Specially-Abled Teacher's Extra-Ordinary Achievement In UPSC Civil Services

Ajay R Raj, a visually impaired college teacher from Kerala, has secured the 730th rank in the 2024 UPSC Civil Services Examination, in a powerful story of resilience and academic excellence. A faculty member in the English Department at Christ College in Thrissur’s Irinjalakuda, Ajay’s achievement has been widely celebrated, with Kerala’s Higher Education Minister R. Bindu lauding his success.

“Battling visual impairment, Mr. Ajay R. Raj has achieved the 730th rank in this year’s UPSC Civil Services Examination. Ajay has made excellent contributions to teaching and we wish him all the best in his civil service career,” the Minister who is also the Irinjalakula MLA said in a public statement.

Hailing from Kozhikode, Ajay was a Plus Two (Class 12) rank-holder and completed both his undergraduate and postgraduate studies at the prestigious St. Stephen’s College, Delhi. He joined Christ College in 2023 as a lecturer and is now poised to enter public service, continuing a journey marked by academic excellence and quiet perseverance.

The Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) declared the results of the Civil Services Examination earlier this week, selecting 1,009 candidates for roles across the IAS, IPS, IFS, and other Central Services. Over 5.83 lakh candidates appeared for the exam, of which only 2,845 cleared the interview stage.

Among the highlights this year was the strong presence of women among the top rankers, with three women—Shakti Dubey (AIR 1), Harshita Goyal (AIR 2), and Shah Margi Chirag (AIR 4)—dominating the top five. In total, 28% of those selected were women, and candidates came from diverse academic and socio-economic backgrounds.

Ajay’s success stands out not just as a personal triumph over adversity, but also as a symbol of inclusion in one of India’s most competitive exams.