overview of the life of UPSC first attempt toppers below along with their rank, native state, optional subject in UPSC, year of passing, etc.
Artika Shuklaj
Dr Artika Shuklaj, a native of Varanasi, cleared the Civil Services exam with an All-India rank of 4 in 2015. She was a topper throughout her schooling and completed her MBBS from Maulana Azad Medical College, New Delhi. She was a doctor by training and quit her MD Paediatrics to pursue her dream of becoming an IAS Officer.
CSE – 2015
Rank – 4
Native State – Uttar Pradesh
Optional Subject – Medical Science
Interview – 173/275
Mains Total – 1000/2025 (49.38%)
Tina Dabi
Tina Dabi cleared the IAS Exam at the age of 22 in 2015. She completed her schooling at Carmel Convent School, Bhopal and pursued a degree in Political Science at the Lady Shri Ram College of New Delhi. Tabi suggests that every candidate must divide his studying hours into three slots:
- Slot 1- big topics
- Slot 2- medium length topics
- Slot 3- for revising previously studied topics
CSE – 2015
Rank – 1
Native State – Delhi
Optional Subject – Political Science and International Affairs
Anmol Sher Singh Bedi
Anmol Sher Singh Bedi attempted the Civil Services Exam in 2016 and secured an AIR of 2 at the age of 23. He was a Computer Science Engineer from Birla Institute of Technology and Science (BITS), Pilani. He was always a highly motivated student who used to study for approximately 8 hours a day and suggested that every aspirant must start preparing for the exam before entering into a degree course.
CSE – 2016
Rank – 2
Native State – Punjab
Optional Subject – Political Science
Interview – 206/275
Total – 1105/2025
Saumya Sharma
All India Rank-9 Saumya Sharma cleared the civil service examination in her first attempt in 2017. She became an inspiration after clearing the exam as she has a hearing impairment. She lost her hearing power from the 11th standard. She used to study for 5 to 6 hours per day and relied on the internet for preparing daily current affairs.
CSE – 2017
Rank – 9
Native State – Delhi
Optional Subject – Law
Srushti Deshmukh
Srushti Deshmukh was the UPSC topper among the women candidates who cleared the exam in 2018. She was a Chemical Engineer and graduated from Rajiv Gandhi Prodyogiki Vishwavidyalaya. She used to study for 6 to 7 hours daily and studied from online sources. She had a great contribution to Systematic Voter Education and Electoral Participation (SVEEP).
CSE – 2018
Rank – 5
Native State – Delhi
Optional Subject – Law
Interview – 173/275
Total – 1068/2025
Kanishak Kataria
Kanishak Kataria is a BTech in computer science and engineering from IIT Bombay who worked with Samsung as a software engineer in South Korea. Still, she wanted to pursue her career as an IAS officer. She has faced many challenges and went for coaching for approximately 7 to 8 months, and then she prepared by self-study.
CSE – 2018
Rank – 1
Native State – Banglore
Optional Subject – Mathematics
Interview – 179/275
Total – 1121/2025
How to clear UPSC in First Attempt?
The UPSC exam is considered one of the toughest exams in India for recruiting individuals for reputed posts. The difficulty of the exam makes it tough for the students to clear the cutoff on the first attempt. However, a candidate with sheer determination, unwavering focus, and a smart approach can clear the UPSC exam in the first attempt. But, before jumping to crack the exam, one must get complete knowledge about the UPSC Syllabus, Exam Pattern, and all the essential exam information.
Also, preparing for the exam by solving the UPSC previous year question papers will help the candidate judge his knowledge and time management. The few points that must keep in mind for clearing the UPSC Exam in the first attempt are as under:
- Understand Yourself – One of the most important things while preparing for the exam is understanding your weaknesses and strengths. It will help you in focusing on your weak points right from an early stage of preparation.
- Practice – Before going for the actual exam, the candidate should practice by attempting the Mock test series and previous years’ question patterns for both UPSC Prelims and Mains Exam. This will also help them in gaining experience and confidence to frame the answers correctly.
- Do Lose Your Calm – Yes, IAS is a difficult exam and covers almost all the subjects, but you need to remember that it will take time to gain rhythm in the preparation. It is a hard situation for all where you will feel stuck, but at this moment, do not panic and keep your calm. You will learn the tricks to prepare for the exam with time.
- Plan Meticulously – While preparing for the IAS Exam, always have an achievable and realistic study plan. Preparing for the exam with a strategic timetable will help you to keep up with your goals.
- Stay Focused – It is extremely challenging for the candidate to stay focused while preparing for the exam. But, stay positive, keep yourself focused, and look for the brighter side while preparing for the exam.
