Fighting Financial Difficulties! 18-Yr-Old Boy Cracks JEE Mains In First Attempt, Secures Admission In IERT
|The only son of a widowed mother, Dhiraj Kumar, did not get distracted by the financial challenges he faced. Instead, he studied hard and persevered to crack one of India’s toughest exams on his first attempt.
Setting an example of determination and perseverance against all odds, Dhiraj Kumar, an 18-year-old Dalit boy, has cracked Joint Entrance Examination (JEE) Mains examinations on his first attempt. His JEE Mains rank has secured him admission to the Institute of Engineering & Rural Technology's (IERT) Computer Science branch.
Dhiraj says that two people are largely responsible for his success: his class teacher in the village school and a facility called Shuruaat – Ek Jyoti Shiksha, which is run by Abhishek Shukla.
Belief In His Capabilities
When he was just a child, Dhiraj lost his father, post which his widowed mother worked in the fields to earn a livelihood. In 2018, Dhiraj decided to pursue his Class 9 to 12 studies in Prayagraj and left his house in Harbhanpur (Phulpur) village, says a report by The Times Of India.
His teacher in the Phulpur village school had assessed Dhiraj's sharp mind and instilled trust in his capabilities. The teacher even helped him get enrolled in Class 9 of Government Inter College in Prayagraj, where Dhiraj studied hard and scored 84 per cent in Class 10 and 75 per cent in Class 12.
'Did Not Let Myself Get Distracted'
On the other hand, Shukla, head of the Shuruaat organisation, decided to help Dhiraj get his rightful education. Shukla's facility helps economically backward students to pursue their studies, and thus ended up taking Dhiraj's financial responsibilities too – largely by covering his college and coaching fees.
Shukla said, "Dhiraj initially had to stay in Hari Nagar slums where he gave the test amid a lot of distraction, but later got a seat in a GIC hostel. As we were aware of his hard work and determination, we ourselves arranged his coaching, and he has finally come out with desired results."
Once Dhiraj cracked the JEE Mains, Shukla and other good Samaritans helped him with admission fees of IERT and other charges by collecting funds totalling to ₹63,000. After six months of admission, Dhiraj will be getting a scholarship, which will further help him in his education.
Speaking about his success, Dhiraj said, "Proper guidance and practice and more importantly the faith reposed in me by my teachers helped me achieve this feat. I did not let myself get distracted by my difficulties and financial constraints."