With a dream to get into the Civil Services, a coolie cleared the written test of the Kerala Public Service Commission (KPSC). Sreenath has been earning his livelihood carrying heavy luggage at Ernakulam Junction in Kerala for the past five years.
What is most surprising is that he prepared for the exams with just his phone and earphones while deftly balancing the luggage on his shoulders and at the same time listening to the digital coursework, which involves his teachers speaking to him through the earphones.
While Sreenath has appeared thrice for the KPSC exam, he remained undeterred and this time took advantage of the free WiFi Internet service available at Ernakulam station to learn.
"I have appeared thrice for the exam and this is the first time I used the WiFi at the station. What I do is put on my earphones and listen to the study material as I carry the luggage or solve questionnaires in my mind. This way I can study while I work. I revise all my work at night when I get free time," Sreenath said.
Launched in 2016 as part of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's Digital India initiative, the WiFi service provides free Internet to passengers under Railwire, the retail broadband distribution model of RailTel Corporation of India Limited.
As of May 2018, at least 685 railway stations have been equipped with WiFi technology across the country, with the Indian Railways setting a target of providing this facility at all 8,500 stations by March 2019 at a cost of Rs 700 crore.
Sreenath hails from Munnar, a town in the Western Ghats mountain range. The name Munnar is believed to mean "three rivers", referring to its location at the confluence of Mudhirapuzha, Nallathanni and Kundaly rivers.
Ernakulam is the nearest major railway station from Munnar.
He said the free WiFi service at the station opened up opportunities he never thought were available in the first place — reams of practice question papers, downloadable at a speed of 20-40 mbps, easy access to online examination forms, and above everything else, he saves money on books.
If he qualifies for KPSC after the interview, he is likely to be a village field assistant under the land revenue department.
"I will keep studying. While I work as a coolie because I have the pressure of running my house, I will keep studying and appearing for exams. If I appear for enough exams, I am bound to get a good job," Sreenath said.
He has also applied for exams advertised recently by the Railways for 62,000 Group D posts of trackman, cabinman, leverman, pointsman, gangman and others. "What is my ideal job? A person of some authority to change things in my village maybe," he said.
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