I Didn't Crack the UPSC. But an Architect Did and That Means a Lot

When Ashi Sharma secured AIR 12 in the 2025 UPSC Civil Services Examination, it wasn’t just a personal milestone. For those of us in architecture, it felt like a quietly momentous shift—a reminder of what the discipline prepares us for, and where it’s still missing.

An architect entering public service is still treated as an outlier. But should it be?

Architecture is, and has always been, about more than buildings. We are trained to think in layers of people, systems, material, and memory. We navigate constraints, collaborate across disciplines, and design for human life in all its complexity. Why, then, do we stop short of the policymaking table?

Back in 2021, I wrote about this in a piece titled Structuring the World through Architecture & Administration. I believe that architects have the skills and sensitivity to lead from the front, not just as consultants or advisors, but as policymakers, bureaucrats, and decision-makers.

I Tried. And Failed. But I Still Believe.

Ashi’s success resonated with me deeply because I’ve been there. I gave two attempts at the UPSC Civil Services Examination. I didn’t clear it. But I never took those years as a detour. My intent was clear: to contribute to the larger good and to bring an architect’s perspective to the decision-making table.

That journey shaped me. It helped me see policy not as an abstraction, but as something intimately linked with design. When Ashi cracked the exam, it felt like someone had pushed open a door I once stood before—determined, but unable to unlock.

The Bridge We Keep Overlooking

Architectural education is an incredible training ground for public service. It teaches us how to:

• Think systemically and work with constraints.
• Balance aesthetics with affordability, and ethics with execution.
• Design for equity, accessibility, and long-term impact.

Every site plan is an act of governance. Every section cut reveals a power structure. Every zoning rule is a policy statement. The sooner we recognize this, the more prepared we’ll be to take on roles that shape not just buildings, but lives.

Ashi Sharma’s Rank Isn’t a Detour. It’s a Direction.

This is not about glorifying civil services or suggesting all architects should become bureaucrats. It’s about expanding the space we allow ourselves to occupy. Ashi’s journey affirms that architectural training is valid—and valuable—in the halls of power.

We often speak of “people-centric design,” but meaningful change happens when people-centric designers are also decision-makers. If we want better urban housing, stronger environmental protections, or equitable infrastructure, we need those who’ve built with empathy to help build the system itself.

What Needs to Change

To support this shift, we need:

• Academic openness: Introduce modules on governance, law, economics, and public policy in architecture schools.
• Career counselling: Frame civil services, planning commissions, and public sector work as real, respected pathways.
• Mentorship and visibility: Share stories of those who’ve transitioned from practice to policy.
• Policy inclusion: Push for architects to be part of state-level task forces, planning boards, and leadership programs.

Design Is Governance

This isn’t about trading in our drawings for bureaucratic files. It’s about understanding that design thinking—deep, intuitive, and human - is exactly what governance needs today.

Ashi Sharma’s success isn’t just symbolic. It’s an invitation to imagine systems designed with the same care we bring to space. To imagine leadership that listens, builds, and includes.

As architects, we already have the tools. We just need more doors and the courage to keep knocking.