Karwar: It is a misconception that civil service examinations are not for the graduates from rural areas or for the students who studied in Kannada medium. An average student can also get through UPSC examinations with dedicated hard work. An awareness should be created among the youth today on this, said Sudarshan Bhat, who has got 434th rank in the UPSC this year.

High ambitions

Sudarshan hails from Hegade village, in Kumta taluk. Working as a techie in a software company, in capital City Bengaluru, following his engineering, Sudarshan set his ambitions high.

Taking a conscientious call, a determined Sudarshan seeking to chase his dreams, that of taking a shy at the UPSC, called it quits from his cushy software job and joined the coaching class in New Delhi.

But unable to bear the harsh heat and humidity of capital Delhi, the techie returned to the salburious clime of Bengaluru after torrid eight months and joined the City’s Insights coaching centre.

As it was to be “in the first attempt, I could not achieve success. But this time I have reached the target. However, I could have achieved a better rank. But I am happy that I have reached the target and my hard work has borne fruits,” he said.

Coaching centres

According to him, good coaching centres have come up in Bengaluru in the recent years to prepare the students to face the rigours of competitive examinations. Therefore, aspirants need not have to focus only on the coaching available in New Delhi or other metropolitan cities. It is just that one should have a clear focus on the study, along with patience and concentration, says Sudarshan beaming with the joy of success.

“There is lack of awareness among the people in Uttara Kannada district about competitive examinations. Many students hesitate to take up such challenges. In reality, it may be a hard nut to crack but with hard work and focus one can achieve the goal,” Sudarshan opined.

His father, a retired English professor always encouraged his son to take up such challenges, while mother supported him and his elder brother stood by him.

Being a teacher, his father always endorsed higher studies for his children. “When I informed my parents about resigning from the software job, they did not say no,” he said.