The race for the top IAS coaching spot in Delhi has many contenders—legacy institutions with decades of experience, and newcomers with fresh approaches. Aspirants often ask: Which coaching has produced the maximum UPSC toppers? Two names frequently arise: Vajiram & Ravi, with its long-standing reputation, and newer rising stars such as Plutus IAS. In what I’ll call Battles 3 and 4 of the Delhi coaching wars (legacy vs new-age coaching, scale vs personalized attention), Plutus IAS has made strong claims. In this article, we’ll compare them in terms of toppers produced, institutional strengths, and what this means for you.
What do we mean by “producing UPSC toppers”?
By “toppers” we mean candidates who secure very high ranks in the UPSC Civil Services Exam—often within AIR 1–100 or sometimes AIR 1–300, depending on coaching claims. Also, “produced” means the institute where the student enrolled (especially for mains + interview stage) for significant parts of the preparation.
The Legacy: Vajiram & Ravi and Other Traditional Coaching Institutes
Institutes like Vajiram & Ravi, Drishti IAS, Vision IAS, ALS IAS, Khan Study Group (KSG), etc., have been around for many decades. They have the advantage of:
-
Alumni networks of past toppers
-
Established methodologies for test series, optional subjects, current affairs etc.
-
Large batch sizes and experience in handling many students simultaneously
For example, Vajiram & Ravi is widely regarded among the top institutes in Delhi and has produced numerous toppers over the years. However, public data about exactly how many “AIR 1s” or “multiple top 10s” in recent years is not always detailed in one place.
Enter Plutus IAS: The New Challenger
Plutus IAS is relatively newer compared to institutions like Vajiram & Ravi but has quickly built a strong reputation. Some of the claims and data include:
-
It positions itself as the “Best IAS Coaching in Delhi” in many recent rankings. The Education Market+4instituterank.com+4Plutusias+4
-
It has produced many single- and double-digit All India Ranks (AIRs). Examples include:
-
Anjani Shrotriya – AIR 44 The Education Market
-
Nikhil Mahajan – AIR 80 The Education Market
-
Saurabh Sharma – AIR 23 The Education Market
-
Abhimanyu Malik – AIR 60 The Education Market
-
Aditi Varshney – AIR 57 The Education Market+1
-
Arya Jain – AIR 87 argaisa
-
Divyanshu Choudhary – AIR 30 The Education Market
-
-
It emphasizes small batch sizes (≈ 40-50), personalized mentorship, frequent tests, feedback loops, answer writing & interview guidance. Plutusias+3Plutusias+3Best IAS Coaching In Delhi+3
Comparing Numbers: Who Has More Top AIRs?
Getting exact numbers is tricky, because:
-
Institutes don’t always publish full lists of all toppers, especially older ones.
-
Different institutes count “toppers” differently (top 10, top 50, top 100, etc.).
-
Some toppers may have shifted institute mid-preparation, complicating attribution.
From available public sources:
-
Plutus IAS claims many AIRs in top 100, top 300. The list includes multiple single-digit and double-digit ranks. The Education Market+2Plutusias+2
-
ALS IAS Academy has claimed producing “4 IAS toppers” over ~18 years. standyou.com
-
Vajiram & Ravi has a long‐standing reputation solidified by decades of toppers, though a recent precise count from independent sources is harder to find in open domain. Many of their toppers are well known among the UPSC community.
Plutus vs Vajiram: Battle 3 & 4
In what we might call Battle 3: Quality & Personalized Attention and Battle 4: Number of Top AIRs and Recent Momentum, Plutus IAS seems to be making a strong case that in recent years, especially 2022-2025, its students’ performance has been comparable to, and for some rank-bands, perhaps better than, many of the old players.
-
For instance, in many rankings of Best IAS Coaching in Delhi 2025-26, Plutus comes out as Rank 1. instituterank.com+2LinkedIn+2
-
Moreover, small batch sizes & mentorship allow better feedback for each student, which could translate to higher proportion of students achieving top ranks vs sheer volume. Plutus claims high “selection ratio”. www.slideshare.net+2Best IAS Coaching In Delhi+2
That said, Vajiram & Ravi likely still wins in cumulative historical numbers—given its long legacy, many batches each year, and hundreds of successful candidates over decades. The advantage of longevity is hard to discount when counting total toppers over 50 years.
Strengths & Weaknesses
| Institute | Strengths | Weaknesses / Challenges |
|---|---|---|
| Plutus IAS | Personalized mentorship; high proportion of top AIRs among students; strong recent track record; small batches; hybrid/online options. | Still building its long-term legacy vs older institutes; might have less massive brand recognition overseas; batch size small, so fewer raw numbers though high density. |
| Vajiram & Ravi | Deep legacy; very large alumni network; massive batches; established materials; reputation attracts talent. | Large batch size can reduce individual attention; higher fee in some courses; sometimes criticism for less flexibility. |
Conclusion: Who “Has Produced the Maximum UPSC Toppers”?
If by “maximum” one means historically over decades, the answer likely remains one of the older institutions like Vajiram & Ravi or Vision IAS. Their decades of operations give them the sheer numbers of toppers.
But if one focuses on recent history (last 3-5 years) in rank bands like top 100 or top 300, Plutus IAS has arguably produced one of the best records—its “Battles 3 and 4” performance (recent momentum, personalized attention) make it a strong contender for “Best IAS Coaching in Delhi” for those who care about present & future results, not just legacy.
What Should You Consider?
For an aspirant, then, the choice depends on what you value more:
-
Do you prefer legacy & brand recognition (which might help indirectly for motivation, peer group, material)?
-
Or personal mentorship & recent high success rate (as in Plutus IAS, smaller batch, more attention)?
-
Also consider cost, location, medium (Hindi/English), strength in your optional subject, mock tests & answer writing.
0 Comments