Meet Dongre Archit Parag who secured AIR 3 in UPSC CSE Final 2024 in 2nd attempt, engineer who quit job for UPSC, had got AIR 153 last year, he is from...

The Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) announced the results of the Civil Services Examination 2024 on Tuesday. Among the top scorers, Pune’s Archit Parag Dongre stood out by securing the All India Rank (AIR) 3. This is a moment of pride for Maharashtra, especially Pune, as Archit is believed to be the highest-ranking candidate from the state this year.

Archit completed his B.Tech in Electrical and Electronics Engineering from Vellore Institute of Technology (VIT), Vellore. He chose Philosophy as his optional subject for the exam. Originally from Pune, Archit did his schooling in Mumbai and pursued his junior college education in Pune. After completing his graduation, he worked at an IT company for a year. However, he decided to leave his job to fully dedicate himself to preparing for the Civil Services Examination.

Interestingly, this is not Archit’s first time cracking the UPSC CSE. He had earlier cleared the exam in 2023 with a rank of 153. But his consistent efforts and determination helped him significantly improve his rank in 2024, placing him among the top three in the country.

This year, a total of 1,009 candidates cleared the exam. Shakti Dubey secured the top position, followed by Harshita Goyal in second place and Archit Parag Dongre in third.

Although the UPSC does not release a state-wise topper list, Archit’s achievement places him at the top among candidates from Maharashtra.

For those who may not know, Pune is one of the leading hubs for civil services exam preparation in India, right after Delhi. The city is home to several coaching centers, study groups, and libraries, especially in its central areas, which attract hundreds of aspiring civil servants every year. Archit’s success is another feather in the cap for Pune, and he joins the long list of successful candidates from the city who make it to the UPSC merit list each year.

His journey is a shining example of dedication, patience, and hard work—and an inspiration to many future aspirants from across the country.