Toiling hard

Jamshedpur, April 4: Chakradharpur MLA Sukhram Oraon will have a few tough days ahead.

For the legislator is sitting for Class XI exams that started this afternoon in his college — St Augustine’s College, Manoharpur.

“It would not have been possible to get the required motivation afresh if I left my studies mid-way, again,” Oraon told The Telegraph minutes before he appeared for his first paper, Hindi.

Deciding to make a comeback into education after a hiatus of 20 years, the desire to be respected by people of his constituency made him go back to school.

But did he find time amid all his political work to concentrate on studies?

Even while he pursued his course, Oraon admitted, he ensured that he attended classes thrice a week. “Each day, I studied for one hour. That was the maximum time I could spare,” Oraon said.

“A balance always has to be struck. I ensured that nothing went out of order and both could be handled well,” added the 35-year-old.

On what pushed him into education, Oraon said that a sense of unworthiness, while handing out certificates of merit to toppers, haunted him till he decided to complete his education.

Not perturbed by the fact that he answered the matric examination with his eldest son, younger brother and brother-in-law last year, Oraon and his son Sanjeev had secured first-class divisions in their matriculation examination. Sukhram’s brother and brother-in-law managed to bag a second division for themselves.

Scared that people would accuse him of misusing his official position, Oraon had appeared for the matric examination outside his constituency, Chaibasa.

What is next on cards? A degree from St Augustine’s College in Manoharpur is on Oraon’s wishlist, but right now he can not concentrate on anything but his exams.

“This year, again, it is the subject of English that scares me,” he added, before boarding a train for his examination centre today.