Source: Hindustan Times | Image Courtesy: Hindustan Times
Bharatpur’s mayor Shiv Singh, 59, had dropped out of school after passing Class 8 in 1971. Four decades later, he is now appearing for the Class 10 exams of the Rajasthan Board of Secondary Education. “I want to become at least Class 12 pass now,” said Singh to Hindustan Times when asked about his education plans.
His motivation to resume his studies came following the government’s order of introducing educational qualification as an eligibility criterion in the panchayat elections. Singh recounted walking seven kilometers to reach his school from his village. Although his school had newly introduced a provision to study beyond eighth class, he did not find it necessary to study any longer. A businessman-turned-politician, Singh got elected as the chairman of the municipality in 2004 and later became the mayor in 2014 when Bharatpur became a corporation.
“The chief minister is laying so much premium on education,” added Singh, “It becomes our duty to get at least Class 12 qualification.” Through his inspirational statement and bold efforts, Singh has definitely set an example for other politicians to follow.
