PSEB Class 12th result | Real ‘toppers’ in life: Mother lost to Covid, Ludhiana girl scores well in medical stream

Muskan scored 93 in English, 92 in Punjabi, 81 in physics, 85 in biology and 66 in chemistry, without any tuition.

Her mother Neelam died after getting infected with Covid in May last year and thereafter, Muksan’s life took a new spin. “My father went into depression. I have a younger brother who misses mother more than I do. I cook for them and handle house chores. Everything that my mother did earlier is now my responsibility but skipping board exams was never an option. My mother used to stitch clothes so that I and my elder sister could pursue a medical stream. I couldn’t have let her down by not giving exams. Life is harsh but I tried that my mother’s demise did not affect my studies,” says Muksan, a student of Government Senior Secondary School (girls), Jawahar Nagar camp, Ludhiana.

Muskan scored 93 in English, 92 in Punjabi, 81 in physics, 85 in biology and 66 in chemistry, without any tuition. “Seeing my schedule when I also had to manage home chores and financial condition of my father, tuition was never an option. I took help from the internet and my teachers to study for exams,” she says.

Muksan remembers how her ‘fit’ mother had got infected with Covid and life changed forever. “She developed a cough and fever. We thought it was routine fever but it deteriorated. Two days after we admitted her to the hospital, she died on May 4 last year at Civil Hospital after testing Covid positive. And life just changed,” she says, holding back tears.

“Initially I could not concentrate on anything but then I remembered that it was my mother’s dream to see me and my sister as medical graduates. Till her end, she was stitching clothes so that we could study. She made us study in a private school till class 10,” says Muskan, who now plans to pursue graduation in pharmacy. “I have to see how money is arranged for my studies ahead. I miss my mother because she would have never let me face any difficulty,” she says.

“She always gave me more than I asked”

Prabhjot Kaur (18) lost her mother in October last year after she had an “attack” and now she lives with her maternal grandparents. “My mother was divorced because my father never wanted a girl child. Last year I lost my mother too,” says Prabhjot, who has scored 86% in medical stream in class 12 PSEB results.

Prabhjot scored 86% in medical stream in class 12 PSEB results.

A student of government senior secondary school (girls) Jawahar Nagar camp, Ludhiana, Prabhjot is now preparing for NEET and aims to be a cardiologist. “It was never easy to concentrate on studies and prepare for exam after she passed away but how can I forget that she gave me more than what I asked for. She worked as an aanganwari worker so that I can study. I never saw my father. She was very brave, I cannot afford to be so weak being her daughter so missing exams was never an option,” says Prabhjot, who is now looking for a part-time job to keep her studies going.