Will Intermediate Stars stop shining on the path of education

After the initial euphoria, it's time for a reality check. Some Intermediate toppers are so poor that a higher education they dream may just remain that. Among these are state topper (MPC) Ch Bharath and Sabahat Bader (BiPC) as well as other high scorers such as D Adambee, B Shravya and Sheik Reshma Begum.

Parents of all five students on Friday said that they have little means to fund their wards' desire to pursue medicine/engineering courses.

Ch Bharath's (993) mother Sujatha has been rolling beedis to pay his school fees since his debt-ridden father committed suicide. For Bharath, finding the tuition fee (Rs 75,000-100,000) is harder than cracking the entrance for his choice of colleges such as BITS-Pilani or IITs. "My father had killed himself over debt. So, borrowing from moneylenders isn't an inviting option. I am left with limited options such as a regular BSc or diploma in engineering to cut down the expenditure," said Bharath. He, however, is preparing for Eamcet and BITSAT hoping that some of his neighbours may chip in. His college management has also reportedly offered help.

For D Adambee (962), daughter of two farm labourers, her engineering plans are on hold. "Even with a fee waiver, we cannot afford to pay for basic requirements such as books and hostel," her father Moula Ali said. He said that Technical Teacher Training (TTC), a one-year course with affordable fee, is all that he can afford.

While BiPC topper Sabahat Bader (991) said money problems prevented her from taking full-time coaching. Her father Md Badruddin, a government junior lecturer, said that she would be appearing for the entrance with just a month's preparation since he could not afford the two-year coaching fee as he has four more children. Even as her father assured her he would find a way to fund her MBBS education if she secures a medical college seat, Sabahat was not too confident about scoring high with little preparation.

Two other toppers, B Shravya (daughter of a police constable) and Sheik Reshma Begum (daughter of a fruit vendor) who scored 986 and 951 marks respectively are worried they would have to give up their MBBS dreams and opt for BPharmacy.
"If one were to find out the whereabouts of all the rank holders of SSC and Intermediate public examination in the past one decade alone, one would find many missing students. They are like shooting stars. They shine bright but soon die out because they are not privileged," said Prof G Hargopal, rights acitivist and a University of Hyderabad faculty.