Tribal students defy odds, excel amid online struggle

Hyderabad: When several students comfortably accessed online classes through their mobile phones and laptops, G Nandhi, a tribal student and a first-generation learner from Mahabubabad, found himself rationing his time on the solitary smartphone in his household. This possession belonged to his elder brother, a first-year BTech student who, like Nandhi, attended classes online.Despite these obstacles, Nandhi achieved a rank of 4761 in the Telangana Eamcet, evoking mixed emotions of happiness and regret. “I am undoubtedly elated, but I know I could have performed much better if not for the disruptions caused by Covid. Attending online classes was not easy, and I missed almost all my classes in 10th grade and some months of 11th grade education,” Nandhi told TOI.Nandhi, a student at the IIT tribal welfare study centre operated by the Telangana tribal welfare society, managed to catch up on his studies only because of his study centre.Remarkably, this year saw more than 40 students from various social and tribal welfare schools securing ranks within the top 10,000 in the Eamcet.Among them, B Ramakrishna stood out as the highest scorer, securing 237th rank. Ramakrishna, also a first-generation learner, triumphed over dire circumstances as his parents worked as agricultural labourers. With a passion for aerospace engineering, Ramakrishna shared his aspirations, saying, “I have been engrossed in studying and learning about rockets and space for the past three to four years. I hope that my good score will give me the confidence to perform well in JEE (Advanced) and secure admission into a top IIT.”Another inspiring student, M Aishwarya also from Mahabubabad, expressed her desire to join IIT-Hyderabad and pursue computer science. “Despite the financial difficulties imposed by the Covid pandemic on my family, they shielded me from those burdens. I utilized all the free time by brushing up my basics through online resources like YouTube,” she said.Principal of the IIT tribal welfare study centre, Surendar G commended the students' remarkable performance, acknowledging the unprecedented challenges they faced due to the pandemic. “To support the students in overcoming their individual difficulties, a micro-schedule was implemented, ensuring teachers covered the necessary syllabus and regularly quizzed the students to boost their confidence.”
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