The Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) declared the results of the UPSC CSE 2022 on Tuesday, 23 May. Ishita Kishore from Greater Noida topped the exam followed by Garima Lohia from Bihar's Buxar.
A total of 933 candidates were selected for the UPSC this year, including 180 in the Indian Administrative Service (IAS), 38 in the Indian Foreign Service (IFS), and 200 in the Indian Police Service (IPS).
So who are the two women who aced one of the toughest exams in the world with flying colours?
Ishita Kishore
Kishore graduated from Sri Ram College of Commerce and worked in the risk advisory department of Ernst & Young for two years.
While preparing for the UPSC exam, she had said in one of her mock interviews that she is a national-level football player.
The 26-year-old cleared the exam on her third attempt. "I am very happy over getting the first rank. It's a dream come true for me," she told news agency PTI.
She also thanked her family, saying that she would not have been able to succeed if it wasn't for them.
"I have a lot of gratitude for my family who stood with me when I could not clear the civil services examination in the first two attempts. They encouraged me a lot," Kishore said.
Garima Lohia
Lohia completed her primary education from the Woodlocks School in Buxar. She then completed her 12th standard from the Sunbeam School in Bhagwanpur and went on to graduate from Delhi University's Kirori Mal College.
Addressing the media post the result, she said that she had not taken any coaching for the civil services exam, and instead relied on online tests during her preparation.
"I was keen on appearing for the UPSC exam since my childhood. I was sure that I would crack the UPSC examination, but I never imagined that I would secure the second rank," Lohia said, as per news agency PTI.
Reflecting on hailing from Buxar, she said, "It does not make much of a difference whether you prepare for the exam in a small town or a big city. But one thing I must say, there are several advantages of civil services preparations at home. I studied for nearly 8-10 hours a day."
(With inputs from PTI.)
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