The daughter of an autorickshaw driver in Dehradun has topped the Uttarakhand judicial services examination. The final results for the Uttarakhand Judicial Service Civil Judge (Junior Division) Examination, 2016, were declared on Wednesday, after which friends and relatives have been streaming into Poonam Todi’s house to congratulate her.
Her father Ashok Kumar Todi (60) told The Indian Express, “I couldn’t afford a financially secure future for my children, so I invested in giving them good education, which has paid off today. Poonam has been working for this examination for years, and she has made us all proud.”
“I have been preparing for this exam for four years. I briefly attended coaching classes for the exam in Delhi… for the interview, I joined classes in Dehradun. This was my third attempt, and I am happy that my hard work has finally paid off.”
Poonam completed her MCom from DAV (PG) College in Dehradun in 2010.
She was driven towards judicial services by the “respect that judges get in society”, apart from the promise of financial security.
Ashok Kumar, who earns Rs 300 a day on an average by plying an autorickshaw, supported the family. Poonam has three siblings — one sister and two brothers.
