‘He drove me to make it big in life’

“The Gujarati medium paper of NEET was very difficult. The rigid rules for NEET were unnecessary.”

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Farhana Bavani, daughter of Farooq Bavani, an auto rickshaw driver from Ahmedabad, scored 99.72 per cent in Class XII Science (medical) Gujarat State Board exams on Thursday. (Javed Raja)

WITH THEIR daughter Farhana emerging a topper, scoring 99.72 per cent in the Gujarat Secondary and Higher Secondary Education Board’s (GSHSEB) Class XII Science results-medical, her parents said she fought all financial constraints and scored top rank in the exam. Farhana’s mother though said she’s a bit anxious of Farhana living her dream—of being a doctor—with the current financial situation in the house. Farhana’ s father is an auto rickshaw driver and earns between Rs 8,000 and Rs 10,000 a month.

On the possibility her daughter not being able to crack NEET, Farhana’s mother Shamim Bavani said,“koi khushi nahi hai hum mein (we are unhappy).” The family was unhappy as Gujarati and English medium papers of National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (NEET) were different and the Gujarati medium question paper was claimed to be tougher. They said the combined result would be unfair to Farhana and thousands of students like her.

They were disheartened and said the girl had never considered any other career option. Her mother said: “We have just one wish, the government must separate the Gujarati and English medium results. May be then our daughter’s work and dedication will yield results”.

Resident of Ahmedabad’s Raikhand area, her mother said: “Throughout these four semesters, she performed very well and studied hard.” Farhana’s childhood dream was to become a doctor, she chose Science as a subject in spite of her parents encouraging her to consider other options. Asked about her NEET performance, Farhana said: “The Gujarati medium paper of NEET was very difficult. The rigid rules for NEET were unnecessary.”

While her father Farooqbhai has studied till Class XII, her mother has completed her secondary education. “No one in our whole family has studied after Class XII, except Farhana” her father added.

“My father drives an auto rickshaw, so we had financial issues but he supported me and bought all the materials for my studies,” said Farhana, adding, “Don’t ever think that it you don’t come from a well-to-do background, you can’t make it big in life. ”

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