Varanasi: IIT Kanpur alumnus and Ministry of Corporate Affairs official Shubham Singh has secured the 21st All India Rank (AIR 21) in the UPSC Civil Services Examination 2025, achieving his long-standing goal of entering the Indian Administrative Service after years of attempts and preparation alongside a government job.

Singh, a native of Varanasi in Uttar Pradesh, achieved the result in what was his final attempt. His success is particularly notable as he continued working in government service while preparing for the highly competitive civil services examination.

From Varanasi to IIT Kanpur

Shubham Singh completed his schooling up to Class 12 in Varanasi before joining the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Kanpur. He pursued a BTech in Electrical Engineering and graduated in 2015.

During his time at IIT Kanpur, Singh also interned with Texas Instruments and received a job offer. However, instead of pursuing a conventional corporate career, he became increasingly interested in public service.

He subsequently joined the Young India Fellowship at Ashoka University, where he completed a postgraduate diploma in Liberal Studies in 2016. His interactions with serving and retired civil servants during the programme further strengthened his interest in administrative services.

UPSC journey began in 2016

Singh began preparing for the UPSC Civil Services Examination in 2016. His first attempt in 2017 ended when he could not clear the Mains examination.

He returned stronger in his second attempt in 2018 and secured a position in the Indian Corporate Law Service (ICLS). He joined the service in 2019 under the Ministry of Corporate Affairs and later rose to the position of Deputy Director, which he continues to hold.

Although he had entered the civil services through the ICLS, Singh continued to aspire to become an IAS officer.

His journey also included another significant opportunity in 2020, when he was selected for the Indian Postal Service. However, he chose not to join it and continued with his existing career and UPSC aspirations.

Balancing a government job with UPSC preparation

Preparing for the UPSC examination while holding a demanding government position proved challenging. Singh had to balance official responsibilities with his studies and repeated examination attempts.

He appeared for the examination again in 2023 but could not make it to the final selection list. Despite the setback, he continued to pursue his goal.

His final attempt in 2025 became the turning point. With his eligibility period coming to an end, Singh decided to give the examination one last serious attempt. He obtained several months of leave from work, allowing him to devote greater attention to his preparation.

His preparation was focused on addressing weaker areas rather than attempting to cover everything indiscriminately. He took selected courses in areas such as current affairs, answer writing and ethics and worked on improving his performance in the Mains examination.

Final attempt brings long-awaited success

Singh’s persistence finally paid off when the UPSC Civil Services Examination 2025 results were announced.

He secured AIR 21, bringing to an end a civil services journey that had stretched across several years and multiple attempts. According to preparation-related data published by Next IAS, Singh scored 837 marks in the Mains examination and 187 in the interview, taking his total to 1,024 marks.

His achievement has drawn attention not only because of his high rank but also because he managed to pursue the examination while already serving in the government.

A journey marked by persistence

Singh’s UPSC journey illustrates the challenges faced by aspirants who continue preparing after entering government service. His early failure in the Mains examination, subsequent entry into ICLS, another unsuccessful attempt in 2023 and eventual success in his final attempt underline the length of the journey.

His story is also notable for the decision to continue pursuing the IAS dream even after securing a government position. Rather than treating his earlier selection as the end of his civil services ambitions, he continued working towards the administrative role he had aspired to.

Singh’s success is now expected to serve as an example for civil services aspirants who face repeated setbacks or have to prepare while managing professional responsibilities.

For Singh, the AIR 21 result marks the culmination of years of preparation, persistence and continued effort towards his goal of joining the IAS.