When Dharmaraj Saroj of UP's Pratapgarh district came to know that both of his sons cracked the IIT entrance test, unlike many other fathers, he didn’t rejoice. In fact, he didn't even know why it was such a big deal. Later, the poor man was educated about the whole. All he understood from his sons’ achievement, is he has to pay Rs 1 Lakh for his sons’ admissions.
Dharmaraj works at a Surat Mill to fend for his family of seven. For a daily wage earner who hardly manages to meet his ends, Rs 1 Lakh is a whopping amount. Needless to say, his son’s stellar performance and the examination results had put Dharmaraj in a dilemma.
Raju ranked 167 and elder brother Brijesh 410 in the recent IIT entrance test.
"True, it's a great achievement, but we're worried about making it, that too before the June 25 counseling date. Banks would give us loans only after we get admission," Raju told media.
Dharamraj and his family live in a rundown mud hut with a tarpaulin thatch at Rehua Lalganj village. Dharamraj owns eight goats, one cycle, and a table fan.
"Double shift work in Surat gets me Rs 12,000 a month. Things were smoother when the boys got admitted to Jawahar Navodaya Vidyalaya at Pratapgarh. They bagged scholarships to prepare for their IIT entrance. But now what? Where to raise the money from? I don't own a single inch of land," lamented Dharamraj.
Both boys scored over 95% in their Class X exams, after which they were picked for a scholarship programme. "Our village has a number of sharp students, but don't know that dreams don't need facilities to support them. It's the commitment that matters," Brijesh told media. "I'll opt for electrical engineering and after finishing studies at IIT, prepare for IAS. A district magistrate can do a lot more for people," he added.
- Manohar
