NLS Alumni Secure All India Ranks in the Civil Services Examination 2023
April 17, 2024
We are happy and proud to share that a number of NLS alumni have secured all India ranks in the Civil Services Examination 2023. The results of the examination were declared on the night of April 16, 2024 by the Union Public Service Commission.
We congratulate Yogesh Dilhor from Panchkula (NLS BA LLB 2016), who secured an all India rank of 55 in the examination. Yogesh (31) previously secured a rank of 633 in his earlier attempt in 2021, and was allotted Indian Defence Estates Service. He is currently posted as the CEO of Jutogh and Subathu Cantonments in Himachal Pradesh. Remarking on this year’s results, Yogesh said he initially thought his rank was 555 and asked his wife “to check the PDF again” to confirm if the rank was indeed 55! Yogesh described his experience of appearing for the Civil Services Examinations as an enriching learning process.
Scroll down to read his interview with NLSIU.
Some of our other alumni in this year’s list include Parvathy Gopakumar (NLS BA LLB 2021), and Snehil Kunwar Singh (NLS BA LLB 2022).
We also congratulate our Research Staff member, Ms. Diya Dasgupta, who secured the 207th rank in the UPSC results. Diya graduated from NLU Odisha and is currently working as a Research Associate with the Centre for Child and the Law at NLSIU.
Based on the results of the UPSC Mains examination held in September 2023, and interviews held during January-April 2024, the Union Public Service Commission released the final list of candidates who have been recommended for appointment to:
(i) Indian Administrative Service;
(ii) Indian Foreign Service;
(iii) Indian Police Service; and
(iv) Central Services, Group ‘A’ and Group ‘B’.
Interview with Yogesh Dilhor
On his background and what inspired him to take up the Civil Services:
My father was in the Army, and I’ve lived in cantonments throughout my schooling. My foray into the Civil Services Examination was more of a lucky break. I worked in the corporate sector for a couple of years and registered for the prelims when a friend was attempting the exam. The challenge of the exam was appealing to me, so I decided to start preparing for the next one immediately.
On how the NLS experience contributed to his success:
NLSIU has definitely contributed to where I am today. In law school, we became acquainted with basic texts in history, politics, economics and were exposed to various social issues. So, people from law school who take civil services have an edge. Also, the confidence to opt for Political Science as an optional subject came from the memories of a good course at NLS. One has to build upon those foundations with hard work and good strategy.
On learnings that he would like to share with other UPSC aspirants:
There are other outstanding examples of law school graduates who have secured a high rank on their very first attempt. But if I offer advice, it would be to gain some work experience before one starts preparing for the UPSC exam. Not only does work experience help at the interview stage, but it also acts as a safety valve in case things don’t work out with the UPSC. It’s always desirable to prepare for unfavourable outcomes.
Moreover, do not mistake poor performance in the UPSC exam as a question mark on your talent or intelligence. Do not let this exam affect your confidence in your abilities. If you sustain the hard work and maintain focus, you will succeed in your chosen field.
This interview has been edited for clarity and length.