Besides them, Delhi-based Jasmeet Singh Sandhu, an Indian Revenue Service officer, has secured third position.
Topping the list in her first attempt, a beaming 22-year-old Tina, who graduated from Lady Shri Ram College here, said, "It is indeed a proud moment for me".
23-year-old Athar, who hails from Anantnag in South Kashmir, got through the test in his second attempt. In his first attempt in 2014, he had got Indian Railway Traffic Service (IRTS) and is presently undergoing training in Indian Railways Institute of Transport Management, Lucknow.
It is a dream come true," an elated Athar said, adding,
"I will not leave any stone unturned to work for the betterment of people".
"I have opted for Jammu and Kashmir cadre also. I will be happy in case I get chance to work there. I think there is a lot of scope to fulfil aspirations of people of my state," he told PTI.
Jasmeet, whose father works in Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) here, thanked his parents and teachers for his success.
"It is all because of my family, friends and Mukul Pathak sir (who runs a coaching class) that I could secure third rank in the exam," he said.
Jasmeet was also selected in 2014 civil services exam and had got Indian Revenue Service (Customs and Central Excise).
He is undergoing training at National Academy of Customs, Excise and Narcotics in Faridabad. This was his fourth attempt.
A total of 1,078 candidates, including 499 in General category, 314 belonging to Other Backward Class, 176 from Scheduled Caste and 89 from Scheduled Tribe, have been recommended for appointment to various central government services, the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) said.
There are 172 other candidates in the waiting list.
The civil services examination is conducted by the UPSC annually in three stages-- preliminary,mains and interview-- to select candidates for the elite Indian Administrative Service (IAS), Indian Foreign Service (IFS) and Indian Police Service (IPS), among others.