New Delhi (The Hawk): Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Science and Technology, MoS PMO, Department of Atomic Energy and Department of Space and MoS Personnel, Public Grievances and Pensions, Dr Jitendra Singh today interacted with and felicitated the first 20 All India Toppers of IAS/ Civil Services Exam 2022, who called on him at the Department of Personnel & Training (DoPT) headquarters at North Block here. The result of the exam was declared on 23rd May 2023.
Among the first 20 IAS/Civil Services toppers invited, Dr Jitendra Singh said, first four toppers and 60 percent out of top 20 happen to be women and this is a great reflection of demographic change happening in the last 9 nine years of Prime Minister Narendra Modi Government, where India is moving from women participation to women leadership. He recalled that last year also the top three toppers were women and hoped that hattrick will be made in 2023 Civil Services Examination.
Dr Jitendra Singh also underlined that this year out of top 20, there are only 8 engineers and one medico and rest are from humanities and he welcomed this change describing it democratisation of services through optimum use of technology.
The Minister also took note of the demographic change happening over the last few years and said that they represent a pan-India coverage as these candidates hail from the States/UTs of Bihar, Uttar Pradesh, Punjab, Delhi, Haryana, Maharashtra, Kerala, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan and Telangana. He said, this gender and demographic change augurs well for a diverse country like India. The Minister also underlined that even candidates having done schooling from Kendriya Vidyalaya, Navodaya School and Government schools are cracking the exam, while earlier it was mostly confined to elite schools.
In his welcome address to the top-20 rankers and their family members, Dr Jitendra Singh described the 2022 batch of Civil Servants as the “Batch of Change Leaders”, as they will be in key positions of Governance, when India will celebrate 100 years of Independence after 25 years as one of the frontline countries of the world.
Dr Jitendra Singh also informed the officers that there is a huge and positive change in curricula in LBSNAA in tune with modern times, and apart from Mission Karmayogi and Mission Prarambh, young probationers will have a 3-month stint of mentorship at the Central government before getting the respective State or Union Territory to join the allocated cadre.
Ms. Ishita Kishore (Roll No. 5809986) has topped the Civil Services Examination, 2022. She belongs to Uttar Pradesh. She qualified the examination with Political Science and International Relations as her optional subject. Ms. Ishita Kishore has graduated with B.A.(Hons.) degree from University of Delhi.
Ms. Garima Lohia (Roll No. 1506175) has secured 2nd Rank in the Civil Services Examination, 2022. She belongs to Bihar. She qualified the examination with Commerce & Accountancy as her optional subject. Ms. Garima Lohia has graduated with B.COM degree from University of Delhi.
Ms. Uma Harathi N (Roll No. 1019872) has secured 3rd Rank the Civil Services Examination, 2022. She belongs to Telangana. She qualified the examination with Anthropology as her optional subject. Ms. Uma Harathi N has graduated with B. TECH. degree from Indian Institute of Technology, Hyderabad.
The top 20 candidates comprise of 12 female and 8 male candidates.
Optional subjects of the top 20 candidates in the examination range from Political Science and International Relations, Commerce and Accountancy, Anthropology, Zoology, Electrical Engineering, Sociology, Economics, Law, Mathematics, Philosophy, History.
The recommended candidates also include 41 Physically Disabled persons 14 (Locomotive Disability and Cerebral Palsy, LDCP), 07 Visually Impaired (VI), 12 Hearing Impaired (HI) and 08 Multiple Disabled (MD)) out of total 933.
The Civil Services (Preliminary) Examination, 2022 was conducted on 05.06.2022. 11,12,318 candidates applied for this examination, out of which 5,13,192 candidates actually appeared.13,090 candidates qualified for appearing in the Written (Main) Examination held from 16.09.2022 to 25.09.2022. Out of them, 2529 candidates qualified for the Interview/ Personality Test.
On the occasion, Dr Jitendra Singh also released the IAS Civil list 2023. The publication of e-book IAS Civil list 2023 has enabled the Department of Personnel & Training to do away with the traditional way of printing of voluminous IAS Civil list. The e-book IAS Civil list is an effort by the Department to contribute towards the Digital India initiative of the Government of India. This move will also lead to economic utilisation of resources by reducing expenditure towards publishing of the civil list. This e-book IAS Civil List2023, contains photographs as well the following information of the IAS officers of all the State Cadres.
Every year DOP&T issues a Civil List of IAS officers working throughout the country at various levels. Availability of the Civil List for all the concerned stakeholders as well as the general public is a vital source of information on the IAS officers manning various posts. This is the 68th edition of Civil List and third edition of e-book in pdf, being launched in 2023, with unique search facilities and hyperlinking of contents for ease of access of information at a click of button.
Secretary, DoPT Ms. S. Radha Chauhan, Secretary, DAR&PG Shri V. Srinivas and Senior Officers of DoPT were present during the function. Department of Science & Technology (DST) sponsored Technology Enabling Centre (TEC) of Panjab University, Chandigarh organized interactive session with representatives of Coal India Limited (CIL) in Panjab University, Chandigarh on 30th May, 2023 so as to understand exact issues on which R&D is desired by CIL. Scientists from IIT Ropar, Panjab University, PEC Chandigarh, INST Mohali, Chitkara University etc participated in this session.Industry persons from Meta Tattva system limited, Gilard electronics Pvt Ltd, Cheema boilers, Sagar Machine Tools Ltd etc also participated in this event and discussed thrust areas suggested by executives from Central Mine Planning & Design Institute Limited (CMPDIL). Er. R N Jha, Director (T/RD&T), CMPDILarticulaated thrust areas identified by CIL on which Industry and academic Institutes should work. He emphasized that India is the second largest coal producer in the world and still we are capable of mining only 5% underground coal. Therefore, academic professors and Industrialists should come forward to develop technologies under the Make in India theme to overcome challenges being faced by CIL. He further highlighted dependency of India on coal as around 75% electricity in India is generated from coal. Therefore, Er R N Jha opined that there is dire need that scientific minds of our Nation should develop technologies that can be of use to Coal India Limited. ErMilan Sen, Chief Manager (Mining), S&TDeptt at Central Mine Planning & Design Institute Limited in his address explainedthrust areas related to mining of coale.gtechnologyfor increase in production from underground mining as well as open cast Mining, Improvement of safety/health/environment,Waste to Wealth, Alternative use of coal and clean coal technologies, Coal beneficiation and utilization etc. He said that proposals may be formulated in line with the S&T Guidelines of Ministry of Coal,which are readily available in the website: https://www.cmpdi.co.in. He further added that the Ministry of coal, through CMPDIL, has invited start-ups/talented minds for a hackathon on R&D in coal mining sectors.
Prof. Manu Sharma, Director of CIIPP and coordinator of DST-TEC conducted a very enthralling interactive session amongst various Industrial delegates and Academic professors. Dr.Debabrata Das, Assistant Professor, Panjab University discussed his research contributions on a pioneering research project conducted in domain of Rare Earth Elements (REEs) and other critical elements in the North Eastern Coal Fields. He stated that Preliminary outcomes from his investigation indicate the existence of substantial reserves, with estimations projecting a potential yield surpassing 20,000 tons of rare earth, 12,000 tons of lithium, and 10,000 tons of rubidium. Dr JD Sharma, Head Metallurgy, PEC Chandigarh updated that the department is working in collaboration with Virginia Tech University US to use coal for development of Graphene. Department will be interested to participate in any pilot project based on Coal Blending or coal treatment for better efficiency of its combustion. He acknowledged all the support and efforts of TEC, PU to strengthen relation with Coal India limited. Mr J P Kundra from Cheema boilers shared R&D initiatives taken by Cheema boilers for production of Hydrogen by doing steam reforming of Methane. It was heartening to know that Cheema boilers is trying to produce valuable Carbon Nanotubes from Carbon Dioxide present in exhaust of boilers.