Father, son clear class 10 exams with same marks

A father-son duo in Odisha’s coastal district of Balasore cleared their class 10 examination from an open school with the same marks, showed results which were announced on Monday.

Father Arun Kumar Bej, 58, a senior district BJP leader, had to stop studying because of the death of his father when he was in class 7 while his 30-year-old son Kumar Biswajit Bej, was unable to clear his class 10 examinations when he attempted them in 2004. Bej and his son scored 60% marks.

While the lack of a formal school certificate did not prevent Bej’s influence in local politics, it always rankled him. “My daughter, elder son, daughter-in-law and son-in-law are all educated. Though I could read and write, the lack of education was always a point of discussion at my home. I had to leave the education column in my 2014 election affidavit blank. I felt guilty,” said Bej over phone from his residence.

Biswajit too had quit studying when he was unable to clear the exam in 2004.

Upset over the result, the younger Bej did not attempt the examination again and instead opened a stationery store in his village.

“In our family we were the only two who did not clear matric. I thought if I appear for matric, may be my younger son would be motivated. Since last year, both of us went to a nearby school every Sunday and attended the open school programme. I think both of us did quite well,” Bej said. Balasore district BJP president Madan Mohan Dutta said Bej’s success proved that there is no age limit for education. “It's a lifelong process. I feel happy for him,” said Dutta.

Bej is now gearing up for higher education. “I want to now enrol for higher education in IGNOU. I may lose the polls, but I would no longer be a man without an educational achievement.”

He had contested the 2014 assembly election from Jaleswar assembly constituency but he lost.

Like the National Institute of Open School (NIOS), the Odisha State Open School was started in 2016 under The Protection of Human Rights Act, 1993. It allows school drop-outs to appear for the class 10 examination without attending schools.

This year, 13,387 students wrote the class 10 examination from the open school, of which, 41.93 % passed.

BHUBANESWAR: FATHER ARUN KUMAR BEJ, 58, A BJP LEADER, AND SON KUMAR BISWAJIT BEJ BOTH SECURED 60% MARKS IN THE EXAMINATION