Dongre Archit Parag: UPSC AIR 3 (2024), Strategy, and Journey
An electrical engineering graduate from VIT Vellore. A former IT professional who quit his job after less than a year. A 24-year-old who picked Philosophy as his optional subject and became the Philosophy National Topper in UPSC CSE 2024.
That is Dongre Archit Parag, AIR 3 in the Civil Services Examination 2024.
What makes his story particularly instructive is the arc between his two attempts. He went from AIR 153 and an IPS allotment in 2023 to AIR 3 in 2024. That kind of improvement does not happen by accident. It happens when a candidate knows exactly what to fix and executes it with discipline.
Who Is Dongre Archit Parag?
| Parameter | Detail |
|---|---|
| Full Name | Dongre Archit Parag |
| AIR | 3 |
| UPSC Exam Year | CSE 2024 |
| Age at Selection | 24 years |
| Schooling | Mumbai |
| Junior College | Pune, Maharashtra |
| Graduation | B.Tech, Electrical and Electronics Engineering, VIT Vellore |
| Work Experience | IT sector, Hexawave Technologies (approx. 11 months); quit June 2022 |
| Optional Subject | Philosophy |
| Attempts | 2 (as per most widely reported sources; cross-check from official records) |
| Previous Attempt Result | AIR 153, UPSC CSE 2023, allotted IPS, AGMUT cadre |
| Maharashtra State Rank | 1 |
| Coaching | VisionIAS (Foundation + Abhyaas Test Series); Enlite IAS (Philosophy); Vajiram and Ravi (Interview prep) |
| Service Preference | Indian Foreign Service (IFS), as per available reports |
Dongre Archit Parag UPSC Marksheet and Score Details
| Component | Marks |
|---|---|
| Mains Written Total | 848 |
| Philosophy Optional Total | 298 out of 500 |
| Interview (Personality Test) | 190 |
| Grand Total | 1038 |
Archit’s Philosophy optional score of 298 out of 500 is confirmed by Enlite IAS, his optional coaching institute, and is widely reported as the highest Philosophy optional score in UPSC CSE 2024.
Individual paper-wise GS breakdowns are not available in verified public sources at the time of writing. Readers are advised to cross-check the detailed marksheet from official UPSC sources once published.
His interview score of 190 is among the strongest in the 2024 batch, reflecting excellent communication and a well-prepared DAF.
Educational Background and Early Life
Archit grew up in a family rooted in discipline and service. His father served in the Indian Air Force, which meant the family relocated frequently across different cities. He completed his schooling in Mumbai and his junior college in Pune before moving to Vellore, Tamil Nadu, for his engineering degree at VIT.
He graduated with a B.Tech in Electrical and Electronics Engineering, a technically demanding programme with very little apparent overlap with civil services preparation. Yet this background did not hold him back. If anything, the analytical rigour of an engineering education likely sharpened how he approached complex GS topics.
After graduation, he joined Hexawave Technologies in the IT sector. He worked there for approximately 11 months before making the decision to quit in June 2022 and prepare for UPSC full-time.
The experience of living across multiple cities as an Air Force family gave Archit a certain adaptability and exposure that many aspirants from a single-city background do not have. It shows in his interview score, where comfort with diverse contexts and clear thinking under pressure makes a measurable difference.
How Many Attempts Did Dongre Archit Parag Take?
As per most widely reported sources, Archit took two attempts. Some sources mention a third attempt where he may have missed Prelims by a narrow margin, but this is not consistently verified. Readers should cross-check attempt details from official records.
What is confirmed is this: in UPSC CSE 2023, he secured AIR 153 and was allotted the IPS under the AGMUT cadre. Most candidates at that stage would consider the result a success and accept the allotment.
Archit chose to attempt again.
The decision to re-attempt after securing IPS is not common. It requires a clear sense of purpose and the willingness to give up a confirmed outcome for a better one that is not guaranteed. He has spoken about wanting to serve in the Indian Foreign Service, which requires a significantly higher rank, as the reason behind that choice.
Between his 2023 and 2024 attempts, the improvement in his total score was sharp enough to move him from AIR 153 to AIR 3. His optional score of 298 in Philosophy, combined with a strong interview of 190, suggests that he identified the levers that needed fixing and worked on them with precision.
For aspirants currently sitting on a mid-rank result wondering whether to re-attempt, Archit’s trajectory is one of the clearest data points available.
Dongre Archit Parag’s Optional Subject: Why He Chose Philosophy and How He Scored
Optional Subject: Philosophy Score: 298 out of 500 (Philosophy National Topper, UPSC CSE 2024)
This is the most distinctive element of Archit’s preparation. An electrical engineer, trained in circuits and systems, chose one of the most conceptually demanding optional subjects in the UPSC list. And then he topped the country in it.
The choice was not random. Philosophy in UPSC has a well-documented strategic advantage. It overlaps significantly with GS Paper 4, which covers ethics, integrity, and aptitude. A candidate who has studied moral philosophy, political philosophy, and Indian ethics in depth is essentially preparing GS4 as a byproduct of optional preparation.
The Essay paper also benefits. Philosophy trains you to construct arguments, examine assumptions, and reach reasoned conclusions, exactly what a high-scoring UPSC essay requires.
Archit prepared his Philosophy optional through Enlite IAS, an institute that specialises in Philosophy optional for UPSC. The structured coaching gave him a framework for approaching abstract topics in a format that UPSC examiners reward.
Books and Strategy for Philosophy Optional:
| Paper | Book or Resource | Author or Source |
|---|---|---|
| Philosophy Paper 1 (Western) | A Critical History of Western Philosophy | Y. Masih |
| Philosophy Paper 1 | Problems of Philosophy | Bertrand Russell |
| Philosophy Paper 2 (Indian and Socio-Political) | A History of Indian Philosophy (Vol 1 and 2) | S. Dasgupta |
| Philosophy Paper 2 | Indian Philosophy (Vol 1 and 2) | S. Radhakrishnan |
| Both Papers | Enlite IAS Philosophy Notes | Enlite IAS |
| Both Papers | Previous Year Questions (last 10 years) | Self-compiled |
The key to scoring high in Philosophy, as aspirants who have spoken with Archit report, is not memorising thinkers but understanding the internal logic of each philosophical position and being able to compare and critique them in UPSC’s preferred structured format.
UPSC Preparation Strategy of Dongre Archit Parag
Coaching vs. Self-Study: Archit enrolled in the VisionIAS Foundation Course for his core GS preparation. He used the VisionIAS Abhyaas Test Series for both Prelims and Mains. For his optional, he relied on Enlite IAS. However, the test series and structured coaching were inputs. The output, the actual understanding and answer quality, came from self-driven study and consistent revision.
Source Discipline: Like most high scorers, Archit followed a principle of limited sources mastered deeply. He did not expand his reading list with every new resource he encountered. He identified reliable sources early and returned to them repeatedly.
Paper-wise Sources (as per available reports):
| Subject Area | Primary Source |
|---|---|
| History | NCERT Class 6 to 12, Spectrum by Rajiv Ahir |
| Geography | NCERT Class 11 and 12, G.C. Leong |
| Polity | M. Laxmikanth |
| Economy | NCERT Class 11 and 12, Ramesh Singh, Economic Survey |
| Environment | Shankar IAS Environment |
| Ethics (GS4) | Lexicon for Ethics, Philosophy optional preparation |
| Science and Technology | The Hindu, PIB, VisionIAS current affairs |
| International Relations | The Hindu, MEA website, Philosophy Paper 2 preparation |
| Current Affairs | The Hindu, VisionIAS Monthly Magazine |
Revision: He followed a multi-pass revision approach. First reading focused on understanding. Subsequent passes focused on retention and self-testing. Short notes were built during revision, not during the first reading, which kept his initial reading clean and conceptual.
Test Series: Archit treated the VisionIAS Abhyaas Mains Test Series as a core preparation tool, not a supplementary one. He submitted answers regularly, reviewed evaluations carefully, and used the feedback to adjust his writing.
Books and Resources Recommended by Dongre Archit Parag
| Subject | Book or Resource | Author or Publisher |
|---|---|---|
| Polity | Indian Polity | M. Laxmikanth |
| Modern History | A Brief History of Modern India | Rajiv Ahir (Spectrum) |
| Geography | Certificate Physical and Human Geography | G.C. Leong |
| Economy | Indian Economy | Ramesh Singh |
| Environment | Environment and Ecology | Shankar IAS Academy |
| Ethics | Lexicon for Ethics, Integrity, and Aptitude | Niraj Kumar |
| Philosophy Paper 1 | A Critical History of Western Philosophy | Y. Masih |
| Philosophy Paper 2 | Indian Philosophy (Vol 1 and 2) | S. Radhakrishnan |
| Current Affairs | The Hindu (daily), VisionIAS Monthly Magazine | Various |
| NCERTs | Class 6 to 12 across subjects | NCERT |
Mains Answer Writing Approach
Archit’s Mains score of 848 did not come from reading more. It came from writing more, and writing better.
He started structured answer writing early in his preparation, well before the Mains examination was close. He practiced within strict word limits, timed himself paper by paper, and focused on answer architecture: a precise introduction, multi-dimensional body paragraphs covering economic, social, governance, and constitutional angles where relevant, and a conclusion that pointed forward rather than merely summarising.
His Philosophy background gave him a specific edge here. Philosophy trains you to write with logical clarity. Every sentence in a well-written Philosophy answer serves a purpose. That discipline transferred directly to his GS answers.
He used the VisionIAS Mains Test Series for regular feedback, submitting answers and reviewing evaluations to identify patterns in where marks were being lost.
For aspirants who do not have access to a consistent evaluation system, the Answer Evaluator on AnswerWriting.com offers detailed AI-powered feedback on UPSC Mains answers, covering structure, content depth, language, and scoring parameters. Pairing that with the Daily Answer Writing feature, which provides fresh prompts every day, is one of the most practical ways to build the kind of writing habit that Archit’s preparation reflects.
He also used diagrams and flowcharts selectively in GS3 and GS1 answers, where visual representation of complex relationships saves time and improves examiner communication.
Interview (Personality Test) Experience
Archit scored 190 in the Personality Test, one of the highest interview scores in the 2024 batch.
He prepared for the interview at Vajiram and Ravi’s Interview Guidance Programme. His Detailed Application Form (DAF) offered rich material for the board: an engineering degree from a prominent institution, a career switch from IT to civil services, Philosophy as an optional subject, an Air Force family background involving multiple relocations, and a previous IPS allotment that he chose to forego for a re-attempt.
Each of these is the kind of DAF entry that interview boards find genuinely interesting, because they invite questions about motivation, conviction, and self-awareness rather than just factual recall.
He has spoken about approaching the interview as a conversation rather than an examination, staying honest about what he did not know and articulating his perspectives with the clarity that Philosophy training provides.
His 190 score suggests the board found his responses substantive, grounded, and confident without being rehearsed.
Service and Cadre Allotted to Dongre Archit Parag
In UPSC CSE 2023, Archit was allotted the IPS under the AGMUT cadre (which covers Delhi, Andaman and Nicobar, Lakshadweep, Dadra and Nagar Haveli, and Daman and Diu).
In UPSC CSE 2024, his AIR 3 places him in contention for the Indian Foreign Service (IFS), which he has cited as his preferred service. As per available reports, he expressed a preference for IFS. His specific final service and cadre allotment from the 2024 examination should be cross-checked from official UPSC or DoPT sources once the allotment list is published.
Key Lessons Every UPSC Aspirant Can Take from Dongre Archit Parag
- A mid-rank result is not the final verdict. He went from AIR 153 and IPS to AIR 3 in a single subsequent attempt. If your previous result was competitive but not your best, the data from that attempt is more valuable than most study materials.
- Optional subject choice is a strategic decision, not just a personal one. Archit chose Philosophy because it overlapped with GS4 and the Essay paper. He did not just pick a subject he liked. He picked one that would do multiple jobs in his preparation simultaneously.
- Engineering or science graduates can score at the top with humanities optionals. The assumption that only humanities graduates should take Philosophy, Sociology, or History as optional subjects is not supported by the evidence. Analytical rigour from a technical background can be an asset in these subjects.
- The decision to re-attempt after a good rank requires clarity of purpose. Archit had a concrete reason for attempting again: the IFS. Without that clarity, the decision to forego a confirmed IPS allotment would have been very difficult to sustain through another year of preparation.
- Interview preparation is not optional for top ranks. His 190 in the Personality Test was not accidental. A well-prepared DAF, structured mock interviews, and the communication clarity that comes from Philosophy training all contributed to it.
FAQs About Dongre Archit Parag
1. What was Dongre Archit Parag’s optional subject in UPSC CSE 2024? His optional subject was Philosophy. He scored 298 out of 500, making him the Philosophy National Topper in UPSC CSE 2024.
2. How many attempts did Dongre Archit Parag take? As per most widely reported sources, he took two attempts. He secured AIR 153 in UPSC CSE 2023 and AIR 3 in UPSC CSE 2024. Some sources mention an earlier attempt where Prelims may not have been cleared. Readers should verify from official records.
3. What is Dongre Archit Parag’s total UPSC score? His total score was 1038, with 848 in Mains written and 190 in the Personality Test, as per widely reported marksheet data.
4. Which coaching did Dongre Archit Parag attend? He attended VisionIAS for his Foundation Course and Abhyaas Test Series. He studied Philosophy optional through Enlite IAS. His interview preparation was done at Vajiram and Ravi’s Interview Guidance Programme.
5. What is Dongre Archit Parag’s educational background? He holds a B.Tech in Electrical and Electronics Engineering from VIT Vellore. Before UPSC preparation, he worked briefly in the IT sector at Hexawave Technologies.
6. Why did Dongre Archit Parag choose Philosophy as his optional subject despite an engineering background? As per available reports, his choice was driven by genuine interest in the subject and its strategic overlap with GS Paper 4 (Ethics) and the Essay paper. The overlap made his preparation more integrated and efficient.
7. What service was allotted to Dongre Archit Parag? In UPSC CSE 2023, he was allotted the IPS under the AGMUT cadre. For UPSC CSE 2024, he is widely reported to have expressed a preference for the Indian Foreign Service (IFS). Final allotment details should be verified from official DoPT or UPSC sources.