A farmer's daughter from Andhra's Krishna district has secured the top rank in the country in the Intermediate category for the Institute of Cost Accountants of India (ICAI) exam.

Lakshmi Prasanna, a resident of Potumeedha village in Koduru mandal of the district has reportedly scored 641 out of 800 marks in the exam, putting her 16 marks ahead of the second ranker.

“If you aim only to qualify, you might fail because ICWAI exam is tough. If you aim higher, the question of failure will not haunt you,” Lakshmi told Times of India.

Speaking to TOI, Lakshmi who used to study for nearly 10 hours a day, gives all the credit of the success to her parents, who always encouraged her to work hard.

However, she is not the only one who made the state proud, there are few other students who has managed to secure ranks in the examination.

TOI reported that Lakshmi, a resident of Guntur scored 625 in the Intermediate category, securing the second rank in the exam, while Mohan Kumar, a resident of Chittoor district bagged the first rank in the Final exam.

The Institute of Cost Accountants of India (ICAI) declared the results of December 2016 Intermediate Result and Final Result on Friday. 

The institute conducts the Intermediate and Final exams, twice a year in the months of June and December.

In terms of membership, the institute is the second largest professional accounting and finance body in the world after the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants. 

According to the ICAI website, it is the only recognised statutory professional organisation and licensed body in India, specialising in Cost and Management Accountancy.

It was previously known as the Institute of Cost & Works Accountants of India (ICWAI).