Features: Magazine | Literary Review | Life | Metro Plus | Open Page | Education Plus | Book Review | Business | SciTech | Friday Review | Young World | Property Plus | Quest | Folio |

Rural wave sweeps group-I exam

R. RAVIKANTH REDDY

First and second rankers as well as the top two rankers among women did not let their rural origins discourage them from pursuing their dreams

VENUGOPAL REDDY

Intelligence is not the forte of the city-born nor success the gift of convent educated as is generally made out to be. Shattering such myths yet again candidates from rural areas of backward districts bagged the top ranks in group-I examination.

First and second rankers Venugopal Reddy and Vinay Krishna Reddy and the top two rankers among women candidates K. Madhavi Latha and M. Gawthami all hail from villages or small towns. The secret of success they say is confidence coupled with commitment.

Sure of good score

Venugopal Reddy, the topper with 732 marks comes from a tiny village Jafersaheb Palle in Badvel Mandal of Kadapa district. His agricultural background has not deterred him from aiming high. "I never thought of topping the test but was sure of a good score," says Reddy, who is already employed as an ACTO in Kurnool. He tried his luck in the civil services too but without any success.

K. MADHAVI LATHA

Topper among women K. Madhavi Latha hailing from Kadapa district holds a doctorate in agricultural sciences and is presently a scientist in ICRISAT. A gold medallist at the undergraduate and postgraduate level in S.V. Agricultural College, Tirupati, Ms. Latha is the first in her family to reach this stage. She acknowledges the support of her husband in her success. "In fact, he motivated me to attempt group-I stating I had the talent to crack it," she says proudly.

First generation learner

Second ranker in the State Vinay Krishna Reddy is a first generation learner. Success to this chemical engineer from Osmania University is sweeter because both his parents are illiterate and don't have an idea of what their son achieved. "My rural background or Telugu medium education in Government schools has in no way hampered my success," says Vinay.

VINAY KRISHNA REDDY

Gawtami, a housewife is the second ranker among women candidates. With an MBA in marketing from Sri Padmavathi Women's College in Tirupati she always wanted to enter civil services thanks to her father's support. Though she could was not successful in the UPSC her performance in group-I has ensured the top post in the State services.

M GOWTHAMI

Scoring subjects

Planning well in advance particularly choosing scoring subjects as optionals contributed to their success. The top two rankers in the State chose Telugu literature, another scoring subject along with mathematics. Gawtami made it with public administration and sociology. Madhavi Latha cracked the test with geography and agricultural sciences. How important was coaching in their success? They are unanimous in saying that guidance from experts put their preparations on the right track. "Experts pick up the shortcomings in preparation or personality and plug those gaps," say the toppers who all went to R.C. Reddy Academy.

Printer friendly page  
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail