Bengaluru: Labourer-student took week's break to excel in SSLC exams

BENGALURU: While most students spent the few months leading to SSLC exams planning their study schedule , Mahesh B toiled at construction sites during the lockdown to ensure his family didn’t starve. But the boy never let the work affect his academics, scoring 616 out of 625.


The 17-year-old student of Karnataka Public School in Jeevan Bima Nagar took a break from work just a week before the exams began.

“When the government announced the dates, I decided to take a break to study. I didn’t get to prepare as much as I wanted to during the lockdown,” said Mahesh, who is from Yadgir.

The youngster had no fear of the virus during the exams but was worried they may be put off. “There weren’t many cases near my house. And I was eager on writing the papers,” he said.

However, the lockdown was hard on Mahesh and his family – mother and two brothers — who live in a small two room house in Malleshpalya. “My older brother had to drive to Yadgir for work just before the lockdown and was stranded there. My mother Mallamma and younger brother had no means of survival. So I decided to work at construction sites to earn some money,” Mahesh explained. The boy was 5 when he his lost his father.

Despite problems at home, Mahesh tried hard to balance studies and work. “My family insisted we move to Yadgir. But there was no way I could miss SSLC exams. My science teacher, Shantala Ma’am, also made sure I stayed back and studied,” he said.

Mahesh notched up the perfect score in maths and Kannada (125/125). In science he scored 97, social studies 99 and English 95. “Maths is my favourite subject and Kannada my mother tongue; I had to do well in them,” he said.

Minister visits boy

With word spreading on Mahesh’s success, primary and secondary education minister Suresh Kumar minister visited the boy on Tuesday to congratulate him. “He asked me how I managed to study and was very humble. His visit gave me more confidence,” Mahesh said. The authorities and his headmistress have arranged for his admission in a residential college. He wants to take up science. “I haven’t decided on plans after PU,” he added.

In a Facebook post, Kumar said he was proud of Mahesh. “When I visited their home, there was no place to sit. My eyes were filled with tears to see the circumstances under which Mahesh prepared for the exams and achieved so much,” he wrote.