Highest Marks in UPSC Exam – Top Scores in Mains, Interview, Optional and Essay Papers

Discover the highest marks ever scored in the UPSC Civil Services Exam including UPSC 2025 and 2024 trends. Get details on top scores in Mains, Interview, Optional, Essay, and GS Papers with tips to score high in the UPSC exam.

Getting Highest Marks in UPSC is an extraordinary achievement since cracking the UPSC Civil Services Examination is one of India’s toughest academic challenges. Thousands apply, but only a few make it to the top. Among them, some candidates leave a mark by scoring exceptionally high. This article covers the highest marks in UPSC history, including data from UPSC 2025 and UPSC 2024. It also looks at the top scores in mains, interview, and optional papers over the years.

Also Read: UPSC Result 2025

Highest Marks in UPSC 2025 

The highest marks in the UPSC Civil Services Examination 2025 (for the 2024 exam cycle) were secured by Shakti Dubey, who achieved a total of 1043 marks, earning her All India Rank 1 (AIR 1).

Key Highlights:

  • Shakti Dubey (AIR 1) excelled in all stages of the exam—Prelims, Mains, and Interview—to reach the top position with 1043 marks.

  • While her score is the highest for the 2025 result cycle, it is still below the all-time record held by Anudeep Durishetty, who scored 1126 marks in 2017.

Top Scores in UPSC 2025:

  • AIR 1 – Shakti Dubey: 1043 marks

  • AIR 2 – Harshita Goyal: 1038 marks

  • AIR 3 – Archit Parag Dongre: 1038 marks (tie resolved through UPSC’s tie-breaking policy)

Also Read: UPSC Toppers 2025

Highest Marks in UPSC 2024

The Highest Marks in UPSC 2024 was achieved by Aditya Shrivastava. He scored 1099 marks out of 2500 to top the UPSC CSE Exam 2023 and achieve Rank 1.

 

Also Read: UPSC Marksheet

Highest Marks in UPSC Mains Till Now

List of IAS Toppers Interview + Mains Marks in last few years:

Year AIR Name Marks (Mains + Interview) Total Marks (2025) Percentage
2022 1 Ishita Kishore 1094 2025 54.02%
2022 2 Garima Lohia 1063 2025 52.49%
2022 3 Uma Harathi N 1060 2025 52.35%*
2021 1 Shruti Sharma 1105 2025 54.57%
2021 2 Ankita Agarwal 1050 2025 51.85%
2021 3 Gamini Singla 1045 2025 51.60%
2020 1 Shubham Kumar 1054 2025 52.05%
2020 2 Jagruti Awasthi 1052 2025 51.95%
2020 3 Ankita Jain 1051 2025 51.90%
2019 1 Pradeep Singh 1072 2025 52.94%
2019 2 Jatin Kishore 1063 2025 52.49%
2019 3 Pratibha Verma 1062 2025 52.44%
2018 1 Kanishak Kataria 1121 2025 55.36%
2018 2 Akshat Jain 1080 2025 53.33%
2018 3 Junaid Ahmed 1077 2025 53.19%
2017 1 Anudeep Durishetty 1126 2025 55.60%
2016 1 Nandini KR 1120 2025 55.31%
2015 1 Tina Dabi 1063 2025 52.49%
2014 1 Ira Singhal 1082 2025 53.43%

Also Read: UPSC Toppers List 2024

Highest Marks in Optional UPSC Till Now

Choosing the right optional subject can make a big difference. Over the years, certain subjects have yielded better scores. The highest marks in optional UPSC till now are often found in subjects like Anthropology, Sociology, and Public Administration.

The Optional Paper plays an important role in determining the overall score of a candidate. Having a high score in the Optional Paper can significantly improve your final rank in the UPSC Final Result list. The Highest Optional Score in 2022 was earned by Nidhi Pal, Rank 36. She scored a total of 325 marks in her Optional paper I & II and had Anthropology as her Optional Subject. Let’s have a look of the Highest marks in the Optional paper-

Rank Name Optional Subject Total Score (Paper I+II)
Rank 1 Ishita Kishore PSIR 313
Rank 10 Avinash Kumar Philosophy 319
Rank 12 Laghima Tiwari Anthropology 304
Rank 17 Manan Agarwal Mathematics 310
Rank 34 Siddharth K Misra Mathematics 311
Rank 36 Nidhi Pal Anthropology 325
Rank 40 Gagan Singh Meena Mathematics 312
Rank 59 Mehta Keval Nilesh Anthropology 305
Rank 74 Komal Aggarwal Sociology 315

Also Read: Sociology optional syllabus

Also Read: Geography optional Syllabus

Also Read: Chemistry optional syllabus

Also Read: Mechanical engineering optional Syllabus

Highest Marks in Essay Paper

The highest Marks in the UPSC Main Essay Paper 2022 were scored by Rank 61 Gautam Vivekanandan with the highest Essay score of 149 marks. The essay paper in the UPSC Civil Services Examination plays a pivotal role in determining your overall success. It serves as a unique platform for you to showcase your analytical skills, clarity of thought, and the ability to articulate complex ideas coherently. This paper holds the potential to set you apart from the competition and boost your scores significantly. Moreover, the essay paper not only evaluates your knowledge but also your capacity to present your ideas concisely and persuasively.

Also Read: How to Prepare for UPSC

Highest Marks in UPSC Mains GS Papers

The UPSC Mains Examination consists of four General Studies Papers- I, II, III and IV. All the four GS Papers are counted in determining the merit score of the candidate in the UPSC Exam. Let’s have a look at the Highest Marks scored by the candidates in UPSC Mains GS Papers 2022.

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

Also Read: Youngest IAS Officers in India

Highest Marks in UPSC Interview Ever

In the high-stakes environment of the UPSC interview, it’s not just about knowledge but also about how well you can adapt and perform under pressure. Achieving the highest marks in this interview is a testament to the candidates’ ability to respond effectively to challenging questions and demonstrate their unique strengths. 

Here’s a look at the previous year’s highest marks ever scored in the UPSC interview: 

Candidate  Year  Marks in Interview  All India Rank 
Zainab Sayeed 2014 220 107
Apala Mishra 2020 215 09
Ankita Jain 2020 212 03
Ashutosh Kumar  2021 206 77
Kiran PB  2021 206 100
Zenden Lingzerpa 2022 210 598
Tenzin Yangki 2022 210 545
Yimkum I Ozukum 2022 210 203
Aniket Shandilya 2023 215 12

Also Read: UPSC Exam Syllabus

Who Scored the Highest Marks in UPSC Ever?

Anudeep Durishetty scored the highest marks in the UPSC Civil Services Examination ever, with a total of 1126 marks in 2017. He is a graduate of the Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) and cleared the UPSC exam on his fifth attempt. His optional subject was Political Science and International Relations. Durishetty’s success is a testament to his hard work, dedication, and perseverance.

 

Anudeep Durishetty Marks

Below we have attached the Subject wise marks of Anudeep Durishetty:

Subjects Marks
Essay 155
General Studies-I 123
General Studies -II 123
General Studies- III 136
General Studies -IV 095
Optional Paper-I 171
Optional Paper- II 147
Written Total 950
Personality Test 176
Final Total 1126

Also Read: UPSC Prelims Syllabus

Factors That Help Score Highest Marks in UPSC

  1. Structured Answers: Writing in points, with subheadings, helps. Toppers do this often.
  2. Strong Optional: Many toppers choose subjects they studied before. This gives them an edge.
  3. Mock Tests: Regular writing practice under time pressure improves clarity.
  4. Interview Prep: Good DAF (Detailed Application Form) preparation is key for high interview marks.
  5. Time Management: Attempting all questions with balanced depth is better than writing a few long answers.

How to Score Highest Marks in UPSC Exam?

Aiming for the highest marks in UPSC is a good goal. But it’s better to aim for consistent performance. Most toppers do not top every paper. Instead, they avoid low scores and stay above average in all areas.

Here’s what matters most:

  • Don’t leave questions unanswered
  • Improve answer quality through examples and clarity
  • Revise your optional deeply
  • Practice interview questions aloud
  • Write in simple language

Are you preparing for UPSC 2025? Join IAShub’s UPSC coaching batches to boost your preparation. Enroll now!

The highest marks in UPSC 2025 will inspire a new generation. Each year, toppers raise the bar. But high scores don’t come from shortcuts. They come from regular effort, smart planning, and clarity.

Whether you’re looking at the highest marks in UPSC 2024, highest marks in UPSC mains till now, or even the highest marks in optional UPSC till now, the pattern is clear: focus, revise, and stay consistent.

Highest Marks in UPSC FAQs

In UPSC 2024, Aditya Shrivastava secured the highest marks with a total of 1099 out of 2025. He topped the UPSC CSE 2023 and achieved All India Rank 1. His score set a benchmark for future aspirants aiming for top ranks in the exam.

The highest marks in optional UPSC till now were scored by Nidhi Pal (Rank 36 in 2022), who secured 325 marks in Anthropology. Subjects like Anthropology, Sociology, and PSIR have consistently yielded high scores over the years.

The highest UPSC interview marks ever recorded were 220, achieved by Zainab Sayeed in 2014. Other top interview scores include 215 by Apala Mishra in 2020 and Aniket Shandilya in 2023. Scoring high in the personality test can significantly impact the final rank.

To score the highest marks in UPSC: Write structured, clear answers, Choose a strong optional subject you're comfortable with, Practice answer writing and give mock tests regularly, Prepare your DAF well for the interview, Use simple language and relevant examples. Consistency across all papers matters more than excelling in just one.

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