The recurring sight of senior IAS officials visiting her slum neighbourhood following fire accidents was what inspired J. Suriya to nourish ambitions of becoming a bureaucrat.
On Thursday, the Chennai Corporation added a brick to that wall, strengthening her resolve to join the Indian Administrative Service, at a free programme organised to motivate its school students who had cleared their class XII exams recently.
Hundreds of underprivileged students including Suriya got an opportunity to know how to crack the civil services or excel in a lucrative private-sector job. “I have always wanted to join the IAS, and was moving towards the goal. But when my father died, it nearly shattered my dreams. On Thursday, I had fresh hope,” says Suriya.
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The family is sustained by the earnings of Suriya’s mother who works as domestic help.
“I want to contribute to policy decisions that strengthen the school education system for poor students. I also want to facilitate change in the condition of slums, with modern housing facilities for all,” Suriya adds.
E. Monica of another Chennai School in Perambur too had lost hope of achieving her goals in life after her father’s demise a few years ago. “I am confident now. I gained awareness on the significance of civil services after participating in the programme and receiving guidance from my teachers. Education at a Chennai Corporation-run school has become a blessing for me,” says Monica, who wants to study engineering before making it to the civil services.
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Some students such as K. Ashika have stepped up their goals following the civic body’s initiative. “I wanted to become a teacher. I will now become a teacher, serve poor students and then appear for the civil services,” she says.