UPSC Civil Services 2024: Pune's Archit Dongre achieves AIR 3, tops Maharashtra rankings

The Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) has released the final results of the Civil Services Examination (CSE) 2024 today, April 22, 2025. Pune's Archit Parag Dongre has secured All India Rank (AIR) 3, emerging as Maharashtra's top performer in one of India's most competitive examinations.
The UPSC Civil Services final results announced today feature:

A total of 1,009 candidates have been recommended for various administrative services including the Indian Administrative Service (IAS), Indian Police Service (IPS), and Indian Foreign Service (IFS).

Early education and professional background

Archit Parag Dongre laid the foundation of his academic journey in Mumbai, where he completed his schooling before advancing to Pune for his junior college education. Like an architect meticulously designing his future, he pursued a B.Tech in Electrical and Electronics Engineering from the prestigious

Vellore Institute of Technology

(VIT). After graduation, Dongre briefly navigated the corporate waters, working in the IT sector for approximately one year.

Transition to UPSC preparation

In what proved to be a watershed moment in his career trajectory, Dongre chose to leave the well-charted seas of corporate employment and set sail toward the challenging horizon of civil services. This bold course correction required him to resign from his IT position and anchor himself firmly to UPSC preparation. He selected Philosophy as his optional subject, a compass that would guide him through the intellectual challenges ahead.

Remarkable improvement

Archit’s remarkable achievement in 2024 was built on past success. He had previously cleared the UPSC CSE 2023, securing AIR 153. Unwilling to settle, he continued his preparation with determination, eventually climbing to AIR 3 this year. His journey reflects a strong commitment to public service and an unwavering focus on improvement.

Pune's significance in civil services preparation

Dongre's accomplishment adds another jewel to Pune's crown as an emerging powerhouse in civil services preparation, second only to Delhi in the national landscape. The city functions as a fertile ecosystem for UPSC aspirants, offering a constellation of specialized coaching institutes, well-equipped libraries, and collaborative study groups, particularly concentrated in the educational corridors of Deccan and FC Road areas.
Dongre's transformation from an engineering graduate to securing one of the most coveted positions in India's administrative pantheon serves as a beacon for thousands of aspirants, illuminating how dedication, methodical preparation, and continuous self-refinement can forge a path to excellence in the civil services examination.