Shillong girls clear UPSC exam

Shillong, May 4: Two Shillongites have cleared the civil services (main) examination, 2012 conducted by the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC), the results of which were declared yesterday. Isawanda Laloo and Daribha Lyndem featured in the list of successful candidates to fill up vacancies in the Indian Administrative Service (IAS), Indian Foreign Service (IFS), Indian Police Service (IPS), and Central Services — Groups A and B. While Laloo secured the 351st rank, Lyndem was ranked 882. Altogether 998 candidates were recommended by the UPSC for appointment to the above services against 1,091 vacancies (550 general, 295 other backward classes, 169 Scheduled Castes, and 77 Scheduled Tribes). The number of vacancies for the IAS is 180, IFS is 30, IPS is 150 while there are 630 vacancies for the Central Services Group A and 101 vacancies for the Central Services Group B. A graduate in English from Delhi’s St Stephen’s College who topped her batch in 2007, Laloo had also cleared the 2011 examination where she was ranked 850th in the merit list. Laloo, a resident of Ryngi Jynriew, Nongthymmai here, and who is working as an assistant professor in the English department at the North Eastern Hill University (Nehu), expressed happiness that she was able to substantially improve her ranking. “By God’s grace, my plan worked. The examination was tough, but somehow I managed. I am very happy, and I hope that I do get into the IAS,” Laloo told this correspondent. Her focus, notwithstanding her daily commitment to the students at Nehu, helped to improve her ranking, she added. When asked to choose between being a teacher or an administrator, Laloo said, “Both my parents are teachers, and I have loved my time teaching as well, but I had always thought trying out for the civil services and getting into administration.” Lyndem, who holds a masters degree in English Literature from Delhi University, said patience and perseverance are the key to clear the civil services examination. “It was my first attempt, the examination was difficult, competition was high, but by God’s grace I feel I was lucky enough,” Lyndem, a resident of Rynjah locality here, said over phone from New Delhi. She also said she would accept whatever post will be offered to her following her success in the examination, but she would also try to appear in the examination again to improve her ranking.