About Aditya Srivastava UPSC topper Rank 1:
Aditya Srivastava is the All India Rank (AIR) 1 holder of the UPSC Civil Services Examination (CSE) 2023. Being an IIT Kanpur alumnus, he topped the exam in his third attempt. Checkout his UPSC journey, strategy, marksheet and advice to UPSC aspirants.
Background:
Since school days he had a mindset of entering into civil services. He completed B.tech and M.tech in Electrical Engineering from IIT Kanpur and started working with Goldman Sachs in Bangalore in 2019. In October 2020, he decided to start preparation for UPSC Civil Services exam and gave his 1st attempt in 2021.
1st Attempt – He failed Prelims (CSE 2021)
2nd Attempt – Secured AIR 236 (CSE 2022)
3rd Attempt – Secured AIR 1 (CSE 2023)
What Aditya Srivastava did differently in the successful attempt?
| Aspect | What he changed/improved | Why it mattered |
| Analyzing past mistakes | After scoring AIR 236 in 2022, he reviewed where he was lagging in GS‑1 and GS‑4, how toppers frame answers, what question patterns UPSC uses, how statements are constructed etc. | This allowed him to refine approach, avoid repeating errors, and align more with UPSC’s expectations |
| Smart work over blind hard work | In earlier attempts, he “collected” many books and data but didn’t do deep pattern analysis or focused practice. In later attempts, he narrowed resources and focused more on past‑year papers and answer writing. | Helps avoid burnout, reduces noise, ensures quality over quantity |
| Heavy reliance on PYQs/exam patterns | He considered previous years’ papers as his “bible” – studying how questions are framed, which concepts are repeatedly asked, how wrong statements are inserted etc. | This alignment ensures you are not doing “offline topics only” but matching UPSC’s pulse |
| Consistency & discipline | Keeping a structured timetable, daily goals, and regular revision cycles. | Reduces stress near exam time, builds cumulative strength over time. |
Mistakes he identified & corrected:
Here’s a breakdown of mistakes he admitted to making earlier, and how he rectified them:
| Mistake | His reflection | Correction / remedy |
| Collecting too many books & data without depth | He says in first attempt he was “collecting information only” without analyzing how UPSC frames questions. | Narrow down to a few good sources, and focus on depth and clarity rather than volume |
| Neglecting pattern / question framing | Didn’t pay enough attention to how statements are structured (mixing true + false) etc. | In later attempts, he worked intensively on past papers, looked at how UPSC frames statements, and built intuition around that |
| Not writing enough / not focusing on answer structure | In early phases, writing may have been less disciplined. | He began daily answer writing, with structured intros/conclusions, clear articulation, diagrams/flowcharts etc. |
| Inconsistent revision / forgetting earlier topics | Over time, portions got stale or forgotten | He instituted frequent revisions, cyclic revision scheduling |
| Over‑reliance on “hard work” without strategy | Doing many hours without direction | Shifted toward “smart work,” i.e. planned practice, self‑analysis, feedback loops, and time efficiency |
Marksheet of Aditya Srivastava UPSC topper Rank 1:
Key habits & mindsets of Aditya Srivastava UPSC topper Rank 1:
- Consistency over bursts: One cannot “cram” UPSC. Daily steady progress accumulates.
- Self‑analysis: Regularly review your own performance, find weak areas, improve.
- Restrict distraction: He admitted social media was not completely off, but he controlled its influence and did not let it derail him.
- Balanced life: Occasional breaks, attending social events etc. help prevent burnout.
- Goal setting with milestones: Break syllabus into parts and set daily / weekly / monthly targets.
- Believe but stay grounded: Confidence is crucial, but humility and constant learning remain vital.
Aditya Srivastava UPSC topper Rank 1