Going great against odds

Tribune News Service

Ludhiana, May 26

No hardship, disability or financial instability impeded the performance of these students in the Class XII CBSE examinations.

Agam Dua of DAV School, BRS Nagar, is a case of cerebral palsy since birth. He has scored 90.6 per cent marks in the commerce stream. As per the CBSE rules, children with special needs get four hours (one hour extra) to complete the exam. Agam did not even hire a scribe (writer) as he took all exams by himself.

His father Raminder Pal Singh said: “Agam is a slow writer. Despite his disability, we did not admit him to a special school. We never expected him to get 90 per cent marks, However, we did expect that he will get at least 80 per cent.”

Parmeet Kaur, his mother, said: “He studied 10 hours a day. Teachers helped us even in the late night.”

Fatherless Shehreen (19) of Kundan Vidya Mandir School met a devastating fate after her mother died in December last year, a few months before the final exams. Shehreen, who has scored 80% in humanities, sets an example of sheer grit in the tough times.

She resumed studies in January after a month-long break to give the practical exam. She adds, I planned my studies keeping in mind the number of holidays and number of chapters and subjects.”

Shareen’s mother had her first brain attack in November, post which she underwent surgery as well. Her mother could not bear the loss of her father. Her mother passed a day after her grandfather’s demise. “I lost all hopes when she passed away. My teachers in the school motivated me to give board exams.”

Shehreen also has three sisters and one brother. She hails from Uttar Pradesh and will pursue her graduation in her native place. “For now, I have planned to pursue graduation. As there is no one to look after me, it depends what I will do with my aim in life.” She is looked after her uncle Roshan Ali. He shared, “She was emotionally drained when her mother passed away.”