JEE (Advanced) 2017 results: Joyous tidings for samosa sellers, mechanic’s families

Theirs are tales of success after a life of hardships. Son of samosa sellers Vabirisetti Mohan Abhyas and Gograj Khadda, whose father is a mechanic, managed to clear the tough Joint Entrance Examination (JEE) Advanced 2017, will now join one of the 23 Indian Institute of Technology (IITs).

Son of V Subba Rao and Suryakala from Kukatpalli in Hyderabad, Abhyas secured an All India Rank 6 in the JEE (Mains) on April 27 and ended up with a final rank of 64 in the JEE (Advanced).

Jaipur’s Khadda also cracked the highly competitive exam to secure the 5033 spot through sheer hard work.

The results were declared on Sunday.

Khadda hadn’t heard about the IITs until he was in Class 10. “I learned from people that IITs were very good colleges. Plus I had an interest in maths and science so I decided to prepare for their entrance test,” Khadda said.

A resident of Kabron Ka Bas village, some 70 km from Jaipur, Khadda had been living in Rajasthan’s capital for the past two years to prepare for the exams at Resonance coaching institute.

His father and neighbours did not have a very enthusiastic response as they know little about the test or the IITs. “In the village, people acknowledge that you have done something big only when you get a job,” Khadda said.

“Kuchh mazdoori karke, kuchh udhaar karke kharcha nikala (I managed a part of the expenses by my wages, a part by taking loans),” Bhagwan Sahai Khadda, Gograj’s father who spent about Rs 5 lakh for his son’s coaching and stay in Jaipur, said.

Asked about his ambitions, Khadda said he hasn’t given it much thought. “Abhi to bas yahi course karenge (I’ll just pursue my engineering degree for now),” he added.