V.P. Jayaseelan from Tamil Nadu became State Topper by securing All India Rank 45th in the Union Public Service Commission Examination at the all India level. He expressed the hope that he would get a chance to work in Tamil Nadu cadre and his thirst towards Tamil took him to the pinnacle of fame.
V.P. Jayaseelan says, “one can express his thoughts very clearly and lucidly when he writes the examination in his mother tongue and command over English as well as Tamil was necessary while taking the competitive examination”.
Marks Obtained
| Total Marks | Marks Obtained | |
| Total (Written) | 2000 | 801 |
| Interview | 300 | 140 |
| Total | 2300 | 941 (40.91%) |
Family Background
V.P. Jayaseelan comes from Genguvarpatty, a small village at the foothills of Kodaikanal near Periyakulam in Theni district. His father Palanichamy is a clerk in a Primary Agricultural Cooperative Society. His Mother P. Pandiammal is a housemaker and his elder brother P. Vijaya Raghavan is a post graduate engineer and another brother P. Jagadeesan is an M.Tech. degree holder.
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Educational Background
V.P. Jayaseelan completed his High Schooling from Hindu Nadar Matriculation and after that he did his Higher Secondary Schooling from Pattiveeranpatti in Dindigul district. He got graduated in Agriculture from Tamil Nadu Agricultural University, Madurai. Later, he did his post graduation in Tamil Literature at Periyar University. After that he was pursuing his Ph.D. in Government College from Namakkal.
Optional Paper
V.P. Jayaseelan has taken Tamil Literature as his optional subject.
V.P. Jayaseelan says, “he holds PhD degree and wrote the civil services examination in Tamil. It’s not because he don’t know English well enough, but because he felt he could express himself well in Tamil and to show others preparing for the exams that somebody from a Tamil medium school can clear the exams. This is a victory for Tamil. Language is not a barrier to success in Civil Services Examination“.
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Attempts by V.P. Jayaseelan
V.P. Jayaseelan achieved his life-time dream in his third attempt.
V.P. Jayaseelan was determined to become an IAS officer. Though he was selected for the Indian Revenue Service in his second attempt and posted as Assistant Commissioner of Income Tax, he tried hard to become an IAS officer. Perseverance and hard work brought him laurels.
Preparation Strategy
V.P. Jayaseelan said the inspiration to become a top government official hit him when he was in Class 11, when he saw the efforts of Dr J Radhakrishnan during the 2004 tsunami. And Dr. Karthikeyan, who gave up practicing medicine at Apollo Hospitals’ Velachery emergency unit, said he was inspired by the respect the district collectors commanded in Gobichettipalayam.
It was his father who had motivated him to handle these competitive exams in mother-tongue.
“Tamil has all the ingredients for delivering success. He loved preparing in Tamil and he is proud at his success. I never lost confidence” a proud V.P. Jeyaseelan said.
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