Anuj Agnihotri is a doctor by profession who completed his medical education from AIIMS Jodhpur in 2023. He belongs to the village Rahata in Jodhpur, Rajasthan. After finishing his studies at one of India’s premier medical institutes, he has been pursuing his career in DANICS, a premier Group B (Gazetted) civil service in India, primarily responsible for administrative tasks in the National Capital Territory of Delhi and other Union Territories..
The UPSC Topper AIR 1 2025 is Anuj Agnihotri, who obtained the first rank in the Civil Services Examination 2025 conducted by UPSC. The result was declared by the Union Public Service Commission on 6th March, 2026. The announcement of the final merit list on the commission’s website is the conclusion of a yearlong selection process that examines the knowledge, ethics and determination of the candidate.
We are compiling ranks and testimonials and will be sharing
It’s a moment of immense pride for us. We will not just share the names and numbers. We will walk you through each student’s journey: how their days, months looked like. the number of calls made, the milestones achieved, and the challenges they overcame.
These masterclasses are packed with value. They are conducted in private with a closed community. We rarely open these webinars for everyone for free. This time we are keeping it for 300 seats only.
The Essay Paper is the 1st paper of the UPSC Civil Services Mains Examination 2025. It has officially begun on 22nd August 2025. This paper is a decisive factor in determining ranks, carrying 250 marks. Candidates must write two essays – one from each section – each worth 125 marks.
Year-on-year, the complexity of the papers has been increasing. You no longer have questions on women empowerment, education – all those predictable topics. Philosophical and Abstract Topics are becoming more common and require a radical approach rather than memorizing the frameworks.
खण्ड—A / SECTION—A
सत्य को रंग नहीं जाता है। Truth knows no color.
बिना लड़े ही दुश्मन को परास्त करना युद्ध की सर्वोच्च कला है। The supreme art of war is to subdue the enemy without fighting.
विचार एक दुनिया खोजता भी है और एक बनाता भी है। Thought finds a world and creates one also.
अच्छे सबक कड़वे अनुभवों से सीखे जाते हैं। Best lessons are learnt through bitter experiences.
खण्ड—B / SECTION—B
मैला पानी को अकेला छोड़ने से ही उसे सबसे अच्छा साफ किया जा सकता है। Muddy water is best cleared by leaving it alone.
वर्ष बहुत कुछ सिखाते हैं, जो दिन कभी नहीं जानते। The years teach much which the days never know.
जीवन को एक यात्रा के रूप में देखना सर्वोत्तम है, न कि एक गंतव्य के रूप में। It is best to see life as a journey, not as a destination.
संतोष प्राकृतिक संपत्ति है; विलासिता कृत्रिम निर्धनता है। Contentment is natural wealth, luxury is artificial poverty.
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Read what IAS Benjo P Jose, AIR 59 has to say about his Mains Prep
If you feel the only way to clear Mains is to memorize tonnes and tonnes of data and facts, then this session is for you.
Brainstorming or answer thinking is a unique approach to UPSC Mains. It involves generating points for the answer while understanding both the explicit and implicit demands of the question, rather than simply writing from pre-prepared notes on the topic. Past toppers like IAS Gaurav Agarwal and IAS Pratyush Pandey have emphasized this approach.
It moves away from traditional methods of making notes, revising them multiple times, and writing numerous tests, which can often be overwhelming for aspirants. Instead, the focus shifts to brainstorming PYQs. With practice, the time taken to think of every answer gradually reduces. This approach emphasizes interlinking points with other topics in the GS papers, making it a more creative and dynamic method for UPSC Mains answer writing.
IAS Benjo Sir, AIR 59 this year, is probably the first topper in many years to have successfully used this approach again. This method will help you make your notes more compact, adding creativity and logic to your UPSC preparation. Join this masterclass to learn the art of structured brainstorming and how to integrate it with your existing study routine. The session will be held on 21st August, Wednesday at 7 PM.
It will be a 45-minute webinar, post which we will open up the floor for all kinds of queries that a beginner or veteran aspirant must have. No questions are taboo.
Join us for a Zoom session on 21th August 2024 at 7:00 p.m. This session is a must-attend for you If you are attempting UPSC for the first time or have attempted earlier and now preparing for next year, then it is going to be a valuable session for you too.
We will deal with all the aspects for a comprehensive UPSC Mains Preparation.We’ll talk about starting with the basics and moving to advanced level.
See you in masterclass
Register for UPSC session to get a focussed UPSC Mains preparation strategy
At Civilsdaily, we treat Mentorship as a specialization. Not every Mains or interview candidate can be a mentor. Most such mentors will suggest cosmetic changes and will only help you evolve slowly. It is easy to find comfort in sentences like ‘every topper is different’ and’ they have their own path’. Finding what’s different about you and then figuring out your own path is why Mentorship is essential.
We walk the talk by helping you craft your own way of preparation. A method that enhances your probability of qualifying UPSC-CSE in a single attempt. We give you that near-perfect certainty. Delivering this consistently to hundreds of aspirants (now rankers) in the past was challenging. We still stick to it and keep getting better at it with each passing year.
At CD, we understand the science and the art of everything UPSC. If you have a problem, we will sit with you and find a solution. If that doesn’t work, then we try solution 2. Eventually, we will make sure you end up making progress. What’s the point of any content, program, or mentorship without progress? This is precisely why aspirants trust they have the best shot at clearing the exam with Civilsdaily.
We invest a significant amount of time, effort, and energy into creating lectures, notes, and tests, understanding your needs as an aspirant. We take this responsibility seriously because, ultimately, your future depends on it.
The heart of the Civilsdaily platform is the Yearlong Mentorship Program. For years, aspirants have enrolled here because they couldn’t find such depth and passion towards quality content and Mentorship anywhere. Their search inevitably ends at Civilsdaily. Enrollment in these programs and Mentorship also makes us accountable to aspirants for the value they get.
In the past few years, we’ve worked quietly in the background with hundreds of aspirants; many now serve as IAS, IPS, IFS and more. We are very proud of what we’ve achieved. Overwhelmed by quick fixes, content overload, and messy timetables that never work? Join us as we take you through a realistic and relatable roadmap for UPSC 2026 preparation.
(Don’t wait—the next webinar won’t be until September 24)
These masterclasses are packed with value. They are conducted in private with a closed community. We rarely open these webinars for everyone for free. This time we are keeping it for 300 seats only.
The UPSC Civil Services exam does not have a single path to success. People from all walks of life-working professionals, college students, and even homemakers-clear this exam at their own pace.
Rimita Saha, IAS, MTech from IIT Delhi, worked as an Assistant Professor
Register for the UPSC Masterclass by Rimita Saha, IAS 13th August 2024 at 7:00to get yearlong mentorship & study plan for UPSC-CSE
Read what Rimita Saha, IAS 2023 has to say about preparing for a job
Every year there are more and more candidates who are clearing this exam as a working professional. AIR 2 Animesh was a working professional who cleared this exam on his first attempt and many others.
Even though it’s challenging, it is very much doable. We see working professionals clearing this exam with a top 50 rank every year. Effective time management and consistency in their preparation are the most difficult parts for them. College students who aim to clear this exam right after graduation face similar challenges.
Time Crunch for Working Professionals:
Working professionals face a serious time crunch.
They can typically dedicate only 5-7 hours daily to their preparation.
Despite these limited hours, they must cover the vast UPSC syllabus effectively.
College students aiming to clear the exam right after graduation face similar hurdles in managing time and consistency.
It will be a practical webinar and here’s what we will be discussing:
How should an absolute beginner start his/ her UPSC 2026 prep? What are the high-yielding areas that are quick to conquer and necessary to master
Absolute non-negotiables for every beginner – If you miss mastering these, forget your rank, you will risk even your mental health – so get them right
LIVE UPSC PYQs attempts to show the difference between a beginner vs. a ranker’s attempt to the same question.
It will be a 45-minute webinar, post which we will open up the floor for all kinds of queries that a beginner must have. No questions are taboo.
Here’s what you will be getting after attending the webinar:
Scanned GS Paper PDF Notes of Rimita Saha, IAS
Flash Notes of GS Polity: Ranker approved notes for exam ready revision
Join us for a Zoom session on 13th August 2024 at 7:00 p.m. This session is a must-attend for you If you are attempting UPSC for the first time or have attempted earlier and now preparing for next year, then it is going to be a valuable session for you too.
In the session, we will discuss how mentorship works. Why Mentorship is a must when you attempting for the first time.
We will deal with all the aspects for a comprehensive UPSC Preparation.We’ll talk about starting with the basics, and move to advanced level.
See you in masterclass
Register for UPSC session to get a focussed UPSC preparation strategy
At Civilsdaily, we treat Mentorship as a specialization. Not every Mains or interview candidate can be a mentor. Most such mentors will suggest cosmetic changes and will only help you evolve slowly. It is easy to find comfort in sentences like ‘every topper is different’ and’ they have their own path’. Finding what’s different about you and then figuring out your own path is why Mentorship is essential. We walk the talk by helping you craft your own way of preparation. A method that enhances your probability of qualifying UPSC-CSE in a single attempt. We give you that near-perfect certainty. Delivering this consistently to hundreds of aspirants (now rankers) in the past was challenging. We still stick to it and keep getting better at it with each passing year.
At CD, we understand the science and the art of everything UPSC. If you have a problem, we will sit with you and find a solution. If that doesn’t work, then we try solution 2. Eventually, we will make sure you end up making progress. What’s the point of any content, program, or mentorship without progress? This is precisely why aspirants trust they have the best shot at clearing the exam with Civilsdaily.
We invest a significant amount of time, effort, and energy into creating lectures, notes, and tests, understanding your needs as an aspirant. We take this responsibility seriously because, ultimately, your future depends on it.
The heart of the Civilsdaily platform is the Yearlong Mentorship Program. For years, aspirants have enrolled here because they couldn’t find such depth and passion towards quality content and Mentorship anywhere. Their search inevitably ends at Civilsdaily. Enrollment in these programs and Mentorship also makes us accountable to aspirants for the value they get.
In the past few years, we’ve worked quietly in the background with hundreds of aspirants; many now serve as IAS, IPS, IFS and more. We are very proud of what we’ve achieved. Overwhelmed by quick fixes, content overload, and messy timetables that never work? Join us as we take you through a realistic and relatable roadmap for UPSC 2026 preparation.
(Don’t wait—the next webinar won’t be until September 24)
These masterclasses are packed with value. They are conducted in private with a closed community. We rarely open these webinars for everyone for free. This time we are keeping it for 300 seats only.
The hottest places in hell are reserved for those who, in times of great moral crisis, maintain their neutrality
Dante Alighieri
We, at Civilsdaily are deeply saddened by the loss of our fellow aspirants Nivin Dalwin, Shreya Yadav, Tanya Soni, and Nilesh Rai(who was electrocuted last week). This tragic event has left the whole community of teachers & aspirants in deep shock and bewilderment.
Our team—comprising faculty and mentors—is profoundly affected, grappling with overwhelming emotions while providing continuous support to our distressed students. We want to assure everyone that we are here for you, ready to listen and support; no topic is too difficult or sensitive.
Please feel free to reach out to us by call/whatsapp on 7303316700 or visiting our office at 16 & 17, Ground Floor, Apsara Arcade. Our doors and hearts are open to you.
At Civilsdaily, we are more than just an academic institution; we are a supportive community that stands firmly with our students.
We have had 2 instances where our students have come out of the closet to their mentors and have left free for the first time in their lives, and numerous cases where our students have lost their near and dear ones and have been disoriented. Our mentors have prevented suicides, identified extreme cases of depression and even talked with professional therapists.
Our experiences with you have shown us the depth of challenges you face—from personal revelations to mental health struggles—and we have stood together through it all. What we see at ORN is just the tip of the iceberg. We understand the story through and through.
Let us stand together during these trying times, united in grief but also in our commitment to support and uplift each other. Our thoughts are with the families and friends of Nivin, Shreya, Tanya, and Nilesh during this difficult time.
Reiterating again – Please feel free to reach out to us by call/whatsapp on 7303316700 or visiting our office at 16 & 17, Ground Floor, Apsara Arcade. Our doors and hearts are open to you.
Team Civilsdaily
Together in Education, United in Heart
PS- Please be assured that we have raised the issue of institutes owning buildings to not play by the rules and all authorities have been aware of the same.
Clearing Prelims is an opportunity; you should garner every support and help to clear Mains with flying colors. Your Mains attempt should make your preparation interview-proof. Interviews are a 1-day show. You can’t work with the mindset that you have another attempt where you will make up for what you couldn’t cover in this attempt.
The current cohort of Smash includes IPS, IRS rankers in huge numbers. After their 1st copy discussion, they understood they have a lot of room for improvement and a clear path to get to IAS tag.
Few pointers
1)Given the aggressive competition, the structuring of the answer cannot go wrong in any of the 20 questions. There is no room for this kind of error.
2) There has to be value addition, which brings preciseness and authenticity to your answer. Our X-Factor Notes – where recent data facts, and examples are given come in handy.
3) The competition is so intense that most students are going the extra point and quoting more points.
Read what AIR 23, Saurabh Sharma Sir says about his UPSC Mains preparation and approach.
“Scoring well in the UPSC Essay is crucial for achieving your IAS goals. The exam has evolved, with an increase in abstract and philosophical essays making it more challenging.”
A common myth is that you need a flair for writing to score high marks. However, building a strong context is more important than writing beautifully.
Your essay should have a clear tempo and structure. Focusing on presenting your ideas logically and coherently to maximize your score is important.
IAS Saurabh Sharma, AIR 23, has mastered the art of essay writing and will share his own essay copies to help you understand the Dos and Don’ts.
From the importance of topic selection to the usage of examples and crafting a strong conclusion, he will guide you through each step.
Your essay should engage the examiner like a novel, building anticipation and delivering a satisfying conclusion.
Insights around essays have been a game-changer for me. In hindsight, I know what worked for me and it will work for every aspirant. Getting 400+ in GS Mains is non-negotiable now. The competition now doesn’t allow any serious aspirant to leave things to chance.
With so much information and content around us, we lose track of ourselves and our preparation. We are constantly looking for the next shiny things that can help us. This inevitably results in FOMO, anxiety and distraction. Whether you are someone who can immerse yourself in preparation for 7-8 hours daily or a UPSC warrior balancing work or college with 4-5 hours of study, remember, it’s about quality, not just quantity.
Join me for a Zoom session on 18th July 2024 at 7:00 p.m. This session is a must-attend for you to move your essays in the top 1% bracket. If you are attempting Mains for the first time in 2024 or preparing for UPSC-CSE 2025, then it is going to be a valuable session for you too.
In the session, we will discuss how to start and strategize your Mains Prep and improve answer writing. I will share with you a precise step-wise plan and approach.
We will deal with all the aspects for a comprehensive UPSC Mains Preparation.We’ll talk about starting with the basics, and move to advanced level answer writing.
Focus on mastering answer writing should be from early on. Your notes should be concise, clear, and, most importantly, practical. You have to learn to weave current affairs with static portions seamlessly. This isn’t just preparation; it’s about building a habit, a discipline.
I know what you’re up against because I’ve been there. In this masterclass, I’ll also discuss my own mains answer copies with you.
See you in my Masterclass”
Register for AIR 23, Saurabh Sharma Sir’s Masterclasson GS Mains answer writing to score 400+marks
(Don’t wait—the next webinar won’t be until Aug 24)
These masterclasses are packed with value. They are conducted in private with a closed community. We rarely open these webinars for everyone for free. This time we are keeping it for 300 seats only.
We are excited to launch our Foundation July Batch.
Our thought process has been the same – ensuring you have a rank in your 1st attempt.
Mentorship becomes a very important component of our Foundation program as well.
Civilsdaily’s Foundation
Traditional Institutes
1:1 Mentorship
Included
Not included. Take a mentorship course next year where you realize Foundation was ineffective
Lecture Focus
Ensuring that the Fundamentals required from UPSC perspective are covered in a timely manner.
Basic lectures covering NCERTs in the format taught in school. No value add.
Lecture Delivery
More graphical in nature. Maps, infographics, charts, diagrams.
Text-heavy. Keep writing what is being dictated.
Lecture Content
Story Telling, making sure you understand the context.
Covering Factual information.
Here are some snippets from the History Lecture
Snippets from Geography Lecture
This should give you some idea about how we approach these topics. Our Faculty’s have been toppers throughout their academic careers and have deep interest in the subject + they keep a tab on questions being asked in Prelims & Mains and revise their content accordingly.
Much of the factual information is covered via FlashNotes and Handouts for student to repeatedly revise.
A good percentage of students enrolled in our Mentorship program have completed their Foundation Courses with traditional institutes. Unfortunately many are unable to explain some very basic terms.
With our methodology, we want to avoid this scenario at all costs. Don’t waste your time and energy chasing old confused methodologies that dont work.
![[UPSC Openhouse] IAS Benjo P Jose, AIR 59 || Clear Mains without rote learning || Join my session to learn Brainstorming and Answer Thinking || 21th Aug At 7PM](https://www.civilsdaily.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/IAS-Benjo-P-Jose-Thumb-1568x882.jpg)
![[Ranker Webinar] Rimita Saha, IAS on achieving an IAS Rank as a Working Professional or College Student || Join on 13th August 2024 At 7 PM](https://www.civilsdaily.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/IAS-Rimita-Final-1568x882.jpg)
![[UPSC Openhouse] AIR 23, Saurabh Sharma | Decoding UPSC Essay paper brick by brick, How I scored 136 in Essay Paper| Join the session to score 130+ in Essay](https://www.civilsdaily.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/Siddharth_FINAL-1-1568x882.jpg)
