15-yr-old boy becomes first to clear Class 10 in UP village since 1947

Business Standard

05-05-2025

You often hear about brilliant students who topped tough exams like NEET, UPCS, CBSC or ICS. But rarely does a student make headlines simply for passing the 10th-grade exam. This is true for 15-year-old Ramkeval, a student from Nizampur village in Uttar Pradesh's Barabanki district. He became the first student in his village who passed the 10th class exam since India's independence.
A story of not giving up
Nizampur is a small village of around 300 people, most of them from the Dalit community. Until now, no one in the village had ever passed Class 10.
Ramkeval, the oldest of four siblings, has changed that. To support his poor family, he did odd jobs during the day, like carrying lights at weddings etc. He earned about ₹250 to ₹300 a day. Even though he came home late, he studied for two hours every night using a solar lamp.
'Some people in the village made fun of me and said I would fail,' Ramkeval said. 'But I always believed I could prove them wrong,' he added. He studied at the Government Inter College in Ahmedpur, near his village.
Family's hard life, mother's pride
His mother, Pushpa, is a cook at the local primary school. She studied only till Class 5 but wants her children to go further. 'I'm very proud of my son,' she said.
His father, Jagdish, works as a daily labourer. 'I didn't get to study, but I always supported my son. Even after work, he would come home and study,' he said.
Honour and encouragement
On Sunday, District Magistrate Shashank Tripathi honoured Ramkeval and his parents for their inspiring story. He promised full support to help Ramkeval continue his education.
District Inspector of Schools, O P Tripathi, praised him. 'He is an inspiration for other students. We will help him achieve his dreams,' he said.
A dream to become an engineer
Ramkeval wants to become an engineer but still cannot believe he passed Class 10. 'It feels like a dream,' he said. His success has motivated other students in the village. Lovelesh and Mukesh, who couldn't pass this year, now want to work harder.
Lovelesh's father, Nanku, said, 'I only studied till Class 8. I don't want my son to be a labourer like me. Education is the only way forward.' Even the women in the village now feel more hopeful. They are ready to send their children to school and support their education.