IDUKKI: Cracking a PSC exam or any competitive exam for that matter on the first attempt is anything but easy, especially for those from humble backgrounds. But, Selvakumari S, 28, herself a plantation worker and the daughter of a cardamom plantation worker, has managed to pull off this feat.
Hailing from Chottupara village near Vandiperiyar here, Selvakumari used to help out her mother, who was abandoned by her husband years ago, at the cardamom plantation. As she had two younger sisters, who have been now married off, providing as much financial support to her mother was necessary.
Hence, she used to accompany her mother to the plantation whenever she came home to Chottupara during the holidays.
Even today, she along with her mother and grandmother live in a one-room house built on a one cent plot at Chottupara. Despite these difficulties, Selvakumari managed to secure first rank in MPhil and a government job soon after finishing her studies. After completing her Plus two from a school in Tamil Nadu, she did her graduation in Mathematics from Government Women’s College, Thiruvananthapuram.
Though her inability to speak in Malayalam resulted in a section of her college mates making fun of her, the dream of getting a government job made her ignore the taunts.