From a Village Wall Dream to UPSC Success: Kerala Girl Turns Family’s Hardship into Triumph

For almost two years, a handwritten note pasted on the wall of a modest home served as a constant reminder of a young woman’s ambition.

The paper read: “Sreeja JS IFS, AIR 15 UPSC 2025–26.” It hung inside the small three-room house in Naruvamoodu in Thiruvananthapuram.

During long hours of preparation and moments when discouragement crept in, those words became a source of motivation for Sreeja J. S.

This week, the aspiration scribbled on that sheet of paper transformed into reality.

Sreeja achieved an impressive 57th position in the prestigious Union Public Service Commission Civil Services Examination, the results of which were announced on Friday.

Her achievement represents not only her own relentless dedication but also the sacrifices and hopes of her parents — a father who works as a daily labourer, travelling long distances by bicycle in search of construction work, and a mother who stayed at home but nurtured an unfulfilled dream of securing a government job.

Although Sreeja had set her sights on finishing within the top 15 ranks, she admits she did not expect to reach that milestone so quickly. Yet, the people around her remained confident in her abilities.

“My guiding belief was: aim for the moon; even if you don’t reach it, you’ll still end up among the stars,” she said.

“Whenever I felt exhausted or distracted, I would simply look at those words written on the wall and remind myself why I started.”

Sreeja completed her postgraduate degree in Political Science at Madras Christian College.

She entered the civil services preparation phase, determined to succeed in her very first attempt.

Initially, she dreamed of becoming an IAS officer. Still, her academic exposure to political systems, international diplomacy and global affairs gradually drew her toward a career in the Indian Foreign Service.

Writing down ambitions and displaying them prominently had been her personal habit since childhood.

“When I was in Class 10, I wrote on the wall that I wanted full A+ grades — and I achieved them. In Class 12, I set a target to score the full 1,200 marks. Later, in May 2024, when I began preparing for the civil services examination, I again wrote my goal on the wall,” she recalled.

Her father, Jayakumar, says the seed of this dream was planted by her mother, Sheeja.

More than twenty years ago, Sheeja — who holds a postgraduate degree in history — had appeared in the merit list for a lower division clerk position in the state water authority.

However, despite making the list, she narrowly missed getting the job.

“That disappointment stayed with her. She was determined that our daughter would succeed where she could not,” Jayakumar explained.

The idea of joining the civil services was first introduced to Sreeja when she was in Class 7, andit hast remained firmly in her mind ever since.

But beyond personal ambition, the desire to improve her family’s financial situation also became a powerful driving force.

Sreeja’s younger brother, Jyothish Kumar, is currently pursuing his college studies.

“I grew up witnessing the difficulties and sacrifices my parents faced every day. One thought stayed with me constantly — that their struggles should come to an end, and I wanted to be the one to make that happen,” she said.

Jayakumar, who earns roughly ₹1,100 per day as a labourer, understood that supporting such a demanding dream would not be easy.

Nevertheless, he resolved to do everything possible to help his daughter achieve her goal.

“Some days I ride my bicycle nearly 40 kilometres just to find work,” he said. “But we were determined that our children should achieve their academic goals and that lack of money should never stop them.”

To finance Sreeja’s civil services preparation, Jayakumar even pledged the family’s gold jewellery — including his wife’s mangalsutra — as collateral to obtain a loan of ₹8 lakh. At times, relatives also stepped in to provide financial assistance.

The family owns only seven cents of land and lives in a small house that took many years to complete. Despite these limitations, Jayakumar ensured that his daughter could concentrate entirely on her studies.

“After returning from work every evening, I would help my wife with household chores because she has breathing difficulties. I didn’t want my daughter to lose even a minute of study time,” he said.

Today, the family finally sees a brighter future ahead — one that promises to overcome years of hardship and sacrifice.

“I’m confident that my daughter will grow into a respected officer. All the sacrifices we made were worth it,” Jayakumar said with pride.

#UPSCSuccess #CivilServicesJourney #KeralaPride #InspirationStory #DreamsComeTrue #EducationMatters #UPSC2026 #SuccessAgainstOdds