Poor student cracked JEE and ranked 5th

Again adversity looses its power against determination. Very poor student Pijush Kanti Nandi cracked the Joint Entrance Examination [door for Enginnering and Medical studies] and ranked 5th. Wish him all the success in his life.

The son of a farm labourer in Bankura, Pijush is the first in his family to get any kind of education. And, he could write his board exams and the WBJEE only because his education was completely sponsored by his teachers at Arambag High School.

“His food, clothing, books and everything else were the school’s responsibility. His struggling parents could not afford to send him to study. To them, it would have made more sense if Pijush had helped earn some money,” said school headmaster Swapan Mondal.

Pijush’s father earns just Rs 65 a day and his mother works in the field at the time of harvest and at other times as a domestic help. Hardship only steeled the teenager’s resolve.

“I dreamt of becoming a doctor, but always thought that it was just a dream that I had no right to chase because of the financial condition of my family. It hurts to think that I could study because of doles from sympathetic people. Yet I am happy that I could make my school proud. Without the help of these teachers, I would have been tilling someone else’s land, just like my father,” said Pijush, who stood 13th in HS this year.

Pijush belongs to Nalbani in neighbouring Bankura, but studied in Arambag because the school promised his parents that he would be taken care of. His teachers have now decided to pool in money to help him through MBBS. Arambag MP Anil Basu called in to say that he would bear all the expenses. “It would be a shame if a brilliant student like Pijush is unable to study because his parents cannot afford it,” he said.