Against odds, first-gen learners clear EAPCET in T

Hyderabad: For students like Odela Siddu and S Indirani, clearing EAPCET was not just about marks, but overcoming financial hardship and limited resources, as both first-generation learners from govt colleges in Telangana pushed their way into higher education.

Siddu, a student from the Govt Junior College in Mulugu, said cracking EAPCET was not about coaching classes or resources, but consistency. He secured a rank of 28,106 in the engineering stream with a score of 52.62, relying solely on Intermediate textbooks. “I did not have access to coaching. I just kept revising what we were taught in college,” he said.

The son of daily wage workers, Siddu had to balance studies with responsibilities at home. His mother, Saritha, who has been battling health issues, said her son has always been determined. “I am not physically strong enough to work regularly, but Siddu never gave up. He has always been good at studies and wanted to change our situation,” she told TOI.

Siddu admitted that financial stress at home, including his father’s drinking problem, made things difficult. “There were distractions, but I tried to stay focused. Education is the only way forward for me,” he said.

Despite limited means, he also appeared for JEE (Main) 2026 (B Planning), securing a 69.42 percentile and an All India Rank of 9,159.

A similar story of overcoming challenges comes from S Indirani, a student of a govt junior college in Warangal. She scored 46 marks and secured a rank of around 64,000 in EAPCET. The daughter of farmers, she credited her parents’ sacrifices for her achievement. “They would drop me off at college every day and encouraged me to study despite financial struggles,” she said.

Both students, first-generation learners in their families, now see EAPCET as a stepping stone. “My goal is to become an IAS officer and serve the underdeveloped villages. But coaching for it is very expensive. I will get into a good college through EAPCET, and then get placed at a good company, earn money to fund my UPSC coaching,” Siddu said.