Every year, lakhs of candidates appear for the exam, but only a small number succeed. One of the standout achievers in the UPSC Civil Services Examination 2025 is Ishan Bhatnagar, who secured an impressive All India Rank (AIR) 5 in his second attempt.

Ishan Bhatnagar was born in Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh, and later grew up in Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh. He completed his school education in Bhopal before moving on to higher studies. With determination and consistent preparation, he managed to achieve a top national rank in the UPSC Civil Services Examination 2025.

Education and law background

Ishan has a strong academic record. After finishing school, he appeared for the Common Law Admission Test and cleared it in his first attempt. He then studied BA LLB (Honours) at National Law University Delhi, one of the leading law schools in the country. His legal education helped him build analytical thinking, reasoning ability and a deeper understanding of governance, skills that proved useful while preparing for the UPSC exam.

Second attempt brings top rank

This was Ishan's second attempt at the civil services examination. In his first attempt in UPSC CSE 2023, he secured All India Rank 276. After reviewing his strategy and preparing further, he appeared again in the exam and achieved a remarkable AIR 5 in UPSC CSE 2025. His success shows how perseverance and improvement in strategy can lead to outstanding results.

Optional subject and interests

For the UPSC Mains examination, Ishan chose Law as his optional subject, which matched his academic background. During a mock interview with Ekam IAS Academy, he shared that apart from studies he enjoys karate, singing and playing the guitar.

Ishan Bhatnagar's journey from a law graduate to one of the top rankers in UPSC 2025 is an inspiring example for many civil service aspirants. His consistent efforts, disciplined preparation and willingness to improve helped him achieve one of the top ranks in the country.