List of IAS toppers who cleared it in their 1st attempt

The UPSC civil services exam is considered one of the toughest exams in India. On average, candidates take more than 2 attempts to clear this exam. But every year, there are several candidates who clear the UPSC exam in their very first attempt. Some of them even go on to top the exam with high marks.

In this article, we have furnished a list of toppers who had cleared the exam in their maiden attempts. Please note this list does not include candidates who had cleared the exam in their first attempt but were ranked beyond the top 20 IAS Toppers.

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IAS First Attempt Winners

The table below gives the list of toppers who cleared the civil services examination from 1999 to 2021

Name	Rank	Year
Neha Banerjee	20	2019
Kanishak Kataria	1	2018
Shreyans Kumat	4	2018
Srushti Jayant Deshmukh	5	2018
Koya Sree Harsha	6	2017
Saumya Sharma	9	2017
Dr. Neha Jain	12	2017
Anmol Sher Singh Bedi	2	2016
Saumya Pandey	4	2016
Kothamasu Dinesh Kumar	6	2016
Tina Dabi	1	2015
Artika Shukla	4	2015
Renu Raj	2	2014
Saketa Raja Musinipally	14	2014
Ananya Das	16	2014
Ajay Kumar Dwivedi	17	2014
C M Saikanth Varma	18	2014
Aman Mittal	20	2014
Bharti Dixit	5	2013
Roman Saini	18	2013
Amrutesh Aurangabadkar	10	2011
Shah Faesal	1	2009
Roopa Mishra	1	2003
Ankur Garg	1	2002
Sorabh Babu Maheshwari	1	2000
Bhawna Garg	1	1999

Also read: How to clear UPSC exam in first attempt

How to clear UPSC CSE in the first attempt

Though clearing the UPSC Exam in the first attempt seems like a very difficult task, many people have done it in the past. All it takes is determination, unwavering focus and of course, a smart and guided approach to the IAS exam. The first step after you have made a decision to take a shot at the IAS exam is to download a copy of the UPSC syllabus. After that, you should collect the previous years’ UPSC question papers and go through them. To become an UPSC topper, you should dedicate yourself to the exam and study with determination and in the right approach.

A few pointers to clearing the UPSC Exam :

1. Do not panic: It takes some time to gain a rhythm in UPSC preparation which works for you. If a concept seems hard and you get stuck, do not panic, think it through and you will get clarity on how to study that particular concept.
2. Plan meticulously: Always have a realistic and achievable schedule to follow while preparing for IAS. Try to stick to it as much as you can. Making a planner and keeping track of the goals helps too.
3. Understand yourself: Understanding your own strengths and weaknesses will help you in focussing your preparation. This focus and understanding will help immensely in optimising every stage of UPSC preparation according to your needs.
4. Practice: Before you take the actual exam, you should take mock practice tests both for the prelims and the mains. This will help you gain confidence and gain experience in framing your answers properly.
5. Stay focused: Preparing for the UPSC exam can be extremely challenging, so keep yourself motivated and stay positive. Always look at the bright side of things and be confident about your ability to crack the IAS exam.

Also read: How to choose the right and effective optional for UPSC exam

Now, prepare a plan of action for cracking the IAS exam. You need to set aside at least one year for your IAS preparation. Make a study schedule and start with the basic books like the NCERTs. Also, start a daily habit of reading the newspaper. UPSC Current affairs are perhaps the most important part of your UPSC preparation. So, give adequate focus to what is happening in the country and internationally. This will make the difference between clearing and losing an attempt in the UPSC exam. With these pointers, we wish you all the best for the examinations!