HYDERABAD: Burning midnight oil and fuelled by sheer determination, sub-inspector Jarugu Venkata Murali (39) has topped the coveted Andhra Pradesh Public Services Commission Group-I examination. With a score of 543, this native of Nagapatnam village in Kadapa district and SI of Narayanaguda Circle is all set to become deputy collector.
“I want to work in all the three regions of the State. Preferably, I would like to work in Vizag, Tirupathi and Hyderabad.
There is a lot of work that needs to be done,’’ he said, savouring sweet moments with his family at the Police Quarters in Panjagutta.
“I was on leave for 311 days. Throughout the preparation period, my family ensured that I was not disturbed under any circumstances. And I am grateful to senior officials for granting me leave for such a long period,’’ Murali said, adding that he was shifted from the Law & Order to the Immigration department so that he could concentrate on his studies.
About the change in pattern of the examination and the interview in which there was a single rather than multiple panels, the Naryanaguda SI said: ``I took advantage of the change in pattern. Moreover, this time the paper was set in such a way that it did not favour any particular subject. And the single board system ensured transparency in recruitment.’’ And if you think that Murali is backed by elaborate educational qualifications, think again. He has a bachelor’s degree from Osmania -- in the distance mode.
“Aspiring civil servants need not have impressive degrees. And they should not lose confidence on learning of people with such credentials being in the race. Competitive examinations are all about presence of mind and hard work. These qualities will deliver in the interview round too,’’ he says. Before signing off, he thanks close friend and Humayun Nagar SI Nagender and faculty members Gurajala Srinivasa Rao, Ramana Raju, T Koti Reddy and Bhavani Shankar.