The Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Development of North Eastern Region (DoNER), MoS PMO, Personnel, Public Grievances, Pensions, Atomic Energy and Space, Dr Jitendra Singh felicitated and personally handed over certificates of merit to the All-India toppers of IAS/Civil Services 2014 Exam including Ms. Ira Singhal who has scored All-India first rank, Ms. Nidhi Gupta, Ms. Vandana Rao and Ms. Charu Sree T, the four girl-candidates who have made it among the first six, here today. Among others from the merit list of the first 20 who received their merit certificates from the Minister were Mr. Lok Bandhu, Mr. Nitish.K, Mr. Arvind Singh, Mr. Nishant Jain, Mr. Abhijeet Kaplish, Ms. Ananya Das, Mr. Aditya Uppal and Mr. Aman Mittal. Speaking on the occasion, Dr. Jitendra Singh said that the practice of felicitating the toppers of the Civil Services Exam was introduced in the Department of Personnel & Training (DoPT) soon after the present government took over last year. But this year, the occasion assumes special significance because it has thrown up a galaxy of brilliant young brains, notably young girls, who have made it to the top by the sheer dint of their individual effort and hard work regardless of extraneous considerations or prejudices.
Referring to Ms. Ira Singhal, the young lady who scored All-India first rank despite being differently abled, Dr. Jitendra Singh said, it is wrong to describe that she made it after overcoming the challenge because her mental faculties, IQ level and academic brilliance are higher than most of us and the skeletal difference in her physique is something which has nothing to do with her caliber or intellect. It is just like someone having six fingers instead of five fingers on a hand and still making it to the top or somebody having a short stature or a tall height and still making a mark, he added.
Dr. Jitendra Singh said, this was the most happening and the best of times for any youngster to enter into civil services, particularly so because under the leadership of Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi, the government has placed before itself the goal of “maximum governance, minimum government” and in order to effectively achieve this goal, the new lot of bureaucrats will have tremendous opportunity and a larger role to play which will hold the promise of earning them credit not only from the ruling establishment but also from the society. The rising level of expectations and high accountability also offers an opportunity to prove ourselves worthy of the responsibility given to us, he said and assured that government is committed to help the young incoming bureaucrats to give their best. Union Secretary, DoPT, Shri Sanjay Kothari explained to young candidates the various procedures of empanelment and allocation of cadres. The Union Home Secretary, Shri L.C.Goyal offered certain cues from his long experience of nearly 35 years as an IAS officer. Senior officers form DoPT were present on the occasion.