At 48, in his fifth attempt, Bengaluru auto driver determined to clear English PU exam

The KSEAB announced two supplementary exams for PU students for the first time, giving them another chance to clear their backlogs. Bhaskar wrote his English paper at the BMS College in Basavanagudi. According to the KSEAB, a whopping 1,21,179 candidates registered for the second supplementary examination. Out of which 7,253 students are those who failed before 2022, 17,966 are those who failed in the 2022 PU examination, and 95,960 are those who failed in the 2023 PU examination.

Although Bhaskar managed to clear his 10th grade exam in 1985, even after 36 years, he is still making efforts to clear the English exam in his second year of PU. Bhaskar is originally from Melukote and was previously a full-time farmer. He has been driving an auto rickshaw in Bengaluru for a living for the past seven years. He enrolled at Kempegowda Evening College in VV Puram in 2020 to learn English. However, despite four attempts, Bhaskar could not pass the English paper.

Speaking to the Indian Express, Bhaskar said, “I am very determined to pass the English paper, even if it takes my 100th attempt. To be able to communicate in Bengaluru, languages like English and Hindi are essential. That is why I wanted to learn English and at the same time pass my PU English paper. Despite reading newspapers, books, and other materials, I am unable to pass the exam. I come from a rural background and am not used to speaking English.”

He added, “I am really glad that the education department is supporting me in achieving my goal. The fact that the examination board is conducting a second supplementary exam makes a big difference in my life. There are many candidates my age who sit in the examination hall to pass 12th grade.”

While Bhaskar drives an auto rickshaw during the day, he also used to spend two hours studying English with the help of reading material provided by the evening college. “The teachers train me rigorously to ensure I pass the English language paper. They provide me model question papers, previous year’s question papers, and help me understand the types of questions asked on the exam. In fact, my children also insisted that I pass my PU exams. Sometimes I pick up some English words when my children study the subject. They also speak to me in English to help improve my vocabulary,” said Bhaskar, who is optimistic about passing the exam this year.