Results of the High Madrasah exam conducted by the West Bengal Board of Madrasah Education were announced on Saturday and those of Madhyamik by the West Bengal Board of Secondary Education came out on Friday. The Telegraph meets some students who excelled in the exams despite grave odds

Sahida Parvin

Rank: First in the High Madrasah, 780/ 800

Institution: Bottola Adarsha High Madrasah, Malda

Daughter of an e-rickshaw driver who is a marginal farmer, and a homemaker, Sahida aspires to be a doctor. However, her father barely earns ₹15,000 a month.

Alifnur Khatun

Rank: Third in High Madrasah, 772/ 800

Institution: Mohammadia High Madrasah, Malda

Daughter of a hawker father and a bidi-binder mother, Alifnur dreams of becoming a doctor. “I will try my best,” she said.

Sabnam Banu

Rank: Fifth in High Madrasah, 770/800

Institution: Bhagabanpur High Madrasah, Malda

The daughter of an auto-rickshaw driver and a homemaker, Sabnam also wants to be a doctor. She is counting on help from the teachers of Uttaran Public School, a private educational institution that gives her free academic guidance.

Anjuman Nesha

Rank: Tenth in High Madrasah, 765/800

Institution: Bhagabanpur High Madrasah, Malda

Her father works in a bakery, making around ₹12,000 a month, while her mother is a homemaker. Her mentors at the private educational institute, Uttaran Public School, have encouraged her to go ahead with her dream of becoming a doctor.

Md Arif Islam

Score: 673/700 in Madhyamik

School: AC Institution in Englishbazar, Malda

His father is a private car driver, while his mother is a homemaker. Arif, who has scored 100 in geography, wants to be a doctor, but doesn’t know how to get money for the required coaching.

Sougata Gayen

Score: 653/700 in Madhyamik

School: Hazi Naku Mohammad High School, Malda

Son of an e-rickshaw driver and a homemaker, Sougata scored 100 per cent in maths and wants to be an engineer while his parents are worried about how to bear his educational costs.

Joy Barman

Score: 646/700 in Madhyamik

School: Parongerpar Shishu Kalyan High School, Falakata, Alipurduar

Joy lost his father when he was only two. His mother works as a house help and earns ₹6,000 a month. Joy, who wants to pursue agricultural science, thanked his teachers for helping him so far.

Nafisa Ali

Score: 637/700 in Madhyamik

School: Uttar Lakshmi High School, Malda

Nafisa is the daughter of a marginal labourer father and a bidi-binder, mother. She also dreams of being a doctor, but her father has already pleaded helplessness.

Susmita Ghosh

Score: 615/700 in Madhyamik

School: Uttar Lakshmipur High School, Malda

Born to a daily wage earner father and a bidi-worker mother, Susmita wants to be a civil servant to “serve the poor”, but her parents don’t know how to fund her higher education.