Joy of cracking IIT is short lived for underprivileged students
For several students from underprivileged families the joy of
cracking IIT has been short lived. They are now confronting with a
strange situation of managing Rs 60,000 to appear at counseling.
Super 30 founder Anand Kumar, who has been providing free residential coaching to poor students for the last 11 years said for the wards of daily wage earners, vendors or marginal farmers, it was turning out to be a big problem. In 2013, 28 of the 30 Super 30 students made it to IIT, taking the total number of Super 30 students reaching India's premier institution to 281. "The banks give loan directly for admission. This can happen only if the students have allotment letter for specific college, which is possible only after counseling," he said, terming Rs 60,000 demand for counseling as a ploy to block talented students from poor families.
He said first the IIT board changed exam format, then added new dimension to JEE and now there is Rs 60,000 requirement for counseling. Though the IIT adjusts the amount at the time of admission, the initial load is too much for the poor. "The IIT board can keep it to Rs 1000 to make it easy for poor students. Many of my students have approached me. At Super 30, they stayed and studied free of cost, but now it is suddenly finding things quite difficult," he added.
Kumar also urged the banks to be generous in providing financial help to meritorious students from underprivileged families. "Normally, the banks do provide loan, but they need allotment leader. It is, therefore, important for IIT to be more sensitive to poor," he added.
Super 30 founder Anand Kumar, who has been providing free residential coaching to poor students for the last 11 years said for the wards of daily wage earners, vendors or marginal farmers, it was turning out to be a big problem. In 2013, 28 of the 30 Super 30 students made it to IIT, taking the total number of Super 30 students reaching India's premier institution to 281. "The banks give loan directly for admission. This can happen only if the students have allotment letter for specific college, which is possible only after counseling," he said, terming Rs 60,000 demand for counseling as a ploy to block talented students from poor families.
He said first the IIT board changed exam format, then added new dimension to JEE and now there is Rs 60,000 requirement for counseling. Though the IIT adjusts the amount at the time of admission, the initial load is too much for the poor. "The IIT board can keep it to Rs 1000 to make it easy for poor students. Many of my students have approached me. At Super 30, they stayed and studied free of cost, but now it is suddenly finding things quite difficult," he added.
Kumar also urged the banks to be generous in providing financial help to meritorious students from underprivileged families. "Normally, the banks do provide loan, but they need allotment leader. It is, therefore, important for IIT to be more sensitive to poor," he added.
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