S. Prashanth has emerged as one among the toppers from Tamil Nadu in the Civil Services Examination, 2023, conducted by the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC). He has secured second spot in Tamil Nadu and his All India rank is 78.
A 2022 MBBS topper at the Madras Medical College, Dr. Prashanth was driven by the need to be a part of policy making decisions to pursue UPSC and cleared it in his first attempt. The 24-year-old credits the ‘Naan Mudhalvan’ scheme, his family and teachers for their unwavering support to him for clearing the examination. He had taken up medical science as his optional paper as it would require the least amount of preparation due to his background.
A native of Madurai, he said, “As a doctor I have an impact on about 60-70 patients but as a civil servant I can touch millions of lives. I was part of the State branch of the Indian Medical Association and UNESCO Bioethics Council. They induced a desire to be part of policy decisions.” He credited his success to his grandmother Jayalakshmi, mother Shanthi Ramkrishnan and his mentors at the Officers IAS Academy.
He also stated that there was an expectation to step up as the sole male member of the family as his father died of cancer when he was in Class XII and his mother had quit her job. “In this way, as a beneficiary of the ‘Naan Mudhalvan’ scheme there was no monetary pressure and I could focus on achieving my goal.”
Dr. Vinothini. C, 30, secured the top spot in Puducherry as she cleared her UPSC exam with the optional paper on anthropology. Her all India rank is 64.
“My inspiration was my father as he is an IPS officer and I’ve seen first hand the kind of impact even a small decision of his can make on the people,” she said, who apart from studying from the NCERT books also read The Hindu, The Indian Express and other academy magazines to prepare for the exam. She credited her success to former bureaucrat R. Rangarajan from Officers IAS Academy.
R.Venkateshwaran, who did his post graduation in College of Engineering, Guindy, opted for geography as the optional subject and secured 152nd rank in the civil services examination and the fifth rank in T.N .
Pointing to the important role played by mentors in his success, Mr.Venkateshwaran said an IAS aspirant should find the right mentors, read the most important NCERT books on polity, history, geography and economics and practice answer writing to emerge successful in the exam.
“An aspirant has to trust his mentors. That is the key to my success. IPS officer Rohit Nathan and Senthil of Aram IAS Academy were some of my mentors. I was working with the Union Ministry of Home Affairs in Chennai. I used to wake up early in the morning and study from 4 a.m. to 9 a.m. strictly following my mentors’ advice and leave for work. I read old NCERT books by authors such as Bipin Chandra for more clarity. I never studied late at night,” said Mr.Venkateshwaran.
This year, as many as 450 students from Tamil Nadu cleared the preliminary examination and received a scholarship of ₹25,000 from the State government under the ‘Naan Mudhalvan’ scheme. A total of 37 candidates who received the scholarships from the State government have emerged successful. A total of 45 candidates from Tamil Nadu have been on the list of successful candidates this year.
According to a press release from Manidhaneyam IAS Academy, 28 students who received free coaching have cleared the civil services examination.
