Meet the UPSC CSE 2024 Toppers with Anthropology Optional, India’s Top Institute

The UPSC Civil Services Examination continues to be one of the toughest and most prestigious competitive exams in India. Every year, aspirants strategically choose their optional subjects to gain an edge in the Mains examination. Among the most successful and widely adopted optional is Anthropology optional. In the UPSC CSE 2024 results, once again, Anthropology proved to be a high-yield subject, producing several top rankers from institutes across India.

In this comprehensive blog, we spotlight the toppers who selected Anthropology optional in UPSC and cleared the exam with top ranks. We also look at how various coaching institutes—through their specialized Anthropology optional course offerings—played a key role in their success.

Why Anthropology Optional Continues to Dominate

Before we meet the toppers, it’s worth understanding why Anthropology Optional continues to produce excellent results year after year.

 Manageable Syllabus

Anthropology has a crisp and focused syllabus, covering human evolution, society, culture, and tribal issues—making it easier to revise and retain.

 Scoring Potential

Diagrams, case studies, and structured answers help students fetch high marks, especially in Paper II.

 Overlap with GS & Essay

Tribal issues, social justice, human rights, and ethics—many topics overlap with GS Papers I, II, and IV, and even the Essay paper.

 No Background Required

Whether you're an engineer, doctor, or arts graduate, Anthropology is accessible and can be mastered with the right guidance and a good Anthropology optional course.

 UPSC 2024 Anthropology Toppers from  Vijetha IAS Institute

 Anju (AIR 60)

Ajink Kumar (AIR 135)

Challa Pavan Kalyan (AIR 146)

Gurkawal Singh (AIR 353)

 Jitendra Kumar AIR 361)

Vibhore Mendiratta (AIR 389)

 Taruna Kamal (AIR 430)

Ronak Asharam Meena (AIR 478)

Pingale Rohan (AIR 581)

Rahul Kumar Meena (AIR 600)

Nilesh Kumar (AIR 621)

Sushil Gitte (AIR 623)

Vishal Meher (AIR 714)

Ankit Jarwal(AIR 852)

Asha Kumari Meena (AIR 880)

 Anthropology Optional: Performance Trends in UPSC 2024

Here’s what the data shows:

• More than 15 students in Top 300 chose Anthropology Optional.

• Majority of the successful candidates were from diverse backgrounds: engineers, doctors, and arts graduates alike.

 What Worked for Toppers – Common Success Strategies

While toppers came from different coaching backgrounds, their strategies for Anthropology UPSC success had a lot in common:

1. Syllabus Mastery with Focused Resources

They avoided information overload and stuck to standard sources like:

• Ember & Ember
• P. Nath for Physical Anthropology
• Nadeem Hasnain for Indian Anthropology
• Coaching materials from their respective institutes

2. Consistent Answer Writing Practice

Regular test series and mentorship helped them refine answer structures, use diagrams effectively, and write concise yet analytical content.

3. Value Addition with Case Studies and Maps

Especially for Paper II, tribal case studies and state-specific data gave their answers a real-world touch.

4. Structured Revision Plan

They revised 3–4 times before Mains and practiced daily answer writing for 2 months before the exam.

 Recommended Resources by Toppers

They combined these with guidance from their respective Anthropology optional course to ensure targeted preparation.

 How to Choose the Right Anthropology Optional Coaching

If you're inspired by these toppers, here’s what you should look for in a coaching institute:

 Updated and Comprehensive Syllabus Coverage

Make sure the coaching covers both Paper I and Paper II with updated examples and schemes.

 Personalized Mentorship

Institutes that offer one-on-one mentorship tend to help students improve faster.

 Quality Test Series with Feedback

A good test series is the most important part of Anthropology optional preparation.

 Faculty Expertise

Look for teachers with proven UPSC guidance experience, not just academic qualifications.

 Study Material & Diagram Booklets

Institutes offering value-added notes and visual content can give you a scoring edge.

 Final Thoughts: Toppers Prove Anthropology is a Smart Optional

The 2024 UPSC results have once again validated the success potential of Anthropology optional. Across various coaching institutes, toppers found the right guidance, structured content, and strategic preparation to shine in one of India’s toughest exams.

If you’re preparing for UPSC 2026 or beyond, choosing Anthropology Optional could be a defining decision. Pair it with a well-designed Anthropology optional course, dedicated writing practice, and personalized feedback—and you could be the next success story.