Relatives of UPSC aspirants check the results of civil services examination in New Delhi yesterday.


IANS/New Delhi


Women scooped the top four ranks in the civil services exam results declared by the Union Public Services Commission (UPSC) yesterday, officials said.
A total number of 1,236 candidates have been recommended for appointment to the Indian Administrative Service, Indian Foreign Service, Indian Police Service and Central Services Group ‘A’ and Group ‘B’, the UPSC said.
Of the top five candidates, four are women - Ira Singhal (1), Renu Raj (2), Nishi Gupta (3) and Vandana Rao (4).
Singhal is from New Delhi.
Raj, 27, a doctor, told the aspiring candidates that perseverance pays.
“This was my first attempt. I was tense since the night and even though I knew the results would be out by afternoon, I did not tell my parents,” said Raj, who is a doctor in Kollam, Kerala.
“I was even more tensed when I logged on to the website. My phone started ringing even before I could check the results as my friends and well wishers told me that I had secured the second rank,” she said.
Raj is from Changnacherry in Kottayam district. For the past one year, she and her parents were staying in the national capital where she attended coaching classes.
“I was not sure of clearing it in the first attempt. I owe my success to my dear and near ones who stood by my side,” she said.
“I want to tell aspiring candidates that perseverance has its reward,” she added.
Her elated father said her success is dedicated to the poor and downtrodden. He said he was confident that his daughter will help the weakest in society.
“Had she remained a doctor, she could have helped 50 or 100 patients. But through her new qualification, one decision of hers will benefit thousands,” he said.
Raj’s husband is also a medical professional.
In 2013, Haritha V Kumar, an engineer from Thiruvananthapuram, secured the first rank in the exam.
For the first time this year the final results were declared within four days of the closing date of the interviews.
Conducted by the UPSC annually in three stages - preliminary, mains and interviews - the examination took place on August 24, 2014 at 2,137 venues at 59 centres across the country.
Of the 945,000 candidates who applied, about 451,000 were cleared to sit for the examination.
A total of 16,933 candidates qualified for the main examination which was held in December, 2014. A total of 1,364 posts have to be filled through the examination.