23-Yr-Old Engineer Srushti Deshmukh Tops UPSC Among Women

A Bhopal resident Srushti Deshmukh topped UPSC among women candidates in her first attempt.

UPSC toppers Srushti Deshmukh and Akshat Jain celebrate with their families

Photo Courtesy: ANI

Twenty three-year-old engineer from Bhopal, Srushti Jayant Deshmukh, has emerged topper among women candidates in the UPSC civil services final exam. Daughter of an engineer father and a pre-school teacher mother, Deshmukh is the first civil servant in her family.

“I think it is the consistency and the faith in yourself that make one achieve all goals.” 

Srushti Deshmukh to PTI 

Deshmukh, who completed her Bachelor of engineering (Chemical) from Rajiv Gandhi Proudyogiki Vishwavidyalaya in Bhopal and then went on to do her MPhil, cleared the prestigious civil service exam in her first attempt.

While speaking to Hindustan Times about her mantra for her success, Srushti Deshmukh said, “I kept away from social media. I used internet only for studies. I didn’t attend any coaching. I prepared for the examinations from online test series and study materials. Right from childhood I desired to become an administrative officer. I kept myself updated with the help of newspapers and magazines.”

The 23-year-old secured an overall fifth rank in the exam.

Women UPSC candidates have scored extremely well this year. There are 10 women who have featured in the top 25 rankers.

Here’s a look at a few other notable toppers of the UPSC Civil Services Exam.

Akshat Jain: Second Rank Holder

Another engineering graduate, this time from IIT Guwahati, Akshat Jain is a resident of Jaipur. Hailing from a family of civil servants – Jain’s father is an IPS officer and hia mother an Indian Revenue Services officer – was a huge motivation for Jain to choose a similar career path.

“I would like to serve as an IAS officer in my home state Rajasthan.”

Akshat Jain 

An elated Jain said one of the reasons for him appearing in the civil services examination was to serve the society.

Junaid Ahmed: Third Rank Holder

Being able to solve people’s problems directly is what drew Junaid Ahmed, the third topper, to appear for the UPSC exam. Ahmed, who belongs to Nagina town in Uttar Pradesh's Bijnor district, was staying in Jamia's Residential Coaching Academy in 2016 till last year when he got chosen for the Indian Revenue Service (IRS).

He was in an academy in Faridabad for his IRS training when he got the news on Friday about emerging as the third topper.

“In IRS, one deals with taxation and that is also related to people, but an IAS officer can solve people’s problems directly. More than an achievement, it is a responsibility.”

Junaid Ahmed to PTI 

Ahmed’s father is a lawyer, his mother a homemaker and he has three other siblings.

As Ahmed gets ready for celebrations, he said that that he used to study for five-six hours every day to prepare for the exam. "I have classes tomorrow. So I will just be celebrating with my fellow officers,” he added.

(With inputs from PTI)