A total of seven candidates in Kannur and Kasaragod district cracked the civil service examination when the results were announced by the Union Public Service Commission on Tuesday.

It was a huge achievement for K.V. Vivek, who hails from the Scheduled Caste Vannan community, to crack the Civil Services examination.

A native of Thalassery, it was his fourth attempt. Speaking to The Hindu, he said, “From my young age, I have seen people, including my father, getting addicted to alcohol in my community”.

For Arun K. Pavithran and Smilna Sudhakar, both natives of Kannur, P.P. Archana, who hails from Payyanur, and C.Shaheen from Nileswaram in Kasaragod, the achievement was all the more sweeter as the four had together prepared for the examination at a coaching centre in Thiruvananthapuram.

Mr.C. Shaheen was inspired by his father, an ex-serviceman, to attempt the Civil service examination.

Ajmal Shahzad Aliyer Rawther, also from Kannur, who ranked 254, left his job in the postal department to prepare for the examination. cP. Nidhin Raj of Ravaneshwar in Kasaragod, who ranked 319, but joined the Indian Police Service last year, has decided to continue in his service.