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Three cheers for Bengal in civic services

TNN | Jul 5, 2015, 03.04 AM IST

KOLKATA: After many years, Bengal finally has reason to rejoice in the UPSC results. Three aspirants from the state have
bagged ranks in the top 200.

The best performer — Kantesh Kumar Mishra — has got an impressive 103rd rank. He is followed by Arunagshu Giri at 132 and
Sweta Agarwal at 141. A few others have qualified but they are preparing to appear again next year. Dhiman Barai has secured
768th rank but won't join because he is unlikely to get IAS. Three others from Bengal are on the merit list — Santosh Kumar
(850), and Pulkesh Singh (1050) and Kishore Kumarf Datta (1215). The last big success for Bengal was in 2013 when a girl from
Kolkata secured the 84th rank.

Mishra, a former TCS employee, has B Tech in computer science from Bengal Institute of Technology, Santiniketan. "I was bitten
by the IAS bug in Bihar where there is a huge craze for government jobs. Moreover, there is instability in private sector jobs at
the moment. As a techie, I was not feeling motivated enough. I always wanted to serve my country and the civil service gives
you the power and authority to make social changes," said Mishra.

What is his mantra for success? "There is a lot of uncertainty in the UPSC examination. There are a huge number of aspirants
and the exam is in three stages. You need a lot of patience. Peer pressure increases and lot of other factors come into play. I
kept my motivation alive," he said. This was his second attempt. "I could not clear the interview last time. With my 103 rank this
year, my parents are very happy," laughed Mishra.

Although his rank can get him into the IFS he wants to serve in Bihar. "I am basically from Bhojpur. Bureaucracy is very strong in
Bihar. They help solve people's problems and generate a lot of respect. My preference is Bihar because I am aware of the local
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conditions of the state. My next option is Bengal," he said.

Arunagshu Giri also prefers IAS. An engineer from Bangalore Institute of Technology, he is an IIM-Bangalore alumnus and
worked with a telecom major before following his heart. "I resigned in 2013 and concentrated on the civil services. This was my
third attempt and I was confident. I am eager to serve my country. The diversity in a civil service is much larger and it is a big
domain. The responsibility is much bigger," he said. He would like to serve in Bengal. "Though my hometown is Contai (East
Midnapore), I was born and brought up in Karnataka," Giri said.

Gutsy Sweta Agarwal qualifies for IAS but prefers the khaki. "I was very sure from my school days that I would be an IPS or IAS
officer. Any of my schoolteachers will tell you that. There is an IPS officer in my family and he has always been a source of
inspiration. I am hopeful of getting West Bengal cadre. There are a lot of dynamic lady police officers in Bengal and I am raring
to go," Sweta said. The Chandannagar girl is a St Xavier's alumnus. She quit a well-paying job with an MNC to focus on civil
services.

"There is no one formula to crack UPSC. There is no shortcut, but you have to be very sure of yourself," Sweta said. "In my
second attempt, I got through customs and central excise and I am now an IRS probationer," she added.

Dum Dum resident Dhiman will try his luck once more. "I am already an IRS officer. My rank will get me into IPS but I am aiming
for IAS," he said. Like Giri, he is an IIM-B alumnus. His elective was Bengali literature and is a B Tech from Jadavpur University.

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