Two of Salt Lake’s daughters have recorded the fourth highest aggregate nationally in the ISC exams, the results of which came out last Friday. Their score of 98.25 per cent is also the second highest in the city. Other than their results, there are also similarities in their background and their future plans. Both are students of Our Lady Queen of the Missions School in HB Block and neither wants to stay back in Calcutta for higher studies.

Megha Malpani

A resident of Phoolbagan, Megha has been studying in QMS since Class II. “Ever since I scored 97.8 per cent in ICSE, I was confident of doing well in ISC,” says the girl who had opted for commerce at the Plus II stage.

But never did she stretch her study hours beyond six-seven hours a day, not even before the exams. “I have always believed that what matters is a systematic approach towards the syllabus and concentration during the period of study.” That meant she could unwind by switching on the music channels even when her friends were neckdeep in books in the run-up to the exams. Did their long hours not unsettle her? “Initially yes. I used to hear of friends studying till 3am and waking up again by 8am. I too tried studying all night once but I fell ill the next day. So I realised that I better stick to my own study pattern,” says Megha, adding that she watched TV even on exam days.

Megha had three tutors — for mathematics, accountancy and English. “Our school prepared us well. I didn’t need more help.”

Now that her results are out, she plans to buy herself a gift — a smartphone. “I am not tech savvy. But I want a better phone than the one I got after ICSE,” she smiles.

She will now apply for B.Com (Hons) at Shri Ram College of Commerce in Delhi. “That is the best place for the subject in India,” she says, confident of being accepted.

Head girl in school and captain of the basketball team, Megha’s dream is to pursue an MBA and join a reputed company.

Sudeshna Banerjee
Picture by Bhubaneswarananda Halder

 

Shreyanka Dhar

Her results are out, the grades are excellent but other than a celebratory dinner last Friday, one can hardly sense the jubilation on stepping into the Dhar household. Shreyanka is still buried in her books. The reason is not far to seek. The science student is appearing for several entrance exams, two of which are pending.

“New books of Khalid Hosseini and Dan Brown are out. I am resisting the temptation to go buy them till all the exams are over,” says the girl who had got an equally staggering 98.6 per cent in ICSE.

“But this is a greater achievement. ISC is a lot tougher,” she says.

Her mother Piyali points out that some of the questions in the computer science paper were quite off-bit. “Perhaps she could have done even better,” wonders aloud the resident of Karunamoyee, who claims that she has “no social life” just so she can devote herself to her daughter’s education.

After the ICSE success, the pressure of expectations on Shreyanka was enormous. “Everyone who visited us or met her would ask how well she had prepared. Some even asked for a treat in advance. Though we expected her to do well, we are all relieved now.”

Though Shreyanka has scored full marks in mathematics too, it is her perfect score in chemistry which has given her the most satisfaction. “It is my favourite subject. I was the happiest when our chemistry teacher Shanta Mukherjee said she was proud of me as I was the first student from the school to get 100 in her subject.” Though she had tutors for all subjects, including two in mathematics, she says she got a lot of help from school as well.

Now she intends to study chemistry at IIT Kharagpur. “For that I have to do well in the Joint Entrance Examination (Mains) on June 2,” she says, getting back to her books.

SB
Picture by Sudeshna Banerjee