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Students from underprivileged families crack the IIT-JEE Advanced thanks to Anand Kumar’s Super 30 educational programme.

Pranav Kumar, Bhanu Pratap, Ankit Kumar, Shivangi Gupta, Abhishek Kumar, Santosh Kumar and Hanjala Shafi cleared the fiercely competitive Indian Institute of Technology Joint Entrance Examination (IIT-JEE) this year. These students and 23 others from Anand Kumar’s Super 30 share one thing in common: all of them come from poverty-stricken families.

While the intelligent and hard-working youngsters studied for the JEE, their parents were fighting for survival and earning their livelihood by working as labourers, landless farmers, electricians, salesmen, smalltime shopkeepers and magazine vendors. These poor folks never dreamt that their children will become part of prestigious IIT campuses, but thanks to Super 30, a free coaching centre for underprivileged students in Bihar, it was made possible.

Super 30 is an innovative school run by Anand Kumar in Patna since 2002. Each year, Kumar selects 30 meritorious students — mostly from poor families — and grooms them for the IITs. The students stay with him; they are provided free food and lodging. And Kumar bears the expenses on his own, with no financial help from anyone.

And the main feature of Super 30 was reflected yet again in this year’s results, announced last Friday — of Kumar’s 30 wards, 28 cracked the examination and will make it into an IIT.

The mood at Kumar’s residence in a congested lane in Patna’s Jakhanpur locality, from where he runs Super 30, was overpowering as successful students basked in their newfound glory.

Joy knew no bounds for Bhanu Pratap from Uttar Pradesh. His father Rampyare Pratap is a labourer and the sole breadwinner in the family; they have often had to go without food. Along with Bhanu’s mother Geeta Devi, he was at Kumar’s house celebrating their son’s achievement. “You have shown us a day we never even dreamt of. We shall always be obliged to you,” said Geeta Devi, as her husband nodded.

“I think Anand Sir not only prepared us (for IITs), but also gave us the confidence to excel, even in the face of difficult odds,” added Bhanu.

And there are many like Bhanu who were part of the Super 30 this year.

source::::rediff.com

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