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Tale of two Akankshas: What UPSC said amid row over civil services result
The dispute centred on the rank 301, with both candidates named Akanksha Singh staking claim to the position.
The Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) on Monday finally cleared the air regarding two aspirants with the same name who claimed rank 301 in the Civil Services Examination 2025, putting an end to the controversy that had surrounded the result since its announcement on Friday.
The dispute centred on rank 301, with both candidates, named Akanksha Singh, staking claim to the position.
On the one hand, Akanksha Singh, from Ara in Bihar, the granddaughter of Brahmeshwar Singh, alias Brahmeshwar Mukhiya, founder of the banned militia Ranvir Sena, was widely reported to have secured the rank. Singh was murdered in 2012.
On the other hand, another candidate, Akanksha Singh from Ghazipur, Uttar Pradesh, later claimed that the rank belongs to her.
Claims and counterclaims
Speaking to reporters on Friday, Brahmeshwar Singh's granddaughter, Akanksha, claimed that she secured the 301st rank in the UPSC Civil Services Examination 2025 in her second attempt.
"I was confident about securing the result this time around. This was my grandfather's dream. He had a lot of belief in me," she said in a video interview, widely shared on social media.
Akanksha said she studied for 8-10 hours daily during her preparation.
"I used to study 8-10 hours a day. My parents played a great role in my success. Last year, when I failed to clear the exam, they kept supporting me without any frustration or anger," she said.
Meanwhile, another Akanksha Singh from Ghazipur posted on Facebook alleging impersonation.
"It has come to light that my rank and identity are being impersonated by others," she wrote, attaching two documents that she claimed were her original ID and e-summon in the FB post.
In a video, Ghazipur's Akanksha said, "I am a gynaecologist by profession, currently practising at Patna AIIMS. I have learned that another girl is claiming the 301st rank. This video is just for clarification. If one scans the QR code on both the admit cards, the matter will be very clear."
She claimed that she appeared in all three exams -- prelims, mains and PT, with the same roll number.
"I am confident about that and, at the same time, very humbled that my name has come in the list," she added.
Akansha from Ara doubled down on her claims after this, saying she has all the documents to prove she is the candidate who cleared the exam. She even presented an admit and claimed she had sent an e-mail to UPSC for her e-summons.
In the admit cards retrieved through scanning the QR codes, the roll number linked to the 301st rank reportedly matched with that of the Ghazipur aspirant, and not the Ara girl.
UPSC’s clarification
UPSC clarification came on Monday, with the constitutional body tasked with recruiting officers for All India Services and the Central Civil Services, said that Akanksha Singh, who hails from Ghazipur, Uttar Pradesh, has secured Rank 301 in the final results of CSE 2025.
In a press release, UPSC also mentioned the details of the selected candidate.
“Akanksha Singh, having roll no 0856794, Father- Ranjit Singh, Mother- Neelam Singh, Village Abhaipur, Ghazipur, Uttar Pradesh, has cleared the exam,” the recruiting body said.
