Civils Marathon -18 Road to success

A total of 685 candidates have cleared the 2021 civil services examination results of which were announced by the UPSC on 30 May 2022. This year women make history by bagging top four ranks.Among the total candidates 508 are men and 177 women, 244 are from general category, 73 from EWS, 203 of OBCs, 105 SC, 60 STs.

Winners from Andhra and Telangana

Around 40 people from both the states of Andhra Pradesh have been selected. Among the first hundred top there are seven rank holders. This year though the posts are less in number they could get good ranks. The last interview was held on 26th May and the results were announced quickly by 30th.

This year the first three Rankers are ladies. They are – Shruti Sharma, Ankita Agarwal, Gamini Singla. The three tier examination system of Civils consists of prelims, mains and finally the interview with 275 marks. UPSC has also notified the marks of each candidate. It is to be noted that one candidate from Bangalore was not selected though he was confident. Against his marks it is mentioned that 35 marks have been shown as penalty for not following the commission guidelines. So candidates should be careful in following the rules.

Topper from Telangana

31-year-old Priyamvada Mhaddalkar became state topper. She bagged all India rank 13. In an interview with Hans India she mentioned that her focus was to do her best and the rest just happened. Born and brought up in Mumbai , she has now settled in Hyderabad for the past four years. She has six years of work experience in investment banking. She started preparation for Civils quitting her job in 2020 her father worked in Maharashtra government and he was a role model . she further mentioned that civil services give a wide scope to positively impact society and contribute to the country. She prepared for 8 to 9 hours every day . Consistency is important for the civil services exam. Updating current affairs is most important . Her preference was the education sector, particularly girl child education.

Yaswant Kumar Reddy - Rank 15

He never expected that he would get 50th rank at all India level. Proper planning and regular practice gives the best result. He hails from a tiny village

Kaligotla in Kurnool District. His father is headmaster in a government school, mother a housewife.

Earlier on selection as commercial tax officer in Group I examinations of APPSC he prepared himself for Civils. In 2020 he got 93rd rank and is presently undergoing the training for

IPS at National Police Academy Hyderabad. This time he got 15th rank. Encouraged by his parents he was able to achieve his goal.

Shruti Sharma- Topper

Among the 25 toppers, 10 are women. Shruti Sharma studied BA honours with history at Delhi University. She took history as her optional. She was surprised to know about her achievement. Extremely supportive parents and friends helped her in journey which required a lot of hard work and patience. She gives credit to her parents in this journey .She did her postgraduate education from Jawaharlal Nehru University Delhi.

Son of a farm labourer

Akunuri Naresh Secured 117th rank. He is indeed a Jewel from the coal fields of Bhupalpally. Born in utter poverty in a nondescript Kasimpally village on the suburbs of Bhupalpally. Naresh not only fulfilled his parents dream but also heralded that perseverance and hard work is the only mantra to scale the pinnacle in one's career. His father Ailaiah is a farm labourer. Naresh did his entire schooling and Intermediate from social welfare schools. It clearly shows that one need not go for convent schools to get a rank. He did his BTech electrical engineering from Madras IIT. He worked with a private company in Chennai to make a livelihood. He started preparation for Civils and in 2019 he secured 782 rank. He got selection in railway personnel service and is undergoing training. In his fifth attempt he secured 117 rank and is likely to get IPS. It shows that one has to wait for his luck to get the rank and gon attempting.

Tribal boy

Darawat Saiprakash of Siddisamudram village in Suryapet district got 650 rank. His father is presently working at a government school in Siddipet district. He joined civil service coaching in Delhi in 2018. It is a clear example that one need not hail from a city to crack the Civils.

Farmer's son

Dr Sarat Nayak who was a veterinary doctor got 374th rank. Coming from a poor family he cracked the top exam in the first attempt. He is a native of Cherlapally. He pursued his high school education at Jagtial and passed class 10 with 552 marks. He scored 950 marks in intermediate. He could not get a seat in MBBS and joined veterinary College at

Korutla.(2014-2020). He stayed in a room in Hyderabad and pursued his preparation. In the first attempt itself he got the selection. It shows that one can achieve the goal with a strong determination.

Women empowerment

Arugula Sneha got 136 th rank in fourth attempt. She lost her father at an early age and her mother working at Pay and accounts wing of Kamareddy district collectorate groomed her. She studied up to 10th class at Nizamabad and did her Inter at Hyderabad. She did her engineering at NIT Nagpur in 2017. She went to Delhi for coaching and failed in three attempts. In the fourth attempt she was able to get the rank. In 2020 she missed the bus with a single mark. But with determination she secured a good rank this time. Financial problems did not deter. Her aim is to serve the poor.

A doctor's determination

Dr Koppisetti Kiranmayi hails from Valasa pakala near Kakinada. Father worked in DRDA. Mother was a teacher. Kiranmayi was born and brought up in Hyderabad. She did her MBBS and MS in general surgery from Osmania University during 2012 -15. She got married and was blessed with a child. Her husband is a Group I officer in Telangana government. She got inspiration from him and started preparation for Civils from 2017. Due to the ailment of her mother she could not prepare well. In the first attempt in 2018 she joined IRTS. In the second attempt she got 633 rank and was allotted UT cadre. During the period of Corona she could not succeed in prelims. This year she got 56th rank. Her advice to the aspirants is to acquire knowledge. The above examples clearly show that it is determination and hard work that leads to success.

(The author is retired Additional Director General Doordarshan Delhi)