By Zaidul Haque, TwoCircles.net,
Kolkata: Several students from poorer families in West Bengal overcame a number of hurdles to outshine in the higher secondary as well as the West Bengal Joint Entrance Examination (WBJEE) for engineering and medical courses, but are now worried for the high fees and other expenses towards studying engineering.
The WBJEE was declared on June 5. Nazmus Sakib stands rank 12 for Medical while Junaid Hasan stood Rank 30 in Engineering of WBJEE. Although exact number of Muslims students clearing the state JEE was not available immediately; but several students were found to be in the list.
Moidul Islam students of Al Ameen Mission top ranked under among the students from the other backward castes (OBC), although overall his rank was 36. Originally from Murshidabad district, his father is engaged in agricultural works and is a part time teacher in a primary school.
Saira Banu of Duliyan village of Murshidabad district ranked 25 in the OBC category, although her overall rank was 238. Her father Bablu Hossain is mentally disabled for last few years. The family stuggled hard but made sure that the children’s studies are not affected. Saira’s brother is doing MBBS with a scholarship from G D Charitable Society of Pataka Group of Industries.
Another student of Al Ameen Misiion, Sk Wasim Reja ranked 39 in Medical. He lives in Kumrul under the Indas police station, a remote village of Bankura district. His father Syedur Rahman is a postgraduate and Mother Wahida Asmina is also graduate, but are jobless. They maintain their family by engaging in agricultural works in field.
Rahman, a proud father, told TCN, this is first time a boy from his locality will get an opportunity to study medicine. He is, however, worried for the high fees and is hopeful that some benevolent soul or Muslim organisation will come forward to sponsor his son.
Jane Alam of Nalhati village in Birbhum district is physically disabled, but that has not deterred him from study. In the PH quota, he has come rank 16 in engineering. His father is also a farmer, an coul not complete even high school.
Jawed Akhter of Mamoon National School ranked 58 in Medical this year. His father Ruhul Amin is a Panchayet worker in his village Tista under the Pandua police station of Hooghly district. Although happy for his son’s success, he too expressed his anxiety over high fees for the MBBS.
Son of a small grocery shop owner in Lakhsmidanga village in Birbhum district, Nazmul Ahsan, who studied at Mamoon National School of Memari, Burdwan, has got 428 rank and is planning to pursue MBBS, but is worried for high fees and other expenses.
Other student of Mamoon National School, Kiran Sheik’s has ranked 709 in Medical. His father Bakibul Islam is a farmer and a resident of village Aharmari under the Lalgola police station of Murshidabad district. His father is not sure, however, if the small income he generates from farming would be enough to support his son’s aspiration of becoming a doctor. He is hopeful that some organisation would come forward to help his son.
(Editor’s Note: If any TCN reader is willing to sponsor these meritorious students, they can contact us and we will put you in direct touch with the respective student.)