In an inspiring tale of triumph over adversity, the daughter of a single mother, a beedi worker, has cleared the prestigious Civil Services Examination (CSE) the results of which were announced by the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) recently.
S Inba, the daughter of a beedi worker, is the perfect example for aspirants who complain about financial constraints and lack of resources. She has rightfully proved that ‘if there is a will, there is a way’. She has secured an impressive AIR-851 in the all-India exam.
A public library near her hometown was her second home for two years. The free books and internet available in the library were her only source of hope as it was impossible for her single mother to afford her coaching.
As per reports, Inba attended the local Nadar Community Higher Secondary School and pursued her higher secondary in MKVK Matriculation School, Tenkasi. Later, she went on to pursue her engineering degree in Computer Science at Coimbatore Institute of Technology.
After her graduation, she had joined the Shankar IAS Academy in Chennai for civil services exam coaching. However, due to the Covid-19 lockdown, she could not continue and had to return back home. Since then, the public library in Shengottai has been her only hope.
“I used the free WiFi in the library to take online classes. The staff in the library also arranged different newspapers, journals, books, and magazines for me,” Inba said to New Indian Express.
Later, she got an opportunity to join the All India Civil Service Institute, a free government coaching institute in Chennai where she also received financial assistance of Rs 25,000 from Tamil Nadu CM MK Stalin under the Naan Mudhalvan Scheme.
Inba recalled how a meaningful government intervention at the grassroots level can produce exceptional outcomes. “The money helped me to purchase study materials for the Main examination and take printouts and photocopies,” Inba added.
Inba attributed all her success to her mother and said, “My mother S Stella is a beedi roller and also strings flowers for additional money to run the family. The motivation given by my mother and her confidence in me made me clear the exam though I failed to crack the preliminary examination twice.”
Inba had also cleared the Staff Selection Commission exam this year and joined as a staff member of the Employee Provident Fund Organisation (EPFO) in March. Tenkasi District Collector AK Kamal Kishore met Inba and congratulated her on the achievement.