Differently abled woman from Delhi tops civil services exams

New Delhi, July 4 

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Ira Singhal, a differently abled Indian Revenue Service officer from Delhi, topped the civil services examination in which the top four positions went to women.

Singhal (29) topped the exam in the general category, followed by Renu Raj, a doctor from Kerala, and Nidhi Gupta, also an Indian Revenue Service (IRS) officer from Delhi at the second and third positions. The results were announced by the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) today.

Vandana Rao, also from Delhi, secured the fourth rank while Suharsha Bhagat, an IRS (Income Tax cadre) officer, bagged the fifth position.

A total number of 1,236 candidates, including 590 in the general category, 354 belonging to Other Backward Classes (OBC), 194 from Scheduled Caste and 98 from Scheduled Tribe, have been recommended for appointment to various central government services, the UPSC said.

"I am really very happy. I can't believe this. I just prepared for the examination. I want to be an IAS officer. I want to do something for the benefit of physically handicapped people," Ira said.

Renu got the second rank in her first attempt. "I am extremely happy. I have been preparing for the exam for the last one year," she said over phone from Thiruvananthapuram. She works in a hospital in Kollam, Kerala, and hails from Kottayam.

Third-rank holder Nidhi said it was a proud moment for her to get selected in the examination. "It is really a proud moment. I put in lot of hard work and finally it paid," she said. Nidhi is currently Assistant Commissioner of Customs and Central Excise.

Vandana Rao, who got the fourth rank, is the topper in the OBC category. "I called up people twice to cross-check whether or not I have made it in the exam. It is a pleasant surprise. It is really a result of hard work," she said

Vandana graduated in 2012 and now aspires to be an IAS officer. "I want to be an IAS officer as it gives you ample scope to do something worthwhile for the country," she said. It was her third attempt.

Suharsha Bhagat, who hails from Bihar, is a Chemical Engineer from Bombay IIT. "Suharsha got selected in Indian Audit and Accounts Service in 2011. In 2012, he took the exam again and got Indian Information Service. In 2013 exam, he got IRS (income Tax). He is posted in Nagpur," his father Phulendra Bhagat, said. — PTI