Discover the inspiring journey of Aditya Srivastava, UPSC 2023 topper with AIR 1. Learn about his background, UPSC attempts, strategy, and motivation behind choosing civil services over a corporate career.
theIAShub | 08 Apr, 2025 | 315 | 0
Every year, thousands aspire to crack the UPSC Civil Services Examination, but only a few manage to stand at the top. Aditya Srivastava, the UPSC 2023–24 topper with All India Rank 1, is one such remarkable name. His disciplined approach, clarity of thought, and resilience in the face of challenges offer a blueprint for aspirants across the country. This article explores Aditya Srivastava’s personal and family background, educational achievements, his strategy for UPSC, number of attempts at UPSC, and the motivation that kept him focused on his goal.
Aditya Srivastava hails from Lucknow, the capital city of Uttar Pradesh. He was born into a middle-class family grounded in values of education, hard work, and integrity. His father is a retired government servant, and his mother is a homemaker. Aditya’s upbringing was centered around discipline, humility, and academic rigor.
Unlike many who come from elite academic lineages or metro cities, Aditya’s modest background helped him stay rooted. His journey is proof that a candidate’s background doesn’t limit their potential. The support of his family played a pivotal role during his preparation, offering both emotional stability and motivation.
Also Read: UPSC Toppers List 2024
Aditya completed his early education from CMS (City Montessori School) in Lucknow, where he showed a consistent inclination toward academics. He later pursued his Bachelor of Technology (B.Tech.) in Electrical Engineering from the prestigious Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Kanpur. At IIT, Aditya not only demonstrated excellence in technical subjects but also cultivated a strong analytical bent of mind, which proved beneficial during the UPSC preparation—especially in the Mains examination.
His transition from engineering to civil services is a reminder that UPSC is not just about rote learning but about developing a comprehensive understanding of the nation’s governance and people-centric policies.
Aditya Srivastava secured AIR 1 in his 3rd attempt at the UPSC Civil Services Examination. His journey was anything but easy. In his first attempt in 2021, he wasn’t able to clear prelims, but in 2022 he secured AIR 236 and was allocated IPS. Later in 2023, he secured AIR 1. Rather than losing hope, each setback sharpened his understanding of the examination and brought clarity to his preparation process.
His story is a testament to perseverance. He viewed failure as a learning tool, refined his methods, and came back stronger. In today’s hyper-competitive landscape, clearing UPSC on the first attempt is often glorified, but Aditya’s journey breaks that narrative and emphasizes long-term commitment and strategic correction.
Also Read: Youngest IAS Officers in India
Below we have attached his marksheet of 2023 UPSC Civil Services Exam:
One of the most discussed aspects of his journey is Aditya Srivastava’s strategy for cracking the UPSC exam. Here are key highlights of his method:
Aditya began his preparation by reading NCERT books thoroughly. He believed they are crucial for building strong conceptual clarity and are especially useful for Prelims and Mains General Studies papers.
Instead of chasing too many books or coaching materials, Aditya focused on a limited set of resources and revised them repeatedly. For instance, he followed standard books like Laxmikanth for Polity, Spectrum for Modern History, and the Economic Survey for understanding macroeconomic trends.
He practiced daily answer writing for Mains. This helped him improve his articulation, structure, and speed. He joined a test series to get feedback and to simulate exam conditions.
Aditya made daily notes from newspapers and supplemented them with monthly magazines. He emphasized understanding the “why” behind each news event rather than just memorizing facts.
Sticking to his core subject from IIT, he chose Electrical Engineering as his optional. This decision gave him an edge, as he was already comfortable with the subject matter. However, he also knew that UPSC evaluates application-oriented thinking, so he tailored his answers accordingly.
After reaching the interview stage, he undertook mock interviews to gain confidence and develop clarity in expressing his views. He worked on maintaining calm composure and showed a balanced viewpoint, which ultimately impressed the interview panel.
Aditya’s motivation to join the civil services was rooted in his desire to serve the nation and bring tangible change. His stint in the private sector, where he worked at Goldman Sachs, exposed him to corporate functioning. While the job offered financial security, it lacked the societal impact he longed for.
During his college years, Aditya was already keen on understanding India’s policy challenges and socio-economic fabric. Over time, this intellectual interest matured into a full-blown commitment to the civil services. His consistent effort over five years shows that his motivation wasn’t superficial—it was deeply personal and intellectually driven.
He believed that being an IAS officer would provide the platform to address structural inequalities and bring direct change to people’s lives. This purpose-driven approach kept him grounded and focused through repeated failures.
Managing Failures and Staying Consistent
One of the most remarkable aspects of Aditya’s journey was his ability to handle failure. Despite reaching the final interview stage in earlier attempts and not making it, he remained undeterred. He took each failure as feedback and used it to fine-tune his strategy.
Aditya ensured that he didn’t let the pressure consume him. He maintained a disciplined lifestyle, set realistic goals, and ensured that he took breaks to avoid burnout. His mental resilience was just as critical as his academic preparation.
Those preparing for civil services would do well to study Aditya Srivastava’s strategy, understand his educational background, and draw lessons from his failures and eventual success. His story reinforces the idea that civil services aren’t just for the intellectually gifted—but for those who are determined, self-aware, and driven by purpose.
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Aditya completed his schooling in Lucknow and earned his B.Tech in Electrical Engineering from IIT Kanpur, which laid a strong analytical foundation for his UPSC preparation.
He cleared the UPSC exam in his third attempt. He didn’t clear prelims in his first, got AIR 236 in his second, and secured Rank 1 in his third.
His desire to bring social impact and contribute to governance motivated him to leave a lucrative corporate job and dedicate himself fully to civil services.
His strategy focused on strong NCERT foundations, limited but deep resources, consistent answer writing, daily current affairs, and a disciplined revision cycle.
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