A controversy surrounding a false claim of success in the UPSC Civil Services Examination (CSE) has surfaced once again, this time involving two candidates with the same name — Shikha.
A woman from Bulandshahr district in Uttar Pradesh, who initially claimed that she had secured Rank 113 in the UPSC examination, has now admitted that it was a mistake on her part and that she had not actually cleared the exam.
The clarification came after it emerged that the actual candidate who secured Rank 113 is a different person named Shikha who resides in Delhi.
The incident has sparked fresh discussions about the importance of carefully verifying UPSC results using roll numbers and personal details rather than just names.
How the Confusion Happened
The controversy began when the Bulandshahr-based Shikha believed that she had cleared the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) Civil Services Examination after seeing her name in the result list.
However, she later realised that the selected candidate was someone else with the same name.
Speaking to ANI, Shikha explained that the confusion occurred because she checked only the name in the official PDF of the result and did not verify the roll number.
She said that both candidates shared the same name, which led to the misunderstanding.
According to her statement:
“The one who has been selected is a different Shikha. Since our names are the same, I only checked the name in the PDF and did not check the roll number. That was my mistake.”
Her statement clarified that she did not qualify in the UPSC examination, and the earlier claim was simply due to an oversight.
Family’s Reaction to the Mistake
Shikha’s father, Premchand, also spoke about the confusion and explained how the family initially believed she had successfully cleared the exam.
According to him, the misunderstanding happened because the family trusted what they saw when the name appeared in the results list.
He said:
“As soon as her name appeared in the selection list, she told us she had been selected. We did not realise that another Shikha had actually secured the rank. She was overwhelmed with joy and only checked the name.”
The family later realised the error when the roll number and other details did not match.
Real Candidate Who Secured Rank 113
The actual candidate who secured Rank 113 in the UPSC Civil Services Examination is a Delhi-based aspirant named Shikha.
Her name appeared in the official result list published by the Union Public Service Commission, along with her verified roll number and other details.
The incident highlights how similar names can sometimes create confusion, especially in large competitive examinations like the UPSC CSE where thousands of candidates appear every year.
UPSC Results and Verification Process
The UPSC Civil Services Examination is one of the most prestigious and competitive exams in India, conducted annually to recruit officers for various top government services.
These services include:
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Indian Administrative Service (IAS)
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Indian Police Service (IPS)
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Indian Foreign Service (IFS)
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Other central civil services
Each year, lakhs of candidates appear for the examination, but only a few hundred finally secure a place in the merit list.
To avoid confusion, UPSC results always include important identification details, such as:
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Candidate’s roll number
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Name of the candidate
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Sometimes category and other identifiers
Officials repeatedly advise candidates to verify results using the roll number rather than relying solely on names.
Similar Controversy: “Akanksha vs Akanksha”
The Shikha controversy comes shortly after another case involving two candidates named Akanksha Singh, which created confusion over Rank 301 in the UPSC Civil Services Examination (Mains) 2025.
Following the confusion, the UPSC issued an official clarification stating that only one Akanksha Singh had secured Rank 301.
The Commission provided detailed verification information to remove any misunderstanding.
According to the official records:
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Roll Number: 0856794
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Father’s Name: Ranjit Singh
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Mother’s Name: Neelam Singh
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Residence: Village Abhaipur, Ghazipur, Uttar Pradesh
Reports had earlier suggested that another woman named Akanksha Singh from Ara in Bihar was claiming the same rank.
However, further investigation revealed that the documents presented by the Bihar candidate were not legitimate, and she had not even appeared for the examination.
Importance of Authentic Verification
The repeated emergence of such controversies highlights the importance of authentic verification of examination results.
Experts and educators often advise aspirants to carefully check:
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Roll number in the official result list
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UPSC’s official website announcements
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Individual scorecards and confirmation documents
This helps avoid confusion and prevents the spread of misleading claims about exam success.
With the growing influence of social media, even small misunderstandings can quickly turn into viral success stories, making verification even more important.
UPSC CSE 2025 Results
The UPSC had earlier announced the Civil Services Examination 2025 final results on March 6.
According to the commission, a total of 958 candidates were recommended for appointment to various civil services across the country.
The top ranks in the examination were secured by candidates from different states:
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Rank 1: Anuj Agnihotri from Rajasthan
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Rank 2: Rajeshwari Suve M from Tamil Nadu
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Rank 3: Akansh Dhull from Haryana
The candidates who cleared the exam will now undergo training before joining their respective government services.
UPSC: One of India’s Toughest Exams
The Civil Services Examination conducted by UPSC is widely regarded as one of the most challenging competitive examinations in India.
The selection process consists of multiple stages:
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Preliminary Examination
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Main Examination
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Personality Test (Interview)
Only a small percentage of candidates successfully complete all three stages.
Because of the exam’s prestige and difficulty, UPSC success stories often receive widespread public attention, sometimes leading to viral celebrations and media coverage.
Conclusion
The controversy involving two candidates named Shikha highlights how easily confusion can arise when exam results are verified using only names.
After initially claiming Rank 113 in the UPSC Civil Services Examination, the Bulandshahr-based Shikha clarified that it was a genuine mistake caused by checking only the name in the result list.
The actual rank holder is a different candidate from Delhi, whose details match the official UPSC records.
The incident, along with the earlier “Akanksha vs Akanksha” controversy, serves as a reminder of the importance of carefully verifying examination results using roll numbers and official documentation to avoid misunderstandings and false claims.
