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Highest marks in UPSC reflect disciplined preparation and smart strategy. Toppers securing the highest marks in UPSC often score well in the Mains, Optional, and Personality Test phases.
Analyzing the scoring trends of the Civil Services Examination reveals the evolving nature of the competition, with the UPSC 2025 Final Result setting new benchmarks for excellence. This year, Anuj Agnihotri (AIR 1) achieved a remarkable total of 1105 marks, consisting of 900 in the Mains and 205 in the Personality Test, placing him among the elite high-scorers of the decade. Historically, toppers like Anudeep Durishetty (2017) and Ishita Kishore (2022) have maintained the record for highest marks, typically hovering around the 52% to 55% range of the 2025 total. This article provides a comprehensive list of the highest marks obtained in the last 10 years, highlighting the toppers’ scores and the shifting cut-off dynamics from 2015 to 2025.
Anuj Agnihotri, a native of Rajasthan, has secured the prestigious All India Rank (AIR) 1 in the UPSC Civil Services Examination 2025. An alumnus of AIIMS Jodhpur, where he completed his MBBS in 2023, he transitioned from a medical profession to the civil services, demonstrating exceptional academic versatility. His achievement, marked by a total of 1105 marks (900 in the Main written exam and 205 in the Personality Test) in the final merit list, serves as an inspiration to thousands of aspirants across the country.
n the UPSC Civil Services Examination 2025, Anuj Agnihotri emerged as the topper (AIR 1) by securing a total of 1105 marks out of 2025. His score reflects a strong performance across both the written Main examination, where he earned 900 marks, and the personality test, where he was awarded 205 marks. This score sets a high benchmark for the 2025-26 cycle, surpassing the previous year’s topper, Shakti Dubey, who had secured a total of 1043 marks.
UPSC toppers’ marks showcase exceptional preparation across Prelims, Mains, and Interview stages, with Anudeep Durishetty holding the all-time record of 1126/2025 from 2017. Scores typically range 1000-1130, reflecting strategic optional subject choices like Anthropology and PSIR that yield high returns. Year-wise data reveals trends in essay writing, GS papers, and personality tests, guiding aspirants on balanced performance.
Shakti Dubey secured AIR 1 with 1043 marks (843 in Mains + 200 in Interview), demonstrating strong GS and optional performance amid tougher scaling. Her score outpaced competitors by emphasizing current affairs integration and concise answers. This marked one of the highest recent totals, highlighting interview preparation’s pivotal role.
Aditya Srivastava topped with around 1090 marks, excelling in Essay (top score) and Anthropology optional while maintaining consistency across GS papers. His strategic mains preparation focused on analytical depth, securing a narrow lead over Animesh Pradhan. The year saw elevated cut-offs due to competitive pools.
Ishita Kishore achieved 1092 marks for AIR 1, with standout scores in GS-3 and History optional, balancing depth with relevance in answers. Her success underscored multilingual proficiency and mock interview practice. Competitors like Shruti Sharma trailed closely in total merit.
Shruti Sharma scored 1105 marks (950+ Mains), leveraging her Hindi literature optional for top essay and language scores. Strong interview performance (176+) propelled her ahead, emphasizing personality over rote learning. The year favored humanities optionals amid pandemic disruptions.
Shubham Kumar led with 1054 marks, excelling in GS papers through data-backed answers and Anthropology optional mastery. Delayed exams tested endurance, yet his consistent prelims-to-mains transition shone. High interview marks cemented his top rank.
Pradeep Singh topped at 1072 marks, with engineering background aiding quantitative GS sections and strong PSIR optional. Focused revision on ethics and governance topics proved decisive. The cohort averaged lower due to normalized scaling.
Tina Dabi secured 1120 marks (near-record), dominating Essay and Political Science optional with nuanced socio-economic insights. Her back-to-back high scores highlighted repeated attempts’ value. Junaid Ahmad followed at 1077.
Anudeep Durishetty set the benchmark at 1126/2025 (950 Mains + 176 Interview), PSIR optional yielding 300+ in his fifth attempt. Meticulous answer-writing and current linkages defined his edge. Remains UPSC’s highest ever.
Nandini KR scored 1120 marks, excelling in GS-1/2 via Anthropology optional and crisp presentation. Second-highest that decade, her profile inspired working professionals. Gaurav Agarwal neared with interview highs.
Tina Dabi (first attempt) tallied 1129 marks, topping with GS dominance and Political Science, proving early success possible. Her scores influenced optional trends toward high-scoring subjects. Consistent across papers.
Ira Singhal achieved 1121 marks despite challenges, Anthropology optional and top interview (200+) securing AIR 1. Inspirational for differently-abled aspirants, emphasizing resilience. Close to historic peaks.
The record for the highest marks in UPSC Mains (Written) is held by Anudeep Durishetty (2017) and Shruti Sharma (2021), who both secured a massive 950 marks out of 1750. In the latest 2025 result, topper Anuj Agnihotri maintained this elite standard by securing 900 marks in the written stage, contributing to his final winning total of 1105. Historically, the highest individual paper scores include 175/250 in Essay (Apurva Pandey, 2017) and an extraordinary 375/500 in Mathematics Optional (Anubhav Singh, 2017), showcasing that while total aggregates hover around 52-54%, individual excellence in optional papers often drives the record-breaking totals.
The record for the highest marks ever obtained in a UPSC optional subject is generally credited to Kanishak Kataria (AIR 1, 2018), who scored a staggering 361 marks (170 + 191) in Mathematics. In non-technical subjects, Nandini K.R. (AIR 1, 2016) remains one of the highest scorers with 331 marks in Kannada Literature, while Vishal Shah (Rank 63, 2018) holds a record for Sociology with 329 marks. More recently, Nidhi Pal (Rank 36, 2022) achieved a notable 325 marks in Anthropology, underscoring that while technical subjects often have a higher scoring ceiling, consistent 300+ scores are attainable across diverse disciplines.
Also Read: UPSC Topper List 2025
The record for the highest marks ever obtained in the UPSC Personality Test (Interview) is held by Zainab Sayeed, who scored an extraordinary 220 out of 275 marks (80%) in the 2014 examination. In recent years, high scores have been achieved by Aniket Shandilya (Rank 12, 2023) and Apala Mishra (Rank 9, 2020), both of whom secured 215 marks.For the current UPSC 2025 results, the topper Anuj Agnihotri maintained this high-scoring trend by securing 205 marks in his interview, further proving that a strong personality test score is often the deciding factor in clinching a top All India Rank.
Such high scores reflect not only knowledge but also excellent communication skills, clarity of thought, and leadership qualities.
Also Read: UPSC Topper Marksheet 2024
The Essay Paper in UPSC Mains is a scoring opportunity for candidates who can express their thoughts with clarity and depth. It carries 250 marks and plays a significant role in boosting the final score. Some toppers have showcased exceptional articulation and structure, earning record-breaking scores in this paper.
In 2022, Gautam Vivekanandan scored an impressive 149 marks in the Essay Paper. Similarly, Gaurav Agarwal scored 176 marks, one of the highest marks in the UPSC Essay till now. Highlighting the importance of consistent writing practice and understanding of contemporary issues. A good essay score often reflects critical thinking and mature expression—two qualities UPSC highly values.
The General Studies (GS) papers form the backbone of the UPSC Mains examination. Comprising four papers (GS I to GS IV), they carry a total of 1000 marks. Candidates who perform well in GS papers demonstrate their broad knowledge, analytical skills, and awareness of current affairs.
Over the years, several candidates have set benchmarks by scoring exceptionally well in individual GS papers. For example:
| Highest Marks in GS Papers | |||
| Paper | Highest GS Score 2022 | Name | Rank |
| GS Paper-1 | 128 | Abhishek Dawachya | Rank 110 |
| GS Paper-2 | 135 | Vaishali | Rank 14 |
| GS Paper-3 | 102 | Mayur Hazarika | Rank 5 |
| GS Paper-4 | 141 | Garima Lohia | Rank 2 |
Anudeep Durishetty holds the record for the highest marks ever scored in the UPSC Civil Services Examination history,securing a total of 1126 out of 2025 (55.60%) in 2017. His record-breaking performance included 950 marks in the Mains written exam and 176 marks in the Personality Test. While recent toppers like Anuj Agnihotri (AIR 1, 2025)have delivered stellar performances with 1105 marks, Durishetty’s 2017 score remains the ultimate benchmark for aspirants.
Scoring the highest marks in UPSC requires an integrated approach, disciplined preparation, and smart strategy. The performance of previous toppers shows that a score above 1050 is a realistic target to aim for.
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The highest score in UPSC ever recorded is by Anudeep Durishetty in 2017 with 1126 marks.
The UPSC highest marks in the interview were secured by Gaurav Agarwal with 176 out of 275.
To score the highest marks in UPSC mains, focus on answer structure, content depth, and relevant examples.
Yes, many toppers have achieved the highest marks in UPSC without coaching through disciplined self-study and test series.
Anthropology, PSIR, and Sociology are known to fetch the highest marks in UPSC optional subjects.
No, prelims marks do not count; only mains and interview scores determine the highest marks in the UPSC final merit list.
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