The highest mark for interview in the Civil Service examination, the results of which were announced recently, was scored by a candidate belonging to Kerala. She is Arya R Nair, who secured 206 marks out of 275. Her All-India Rank which was decided based on the interview mark and that of the written examination is 301.

While the interview of other candidates lasted 40-50 minutes, Arya spent only 20 minutes for the purpose. Initially, Arya feared that the short time meant that she would not qualify, but she was very confident about the answers she gave. The questions included the measures she would adopt as the District Magistrate in the time of floods and to prevent the fall in prices of rubber.

However, during the written exam, Arya was in agony. Two days before the start of the exam, she slipped and fell, suffering a fracture on the leg and a sprain on the shoulder. Arya had even considered not attempting the exam. She finally went to the exam hall and arrangements were made there after the bandage was checked. The gruelling exam was held over four days in morning and evening shifts. Arya wrote the exam by spraying a pain killer every 30 minutes.

Arya is the daughter of retired joint labour commissioner G Radhakrishnan Nair of Aravindam, Kooroppada in Kottayam and retired teacher Sujatha. She prepared for the Civil Service examination while working with the Intelligence Bureau in Madhya Pradesh.