New Delhi: A police officer from Andhra Pradesh has topped this years civil services examinations and a Delhi youth has come second. A total of 734 candidates have made it to the elite Civil Services, it was announced on Friday.

Adapa Karthik, who is currently an Indian Police Service (IPS) officer undergoing probation, has topped the examination known as the most difficult yet prestigious test of the country.

Karthik, a doctor by training, had passed the exam last year but had got only the IPS cadre.

Supreet Singh Gulati, the second ranker, is an Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Madras pass out. A resident of Delhi, Gulati was happy after making it to the top list.

"I am very happy. The result of my success is yet to sink in," Gulati told IANS.

"The civil service gives you immense opportunity to bring in social upliftment and I will try to do that," he added.

Sri Ram, who had taught Gulati at his Sriram's IAS coaching centre, said: "He is one candidate who looked so intense and so calm. He is a very good listener."

There were 22 physically handicapped persons who made it to the prestigious civil services this year, including for Indian Administrative Service (IAS) and the Indian Foreign Service (IFS).

Based on the results of the main test conducted in October-November, 2007, and the interviews earlier this year, 734 candidates were recommended for appointment into the IAS, IFS, Indian Police Service (IPS) and other civil service posts.

Of the total number of candidates who have qualified, 286 are from general category (including 12 physically challenged candidates), 266 other backward classes (including 5 physically challenged candidates), 128 Scheduled Castes (including 5 physically challenged candidates) and 54 Scheduled Tribes candidates, the UPSC announced Friday.

However, UPSC said that appointment to the various services would be made according to the number of vacancies.

The number of vacancies reported by the central government for the IAS is 111. For the Indian Foreign Service there are only 20 vacancies, for IPS there are 103, for the Central Services Group 'A' the number of vacancies are 458 and for Central Services Group 'B' there are only 42 vacancies.

In a major decision, the UPSC decided to make available the marks obtained by candidates 15 days after the declaration of results. IANS