Maharashtra Class 10 results: Pune’s sanitation worker clears SSC exam trashing all norms
Laxman Chavan, a PMC employee in the Vishrambaug ward office and many others like him study at night schools in Pune, in an effort to continue their education.
A Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) employee, Laxman Chavan, is over the moon after the announcement of the SSC Class 10 results. 45-year-old Laxman, who is a sanitation worker, finally cleared his Class 10 this year after joining the Saraswati Mandir Sanstha’s Poona Night School on Bajirao Road. Pune has two such schools -Abasaheb Atre Night School in Camp and the Saraswati Mandir Sanstha’s Poona Night School.
Chavan, who works on the local garbage vans (ghanta gaadis) in the Vishrambaug ward office, begins his daily rounds at 6 am and works till 1 in the afternoon after which he attends the night school.
“I studied up to 9th standard from the Poona Night School in 1996 then I got married and had to leave school to find work. I was doing odd jobs and making money. My youngest daughter, Priti, who appeared for her Higher Secondary Examination (HSC) exams this year, encouraged me wholeheartedly when I decided to complete my 10th standard exams. My elder son Prasad is studying science while my other daughter, Pragati, is pursuing her bachelors in computer science,” Laxman recounts.
Chavan wants to continue to study further and now is preparing for his HSC too. “If I clear this too, then I can apply to the supervisor’s position,” he added.
The Poona Night School started in 1920 and has seen tremendous progress in their students. “Our students have gone ahead to achieve their dreams. Some have become collectors and some turned out to be chartered accountants, we also have a good track record of HSC students scoring well,” informs principal Gangadhar Rasge. This year they had 32 students in total, out of which 20 cleared the exam.
Abasaheb Atre Night School also scored a 65.55% result in the SSC exams. “It has been a good result with Mahesh Salunkhe scoring 58.80%,” said Sanjay Satpute, principal of the night school. This 60-year-old school has 517 students studying in the night classes.
Mahesh Salunkhe (19) works as a technician in Narayan Peth . “I am very happy that I finally cleared my exam. I had to drop out of school when I lost my mother in 2014 and had to work to make ends meet. I got back to studies by joining this night school. I am happy that I cleared this year,” Salunkhe said.