Big draw on banks of Ganga in Patna: mock tests for Railways
These 90-minute mock test sessions are the brainchild of S K Jha, a mechanical engineer by qualification who has been coaching Railways and SSB aspirants since 2014.
4 min read
Students prepare for competitive exams on the banks of the Ganga, as part of free weekend classes, in Patna, Sunday. (PTI)For the last two months, Kali Ghat by the Ganga at Patna has seen large crowds during the weekends, unusually so.
Sunday, too, is no different. Sitting on the steps of the sprawling ghat are thousands of students — from Bihar, Jharkhand, Uttar Pradesh and Maharashtra — scribbling away on mock test papers for the Group D Railways examination.
The previous day, this same set of students, about 7,000, wrote a mock test for the Railways’ RRB-NTPC examination.
These 90-minute mock test sessions are the brainchild of S K Jha, a mechanical engineer by qualification who has been coaching Railways and SSB aspirants since 2014.
“My motto is to democratise these mock tests for Railways exams,” says Jha. So he holds these free sessions, attracting a huge turnout. Many of these aspirants are from underprivileged backgrounds — wards of daily wagers, farmers and rickshaw-pullers.
“But I do not ask for their background. It is a war against unemployment. My attempt is to give momentum to the preparation of students,” says Jha, who spends up to Rs 45,000 per session. “As my coaching centre can accommodate only about 1,200 students, I have to conduct these mock tests at Kali Ghat on Saturdays and Sundays in the morning.”
The 90-minute test sessions are the brainchild of S K Jha, a mechanical engineer.
After the mass protests in January over the change in the Railways’ recruitment policy, Jha was booked — along with three other teachers including the popular “Khan sir” — by the police for “provoking the protests” and stopping public servants from discharging their duties.
Khan sir and Jha were later called by the Patna administration to present their side of the story.
The Centre eventually walked back its decision on the recruitment. The RRB-NTPC and Group D exams are now scheduled for May and July respectively. These mock tests will continue for two more months.
Manoj Keshav, son of a Gaya farmer, says after writing the test Sunday: “Our big numbers show the extent of unemployment and the desire for government jobs.”
Jha, originally from Birpur, Supaul, had done his B.Tech (Mechanical) from an Odisha college and taken up a job in Maharashtra — just for 10 days. He then turned to coaching in 2014, starting a centre in Patna with just four students.
About 2,000 students are enrolled at his centre and his YouTube channel has about 6.5 lakh active subscribers. He charges Rs 99 for teaching a subject on his channel. His students are all praise for him.
Says Ravi Paswan, a student from Gumla, Jharkhand: “I have been living in Patna for three years after graduation. My father barely earns Rs 20,000 per month but still supports me”.
Shambhu Mandal, a Madhepura student whose father is a marginal farmer, said: “Though Ashok Rajpath area has many coaching centres, no one thought of holding free tests. It is a great gesture by Jha sir.”
Jha said he had been overwhelmed by the turnout. “I can identify with them. My idea is to do my bit for them.”
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