Fighting all odds,they pass with flying colours

For Saddam Mujawar,it was a day full of pleasant surprises. In spite of working for nine hours at an electrical shop,he scored 65 per cent in SSC exams and 98 per cent in Mathematics.

Mujawar is a student of Poona Night High School. “My parents live with me and make a living by packing dates. I failed to clear my Class VIII exams thrice but my sister insisted on me continuing with my studies. That is when I joined the school,” he said.

Akshay Ravindra Gaikwad (15),whose mother is a waste picker,is a student of Vidyaniketan School,Yerawada and scored 84 per cent in SSC exams. “My school teacher took extra classes for us after school and this helped me score better,” he said. “I scored the highest in mathematics and social sciences,which is also my favourite subject. I want to appear for UPSC examinations as my dream is to become an IAS officer.”

Another student from his school Swapnil Vitthal Bawdhane scored 63 per cent. “My parents are farmers and they live in village. I stay here and work as a hospitality staff. The credit for my result goes to my teachers Dilip Lanke and Avinash Takawale,” he said.

Ajinkya Vilas Khadke of Abasaheb Atre Night School took the exam after a gap of eight years. He scored 70 per cent. “We are a family of four and I support my family by working as a driver. Before I took up this job,I used to work as a labourer. But I had a dream of completing my graduation and hopefully the dream will come true soon,” said Khadke.

Click here to join Express Pune WhatsApp channel and get a curated list of our stories