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At the age of 56, Biju Janata Dal (BJD) lawmaker from Phulbani in Odisha, Angada Kanhar, has finally fulfilled his long-awaited dream — to appear for his Class X examinations.
On Friday, Kanhar was among the 5.8 lakh students appearing for the Class X state board examination amid tight security. He appeared for the examination at the Rujangi High School in Pitabari village of Kandhamal district along with 67 other students.
“I could not appear for the Class X examination when I had to due to various family issues. My studies got discontinued in the 1980s but over the years, I heard several stories about people of my age, or even those elder than me, working hard and completing their studies. If you have the will, you can complete your studies anytime. It was my wish to appear for the examination and complete my education. But I was afraid to do so. My family, my friends, people from the village, everybody convinced me to take the step. They have been a constant source of encouragement for me,” Kanhar said.
“Education not only ensures a good job but creates an impact on one’s life by adding knowledge and value,” he added.
Kanhar, a farmer by profession, was elected as the Phulbani MLA on a BJD ticket for the first time during the 2019 Assembly election. Known for his humble and down to earth nature, Kanhar was actively involved in the panchayat politics since 1984. Prior to being elected as an MLA, Kanhar had also served as the zilla parishad member in the Phiringia block of the district.
Archana Basa, the superintendent of the MLA’s examination centre, said, “Students enrolled for open examinations appear for their board exams at our school here. All of them had discontinued their studies long ago and have appeared for the exam after a long gap. There was also a sarpanch appearing for the exam from our centre. No special treatment was given to anyone.”
Last year too, a legislator from Ganjam, Purna Chandra Swain, had appeared for and cleared the matriculation exam. A total of 5,85,730 students are appearing for this year’s Class X state board examination across 3,540 centres. Over 35,000 teachers have been engaged to supervise the entire process.
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