Who Is Dongre Archit Parag?
Dongre Archit Parag is an accomplished civil services aspirant who achieved All India Rank 3 (AIR 3) in the UPSC Civil Services Examination 2024, placing him among the top three candidates nationwide in one of India’s most competitive examinations.
Personal and Educational Background
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Origin and Schooling: Archit was born and brought up in Mumbai where he completed his school education before moving to Pune for higher secondary studies.
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Undergraduate Education: He graduated with a Bachelor of Technology (B.Tech.) in Electrical and Electronics Engineering from the Vellore Institute of Technology (VIT), Tamil Nadu — a premier private technical institute.
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Professional Experience: After completing his engineering degree, Archit worked in the IT sector for about one year before making a decisive transition to full-time UPSC preparation.
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Optional Subject in UPSC: He chose Philosophy as his optional subject for UPSC Mains — a discipline known for cultivating deep analytical thinking and clarity of concepts.
Archit’s academic and professional background reflects a blend of technical rigor and analytical depth, which he later applied to his UPSC preparation.
UPSC CSE 2024 Result: AIR 3 and Performance
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Final Result: The UPSC Civil Services Examination 2024 final result was declared on 22 April 2025, recommending 1,009 candidates for prestigious services including IAS, IPS, IFS, and other central services.
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All India Rank: AIR 3, making him the third-ranked candidate nationwide in CSE 2024.
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Marks and Tie Situation: Archit scored 1038 marks, the same total as AIR 2, but was placed third on tie-break criteria as per UPSC rules.
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State Distinction: He is widely recognized as Maharashtra’s highest-ranked candidate in this year’s result, a point of regional pride.
His performance across Prelims, Mains, and the Personality Test demonstrates a well-rounded and consistent preparation.
Preparation Journey: A Strategic Transition
Career Shift and Dedicated Preparation
Archit’s journey stands out because of his strategic career shift. After a year in the corporate sector, he resigned from his job to focus fully on UPSC preparation, signaling a bold commitment to his civil service aspirations.
Attempts and Improvement
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Attempt History: Archit cleared the UPSC CSE in 2023 with AIR 153, securing a service allocation (reported IPS cadre), but resolved to aim higher in the next cycle.
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2024 Success: He returned in 2024 with greater focus and discipline, achieving a significant jump to AIR 3 in just his second UPSC attempt — a testament to focused learning and strategic refinement.
This leap from a respectable rank to a top-three finish within a year reflects his ability to critically assess performance, learn from feedback, and implement structured improvement.
Preparation Strategy
Key elements of Archit’s preparation philosophy include:
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Foundation First: Building strong conceptual clarity in core subjects and Philosophy as his optional subject.
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Analytical Depth: Philosophy helped him sharpen reasoning, ethics, and worldview — advantages in both Mains essays and interview discussions.
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Disciplined Study Routine: After quitting his job, he adopted a disciplined study schedule with balanced coverage of static syllabus and current affairs.
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Holistic Revision and Tests: Regular revision cycles and extensive practice with mock tests and previous year papers helped calibrate accuracy and time management.
Archit’s story underscores the value of continuous improvement and adaptability in preparation strategy — not just effort alone.
Personal Attributes and Philosophy
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Resilience: Archit demonstrated resilience by methodically transforming lessons from his first attempt into a more mature preparation plan.
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Purpose-Driven Focus: His decision to leave a stable job reflects a clear alignment between personal aspirations and professional direction, a quality essential for long UPSC cycles.
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Analytical Strength: Choosing Philosophy highlights his inclination toward subjects requiring deep thought, which also helped in Ethics-GS papers and interview stages.
His story provides a template of strategic career planning combined with intellectual perseverance, valuable for aspirants from technical and professional backgrounds.
Key Lessons and Takeaways for UPSC Aspirants
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Career Backdrop Is Not a Limitation: Transitioning from engineering and IT to civil services is feasible with focus and direction.
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Early Attempt Isn’t the Limit: Improvement across attempts — not just the total number — matters. Archit’s jump from AIR 153 to AIR 3 exemplifies this.
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Optional Choice Matters: Selecting an optional aligned with one’s thinking strengths can provide an edge in Mains.
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Balanced Strategy: A combination of strong fundamentals, current affairs integration, and repeated revision builds confidence for all UPSC stages.
Conclusion
Dongre Archit Parag’s journey in the UPSC Civil Services Examination 2024 is a powerful narrative of strategic transformation, analytical focus, and disciplined execution. From an engineering graduate and IT professional to All India Rank 3 in UPSC within two attempts, his story demonstrates that consistent improvement and purposeful preparation can lead to exceptional success — even after setbacks or initial outcomes. His achievement offers strong inspiration for aspirants from technical and non-humanities backgrounds aiming to excel in the UPSC journey.
