SHILLONG: With no friends from school or kin to celebrate their achievements due to the fresh lockdown and rain coming down in buckets, students of HSSLC Arts will have this day – July 13 – etched in their memories.
COVID-19, however, failed to dampen their spirits or their faith in the future.
Speaking to The Shillong Times, Mahima Sinha, who bagged the first position, said she had shifted from Science to Arts just two weeks before the Class XI Arts selection examination and found herself in the sixth position.
Asked about her secret to such success, she said, “I was a Science student for about 6-7 months, but a turning point was when I shifted to Arts before the selection exam of Class XI. I had only two weeks of preparation with no books. But my friends were very kind who helped me with books. My strategy is to absorb the books. I grab the concept and make a note. It is important for Civil Services aspirants to make notes”.
Expressing gratitude to her parents, she said that they wanted her to pursue Science and excel in Medicine, but her dream was to foray into the competitive arena of Civil Services.
“As a child, I was passionate about humanities and most importantly, my father believed in me”, Mahima said adding that she would read books on literature as well as world history.
Sinha also took part in the 2019 Asia Youth International Model United Nations representing India in Malaysia. She thanked the school that gave her opportunities to participate in debates etc.
Mahima aspires to pursue Latin and English, either from Loyola College, Chennai, or the Presidency University, Kolkata.
With regard to the impact of COVID-19 on education, Sinha was optimistic and pinned her hope on the government.
“It is just a virus and education cannot be halted”, she said adding that there are lakhs who are hoping to get education.
On the other hand, Ritishari Chyne, who was behind Mahima in the merit list by only one mark, said she would like to pursue Bachelors in Economics in St. Anthony’s College.
Asked about her preparation, the second position holder expressed her gratitude to the Lord for his love and guidance.
“I would say hard work,” she said, “but mostly a reason to work hard and a voice that would motivate me and give me joy in the midst of preparation”.
Ritishari, who aims to do something for society, was ecstatic that her family was absolutely impressed with her performance. “As for celebration, I am taking it all in. Seeing my mom so happy and my siblings so satisfied, I think that is priceless”. Asked about her opinion on pursuing education in the midst of the pandemic, she maintained that nothing can stop education.
“But of course, it is difficult to be optimistic at such times. Yet we must not be discouraged and tread on. As a student, I miss my school and I guess we must do our bit well to get through this”.
Meanwhile, Gideon Lyngdoh, fourth position holder from Ramakrishna Mission (RKM) Higher Secondary School, Sohra, said, “I have always been studious. In addition, class tests helped a lot”.
Gideon, who comes from an underprivileged family, plans to pursue BA LLB from NEHU and aims to become a lawyer.
When this reporter called, he was at a cyber café filling up forms.
Asked if this procedure was troublesome, he said it was difficult to go to cyber cafés with all the costs that come along. However, the soft-spoken student said, “Once you have the determination to work hard, poverty cannot stand in our way”.
In the process of filling forms, Gideon said, “Everything is complete except the payment of fees which shows ‘Transaction failed'”; so much for the much-touted `digital India.’
“The cyber cafe owner has asked me to come back tomorrow. There are no problems for online admission as there are many cyber cafes in Sohra”, said the fourth position holder as he expressed hope that educational institutions will reopen.
Another Civil Services aspirant and Gideon’s schoolmate is fifth position holder, Bansiewdor Dohling.
“I started the preparations from the beginning of the year and studied every day. When the examinations started, I would seldom venture out and instead concentrate on my books. I love to read books on general knowledge,” Bansiewdor said.
Coming to his academics, he said that the weekly class tests helped him a lot and instilled in the students a competitive spirit.
“And when the examinations arrived, we would revise. It is all about commonsense”, he said. Bansiewdor is still exploring his options for his future.
Coming from a poor family, he left the students a beautiful and encouraging message – “Patience, perseverance and humility will get us through. Poverty is not an obstruction”.
Online classes for students who do not have smart phones is not a good option as they do not have money for cyber cafés besides most of them are poor families, said Bansiewdor, who does not have a phone himself.
Sparing a time from his studies, Bansiewdor writes scripts for his friend’s YouTube channel called ‘Mewan Tham’.
The scripts are about short films which are shot in Sohra.
He also pens down poetries and songs.
With regard to restarting education amidst COVID-19, he feels that things will get better and asked others not to lose hope.
