Kerala woman with cerebral palsy clears civil services exam

Motivations and inspirations

Sarika said that she decided to opt for civil services only after graduating and cleared it thanks to the support of her family, friends, and teachers.

“My parents were my biggest support,” she told a TV channel.

When asked what message she has for others suffering from disabilities, Sarika quoted a famous line from the book Alchemist by Paulo Coelho — “When you really want something, the whole universe conspires in helping you to achieve it”.

She also referred to a US-based woman Jessica Cox, who became a licensed pilot despite not having any arms as that is what she dreamed of becoming.

Also Read: Parvathy Gopakumar from Kerala overcomes adversity, secures 282nd rank in UPSC exam

Exam process

Sarika also gave details of the various stages of the civil service she cleared and the difficulties she faced each time. “All were tough stages,” she said.

The preliminary exam centre was in Kozhikode and was disabled friendly, she said. “Therefore, it was accessible,” she added.

However, the main examination was held in Thiruvananthapuram and as it was a week-long process, she and her parents had to live there on rent and travel to the examination centre by auto.

“My father, who works in Qatar, came back for that,” she said.

As it was a written exam and due to her disability, she had to use the help of a scribe.

After she cleared the main examination, the interview was held in Delhi where she stayed at the Kerala House.

“There the issue was the cold. It was winter in Delhi,” she said.

However, the interview went smoothly and the five-member panel was cordial, she added.

“The interview was fully based on my Detailed Application Form (DAF). They asked about me, my graduation subject and Kozhikode. There were very few questions about current affairs,” she said.