JOIN USThey studied science in class 12 and have topped the state. However, the two toppers Michelle Nazareth and Priya Naveen Kini have decided not to take the conventional science stream and instead chase their dreams instead.
Six of the top 10 positions in the state’s ISC exams that were announced on Friday were taken by girls. Michelle Nazareth from Bethany High School and Priya Naveen Kini from Vidya Niketan School were the joint state toppers. Both received an overall score of 392 marks out of the total 400 and 98%.
Chasing dreams
Nazareth could have opted for a college of her choice to get into the science stream for a score of this kind. However, she believes in chasing her dreams. She has opted to pursue her career in the Arts stream.
“I like to study psychology. Hence I took up BA in Psychology, Sociology and Economics in Christ University. There is no changing my mind after seeing these scores. I will go ahead and study what I like,” she added.
Nazareth’s parents asked her to study science till class 12 as she would have several options to chose from later but did not restrict her from making a decision of her choice.
Priya will be studying design and has applied to the Srishti School of Design.
“My parents are doctors and from very early on I knew that I did not want to do the cliche thing and decided to opt for something different. The decision was between architecture and design and I chose the latter” she said.
As many as four students secured the second position: Sindhoora Ganesh and Pia Krishnakutty from Mallaya Aditi International School, Pranay Sangieve Bulchandani from Vidya Niketan School and Divinya Banerjee from Bishop Cotton Girls’ School. All of them secured overall 391 marks out of 400 and 98.75 %.
Sindhoora, who studied humanities, said: “I was expecting to top the school but never in my wild dreams did I think I would secure the second position in the state.” She now aims to study economics and has already got an admission to the Ashoka University in Delhi.
At the same time she has applied to Sciences Po, a science research institute in Paris, France and three Universities in Singapore. “My life long goal is to become an Indian Foreign Service officer,” she said.
In the third position, three student with a score of 390 and a percentage of 97.50 are Yogita Suresh from Frank Anthony Public School, Anurag Kumar from Bishop Cotton Boys’ School and Samkith K Jain from Bethany High School.