Meet 21-Year-Old Aastha Singh, India's Youngest Female IAS Officer Who Cracked UPSC Civil Services In First Attempt; Her AIR Is...
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The UPSC exam is a national-level competitive examination conducted by the Union Public Service Commission to recruit candidates for various prestigious civil services in India. These include the Indian Administrative Service (IAS), Indian Police Service (IPS), Indian Foreign Service (IFS), Indian Revenue Service (IRS), and several other Group A and B central services. The exam is held in three stages: Preliminary, Mains, and Interview. https://zeenews.india.com/photos/education/meet-21-year-old-aastha-singh-india-s-youngest-female-ias-officer-who-cracked-upsc-civil-services-in-first-attempt-her-air-is-2911313 Updated:Jun 05, 2025, 10:35 AM IST Youngest IAS Officer
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Above all, Aastha Singh serves as a true inspiration for students preparing for competitive exams like the UPSC. At just 21 years old, she successfully cleared the UPSC Civil Services Examination—one of India's toughest tests. Her remarkable achievement places her among the youngest IAS officers in the country. AIR Rank
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Aastha secured an impressive All India Rank 61 in the UPSC exam. She hails from Panchkula in Punjab, where she was raised. Her father, Brijesh Singh, is employed as the Quality Head at a pharmaceutical company. The family's ancestral roots are in Kushaha Kanaura village, located in Uttar Pradesh's Jaunpur district. UPSC Attempt
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She is among five candidates from the tricity region to secure a spot in the top 300 ranks this year, with four of them being women. Aastha's rapid journey began in 2024 when she cleared the Haryana Public Service Commission exam on her first attempt, securing Rank 31. Higher studies
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Aastha has consistently excelled in academics since her school years. She completed her schooling in her hometown and chose to pursue Commerce. For higher studies, she moved to Delhi and enrolled at the renowned Shri Ram College of Commerce (SRCC), Delhi University, where she completed her graduation in Economics (Honours). Women empowerment
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Unlike many who prepare for years, Aastha said she always felt a natural interest in civil services. 'I didn't take any coaching and prepared on my own for my first attempt,' she shared. Aastha also said she wants to work on important issues like women's empowerment in the future. Aastha's dedication
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Aastha cleared the UPSC exam at a young age through her dedication, clear goals, and disciplined self-study. Her journey shows that with determination and consistent effort, it's possible to succeed even in one of the toughest competitive exams in the country. AETO
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Aastha, who is currently serving as an Additional Excise and Taxation Officer (AETO) with the Haryana government, cleared the exam on her first attempt—achieving this milestone without any coaching.
(All Images (Instagram): aasthaa.s30)
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(a) 1 only (b) 2 and 3 (c) 1 and 2 (d) 3 only Syllabus: Preliminary Examination: Current events of national and international importance Mains Examination: General Studies-II: Government policies and interventions; General Studies-III: Conservation, environmental pollution and degradation, environmental impact assessment What's the ongoing story: A king cobra brought to Bhopal's Van Vihar zoo from Karnataka's Mangalore zoo in exchange for a tiger died in its enclosure on June 18. Chief Minister Mohan Yadav is keen on 'reintroducing' king cobras in Madhya Pradesh as an antidote to spiralling snakebite deaths. He also wants snakes in the state counted in order to assess numbers of the venomous ones. Key Points to Ponder: • Know about the habitat and distinctive features of the King Cobra • What are the challenges in introducing a new species into a region? • What is the IUCN status of the King Cobra? • How is the introduction of the King Cobra going to address the issue of snake bites in Madhya Pradesh? • What are the potential challenges in conducting a snake census? • What are the initiatives taken by the government to prevent snake bites? • What is the role of snakes in the ecosystem? Key Takeaways: • He also wants snakes in the state counted in order to assess numbers of the venomous ones. 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It prefers humid, dark forests with thick undergrowth, cool swamps, and bamboo patches across diverse habitats — from highland evergreen and semi-evergreen forests to estuarine mangroves with high rainfall. • In India, the king cobra's range includes the Western Ghats, the North Indian terai belt, Northeast India, the mangrove coastlines of West Bengal and Odisha, Andaman and Nicobar, and parts of the Eastern Ghats. • Since 2014, king cobras have been reported in Korba, eastern Chhattisgarh — hundreds of kilometres from Srikakulam in Andhra Pradesh or Berhampur in Orissa, the established range of the species. • Until recently, king cobras were considered one species, Ophiophagus hannah. However, in 2021, a study led by wildlife biologist Gowri Shankar used genetic and morphometric (shape and size) data for 'a species delimitation analysis', which identified four geographically separate lineages. • The small endemic population of king cobras in the hills of Western Ghats — Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Goa, and adjacent areas of Maharashtra — was distinguished as a separate species (Ophiophagus kaalinga), different from the king cobras found in the rest of India, including the Korba population closest to MP. • On the one hand, therefore, a king cobra brought from Karnataka to MP would be of a hill-dwelling species unused to central India's dry, bare, and hot forests. • A study by an international team of researchers published in the European Journal of Taxonomy last year underlined that the king cobra species endemic to the Western Ghats is 'restricted to relatively small areas and highly threatened habitats', and 'understanding the systematics of the genus' is important for identifying captive stocks for conservation. Do You Know: • Know about other snake species: — Black mamba Known for its black mouth, Black Mambas are highly aggressive species of snake. Found in sub Saharan Africa, they are the most feared of all. Like most snakes, even Mambas do not seek out humans but if they are threatened, they will attack. According to the BBC, if you are bitten by a black mamba, symptoms such as slurred speech and muscle twitches will follow in 10 minutes and likely death in half an hour. — Russel's viper Russel Vipers' bite is the most painful of all. They are quite aggressive and one of the 'the Big Four' along with Indian Cobra, common krait and saw-scaled viper. As per the BBC, these snakes account for 43% of all snakebites in India. However, an anti venom has been developed against its venom saving many lives. Other Important Articles Covering the same topic: 📍6 of the world's most venomous snakes that could easily kill you Previous year UPSC Prelims Question Covering similar theme: (2) King Cobra is the only snake that makes its own nest. Why does it make its nest? (2010) (a) It is a snake-eater and the nest helps attract other snakes (b) It is a viviparous snake and needs a nest to give birth to its offspring (c) It is an oviparous snake and lays its eggs in the nest and guards the nest until they are hatched (d) It is a large, cold-blooded animal and needs a nest to hibernate in the cold season (3) For which one of the following snakes is the diet mainly composed of other snakes? (2008) (a) Krait (b) Russell's viper (c) Rattlesnake (d) King Cobra Syllabus: Preliminary Examination: Current events of national and international importance Mains Examination: General Studies-II: Important International institutions, agencies and fora- their structure, mandate What's the ongoing story: Amid the heightened military tensions between Iran and Israel, the Islamic Republic said earlier this week that its Parliament was preparing a Bill to potentially leave the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT). Key Points to Ponder: • What is the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT)? • Is India part of the NPT? • What is the purpose of the NPT? • What are the concerns regarding nuclear energy? • What are Israel's concerns about Iran's nuclear programme? • What is the role of the IAEA? Key Takeaways: • The Israeli attack on Iran began on June 13, after Tel Aviv claimed that Iran was close to enriching weapons-grade uranium, effectively allowing it to build a nuclear weapon and pose, as per Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, a 'threat to Israel's very survival'. Israel struck major nuclear facilities in Natanz and other Iranian cities. • Iran has denied the charges, saying it only plans to use nuclear power for peaceful purposes. It also vowed retaliation and launched ballistic missiles towards Israel. • NPT: Signed in 1968 and entered into force in 1970, the international treaty is aimed at preventing the spread of nuclear weapons and technology, and promoting cooperation in the peaceful uses of nuclear energy, as well as disarmament. • Soon after World War 2 (1939-45) which ended with the United States dropping atomic bombs on Japan, world powers raced to develop their own nuclear weapons. Simultaneously, efforts were also made to restrict the proliferation of nuclear technology. • In 1953, the US government launched the Atoms for Peace initiative under President Dwight D Eisenhower, laying the groundwork for the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA). • The treaty defines a nuclear state as one 'which has manufactured and exploded a nuclear weapon or other nuclear explosive device prior to 1 January 1967.' These are the US, the UK, France, the Soviet Union (later Russia) and China. • Today, 191 states have joined the treaty. India carried out its first nuclear tests in 1974 but has not signed it, and instead reiterated the principle of universality in preventing nuclear proliferation. Given the treaty's exceptions for the permanent five members of the UN Security Council, and the arbitrary date chosen as the cut-off point to accommodate the P5 members, it has been criticised as discriminatory. • Pakistan is also not a signatory. Israel, which is reported to possess nuclear weapons but has never confirmed it officially, has not signed it. North Korea signed it in 1985 but announced its withdrawal in 2003 after it was found to have built an enrichment program. It also expelled IAEA inspectors. • One of the treaty's 11 articles mentions the procedure for leaving it. Article 10 speaks of withdrawal: 'Each Party shall in exercising its national sovereignty have the right to withdraw from the Treaty if it decides that extraordinary events, related to the subject matter of this Treaty, have jeopardized the supreme interests of its country.' • A notice of withdrawal must be given to other parties and the UNSC three months in advance, and 'such notice shall include a statement of the extraordinary events it regards as having jeopardized its supreme interests.' • Iran has been a signatory since 1970 – nine years before the Islamic Revolution saw the formation of a theocratic state. However, in its first such decision in almost 20 years, the IAEA's 35-nation Board of Governors (which includes the P5, India, Bangladesh, Japan and Ukraine) recently said that Iran breached its non-proliferation obligations. • Exiting the treaty raises two major concerns: first, it will keep Iran out of the IAEA's purview and regular inspections, and second, it could set a precedent for other states to leave the global framework, weakening cooperation on a crucial subject. Do You Know: • Established in 1957, the IAEA was created in response to the deep fears and expectations generated by the increased use of nuclear technology. It was the result of U.S. President Eisenhower's 'Atoms for Peace' address to the General Assembly of the United Nations on 8 December 1953. • IAEA Safeguards are embedded in legally binding agreements. These safeguards are accepted by the states after the conclusion of such agreements with the agency. It plays a central role in preventing the proliferation of nuclear weapons through the independent verification of States' compliance with nuclear non-proliferation undertakings. • In 2014, India ratified the Additional Protocol (AP), which granted the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) greater access to India's civil nuclear programme. India has signed an item-specific safeguards agreement under the IAEA along with Pakistan and Israel. They are nuclear-power states that are not a member of the Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG). Other Important Articles Covering the same topic: 📍Knowledge Nugget | International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), the nuclear watchdog: A must-know for UPSC exam 📍What you must know about Uranium enrichment for UPSC exam UPSC Prelims Question Covering similar theme: (4) In the Indian context, what is the implication of ratifying the 'Additional Protocol' with the 'International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA)'? (UPSC CSE 2018) (a) The civilian nuclear reactors come under IAEA safeguards. (b) The military nuclear installations come under the inspection of IAEA. (c) The country will have the privilege to buy uranium from the Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG). (d) The country automatically becomes a member of the NSG. Syllabus: Preliminary Examination: Current events of national and international importance Mains Examination: General Studies-II: Government policies and interventions for development in various sectors and issues arising out of their design and implementation. What's the ongoing story: Earlier this month, the Union Ministry of Rural Development (MoRD) asked states to attach QR codes on all maintenance information display boards for roads built under the Prime Minister Gram Sadak Yojana (PMGSY). Key Points to Ponder: • What is the objective of PMGSY? • What is the difference between the Center Sector Scheme and the Centrally Sponsored Scheme? • How does the introduction of QR codes on all maintenance information ensure good governance? • What is the objective of the e-MARG system? • How are AI and ML being used by the government in various departments? Key Takeaways: • The first phase of the PMGSY was launched on December 25, 2000, by the then NDA government headed by Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee to improve rural infrastructure through road construction. • The second phase was launched in 2013. Another component, called the Road Connectivity Project for Left Wing Extremism Affected Areas (RCPLWEA), was launched in 2016 for the construction of rural roads in LWE-affected areas. The third phase was launched in 2019. • On September 11, 2024, the Central government approved phase IV to provide all-weather road connectivity to 25,000 unconnected habitations of population size 500+ in plains, 250+ in northeastern and hill states/UTs, special category areas and 100+ in LWE-affected areas, as per Census 2011. • Starting as a totally Centrally Sponsored Scheme, the funding pattern was modified from 2015-16 to 60:40 between the Centre and states (except for northeastern and Himalayan states). • The National Rural Infrastructure Development Agency (NRIDA), which comes under the MoRD and provides technical support for implementing the PMGSY, has written to all states about QR codes. The aim is to get public feedback about the quality and maintenance of roads. • Under the PMGSY, all roads after the completion of construction are maintained by the contractor for five years. This is done using a mobile-cum-web-based e-MARG (electronic Maintenance of Rural Roads) system. It is an e-governance solution for managing and monitoring rural road maintenance. • To enable easy sharing of feedback, a utility has been created in eMARG. A QR code can be generated for each road, to be displayed on the maintenance information display board on the road. The board can contain instructions for registering feedback in English and the local language. • The citizens' feedback photos will be integrated with the relevant Routine Inspection. Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning will be employed to analyse these photographs to advise on Performance Evaluation (PE) marks. All programs implementing units, while giving PE marks, shall be responsible for checking these photos. Other Important Articles Covering the same topic: 📍Express Investigation: Tweak in Jal Jeevan tender rule removed cap on expense, led to Rs 16,000-crore extra cost Syllabus: Preliminary Examination: Current events of national and international importance Mains Examination: General Studies-II: Effect of policies and politics of developed and developing countries on India's interests, Indian diaspora. What's the ongoing story: As the Israel-Iran war rages amid indications that the US could join the strikes against Iranian nuclear facilities, Delhi has managed to persuade Tehran to open Iranian airspace for the evacuation of around 1,000 Indians via the north-eastern town of Mashhad. Key Points to Ponder: • What is the current situation in the Israel-Iran war? • Know about India's evacuation plan from conflict-hit regions • What is the Operation Sindhu? • What is the impact of the Israel-Iran war on India? • Why has Israel attacked Iran? • Map work: Sites where Israel attacked in Iran, Mashhad • Understand India's relationship with countries in West Asia • How is India's relationship with Israel and Iran? Key Takeaways: • Sources said Delhi, after days of negotiations, has moved its nationals to Mashhad and secured overflight permissions from Iran and Turkmenistan to fly Indians out of harm's way. • Mashhad is close to Iran's border with Turkmenistan, and India has found an air corridor for a safe flight out. • On Wednesday, India said it had launched Operation Sindhu to evacuate Indian nationals from Iran. A total of 110 Indian students were evacuated from northern Iran to Armenia on June 19. It has now started working on an evacuation plan from Israel as well. • India has faced a diplomatic challenge post Operation Sindoor. Armenia and Turkmenistan are some of Iran's neighbouring countries that Delhi is in touch with. India doesn't have very good ties with some of the other countries bordering Iran – Turkey, Azerbaijan and Pakistan. Both Ankara and Baku were seen taking sides with Islamabad. • Besides Armenia, Turkmenistan and Iraq are the other neighbouring countries of Iran with whom India has good ties; it doesn't have formal diplomatic ties with Afghanistan. It also has the Persian Gulf route, from where it can evacuate Indians through ships or via Saudi Arabia and Kuwait. Do You Know: Understanding Pakistan's balancing act on Iran • Islamabad has extended strong rhetorical support to Tehran amid the ongoing Iran-Israel conflict, calling Israel's actions a 'violation of all rules of civilised behaviour…and international humanitarian law'. Yet it has stopped short of making any tangible military commitments to Iran. • This delicate, deliberate balancing act is a product of Pakistan's complicated relationship with Iran as well as larger geopolitical considerations, especially regarding its relationship with the US and anxieties about India. • Iran was the first country to recognise Pakistan in 1947, and the Shah's regime extended military and diplomatic assistance to Pakistan during the 1965 and 1971 wars. But beyond the oft-emphasised veneer of Islamic brotherhood lie a number of friction points, which have surfaced frequently in the years after the Iranian Revolution of 1979. • The 900-km Iran-Pakistan border runs through the Baloch heartland, with the Pak province of Balochistan on one side and the Iranian province of Sistan-Baluchistan on the other. Each side accuses the other of providing safe haven to separatist groups. • Pakistan's relationship with Saudi Arabia, which funds and sustains several networks of Sunni madrasas in the country, has often come at the expense of its potential ties with Iran. • Iran's post-Revolution rupture with the US and Pakistan's continuing reliance on American support has further complicated the Islamabad-Tehran relationship. This is at the heart of Islamabad's current balancing act. • Iran has been a key element in India's strategy to circumvent Pakistan in regional connectivity projects. India's investment and operation of the deep-sea port in Chabahar, and the International North South Trade Corridor through Iran, potentially threaten to undermine the importance of Pakistan's own deep sea port at Gwadar (merely 70 km away on the same coast). • Pakistan's view of Israeli action against Iranian nuclear sites might also be coloured by its own experience during Op Sindoor, and the possibility of India hitting Pakistan's nuclear storage sites during a future conflict. For Pakistan, Israel's actions being potentially normalised by the international community might set a precedent for India to act similarly in the future. Other Important Articles Covering the same topic: 📍Expert Explains: Understanding Pakistan's balancing act on Iran 📍Expert Explains | War in Middle East: what next Previous year UPSC Prelims Question Covering similar theme: (5) The term 'two-state solution' is sometimes mentioned in the news in the context of the affairs of (2018) (a) China (b) Israel (c) Iraq (d) Yemen Previous year UPSC Prelims Question Covering similar theme: 'India's relations with Israel have, of late, acquired a depth and diversity, which cannot be rolled back.' Discuss. (2018) Syllabus: Preliminary Examination: Current events of national and international importance Mains Examination: General Studies-III: Infrastructure: Energy, Ports, Roads, Airports, Railways etc. What's the ongoing story: India's planned electric four-wheeler manufacturing capacity is set to rise over tenfold to 2.5 million (1 million = 10 lakh) units by 2030 — up from just 0.2 million today — making it the fourth-largest globally after China, Europe, and the US, according to new research by Rhodium Group. Key Points to Ponder: • What are the steps taken by the government to promote electric vehicle production in India? • What are the various types of EVs? • What are the benefits of EVs? Why did the government want to adopt EVs? • What are the challenges of EV adoption in India? • What are the challenges in battery technology for EVs? • Hybrids vs EVs— what is it? • Know about the technology behind EVs Key Takeaways: • The New York-headquartered think tank estimates that India's electric car manufacturing capacity will outstrip domestic demand by 1.1–2.1 million units over the next five years. However, tapping export markets will require 'driving down costs' to compete with China, it said. • By 2030, Rhodium projects India's electric car demand to reach between 0.4–1.4 million units, up from 0.1 million in 2024. With total car sales expected to hit 6 million, as per industry estimates, this implies an electric vehicle (EV) penetration rate of 7–23 per cent in four-wheelers. • India's anticipated production capacity of 2.5 million will be far behind China's 29 million, EU's 9 million, and 6 million in the US. • Comparing electric car sales growth, the report noted that EV penetration in India reached just 2 per cent in 2024, while in Vietnam it jumped from 3 per cent in 2022 to 17 per cent in 2024 — driven largely by domestic automaker VinFast. • On the battery front, the report observed India 'has rapidly become a standout player', and shows 'meaningful activity in both cells and modules'. 'India is set to become the largest module producer outside China, the US, and Europe, with significant capacity already under construction and announced,' it said. Do You Know: • An EV is defined as a vehicle that can be powered by an electric motor that draws electricity from a battery and is capable of being charged from an external source. An EV includes both a vehicle that can only be powered by an electric motor that draws electricity from a battery (EV) and a vehicle that can be powered by an electric motor that draws electricity from a battery and by an internal combustion engine (plug-in hybrid electric vehicle). • Presently, road transport contributes 12% of CO2 emissions related to energy in India and plays a significant role in urban air pollution, as reported by the IEA. • In response to these environmental challenges, Indian automotive manufacturers are making significant investments in electrification, along with the Government of India's subsidy schemes to boost electric vehicle (EV) adoption. • As the Indian government, both at the central and state levels has implemented various schemes to promote electric vehicle (EV) adoption: PM Electric Drive Revolution in Innovative Vehicle Enhancement (PM E-Drive), e-AMRIT, and States providing EV Subsidy. Other Important Articles Covering the same topic: 📍Electric Vehicles (EV) Schemes across India 2024: All you need to know 📍Hybrids vs EVs: Honda's pivot to hybrids is now part of a growing trend Previous year UPSC Prelims Question Covering similar theme: (6) In the context of electric vehicle batteries, consider the following elements: (2025) I. Cobalt II. Graphite III. Lithium IV. Nickel How many of the above usually make up battery cathodes? (a) Only one (b) Only two (c) Only three (d) All the four (7) Consider the following types of vehicles: (2025) 1. Full battery electric vehicles 2. Hydrogen fuel cell vehicles III. Fuel cell electric hybrid vehicles How many of the above are considered as alternative powertrain vehicles? (a) Only one (b) Only two (c) All the three (d) None (Please note: The official answer key of Prelims 2025 has not been provided by UPSC yet.) Previous year UPSC Mains Question Covering similar theme: How is efficient and affordable urban mass transport key to the rapid economic development in India? (2019) ALSO IN NEWS Subscribe to our UPSC newsletter. Stay updated with the latest UPSC articles by joining our Telegram channel – IndianExpress UPSC Hub, and follow us on Instagram and X. 🚨 Click Here to read the UPSC Essentials magazine for June 2025. Share your views and suggestions in the comment box or at Khushboo Kumari is a Deputy Copy Editor with The Indian Express. She has done her graduation and post-graduation in History from the University of Delhi. At The Indian Express, she writes for the UPSC section. She holds experience in UPSC-related content development. You can contact her via email: ... Read More
