The Hindu : National : I want to motivate students: IAS topper

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I want to motivate students: IAS topper

Staff Reporter

Delhi girl Ashima Jain secures seventh position, first among women in Civil Services exam

— Photo: Shiv Kumar Pushpakar

Ashima Jain celebrating with her family at her house in Karol Bagh in New Delhi on Friday.

NEW DELHI: Adapa Karthik of Khammam in Andhra Pradesh, who has topped the Civil Services Examination-2007 conducted by the Union Public Service Commission, is playing down his achievement.

“I am still thinking whether to opt for the Indian Administrative Service or continue with my training at the National Police Academy in Hyderabad. Honestly, I am a little indifferent to the result. The civil service is such an exam where there is not much difference between the person who has topped and the one who has secured the 200th rank.”

“It is an academic achievement. My real accomplishment would be when I am able to sustain my hard work and even 30 years later my work is recognised,” said the 28-year-old achiever, who wants to interact with students and motivate them to work for rural development of the country.

An MBBS graduate from the Mahatma Gandhi Institute of Medical Sciences, Wardha, Karthik is now undergoing training at the National Police Academy. He cleared the Indian Police Service in 2004 and 2006 when he secured the 166th and 148th rank respectively.

Delhi girl Ashima Jain, who secured the seventh position in the qualifying examinations, is the highest ranked among women.

Having cleared the examination in her very first attempt, an excited and elated Ashima was the cynosure of all eyes. Her residence at Karol Bagh was abuzz with activity till late on Friday evening with visitors and telephone calls pouring in.

“I did not even know about the result till the time journalists started coming to my home. I feel on top of the world and don’t have words to express my feelings. My dad has planned a big party. I am very excited,” she told The Hindu.

Giving credit for her parents’ support, 25-year-old Ashima said: “My father is my role model. Three things worked for me. Faith in god, family support, hard work and dedication. I owe a lot to my family.”

A student of the government-aided Dayanand Model Senior Secondary School on Mandir Marg, she has been an outstanding student throughout her academic life at Delhi University’s Shri Ram College of Commerce and Delhi School of Economics.

“She was a meticulous student and thorough in her work. She was a topper,” recalled Prof. S. C. Panda, Head of the Economics Department at DSE.

A total of 734 candidates have been recommended for appointment to the IAS, the Indian Foreign Service, the Indian Police Service and Central Services, Group “A” and Group “B”.

Appointment to the various services will be made according to the number of vacancies available, subject to the final decision of courts or the Central Administrative Tribunal on pending matters.

The UPSC has a “facilitation counter” near the examination hall on its campus where candidates can obtain information and clarifications.

Engineers, doctors

PTI reports:

Of the 20 top rankers in the Civil Services Examination, 2007, seven are from an engineering background while three are medicos. Interestingly all the toppers took their examinations in English.

A total of 3,27,683 candidates applied for this examination. While 1,61,469 candidates appeared for the preliminary examinations, 9,266 qualified for the mains and of them 1,886 were selected for the personality test.

Of the successful candidates, selected for appointment to the IAS, IFS, IPS and other central services, 580 are men and 154 women.

The selected candidates include 22 physically challenged.

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