Madhyamik results, which were out on Thursday, revealed the grit and gumption of many teenagers who have been tested by a far bigger exam — life. The Telegraph narrates the struggle of some of these Madhyamik winners.
Lenin’s lessons
Name: Udayan Prasad aka Lenin of Balurghat High School, South Dinajpur
Score: 691/ 700; third in state
Son of a whole-time CPM worker, Udayan, who shares his birthday, April 22, with the great Soviet revolutionary, was nicknamed Lenin.
His father Umesh, a resident of Prachya Bharati area of Balurghat, gets a monthly allowance of ₹7,000 from the party to run his family. His mother, a homemaker, is ailing.
“Since childhood, I have seen my father busy in political activities. I thank all my teachers who helped me,” said the teen who wants to be a doctor.
Tuition hub’s pride
Name: Ayush Dutta of Siliguri Boys’ High School, Siliguri
Score: 642/700
Ayush used to take free coaching from the coaching centre run by Siliguri Municipal Corporation. Among all Madhyamik examinees who took tuition from the centre, he scored the highest.
His father is a glass-fitter who works on a daily-rated basis and makes around ₹10,000 a month. “The free tuition helped me. I want to be an engineer,” he said.
Against all odds
Name: Suvosree Saha of Kamakhyaguri Girls’ High School, Alipurduar
Score: 642/700
A resident of Kamakhyaguri Sarvog Colony, her father sells betel and betelnut in weekly rural markets. Her mother is a cancer patient.
“My father earns ₹8,000 to ₹10,000 a month and a chunk of it is spent for my mother’s treatment. I want to continue my studies to be self-sufficient but the financial hurdles do worry me,” said the girl.
Pedalling dreams
Name: Baboy Tantra of Ananda Model High School, Jalpaiguri
Score: 609/700
Baboy, a hawker’s son, is from Balapara on the outskirts of Jalpaiguri town. Every day, he pedalled his cycle for 7km to reach school. “My father couldn’t afford private tuition. Whatever I have achieved is because of my teachers at school,” said the boy who dreams of being a doctor.
Brick by brick
Name: Ankush Mandal of Kazigram High school, Malda
Score: 602/ 700
Ankush, the younger son of a brick-kiln worker, aims to be a doctor. But he is not sure whether his father can afford the expenses of his coaching. His elder brother studies in college. “Right now, I am eager to take admission in Class XI and will opt for science,” he said.
Golden shine
Name: Abhiraj Barman of Siliguri Netaji Boys’ High School
Score: 586/700
A topper in his school in Madhyamik this year, Abhiraj is the son of a goldsmith in Bidhan Market of Siliguri.
“Ahead of my exams, my father’s earnings declined as people are buying less gold with the rise in gold prices. He makes around ₹20,000 in a month now,” said the boy who wants to be a doctor.
Girl power
Name: Suparna Saha of Arapur Jote TAG High School, Malda
Score: 530/700
Suparna, who lost her father in childhood, lives with her mother who works as an ayah and makes around ₹6,000 a month.
Despite her constraints, Suparna wants to be a doctor. “I am focusing on the higher secondary now and plan to study science,” she said.
Daddy’s girl
Name: Angira Mishra of New Jalpaiguri Girls’ High School, Siliguri
Score: 497/700
Every day, her father moves from door to door to collect blood from people for clinical testing at pathological labs and makes around ₹15,000 a month.
“I want to study science and be an engineer but I doubt how much my father can support my education,” she said.
Inner vision
Name: Sankar Debsingha of Cooch Behar Town High School, Cooch Behar
Score: 410/700
A resident of Runibari village under Mathabhanga subdivision of the district, Sankar has been visually impaired since birth. His father, a carpenter, makes around ₹500 a day.
“My father doesn’t get work every day, but has a five-member family to feed,” said Sankar, who took the help of his Braille textbooks and a tape recorder to record the lectures of his teachers in class. In future, Sankar wants to be a teacher.
