Animesh Pradhan topped the UPSC Civil Services Examination 2023 with AIR 2 in his maiden attempt.
He was one among many lakh aspirants who had attempted the exam, with only one other student performing better than him and very few making it to the top ten list.
This article will highlight his educational qualifications, his personal history, his actual mark sheet, and the preparation strategy he adopted for all stages.
Key Information About Animesh Pradhan
Key Information about Animesh Pradhan is in the following table:
| Metric | Detail |
|---|---|
| Name | Animesh Pradhan |
| Exam | UPSC Civil Services Examination 2023 |
| Rank | All India Rank 2 (AIR 2) |
| Age at Selection | 23 years |
| Attempt | First attempt |
| Optional Subject | Sociology |
| Hometown | Talcher, Angul district, Odisha |
| School | DAV Public School, Odisha |
| College | NIT Rourkela, Computer Science and Engineering |
| Job Before Selection | Indian Oil Corporation Limited, Delhi |
| Cadre Allotted | Odisha (home cadre) |
| Service | Indian Administrative Service (IAS) |
Animesh Pradhan Educational Background
Animesh studied at DAV Public School, Odisha. His CGPA was 10 in class 10 in 2015, and his percentage in class 12 was 98% in 2017.
Then he pursued Computer Science Engineering at NIT Rourkela and graduated in 2021 with a CGPA of 9.17.
At NIT Rourkela, Animesh held the position of Chief Coordinator of the Student Media Body, which honed his writing and oration skills and helped him perform well in the mains essay paper and interviews.
Later, after graduation, he joined Indian Oil Corporation Limited as an executive in Delhi. He prepared for UPSC while holding a full-time job, without leaving it at any point.
Animesh Pradhan Family Background
Animesh’s family shaped his thinking long before any coaching class did.
His father used to teach Political Science in a college, while his mother had a postgraduate degree in History. Both have since passed away.
One month before his last interview, he lost his mother due to cancer. Yet, he went ahead with the interview and got himself selected for AIR 2.
He has said his mother taught him to treat setbacks as opportunities, a lesson he leaned on through two years of demanding preparation.
Animesh Pradhan UPSC Marksheet
His paper-wise marks show where he built his lead and where he stayed steady.
| Paper | Marks |
|---|---|
| Essay | 133 |
| General Studies Paper 1 | 109 |
| General Studies Paper 2 | 127 |
| General Studies Paper 3 | 103 |
| General Studies Paper 4 | 134 |
| Optional Paper 1 (Sociology) | 133 |
| Optional Paper 2 (Sociology) | 153 |
| Written Total | 892 |
| Interview | 175 |
| Final Total | 1067 |
He crossed 150 marks only once, in his second optional paper on Sociology, which became his strongest single score.
Animesh Pradhan Preparation Strategy
He treated UPSC as a two-year project with clear weekly targets, not an open-ended pursuit.
For Prelims
He studied “Indian Polity” by M.Laxmikanth and “Ancient India” by R.S.Sharma. Geography was covered using NCERT books of Class 11 and 12.
The period from March to May is dedicated to revisions with solving previous year questions and test series. In case of CSAT, emphasis is on solving reasoning and reading comprehension questions long before exams.
For Mains
Animesh appeared for weekly tests for General Studies Papers 1 to 4 every Sunday. His knowledge about current affairs was based on PDF files rather than newspapers because his profession did not allow him much time to read newspapers every day.
His notes were handwritten, leaving space for Supreme Court decisions, committee reports, and quotations that he might come across. He took 40 to 45 mains tests and 30 to 35 prelims tests altogether.
For the Interview
The advantage he had over other aspirants coming from small towns was working in Delhi.
He attended several mock interviews that had been set up through his work contacts in Delhi. Animesh did not see the interview as a test of knowledge but a personality test and hence was honest with his answers to all the questions.
He was interviewed by a panel for about 25 to 30 minutes. He went through newspapers and state news on Instagram before the interview.
Animesh Pradhan Cadre and Current Posting
The UPSC allocated the Odisha cadre to him and also to Prajnanandan Giri, who obtained an All India Rank 24 in the same examination.
His cadre allocation resolved one of the most frequently asked queries concerning his performance.
He is undergoing training at the Lal Bahadur Shastri National Academy of Administration situated in Mussoorie. He has declared that he wishes to dedicate himself to health and educational facilities for disadvantaged communities in Odisha.
Conclusion: A Working Professional Who Became Odisha’s Top IAS Hope
He is among the few high-ranking UPSC toppers from the past few years who have managed to crack the exam by preparing from a full-time job at the Indian Oil Corporation Limited and not just through full-time preparation.
He went through his interview process and training program in months after he had lost his mother, and decided to come back to his home state despite not having a cadre.
His result proves that a proper weekly schedule beats endless freedom. For working candidates, his example is a benchmark, not a slogan.
FAQs
Animesh Pradhan secured All India Rank 2 in the UPSC Civil Services Examination 2023 in his first attempt.
Animesh Pradhan cleared the UPSC Civil Services Examination in his first attempt at the age of 23.
Animesh Pradhan selected Sociology as his optional subject for the UPSC Civil Services Examination 2023.
Animesh Pradhan was allotted the Odisha cadre, allowing him to serve in his home state after securing AIR 2.
Animesh Pradhan scored 1067 marks overall, including 892 marks in the written examination and 175 marks in the interview.
