UPSC Blunder of 1999: How Ashutosh Agnihotri's Persistence Changed His IAS Destiny

• Ashutosh Agnihotri, a 1999 UPSC candidate, initially received 70 marks in an optional subject, leading to an Indian Defence Accounts Service allocation.
• Convinced he scored 176, he wrote to UPSC Chairman Lieutenant General Surendra Nath, despite advice to let it go.
• An investigation revealed a clerical error: his 176 marks were mistakenly swapped with another candidate.
• On September 1, 1999, UPSC revised the merit list, an unprecedented move, changing his rank from 277 to 26.
• This correction led to his allocation to the Indian Administrative Service (IAS), and he now serves as Chairman and Managing Director of FCI.

Why It Matters: Ashutosh Agnihotri's persistence corrected a UPSC error, proving integrity and accountability.