Candidates who beat all odds to crack UPSC CSE 2018
What's the story
The Civil Services Examination (CSE) conducted by the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) every year is one of the most challenging competitive exams. Clearing the UPSC CSE isn't easy; many spend years preparing to crack it. However, there are a few UPSC rank-holders who have cleared the CSE 2018 despite odds stacked against them. Here are some inspiring stories of such UPSC rank-holders.
#1
Sreedhanya Suresh, first-person from Kerala's indigenous tribes to clear UPSC
22-year-old Sreedhanya Suresh from Kerala's Wayanad bagged the 410th rank in CSE-2018. She is the daughter of daily wage laborers and became the first person from Kerala's indigenous tribal groups to clear UPSC, beating all odds. Sreedhanya said, "My biggest challenge was my financial constraints. My parents are daily wagers and their only source of income was Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee scheme."
#2
Namrata Jain of Naxal hotbed Dantewada secured AIR 12
Defying all odds, Namrata Jain of Chattisgarh's Naxal hotbed Dantewada secured AIR-12 in CSE-2018 in her third attempt. She was inspired to become an IPS officer at a young age after witnessing multiple violent incidents. Despite having limited options for preparation, she didn't give up and took the help of online programs. The 25-year-old is the first woman from Dantewada to clear the exam.
#3
Visually challenged Satender Singh cracked CSE 2018, securing AIR-714
Satender Singh's journey is truly inspiring. Despite being visually challenged, he cracked CSE-2018, securing AIR-714. He lost his eyesight completely when he was just one-and-a-half years old due to a wrong injection that damaged his optic nerves. Singh, the son of a farmer, however, worked hard and prepared for CSE with the help of screen-reading software, cracking the prestigious exam in his third attempt.
#4
Rehana Bashir of Poonch braved all odds to crack CSE
Rehana Bashir of Jammu & Kashmir's Poonch district braved all odds to crack the IAS exam. She is the first woman ever from Poonch to clear the prestigious exam. Despite hailing from the remote district, which is also riddled with poverty, minimal facilities, cross-border tensions, and various other issues, she secured AIR-187 in CSE-2018. Bashir, a doctor, wants to improve educational facilities in Poonch.