In a momentous achievement, Garima Lohia has secured the second All India Rank (AIR) in the highly competitive UPSC Civil Services (Mains) Examination 2023. Topping the charts this year is Ishita Kishore, who bagged AIR 1. Notably, all four top positions have been bagged by women this year. On other hand, 6 candidates from Ahmedabad have also been successful in this examination.
From Gujarat, Atul Tyagi, ranked 145th in India, Dushyant Bheda (262), Vishnu S (394), Chandresh Shankhala (414), and Utsav Jogani (712) are the top perfomers in this examination.
The Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) recently unveiled the highly anticipated merit list, which encompasses candidates recommended for appointment based on the results of the written segment of the Civil Services Examination held in September 2022, as well as the subsequent interviews for the Personality Test conducted between January and May 2023.
Now let’s take a closer look at five inspiring candidates from Gujarat who emerged as shining stars in this year’s UPSC exams:
- Dushyant Bheda: Having completed his MBA from IIM-Kozhikode, Bheda made the courageous choice to turn his back on a seven-figure salary offered by renowned corporations such as Deutsche Bank and Accenture. Inspired by his brother, who serves as a Gujarat cadre IPS officer, Bheda embarked on his UPSC journey and achieved success on his first attempt. Hailing from Upleta, his father is a professor, while his mother is a teacher. Bheda attributed his accomplishment to consistent preparation, discipline, and the unwavering support of his family.
- Shankhala Chandresh: Born into a farming family in Lakhpat, Kutch, Chandresh overcame setbacks and achieved his breakthrough in the UPSC Final on his fifth attempt. Undeterred by past failures, he shared, “I studied in a Gujarati medium school in my village and completed my BE from Government Engineering College in Bhuj. It was my father’s suggestion that I pursue my civil service dream.” Chandresh’s determination and resilience propelled him forward, ultimately leading to his success.
- Jogani Utsav: Graduating from LC Engineering College, Utsav drew inspiration from an interaction with IAS Dhaval Patel during his college years. It took him five attempts to crack the UPSC Final. Utsav revealed that his motivation stemmed from the desire to uplift social status, serve the people, and secure a government job. Being the first in his family to pursue a career in the government, he started preparing for UPSC exams in 2018 and appeared for a total of ten exams, combining both UPSC and GPSC.
- Mansi Meena: With a father who serves as a Gujarat cadre IAS officer, Mansi Meena had the guidance and inspiration of a prominent figure within her family. Her elder brother’s success in cracking the UPSC a year ago, earning him a Kerala cadre IAS position, further propelled her ambitions. Mansi, an alumnus of NALSAR, Hyderabad, achieved an impressive feat.
- Chintan Dudhel: ranked 914, completed his engineering from Nirma University and then pursued his studies at the prestigious IIM Ahmedabad. Dudhela, who had spent three successful years in the corporate sector, made the bold decision to abandon his lucrative career in pursuit of his dream to join the civil service.
Impressively, a total of 933 candidates have been recommended for prestigious appointments to various esteemed positions including the Indian Administrative Service (IAS), Indian Foreign Service (IFS), Indian Police Service (IPS), and Central Services Group ‘A’ and Group ‘B’.
Among these recommendations, 345 candidates hail from the general category, 99 belong to the Economically Weaker Sections (EWS), 263 are from Other Backward Classes (OBC), 154 are Scheduled Castes (SC), and 72 are Scheduled Tribes (ST). Furthermore, a consolidated reserve list consists of 178 candidates.
In terms of vacancies to be filled, the IAS has 180 positions, the IFS has 38, the IPS has 200, and the Central Services Group ‘A’ and Group ‘B’ have 473 and 131 vacancies respectively.
Garima Lohia’s exceptional achievement as the second rank holder and the outstanding performance of Ishita Kishore, securing the top spot, serve as a testament to the dedication and hard work displayed by these individuals. The success of women candidates occupying the top positions highlights the growing influence and empowerment of women in India’s civil services sector.
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