The Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) on Monday finally cleared the air regarding two aspirants with the same name who secured 301st rank in the 2025 civil services examination, putting an end to the controversy that has surrounded the result since its announcement on Friday.
The dispute centered on rank 301, where both the candidates, named Akanksha Singh, had claimed the post.
On the one hand, Akanksha Singh, from Ara in Bihar, the granddaughter of Brahmeshwar Singh, also known as Brahmeshwar Mukhiya, founder of the banned Ranveer Sena militia, was widely reported to have been given the rank. Singh was killed in 2012.
On the other hand, another candidate, Akanksha Singh from Ghazipur in Uttar Pradesh, later claimed that the rank belonged to her.
Claims and counterclaims
Speaking to reporters on Friday, Brahmeshwar Singh’s granddaughter, Akanksha, claimed that she secured 301st rank in the UPSC Civil Services Examination 2025 in her second attempt.
She said in a video interview that was widely circulated on social media, “I was confident of achieving the result this time. This was my grandfather’s dream. He had great confidence in me.”
Akanksha said she studied for 8-10 hours daily during her preparation.
“I was studying 8 to 10 hours a day. My parents played a big role in my success. Last year, when I failed to pass the exam, they continued to support me without any frustration or anger,” she said.
Meanwhile, another Akanksha Singh from Ghazipur posted on Facebook alleging impersonation.
“It has been found that others are impersonating my rank and identity,” she wrote, attaching two documents she claimed to be her original identity and an electronic summons in the Facebook post.
In a video, Akanksha from Ghazipur said: “I am a gynecologist by profession, currently practicing in Patna AIIMS. I have come to know that another girl has secured rank 301. This video is just for illustrative purposes. If one scans the QR code on my admit card, it will be very clear.”
She claimed to have appeared in all three exams – Prelims, Mains and PT, with the same roll number.
She added: “I am confident of that, and at the same time, I feel very humbled that my name was on the list.”
Aara’s Akansha then doubled down on her claims, saying that she has all the documents to prove that she is the candidate who has cleared the exam. She even made a confession and claimed that she had sent an email to UPSC for her e-summon.
In the admit cards recovered by scanning QR codes, the roll number associated with rank 301 was reported to match that of the Ghazipur aspirant, not the Ara girl.
UPSC Clarification
The UPSC clarification came on Monday, as the constitutional body charged with appointing officers for the All India Services and Central Civil Services said that Akanksha Singh, who hails from Ghazipur, Uttar Pradesh, has secured 301st rank in the CSE 2025 final results.
In a press release, UPSC also mentioned the details of the shortlisted candidate.
“Akanksha Singh, No. 0856794, father Ranjit Singh, mother Neelam Singh, Abhaypur village, Ghazipur, Uttar Pradesh, has passed the test,” the recruiting body said.
