Sarika A K from Kerala created history by becoming the first person from the state to clear the UPSC Civil Service Examination (CSE) while suffering from Cerebral Palsy. Despite being confined to a wheelchair and having minimum mobility, the 23-year-old girl has secured the 922nd rank in the exams. She originally hails from Keezhariyur, Kozhikode. While speaking with Times Of India, Sarika said that it was like a dream come true moment for her. She aspired to secure a position in the IAS under the different-abled category. It was her second attempt. She attributed her success to the support of her family, friends and teachers while emphasising the pivotal role played by her parents in the journey.
According to media reports, 23-year-old Sarika’s right hand has minimum mobility whereas only three fingers of her left hand work. She uses the remaining two fingers to move around using a motor-operated wheelchair. From travelling to exam centres and facing the challenges of a week-long Mains examination, Sarika overcame each obstacle with resilience. However, the accessibility of the exam centre at Kozhikode was a boon for her. For her interview round, Sarka was accompanied by her father who flew back from Qatar to support her daughter. She attended the interview while sitting in a wheelchair. Sarika said that in the interview she was asked more questions about her graduation subject and her district Kozhikode.
While talking to Times of India, Sarika said that it was her school teacher at Koyilandy– Abdurahiman who persuaded her to try for the UPSC 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,” said Sarika. She called it a turning point in her life. She said that she learned through online classes. She started her classes in 2022. Succeed in the second attempt. If selected for IAS, Sarika said that she would prefer the Kerela cadre with Tamil Nadu as her second option.
The results of UPSC CSE 2023 were released on April 16. The interview stage was concluded on April 16.
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