Ishan Bhatnagar has secured All India Rank (AIR) 5 in the UPSC Civil Services Examination (CSE) 2025 final result. Originally from Lucknow and raised in Bhopal, Bhatnagar improved significantly from AIR 276 in his first attempt, achieving a place among the top five candidates this year.
The result highlights a diverse group of top performers from various academic backgrounds, reflecting the broad representation seen in the civil services examination.
Ishan Bhatnagar UPSC AIR 5: Education and Background
Ishan Bhatnagar completed his schooling in Madhya Pradesh before pursuing higher education in law. He cleared the Common Law Admission Test (CLAT) in his first attempt and secured admission to the National Law University (NLU), Delhi.
During the UPSC CSE Mains examination, he chose Law as his optional subject, aligning with his academic background. The UPSC CSE 2025 was his second attempt, showing a remarkable improvement from his earlier rank of 276.
Apart from academics, Bhatnagar has interests in extracurricular activities. In an earlier interview during his preparation phase, he mentioned that he practiced Karate and also enjoys singing and playing the guitar.
UPSC CSE 2025 Top Rank Holders
The UPSC CSE 2025 merit list includes candidates from varied professional and academic backgrounds. The following candidates secured the top ranks this year.
|
Rank |
Candidate Name |
Background |
|
AIR 1 |
Anuj Agnihotri |
MBBS graduate from AIIMS Jodhpur |
|
AIR 2 |
Rajeshwari Suve M |
Engineer and Deputy Collector trainee |
|
AIR 3 |
Akansh Dhull |
Commerce graduate from SRCC, Delhi University |
|
AIR 4 |
Raghav Jhunjhunwala |
Civil services aspirant |
|
AIR 5 |
Ishan Bhatnagar |
Law graduate from NLU Delhi |
The topper, Anuj Agnihotri, belongs to Rawatbhata near Kota in Rajasthan. After completing his MBBS from AIIMS Jodhpur, he decided to pursue civil services following his medical internship in 2023, citing the dynamic nature of administrative roles.
UPSC CSE 2025 Recommended Candidates and Appointments
The Union Public Service Commission has recommended 958 candidates for appointment to various civil services based on the UPSC CSE 2025 final merit list. These appointments include positions in:
- Indian Administrative Service (IAS)
- Indian Foreign Service (IFS)
- Indian Police Service (IPS)
- Central Services Group ‘A’ and Group ‘B’
UPSC has also stated that the candidature of 348 recommended candidates has been kept provisional, while the results of two candidates have been withheld.
The final merit list is prepared after considering candidates’ performance in the Civil Services Main Examination and the Personality Test, which together determine the ranking and service allocation.
The UPSC Civil Services Examination remains one of India’s most competitive recruitment processes, attracting candidates from diverse educational fields such as medicine, engineering, commerce, and law, as reflected in the UPSC CSE 2025 toppers list.