Rising standards of Civil Services exams

New Delhi: Kanishak Kataria, who topped the civil services examination, got 55.35 per cent marks, reflecting the tough standards of the prestigious test conducted by the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) to select the country's bureaucrats, diplomats and police officers, among others.

Kataria, a B.Tech from IIT Bombay, scored 1,121 marks -- 942 in written and 179 in personality test (or interview) -- out of 2,025, according to data from the UPSC. The written or main exam is of 1,750 marks and the interview of 275.

Akshat Jain, who achieved second position, got 53.3 per cent or 1,080 marks (882 in main exam and 198 in personality test). Third rank holder Junaid Ahmad got 53.18 per cent or 1,077 marks (893 in the main and 184 in the interview). The result of civil services 2018 examination was declared on April 5 by the UPSC.

A total of 759 candidates (577 men and 182 women) have been recommended by the Commission for appointment to various services like Indian Administrative Service (IAS), Indian Foreign Service (IFS) and Indian Police Service (IPS) among others. Bibhuti Bhushan Nayak, who secured the 759th rank, got 35.45 per cent or 718 marks -- 600 in written and 118 in personality test-- out of 2,025. Nayak made it to the exam under the "multi disabilities" category.

The civil services examination is conducted annually by the UPSC in three phases -- preliminary, main and interview. The civil services (preliminary) examination, 2018 was conducted on June 3, 2018. 10,65,552 candidates had applied for this examination, out of which 4,93,972 candidates actually appeared. A total of 10,468 candidates qualified for appearance in the written (main) examination which was held in September–October last year. A total of 1,994 candidates qualified for the personality test conducted in February and March this year.

The 2017 exam topper Durishetty Anudeep had got 55.60 per cent or 1,126 marks -- 950 in the written test and 176 in the interview -- out of 2,025. The 2016 exam topper Nandini K R had got 55.3 per cent or 1,120 marks (927 in main and 193 in interview) out of 2,025. The civil services topper of 2015, Tina Dabi, had scored 52.49 per cent or 1,063 marks.