Chennai: Shankar Pandiyaraj, a determined young man from Rettiyapatti village in Virudhunagar district of Tamil Nadu, has secured an All India Rank of 807 in the Civil Services Examination, 2024. The results of the exam were declared by the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) on April 22.
Shankar cracked the exam through the Tamil medium, after eight long years of effort. He was born to parents who work as tailors. Shankar studied in a government school and later moved with his family to Madurai in search of a better livelihood. Eight years ago, he shifted to Chennai to begin his UPSC journey. Without financial support, he took up catering jobs and private tutoring to survive while preparing for the exams.
Shankar credits much of his perseverance to the 'Naan Mudhalvan' scheme, which provided him with a monthly stipend of Rs 7,500 and quality training from successful candidates. He recalled how Tamil-medium aspirants often lack guidance and face language barriers, making the path even tougher.
Shankar got a quiet study environment with the support of an NGO, Sabarmathi Gurukulam. He then met retired IAS officer Sagayam in Madurai, who encouraged him to pursue his dream.
Despite repeated failures, Shankar never gave up. He chose not to visit home during holidays or festivals, focusing entirely on his preparation.
"I want to be an example for rural students like me," says Shankar, who completed his BBA through distance learning from Alagappa University. With a deep desire to serve the public, Shankar sees his success not just as personal, but as a victory for the Tamil language and rural youth.
