HYDERABAD: Three girls from the two Telugu states made their way into the top three all-India merit list of the Indian School Certificate (ISC) class 12 exam, the results for which were announced on Sunday. Trisha Rao from Hyderabad and Tanu Ashrita Reddy from Rajahmundry (AP) secured second rank with a score of 99.5%, while Padala Praneetha, also from Rajahmundry, was at the third spot with 99.25%.
Eighteen shared the top rank with a score of 99.75%. The second rank was shared by 58 candidates who scored 99.50%, while 78 scored 99.25% for the third rank.
City girl Trisha, a student of St Joseph's Public School, King Koti, made the cut with 491 out of 500. Her best of four score sheet read: 398/400, with a perfect 100 in mathematics and commerce. Tanu from Future Kids School Rajahmundry hit a century in chemistry and biology. "I managed to get good marks because I maintained a balance between studies and leisure," said Trisha who wants to pursue chartered accountancy.
Tanu is aiming to crack NEET and become a neurologist.
Born into a family of farmers - in the small village of Mahendrawada in Rajahmundry - the journey to the merit list of the ISC exams wasn't easy for Padala Praneetha. Perhaps that's exactly why the success tasted even more sweet on Sunday, when the results put her among the national toppers. The MPC student secured a third spot on the merit chart.
Now, the 18-year-old said, she can finally give flight to her dreams - first to secure a place at a top Indian Institute Technology and then get a master's degree from a reputed overseas university.
And more than her, it is her parents who wish her success since neither managed to go beyond Intermediate mark. "My mother, in fact, failed in class 10 and did not continue her studies thereafter. My father also gave up after intermediate and took care of our paddy farms. Today is a big day for us as I am going to be the first girl from my family to complete school and be and all India topper as well," she said. Her brother is pursuing his B Tech in ECE. "My parents were out of station when the results were announced. When I called to inform them, they started crying out of joy. We were all reminded of the hardships that we faced...We celebrated when they returned home," Praneetha said.
She also thanked the staff at her school - The Future Kid's School - for their support and the scholarship they offered for advanced IIT Mains course studies. "My teachers knew how to keep us hostellers motivated to study. We were given two hours a day to rest and rejuvenate which helped us a lot," she added.