Bihar Board Toppers have taught us a very important lesson- Unexpected obstacles will arrive at every point of life; to fear them or fight them is a choice we make.

Pablo Picasso once said, ‘‘Action is the foundational key to all success.” If one works hard with complete dedication one is bound to succeed. The result of Bihar Board exam is the best example. Bihar board results for class 12th intermediate examination 2021 were announced on 26th March and it was the girls who emerged as toppers from all the three different streams – science, commerce, and arts.

The covid-19 pandemic led to a nationwide lockdown in 2020, hitting hard on the education sector. Schools, colleges, and tuition were shut down and alternative e-learning methods were adopted. This led to a lot of stress among students who had to completely change their method of studying, especially those coming from a humble background who could not afford expensive technological equipment and internet connection for learning online. Uncertainty over the date of examination and changed syllabus added to more stress among students. Despite all these challenges students performed extremely well which is applaudable.

With their right approach, hard work, and dedication they brought laurels to their family. Let us meet the achievers who won against all odds and added feathers to their cap. Their path to success wasn’t easy but they chose to smile in adversity and came out of the tunnel with flying colours.

Sonali Kumari, daughter of a fruit vendor, shows that where there is a will there’s a way

Sonali Kumari from Biharsharif, Nalanda district secured 1st position from science stream.  She is from Parmeshwari Devi Girls Higher Secondary School, Nalanda and scored 471 marks out of 500 with 94.2%. Her father Chunnu Lal sells seasonal fruits on a pullable cart while her mother Savitri Devi is the itinerant seller of homemade chana sattu.

The family was financially hit hard by the covid-19 pandemic which led to a loss of business. The family struggled to make technological arrangements necessary for online learning amidst the pandemic. Sonali dedicates her success to her coaching teacher Jeet sir who provided educational assistance to her. He also provided his mobile phone to Sonali to attend online lectures conducted by the school. She says her mantra for success was consistency and hard work. She would study for 10 to 12 hours a day with 6 hours of self-study. Sonali aspires to join civil services and become an IAS officer. She says I will continue to work hard and make my parents more proud.

Kalpana Kumari sets an example for people who consider lack of money a big barrier in this race of life

Kalpana Kumari from Raxaul, East-Champaran, illuminated the name of her parents by securing 4th position in the science stream. She scored 468 marks out of 500 with 93.6%. Her father Anil Kumar drives a rented auto while her mother Kunti Devi is a homemaker. She is the youngest of three siblings, her elder brother is preparing for the Indian Airforce while her sister Archana Kumar appeared for the class 12th examination with her and secured 433 marks out of 500 with 86.6%.

Kalpana says that she is aware of her parent’s financial struggle and will not let the money spent on her education go to waste. Her mother even sold off her jewelry to pay the tuition fees of the sister duo and is very proud of both her daughters for bringing laurels to the family. Kalpana aspires to become a civil servant and her father says he would work hard to earn more and send his daughter to the city for better education. Anil Kumar who dropped out of school in 7th grade wants to ensure that his children complete their education and Kalpana’s dream of becoming a civil servant turns into reality.

Sugandha Kumari gives meaning to the quote “there is no shortcuts to any place worth going”

Sugandha Kumari who hails from a small village in Obra, Aurangabad district is playing the sting of her merit in Bihar today. She is from S.N Sinha College and has secured 1st position in the commerce stream by scoring 471 marks out of 500 with 94.2%.

Her father is a businessman while her mother is a homemaker. She says that she was fortunate to have teachers, family, and friends who provided her with a lot of moral support and played a big role in her success. Sugandha lived in a small village of Obra and travelled 15 km every day to attend coaching classes. Like other students, she also had to face challenges due to lockdown. Travel restrictions made it difficult for her to find a bus or auto to reach coaching classes and she often missed her lectures.

She says that self-study was her success mantra. She would set goals every day and would often study till late until they were achieved. She did not let the classes become her crutches. She has brought a lot of pride to her parents by becoming the 1st person to achieve such high academic success in the family. She says accounts is her favourite subject and she aspires to become a chartered accountant. She has a strong message for those preparing for similar examinations. ”Covid-19 pandemic has taught us to be independent. We should not be dependent on coaching and school for our studies. We must consistently and sincerely do self-study. Just tell yourself that you can do it and be confident,” said Sugandha.

Shivani Kumari, who inspired others to stop not till they succeed

Shivani Kumari from Gulab Memorial College, Bettiah, West- Champaran, scored 465 marks out of 500, with 93%, and became 5th topper from commerce stream.  Shivani’s father Sanjay Prakash runs a small Paan stall while her mother Anita Devi is a homemaker. Shivani’s hard work and dedication led to her success. She would wake up at 4 a.m and study till 10 p.m.

She attended coaching for a few subjects while studying others on her own. It is natural for parents to keep high career expectations from their children especially when they emerge as a topper but Shivani’s father says that his daughter can choose a career of her own choice, there is no pressure to pursue conventional career options like charter accountancy or civil services. Shivani gives the credit of her success to her parents who motivated her and her teachers who supported her during the lockdown.

Madhu Bharti, the girl who kept the flame burning

Madhu Bharti from Khagaria begged for the 1st position in the arts stream across the state. She is from R.Lal College, Khagaria, and scored 463 out of 500 with 92.6%. Madhu’s father is a teacher and says he had full faith in his daughter’s hard work and knew that she would bring laurels to the family. Madhu did not attend any coaching classes and her success is completely based on self-study. She says her elder sister Kirti Bharti who is a topper in the arts stream from the year 2016 in the same examination, is her source of inspiration.

She wanted to maintain the legacy of her sister and worked hard to achieve this goal. Her mantra of success is quality over quantity. She studied for 4 to 5 hours daily and planned her timetable well to cover the entire syllabus and revised it religiously. Madhu aspires to become an IAS officer and serve the nation. She wants to work towards the upliftment of women in our country.  She says she would work hard to achieve her goal of shining bright some day.

Nandini Bharti, the girl who broke the glass ceiling and dared to fly high

Nandini Bharti from T.N.B College, Bhagalpur secured 2nd position in the arts stream scoring 461 marks out of 500, with 92.2%. Nandini is from T.N.B College Bhagalpur and was also meritorious in her 10th-grade result. Her father owns a tea shop while her mother provides home tuitions to children.

Like other students, Nandini also faced difficulty in her studies due to lockdown. She found it difficult initially to adapt to the new model of learning but her teachers and parents were supportive throughout and encouraged her to study well. She did not attend any coaching classes and did self-study for about 7 to 8 hours.

Nandini, who missed the 1st position by 2 marks, when asked if she regretted missing the 1st position, replied that she was satisfied with her result. She had never aspired to become a topper and just wanted to give her best. Currently, Nandini is preparing for the entrance examination of Banaras Hindu University and wishes to pursue a B.A degree after which she aspires to aim for civil services.

These girls are the pride of Bihar and the future of India. They have taught us a very important lesson. Unexpected obstacles will arrive at every point of life; to fear them or fight them is a choice we make. This choice determines our path towards success. Sarkarischool.in is proud of these young minds and wishes them the best of luck for their future endeavours.

(With Khushi Patel for Project Gudiya)

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