Thanks to free WiFi at railway station, this Kerala porter clears prestigious KPSC exams

A Kerala porter cracked KPSC examinations by using railway station’s free Wifi to study.

Thiruvananthapuram, May 11: Millions of Indian youngsters dream to crack the civil service examinations conducted both by the Centre and the state governments every year. Only a few hundreds of them actually get selected to be a part of various administrative jobs across the country.

While many slog for years to crack the tough examinations, others like Kerala's porter Sreenath K are a pathbreaker. The story of Sreenath, a porter at Ernakulum junction in Kochi, is an inspiring saga of hard work, dedication and fighting against all odds. And of course, success of Sreenath, who has recently cleared the tough Kerala Public Service Commission (KPSC) examinations, showcases how free internet service provided by government agencies can be put to best use to change lives.

In order to get study material for his examinations, Sreenath used free WiFi available at the railway station where he has been ferrying luggage for the last five years. Speaking to ANI, Sreenath said, "I downloaded free question papers of KPSC and saw videos to prepare for my examinations. Google and WiFi changed my life."

He is a high school pass-out and if he qualifies for the KPSC's interview round, he is likely to be a village field-assistant under the land revenue department.

As a part of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's Digital India initiative, the WiFi service was launched that provides free internet access to passengers in various railway stations across the country in 2016. According to reports, at least 685 railway stations across the country currently have access to free internet service.

"I have appeared thrice for the examinations and this is the first time I used the WiFi at the station. I put on my earphones and listen to the study material as I carry the luggage or solve questionnaires in my mind. This way I can study while I work. I revise all my work at night when I get free time," Sreenath told NDTV.

"I will keep studying. While I work as a coolie because I have the pressure of running my house, I will keep studying and appearing for examinations. If I appear for enough examinations, I am bound to get a good job," Sreenath added.

Now, that is what we call Digital India's big success story.