Despite securing an IIT admission, tribal student forced to graze goats to make ends meet

Securing admission into an IIT is an achievement to be proud of. Getting a coveted seat in an Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) involves cracking the?Joint Entrance Examination (JEE) examination, which is known as one of the toughest entrance examinations in India.

Now, imagine the heartache when a student from Telangana, despite gaining enough marks to clinch an IIT seat, was unable to enroll.

That is what happened to?Badavath Madhulatha from Telanagan.

Who is?Badavath Madhulatha?

Badavath Madhulatha, a tribal student from Rajanna Sircilla village in Telangana,?ranked 824th in this year's JEE under the Scheduled Tribe (ST) category and?thereby secured a seat at IIT-Patna,?

Also read:?'Missing father, mentally challenged mother': How Abhijit Roy overcame hardship to ace JEE & get into IIT Kharagpur

Hailing from a family of farm laborers, this was indeed an accomplishment to be proud - and one that is poised to change their family's life.

However, Madhulatha's future was cast into uncertainty when she faced a significant obstacle: the need to pay approximately Rs 3 lakh for hostel and miscellaneous expenses by July 27 to secure her place at the prestigious institution.?

Representational image/ Unsplash

While ST students are exempt from tuition fees, the costs of accommodation and other necessary expenses are a substantial challenge for her family.

Simply said, lakhs of money is something?Madhulatha's?family is unable to afford.

"Given that Madhulatha comes from an economically disadvantaged background, her family is unable to afford even the basic costs, let alone the IIT expenses. Without assistance, she might have to forgo this opportunity," explained Bukya Lingam Nayak, faculty member at the Tribal Welfare Junior College.?

With her father ill, Madhulatha decided to take on the responsibility of grazing goats to support her family.

But amidst this struggle, hope has come in the form of support from the government.

On July 23, Telangana Chief Minister Revanth Reddy announced on X that the state government, through the Tribal Welfare Department, has provided the necessary funds to ensure Madhulatha can continue her studies at IIT without financial hindrance.?

"I want her to excel like this in the future and bring more good name to Telangana," said Reddy.

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