Instead, the young woman has decided to continue with BSc Chemistry in St Stephens College in New Delhi. She graduated from BSS Gurukulam Higher Secondary School in Palakkad last year. 

“As I had health issues while staying in the college hostel, I thought of taking up engineering like my dad and applied for TNEA counselling. Later, however, I moved out of the hostel and adapted to the capital. So I have decided to continue in the same college as it is one of the premier institutions in India. Also, I don’t have any interest in studying engineering,” Keerthana said. 

The 18-year-old said that she aspired to become a civil servant as it was her father’s wish too. Ravi is an engineer in Switzerland, while his wife and Keerthana’s mother Balambika is the principal of BSS BEd Training College in Palakkad. Her younger brother is studying Plus Two in a school in Coimbatore. 

Though she studied in Kerala, Keerthana is originally from Coimbatore and hence applied for TNEA counselling. She scored 1200/1200 in her board exams with full marks in all subjects; Physics, Chemistry, Biology, Maths, English and Sanskrit. 

Keerthana used to travel every day from Coimbatore to Palakkad to attend school. She also came second in the Tamil Nadu Agricultural University (TNAU) counselling in 2017. But, as she secured a place in her favourite course at St Stephens College, Keerthana decided to move to the capital. 

Keerthana said that though not many aiming to crack civil services examination, she took up Chemistry as it is a tougher subject, “I took up it up out of pure interest. In fact, I was inspired by my Chemistry teachers to take it up for further studies.”