Son, mother pass but father fails exam in Bengal
For Mondals of Uttar Patikabari village in Nadia district, who already made a record of sorts by studying in the same school and taking the higher secondary or Class 12 board examination under the West Bengal Council of Higher Secondary Education together, Tuesday presented a mixed picture.
Thirty-two-year-old Kalyani, who studied under a tree while her goats grazed in the fields, passed the exam. Biplab, 18 was also successful after toiling for a number of hours during the day. But 42-year old Balaram, the head of the family and small farmer, failed the exam.
Kalyani, who married Balaram when she was in Class 8, scored 45.6% or 228 out of 500 marks and her son got 50.6% or 253.
“The happiness would have been complete if my father could pass the exams with my mother and myself. But we would try to ensure that he gets to study more next time,” Biplab told HT. The family was an exceptional one with the parents and son studying the same subjects - Bengali, English, history, education, Sanskrit and philosophy - in Hazrapur High School in Dhantala of Nadia district. They attended school in uniform and studied in the same classroom.
Their only son Biplab took a private tuition and then taught his eager parents at home. Before the exam, Kalyani admitted they were weak in English and her husband in history.
After the results, the mother and son want to continue their journey together. “We want to take up the same subjects in the same college. It would allow us to cut costs on books and reference material,” Kalyani said.
Balaram is obviously not very happy with his results. “I want a review of my numbers. I was quite satisfied after the exams. I never expected this outcome. However, if there is no change after review, I would definitely appear again next year,” he said.
In the run up to the exam, Balaram used to get up early and went to till the one and half acre plot where he grows vegetables. Then he returned home to study. Sometimes, he also works as a labourer on somebody else’s land.
“We are competitors in the exam hall. I have to outperform them,” Biplab said before the exam.