Two-time school topper aims career in railways

Chennai: Daughter of a local mechanic topped her school by scoring 572 marks at Chennai girls higher secondary school in Nungambakkam, which also achieved a 100% pass. R Jayashri, whose achievement is being widely celebrated, now plans to pursue civil services through the UPSC, aiming for a position in the Indian Railways.

"Since we live in a tiny house there is no space to study, I used to visit my grandmother's house every day to study and then return home. It was difficult to afford guidebooks, and even though I never asked, my father would buy them for me, sometimes by borrowing money, as we don't have a stable income. Only with the support of my parents and teachers was I able to score high marks," said Jayashri.

In 2023, Jayashri topped CGHSS Nungambakkam in the SSLC exams with 92%. Her elder sister, who was also a school topper in 2019 and 2021, has been helping Jayashri by clarifying doubts, as both pursued the Business Maths stream.

"I would like to pursue a BCom at Ethiraj College and later appear for the UPSC exams to secure a position in the Indian Railways, which has always been a dream of mine. I have already started preparing for the civil services during the board exam leave," added Jayashri.