Chennai-based law graduate S Divyadharshini has topped the prestigious Civil Services Examination 2010 for which the results were announced on Wednesday.
The second position was also secured by a woman, Sweta Mohanty, a computer engineer, while R V Varun Kumar, a dentist from Chennai, got the third rank.
A total of 920 candidates, including 203 women, have been selected for the Civil Services, which attracts the largest number of candidates from the entire length and breadth of the country.
Divyadharshini, who has done BA, BL (hons) from the Dr Ambedkar Law University in Chennai, cleared the exam in her second attempt. Mohanty cleared the exam in her third attempt.
Kumar, the topper among men, has done his BDS from Ragas Dental College in Chennai. This is his third attempt.
An elated Divyadharshini said she was surprised to find herself topping the exam as she was not expecting it. "I was expecting some result but not as a topper," she said.
As congratulatory messages poured in, she said the achievement was the result of "tedious" exercise and hard work of one year coupled with luck.
The top 25 candidates comprise 20 men and five women -- 15 of whom are engineers, five belonging to commerce, management, humanities, science and social sciences; and five belonging to medical science background.
Of the top 25, eight have made to the merit list in their first attempt while four made it in their second attempt, nine in the third attempt, three in the fourth attempt and one in the fifth attempt.
Among those selected, 28 are physically challenged candidates while 14 are orthopaedically challenged, five visually impaired and nine hearing impaired.
A total number of 5,47,698 candidates applied for this examination and 2,69,036 candidates appeared for the preliminary examination, which was conducted on May 23, 2010.
Some 12,491 candidates qualified for the main written examination held in October-November 2010.
Some 2,589 candidates were shortlisted for the personality test conducted in March-April 2011 out of who 920 were selected.
They have been recommended for appointment including 428 general (including 19 physically challenged), 270 OBCs (including 8 physically challenged candidates), 148 Scheduled Castes (including one physically challenged candidate) and 74 Scheduled Tribes candidates.
There are 151 vacancies in IAS, 35 vacancies in IFS and 150 in IPS.
The results are available on PIB website www.pib.nic.in and also on the UPSC website, www.upsc.gov.in.
The UPSC has set up a 'facilitation counter' in its Delhi campus. Candidates can obtain any information or clarification regarding their examinations and recruitments on
the working days between 1000 hours to 1700 hours in person or over telephone numbers 011-2338527, 23381125 and 23098543.
However, marks are likely to be available on the website within 15 days.
