3 min readNew DelhiMar 7, 2026 05:32 AM IST
On Friday afternoon, as the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) released the results of the Civil Services Examination 2025, congratulatory calls began pouring in for 25-year-old Akansh Dhull who had secured All India Rank (AIR) 3.
Among them was a phone call to his father, Haryana BJP leader Krishan Dhull, from Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini, congratulating the family on the achievement.
“I can’t even describe his achievement in words,” Krishan Dhull said in a statement shared on social media. “The hard work and concentration he has put in over the past eight years is commendable. He has proven that if a child consistently sets a goal and works hard, success is certain… His mother, my wife, played the biggest role in bringing him to this point. Whenever he needed her, she stood by him.”
For Akansh, however, the journey to the top three ranks of one of India’s most competitive examinations has been a long and incremental one.
A B.Com (Hons) graduate from Delhi University’s Shri Ram College of Commerce (SRCC), Dhull began preparing for the Civil Services Examination in 2021, choosing Commerce and Accountancy as his optional subjects.
While he cleared the exam in 2023, he secured Rank 342. This experience, he said, shaped the way he approached the exam thereafter. “I tried to work on my mistakes and finally got where I wanted to go,” he told The Indian Express.
Born in Rohtak, Akansh later moved with his family to Panchkula. He completed his schooling in Chandigarh before moving to New Delhi for his undergraduate studies at SRCC.
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“I credit my father for motivating me to pursue a career in the civil services. It is a dream that has inspired me from an early age,” he said.
His interest in civil services, Akansh said, took shape during his academic years. Although he had the opportunity to sit for campus placements at SRCC, he chose instead to focus entirely on the UPSC examination.
During his years at SRCC, Akansh said he developed strong analytical and debating skills, which later helped him in the examination process. He also credits his interest in travelling and exploring diverse experiences with broadening his perspective during preparation.
“I started preparing early on, in 2020, and cleared the exam three times…,” he said. “It’s been a long journey.”
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Asked which service and cadre he wants to join, he said, “It’s the Indian Administrative Services… I prefer Haryana, let’s see if I can get it.”
His achievement, however, has drawn scrutiny online after social media users pointed out that he is the son of a politician.
Addressing the discussion around privilege during, Akansh said his father had been a source of inspiration rather than advantage. “My father is my pride, and you can say that I come from privilege but worked hard,” he said. “He has been my guiding light. The idea of service is nurtured in the family. They tell you to continuously work in public interest.”
Asked whether growing up around politics influenced his decision to pursue civil services, Akansh said, “No, not really. I have always had an aptitude for it.”
