UPSC CSE Rank 301 row clarified after competing claims by two candidates named Akanksha Singh

The confusion surrounding Rank 301 in the Civil Services Examination (CSE) 2025 has now been clarified after the government released details of the candidate listed at that position in the final results.

The Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) had declared the final results of the CSE 2025 on March 6, 2026 after the written examination conducted in August 2025 and the personality test interviews held between December 2025 and February 2026. A total of 958 candidates were recommended for appointment to the Indian Administrative Service (IAS), Indian Foreign Service (IFS), Indian Police Service (IPS) and various central services in Group A and Group B.

Soon after the results were announced, reports surfaced that two candidates named Akanksha Singh were claiming Rank 301. One of them is from Ara in Bihar and the other from Ghazipur in Uttar Pradesh.

According to PTI, Akanksha Singh from Ara, granddaughter of Brahmeshwar Singh, founder of the banned militia Ranvir Sena, told reporters that she had secured Rank 301 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 told PTI. Brahmeshwar Singh was murdered in 2012.

Speaking about her preparation, she said she studied for several hours daily. "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, PTI reports.

Social media post alleges impersonation

At the same time, another candidate named Akanksha Singh from Ghazipur in Uttar Pradesh posted on Facebook alleging impersonation. She said that her rank and identity were being used by others and shared documents that she said were her identification details and e-summon related to the examination.

The controversy intensified on social media after an admit card circulated online appeared to show the same name and roll number. However, the documents also indicated different fathers’ names, adding to the confusion.

Government clarification

PI issued an official clarification today. In a press release, the government said there were "various media reports, wherein two candidates of same name i.e. Akanksha Singh, are claiming to have secured the same Rank 301 in the final result of the Civil Services Examination, 2025."

PIB said that according to the records of the UPSC, the candidate who secured Rank 301 is Ms. Akanksha Singh with Roll Number 0856794. Her father’s name is Ranjit Singh and her mother’s name is Neelam Singh. She is from Village Abhaipur in Ghazipur district of Uttar Pradesh.

The clarification effectively resolves the confusion surrounding the rank, confirming that the Ghazipur candidate holds Rank 301 in the CSE 2025, according to the PIB press release.

(with PTI inputs)
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