Rejected by NEET, hired by Rolls Royce: Karnataka student bags Rs 72.3L job after cracking tough 8-month test, to join Texas unit soon

MANGALURU: Rithuparna KS, who completed her sixth semester at Sahyadri College of Engineering and Management, secured a job at Rolls Royce with a package of Rs 72.3 lakh per annum. Hailing from Koduru in Thirthahalli taluk, Rithuparna is undergoing training in the Jet Engine Manufacturing Division. What began as a hesitant step into engineering turned into a path-breaking journey of innovation and hard work, culminating in a pre-placement offer (PPO).Rithuparna is the daughter of Saresh KN and Geetha Saresh, and she has a younger sister, Rithvika KS. She did her schooling at Sr Agnes and is pursuing a BE course in robotics and automation engineering.She said, "After PUC, my dream was to become a doctor. However, when my NEET results did not fetch a govt seat, I secured a govt seat in the 2022 CET counselling and enrolled at Sahyadri College. Though disheartened initially, from day one of college, I began exploring and ideating."Also See: Karnataka Student Rolls RoyceHer first project was aimed at solving problems faced by arecanut farmers using robotics. Along with a team, she presented a harvester and sprayer model at the Goa INEX competition, winning a gold and silver medal. She was part of a research team at NITK Surathkal. She interacted with doctors and studied robotic surgery and later met the then deputy commissioner Mullai Muhilan MP and joined a team to develop an app for solid waste management.Meanwhile, with a strong desire to do an internship, she reached out to Rolls Royce. However, she was disappointed when they asked her, "Do you even qualify to be part of our firm," and reportedly said that she would not be able to complete even one of the assigned tasks in a monthRithuparna requested them to give her a task and expressed confidence in completing the same. They eventually sent her a task with a one-month deadline. Though she did not fully understand it at first, she worked tirelessly, researching from multiple sources, and completed the one-month task in a week. They then sent her another task. What followed was eight months of countless challenges. She even faced several gruelling interview rounds. Just when she began to wonder if it would ever work out, in Dec 2024, she received a direct job offer through a PPO. The company instructed her to begin work from Jan 2, on a work-from-home basis from midnight to 6am., alongside managing her college responsibilities. Once she completes her 7th semester, she will join the company's Texas unit in the US. In late April, another surprise awaited her: the company increased her annual compensation from Rs 39.6 LPA to Rs 72.3 LPA, which she will start receiving once she joins the firm.Lawrence Joseph Fernandes, HoD, dept of mechanical engineering and robotics and automation, said that the college is proud of her achievement.