UPSC 2nd Rank Holder Ankita Agarwal Wants to Work for Women Empowerment after Joining IAS

By: WE Staff | Tuesday, 31 May 2022

Ankita Agarwal, who ranks second in the civil services examination 2021, stated that after entering the Indian Administrative Service, she wants to work for women's empowerment and primary healthcare.

Ms Agarwal, a 2020 batch Indian Revenue Service (Customs and Central Excise) officer, is now on probation at Haryana's National Academy of Customs, Indirect Taxes and Narcotics (NACIN).

She said, "I am very happy to have got the second rank. I have opted for the IAS and would like to work for women empowerment, primary healthcare and school education sectors after joining the service.”

Ms. Agarwal, a Kolkata native, said she passed the exam on her third attempt. Her first effort at the IRS resulted in her being selected.

"It is a matter of great pride for me and for the entire country that women have got the top top three three positions in the examination," Ankita Agarwal said of women securing the top three positions in the civil services examination 2021, the results of which were announced by the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) earlier in the day. Shruti Sharma took first place in the exam, while Gamini Singla came in third.

Ms. Agarwal, when asked about her preparation and success mantra, replied, "I used to give as many hours as possible for the exam preparation. Instead of putting in a definite number of hours, I tried to maintain a sustainable study schedule."  Ankita Agarwal, a graduate of Delhi University's St. Stephen's College with a bachelor's degree in economics, had chosen political science and international relations as her elective subject.

The UPSC claimed that a total of 685 candidates — 508 males and 177 women — passed the exam and that the Commission had recommended them for admission to various government services.

There are 15 men and 10 women among the top 25 candidates.

The UPSC conducts the civil services test every year in three stages: preliminary, main, and interview, to choose officers for the Indian Administrative Service, Indian Foreign Service, and Indian Police Service, among others.