Kanhu Charan Behera (27), son of fisherman Kali Charan in Sorada, clinched the 56th rank in the general category after three failed attempts. His father wanted him to settle for any job and start earning for the family. Behera coached high school students in his small house. The income provided for his OCS preparation. “Coaching students helped him study better and prepare for competitive exams,” he said. He focused only on self-studies from the internet and social media. “Determination and hard work along with blessings of parents have helped him crack the exam,” he said.T Narasingha Patro (27) of Gosaninuagaon in the silk city, son of a farmer, bagged 24th rank in the exam after three attempts. “I did not give up hope,” said Patro , who works as a teacher in govt high school at Panchama.Khageswar Behera (25), son of a primary school teacher in Gourangapatna, near Rambha cleared the exam after his second attempt by securing 98th rank.Four candidates, groomed by the Berhampur district administration’s Lakshya Niketan through mock interviews, cracked the prestigious exam. “The candidates who cleared the exam are T Narasingha Patro (Rank 24), Khageswar Behera (Rank 98), Sunil Kumar Das (Rank 74) and Madhusudan Behera (Rank 125),” said Sunil Sai Debasish, nodal officer of Lakshya Niketan.Before their personality test was held from May 14 to 20, eight candidates, including two of its in-house students (Patro and Khageswar), appeared in the mock interview. Three IAS, an IPS and two senior OAS officers on May 13 guided them on how to face the interview.“We are happy at four of them clearing the exam,” said Ganjam collector Keerthi Vassan V. Also among jury members were SP (Berhampur) Saravana Vivek M, Berhampur Municipal Corporation commissioner A Sasya Reddy, Berhampur sub-collector Avinash Kumar and others.
