UPSC 2020: Keralites land 11 spots in the top 100; fourth time's the charm for highest ranker from the state

Kerala basked in civil services glory again when the results for the 2020 UPSC examinations were announced. As many as 11 candidates from the state figure in the top 100. K Meera, a native of Kolazhy in Thrissur, bagged the sixth rank and became the Kerala topper, while Mithun Premraj of Vadakara, Kozhikode, secured the 12th rank. Eight of the top 11 candidates from the state are women while 10 more women were ranked between 100 and 300.

The other candidates who made it to the top 100 are Karishma Nair (14), P Sreeja (20), Aparna Ramesh (35), Aswathy Jiji (41), Nisha (51), Veena S Suthan (57), Aparna MB (62), Dheenan Dastageer (63) and Prasanna Kumar (100).

Meera cleared the exam in her fourth attempt. “I’m delighted with this achievement. Deep learning in the subject and good coaching from my tutors have helped me clear the examination with a high rank. Whatever duties are vested in me, I’ll carry them out with utmost dedication,” she said.

In 2018, she had fallen at the interview hurdle by just 12 marks, she said. “I didn’t quit, and kept striving to clear the exam,” said Meera. A BTech graduate in mechanical engineering, she chose sociology as the optional subject for the civil services exam. Meera’s father is a businessman and mother a teacher. Her younger sister is working in a private firm. 

CM lauds rankholders who made Kerala proud

Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan rang up Meera to congratulate her while Revenue Minister K Rajan greeted her at her residence. “Congratulations to all winners who have made Kerala proud. Let all of them perform sincerely for the betterment of the country,” Pinarayi said in a message. M B Aparna, who got the 62nd rank, is a native of Kaniyapuram in Thiruvananthapuram.

She was a data scientist at a private firm in Bengaluru. She quit the job chasing her dream of becoming an IAS officer. An economics graduate from the Delhi School of Economics, she made it to the list on her third attempt. “It is a cloud-nine moment for me. I am happy that I made it to the top 100,” she said.

Several other Keralites have ensured slots that guarantee positions in various government services by securing ranks within the top 300. Arya R Nair (113), K M Priyanka (121), Malini S (135), P Devi (143), Ananth Chandrasekhar (145), A B Shilpa (147), Minnu P M (150), Anchu Wilson (156), Sreethu S S (163), Prasad Krishnan K (209), Thasni Shanavas (250) Reshma A L (256), Arjun K (257), C B Rex (293) and Alex Abraham P J (299) are some of them.