NEW DELHI: Women have more than levelled the playing field in the civil services exams. Not only has a woman topped the exam for the third time in a row, toppers in the scheduled castes and tribes (SC/ST) categories in the 2012 exam are also women.
In a remarkably strong performance, 12 of the top 25 successful candidates in the 2012 Union Public Service Commission exam, the results for which were declared on Friday, are women. The feat of topping the general, SC and ST categories is a first.
To Haritha V Kumar, an engineer from Kerala, goes the distinction of topping the central services exam which is held to select candidates for elite services such as the IAS, IFS, IPS, IRS and for other central government jobs.
V Sriram, also from Kerala, has been ranked second. He is a doctor.
The third in the merit list is Stuti Charan, who has a BSc from Jodhpur University.
In all, 245 out of 998, or roughly one-fourth, successful candidates are women. Their presence is typically higher in services such as IAS, IPS and IRs
Last year, Shena Aggarwal, an MBBS from AIIMS, had topped the civil services exam while Chennai-based law graduate S Divyadharshini was the 2010 topper.
Of the 998 successful candidates this year, 457 are in general (including 23 physically challenged) category, 295 in other backward classes (including nine physically challenged), 169 in scheduled castes (including two physically challenged) and 77 in scheduled tribes.
Among the top 25, six made it to the merit list on their first attempt, nine in the second and eight in the third. Two candidates had taken the test for the fourth and sixth attempts.
As many as four were already selected for services other than IAS on the basis of exams held in previous yeaRs Haritha was allotted Indian Revenue Service (central excise and custom) in the 2011 exam.
12 of top 25 took exam from Delhi
This year's result also showcases the pan-India distribution of successful candidates. Among the top 25, there are candidates claiming domicile from as many as 12 states and Union Territories — Andhra Pradesh, Bihar, Chandigarh, Delhi, Haryana, Jammu & Kashmir, Karnataka, Kerala, Maharashtra, Rajasthan, Tamil Nadu and Uttar Pradesh.
Most of the toppers — 12 of 25 — had appeared in the exam from Delhi centres followed by four from Thiruvananthapuram, two each from Chennai and Hyderabad and one each from Jammu, Mumbai, Jaipur, Chandigarh and Allahabad.
The family background of those who did well shows a diverse representation from all walks of life with their parents being farmers, teachers, businesspersons, government employees, doctors, advocates and professoRs
The 2012 examination is the last to be held under the pattern where optional subjects commanded more weight, giving an advantage to those candidates who opted for science subjects.
This year onwards, the exam will be held under a new pattern that gives more weight to 'general studies' papeRs It is believed this will test aspirants more for their aptitude and general awareness rather than subject-specific knowledge.
The civil services (preliminary) examination 2012 was held on May 20 last year. A record number of 5,36,506 candidates applied for this examination, out of which 2,71,422 candidates actually appeared for it. A total of 13,092 qualified for the main written examination held in October 2012 of which 2,674 candidates were selected for a personality test conducted in March-April this year
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