Authors
Vasudha noticed the growing problem of mis/disinformation online after studying New Media at ACJ in Chennai and became interested in separating facts from fiction. She is interested in learning how global issues affect individuals on a micro level. Before joining Newschecker’s English team, she was working with Latestly.
Soon after the Union Public Service Commission declared the result of the Civil Services Examination on May 30, social media platforms were flooded with messages and posts congratulating the ‘girls who secured the top four ranks’. While the posts hailed women power and celebrated ‘women power’, Newschecker found that the claim is not entirely correct. Aishwarya Verma, the fourth rank holder, is actually a man.
Several ‘verified’ and other social media users claimed that the first four ranks in the Civil Services (Main) Examination, 2021 were secured by female candidates.
Archived version of such posts can be found here, here, here and here.
In addition, multiple news websites, including the Economic Times, Jagran Josh, News18– also identified Aishwarya Verma- who secured fourth rank in the civil service examination, 2021- as a female candidate.
The Union Public Service Commission conducts Civil Service examination for appointment to several prestigious government jobs including the Indian Administrative Service, Indian Foreign Service, Indian Police Service among others. This year the commission has recommended a total of 685 candidates for various posts.
Fact Check/Verification
A keyword search for ‘Aishwarya Verma UPSC’ on Google which led us to a report published in the Times of India, dated May 31, 2022, with the title ‘Ujjain’s Aishwarya Verma is UPSC topper among men.’ The report stated, Ujjain’s Aishwarya Verma secured AIR # 4 in UPSC-2021 Civil Services examination, the topper among men. It also featured an image of a man, identifying him to be Verma.
The report added, “Aishwarya Verma, who is currently with his banker father in Bareilly (UP), attributed his success to his parents and friends. “My parents have always supported me. My friends backed me and boosted my morale before every examination and interview,” he said. He did his schooling in Ujjain, Neemuch and Katni in Madhya Pradesh and got his BE degree from Pant Nagar University of Agriculture and Technology, Uttarakhand, in 2017.
Newschecker also came across a report by Aaj Tak, dated May 30, 2022, that quoted Verma narrating an anecdote over the wrong pronunciation of his name in Hindi, which roughly translates to, “People always teased me for my name. I always tried to explain this to everyone. I thought that after growing up, one day I would come on TV and tell people that my name Aishwarya (pronounced Aishwaray) is not Aishwarya (pronounced Aishwarya).”
We further conducted keyword search for ‘Aishwarya Verma upsc interview’ on YouTube and found a video uploaded on NTTV BHARAT with a caption which roughly translates to ‘UPSC 4th Rank: Aishwarya Verma narrates his success story.’ In the video, Aishwarya Verma -a man- can be seen and heard talking about his UPSC preparation.
Another video report by The Quint Hindi carried Verma’s interview. You can check it here.
Soon after the results of UPSC Main Exams 2021 were announced, several YouTube channels uploaded Verma’s IAS mock interview. Such videos can be seen here, here and here.
Conclusion
The viral claim that the first four ranks in girls secured top four ranks in UPSC Civil Service Exam Result 2021 is misleading. Though the first three positions were indeed captured by girls, Aishwarya Verma, a man, ranked fourth.
Result: Partially False/Misleading
Sources
Report By Times of India On May 31, 2022
Report By Aaj Tak On May 30, 2022
YouTube Video By NTTV BHARAT On May 31, 2022
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Authors
Vasudha noticed the growing problem of mis/disinformation online after studying New Media at ACJ in Chennai and became interested in separating facts from fiction. She is interested in learning how global issues affect individuals on a micro level. Before joining Newschecker’s English team, she was working with Latestly.
