Hyderabad, April 24 -- The sheep-herding Kuruba community of Nanavadi village in Karnataka's Belagavi district erupted in celebration as news spread that Beerappa Siddappa Doni, a youth from Amage village in neighbouring Maharashtra, had secured the 551st rank in the prestigious Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) Civil Services Examination announced on April 22.

Beerappa, currently visiting his relatives in Nanavadi for the holidays, became the pride of both villages after clearing what is widely regarded as one of India's toughest and most competitive examinations.

The UPSC Civil Services Examination, which selects candidates for elite services like the Indian Administrative Service (IAS) and Indian Police Service (IPS), sees lakhs...