THIRUVANANTHAPURAM
:
Sarika
A K, a 23-year-old from Keezhariyur in
Kozhikode
, made history by becoming the first person from Kerala with
cerebral palsy
to clear
UPSC
civil services examinations. Despite being confined to a wheelchair and having limited mobility in her left hand, Sarika secured 922nd rank.
Speaking to TOI, she said it's a dream come true for her, and she hopes to secure a position in IAS under differently-abled category.
"It was my school teacher at Koyilandy, Abdurahiman, who persuaded me to try for the exam. Since then, I've been striving towards that goal. One day, Abdurahiman sir forwarded me a pamphlet of 'Project Chitrashalabham' started by civil services trainer Jobin S Kottaram. It was a turning point for me, and I learned through the online class," Sarika said.
She started the class in 2022 and cleared the examination on her second attempt. If selected for IAS, she would prefer Kerala cadre, with Tamil Nadu as her second option.
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