M A I N   N E W S

City girl second in IAS exam
Tribune News Service

“IAS has always been a passion for me. I would wake up early and follow a strict timetable,” she added. Had she not cleared she would have given it only a second chance. Her advice to aspirants is that they should decide their goal in time and be very focused. They should start preparing early and of course they should follow a systematic routine and be regular. As of now, however, she is looking forward to a grand celebration before she can start working to help the poor.

Another city girl making the city proud is Prerna Puri, currently posted as DSP Ambala, Prerna has been ranked 14th at the all India level. She too has cleared the IAS in her first attempt. A triple gold medallist from Panjab University, Prerna cleared the Haryana Civil Services two years ago while still pursuing her MA.

Posted as DSP, Panchkula, till last week, she recently joined at Ambala and is now looking forward to her new job after training.

Though Prerna was confident that she would clear the pre-lims she was not expecting to achieve such a high rank. “I was expecting to clear but not with such a high rank.”

However elated at her success Prerna now plans to use her knowledge as a cop to help her be a good administrator.

Delhi girl tops IAS exam
Smriti Kak Ramachandran
Tribune News Service

New Delhi, May 8
Delhi girl Mona Pruthi has topped the Civil Services (Main) Examination, 2005 conducted by the Union Public Service Commission. The examination was held in October-November, 2005.

An alumnus of the Lady Sriram College for Women, Pruthi who taught English in Delhi University’s Maharaja Agrasen College was earlier selected for the Customs and Excise department of the India Revenue Services.

“She has always been a meritorious and a hardworking student. Ever since she was in school she aspired to become a civil servant,” said Mrs Pruthi, Mona’s mother.

She added, “Even after Mona cleared the IRS, she remained determined to go for the IAS. And this time when she took the examination, she was confident that she will make it. But we were not thinking in terms of the rank at all.”

Mona’s feat has left the family ecstatic. “We are all very happy and have offered thanksgiving to the Almighty, it was her dream and it has come true,” her proud mother pointed out.

Among those who have made it to the top five are Gurneet Tej, Randhir Kumar, J Ganesan and Zuhair Bin Saghir.

A total of 425 candidates have been recommended for the Indian Administrative Service; Indian Foreign Service; Indian Police Service; and Central Services, Group ‘A’ and Group ‘B’.

Of these, 210 are from the general category, including six physically challenged candidates, 117 Other Backward Classes, including three physically challenged candidates, 57 Scheduled Castes, including two physically challenged candidates, and 41 Scheduled Tribes, including one physically challenged candidate.

Appointments to various services will be made according to the number of vacancies available with consideration to the provisions contained in Rules 2 and 19 of the Rules for the Examination and subject to the final decision of the Supreme Court/High Court/ CATs on the SLPs/RAs/ WPs/OAs pending therein, the UPSC pointed out.

The number of vacancies reported by the government for the Indian Administrative Service is 87, of which 45 are for general category, 22 for OBC, 14 for SC and six for ST. In the Indian Foreign Service there are 10 posts for general category, six for OBC, two for SC and ST each. For the Indian Police Service, the available posts are 103, of which 51 are for general, 27 OBC, eight for SC and 17 for ST.

For the Central Services Group ‘A’ is there are 221 posts, 116 for General, 58 for OBC, 32 for SC and 15 for ST and for Central Services Group ‘B’ there are 26 posts, 20 f0r General, four for OBCs, one each for SC/ST. This includes 12 vacancies for physically challenged candidates in Indian Administrative Service, Indian Foreign Service and Central Services Group-“A”& “B”. 

Focus was the key for IAS exam topper Mona
Bijendra Ahlawat
Tribune News Service

Faridabad, May 8
It is not a cakewalk to top the prestigious civil services exam. One has to be very dedicated and target-oriented to achieve a goal like this. Nothing is unachievable if one is focused and true to one’s ambition. This is the observation of Mona Pruthi, the topper in the country for this year’s civil services exam.

Daughter of a judicial officer, Mona has been an under trainee of the IRS cadre at the National Customs Excise and Narcotics Bureau in Sector- 29 here. A resident of sector 15-A here, she lost her father in March this year, who had been serving as Additional Sessions Judge of a fast track court here.

Talking to mediapersons here this evening, Mona gave credit to the support and care of her late father N.L. Pruthi and her mother, who she said was her constant friend and guide. Admitting that she and her mother had been feeling lonely after the demise of her father, she said the civil services result had compensated the loss a bit. But she lamented that she could not share her achievement with her late father, who had always inspired her to achieve higher goals in life.

The youngest of the child in the family, her both elder sisters are married and serving as lecturers at Gurgaon and Delhi, respectively.

She revealed that this was her third attempt in the civil services examination and was confident that she could make it this time.

Hailing originally from Sonepat, Mona did her plus two from the local Apeejay School before moving to Delhi to do her graduation from Delhi University from where she topped in her college in the B.A (Eng) honours course. She did her masters in English and M.Phil in the English subject while preparing for the civil services exam.