PATNA: A cobbler's son, Deepak Kumar, became a hero of his village Tiuri under Biharsharif block in Nalanda district when he cracked IIT-JEE this year. But months later, his dreams are likely to get shattered.
Deepak, who obtained AIR (all-India rank) 943 (SC), got calls from IIT-Kanpur and Indian School of Mines (ISM)-Dhanbad, among others. In the entrance test of Indian Institute of Space Science and Technology (ISAT), Thiruvananthapuram, he secured AIR 56 (SC).
"When I got call from ISAT, the image of Dr APJ Abdul Kalam crossed my eyes. Kalam may have had a feeling similar to mine when he had made it to Madras Institute of Technology in mid 1950s. It provided me great strength," Deepak, son of Rajvali Ravidas, 60, told TOI. In July 2011, Deepak was offered admission to space engineering at ISAT. Incidentally, Kalam is the chancellor of ISAT.
However, before ISAT, ISM-Dhanbad offered him admission to the mechanical engineering course, which the boy readily accepted. But sudden quirks of fate have brought darkness before his eyes. And, for the past few months, he has been knocking at several doors, hoping that there will be light at the end of the tunnel.
Pangs of poverty forced Deepak to take his plus 2 examination through Bihar School Examination Board, and he could secure only 53.8% marks. He ought to have obtained at least 55% marks in plus 2 to continue his studies at ISM-Dhanbad. "I have been given 279 out of 500. I need just 11 more marks," Deepak told TOI. Incidentally, Deepak had completed his matriculation from Jawahar Navodaya Vidyalaya (JNV), Rajgir in 2008, getting 70% marks.
For the last three months, Deepak has been beseeching Bihar School Examination Board chairman Rajmani Prasad Sinha, Bihar HRD principal secretary and has even sought the blessings of Bihar CM Nitish Kumar, but to no avail till date.
In 2008, Dakshana Foundation, which provides 1-2 years of IIT-JEE coaching to gifted but poor students from rural areas, had selected Deepak, who was then a student of JNV in Rajgir, among 40 students from about 5,000 in Patna region comprising Bihar, West Bengal and Jharkhand for free coaching. After that, he had shifted to JNV, Ranchi to take Dakshana coaching.
"I underwent operation for removal of appendicitis in February 2009. Due to it, I missed my Class XI examination. I was sick and unable to stay at JNV, Ranchi. Finally, I took admission at Ram Lakhan Singh Yadav College, Biharsharif in 2009," Deepak said.
This seems to have turned out to be his undoing. "I really don't care being forced out from ISM-Dhanbad. But this will devastate my seven-member family. My father is too old to eke out a living, but still works. If I don't start earning a living two-three years from now, God knows what will happen," a weeping Deepak said. His elder brother, a private tutor, manages to earn Rs 2,500 to 3,000 every month.
Rajmani Prasad Sinha told TOI: "My heartfelt sympathies are with Deepak. Now, ISM-Dhanbad may treat him as a special case." However, ISM-Dhanbad director, D C Panigrahi, told TOI: "We can treat Deepak as a special case if IIT-JEE (2011) organizing committee takes a call in this regard."
alokknmishra@gmail.com (09234629956)
Pangs of poverty forced Deepak to take his plus 2 examination through Bihar School Examination Board, and he could secure only 53.8% marks. He ought to have obtained at least 55% marks in plus 2 to continue his studies at ISM-Dhanbad. "I have been given 279 out of 500. I need just 11 more marks," Deepak told TOI. Incidentally, Deepak had completed his matriculation from Jawahar Navodaya Vidyalaya (JNV), Rajgir in 2008, getting 70% marks.
For the last three months, Deepak has been beseeching Bihar School Examination Board chairman Rajmani Prasad Sinha, Bihar HRD principal secretary and has even sought the blessings of Bihar CM Nitish Kumar, but to no avail till date.
In 2008, Dakshana Foundation, which provides 1-2 years of IIT-JEE coaching to gifted but poor students from rural areas, had selected Deepak, who was then a student of JNV in Rajgir, among 40 students from about 5,000 in Patna region comprising Bihar, West Bengal and Jharkhand for free coaching. After that, he had shifted to JNV, Ranchi to take Dakshana coaching.
"I underwent operation for removal of appendicitis in February 2009. Due to it, I missed my Class XI examination. I was sick and unable to stay at JNV, Ranchi. Finally, I took admission at Ram Lakhan Singh Yadav College, Biharsharif in 2009," Deepak said.
This seems to have turned out to be his undoing. "I really don't care being forced out from ISM-Dhanbad. But this will devastate my seven-member family. My father is too old to eke out a living, but still works. If I don't start earning a living two-three years from now, God knows what will happen," a weeping Deepak said. His elder brother, a private tutor, manages to earn Rs 2,500 to 3,000 every month.
Rajmani Prasad Sinha told TOI: "My heartfelt sympathies are with Deepak. Now, ISM-Dhanbad may treat him as a special case." However, ISM-Dhanbad director, D C Panigrahi, told TOI: "We can treat Deepak as a special case if IIT-JEE (2011) organizing committee takes a call in this regard."
alokknmishra@gmail.com (09234629956)
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