Tribal girl from Tirupur scores 95pc in Class X board examinations amidst COVID-19 pandemic
C Sreedevi, who hails from the Poochukottamparai tribal settlement, studied in a school in Chalakudy, Kerala. The Kerala government arranged a special bus for her to take her exams.
In March this year, when schools were in the middle of conducting board exams, the coronavirus pandemic started rapidly increasing in India. Consequently, a nationwide lockdown was imposed, halting all the examinations for students.
This created confusion among students who had to keep up with the constantly changing exam routine. Among many such students is C Sreedevi, whose hard work and perseverance led her to score 95 percent in her Class 10 board examinations.
Hailing from the Poochukottamparai tribal settlement in Udumalpet range of Anamalai Tiger Reserve (ATR) in Tirupur district, Sreedevi was studying in a school in Chalakudy, Kerala.
“From Class 1, I have studied in Kerala, and the teachers there have been very supportive. Because of that, I was able to get full A plus in my Class 10,” Sreedevi told India Today.
The tribal community is located in a remote area with poor roads, no electricity, and connectivity. Sreedevi was one among the few who went to school from her community.
Sreedevi’s father Mr Chellamuthu told The Hindu that he used to travel as much as 80 km on his two-wheeler from Poochukottamparai to drop his daughter at the Tamil Nadu-Kerala border, from where she boarded a special bus arranged by the Kerala government to take her to the examination centre.
While Chellamuthu’s elder child’s education came to a halt at Class 6 due to some family issue, he did not allow the same to happen to Sreedevi.
Recognising her efforts, Deputy Field Director of ATR Arockiaraj Xavier felicitated Sreedevi for her outstanding performance in the Kerala SSLC board examinations.
“The girl has asked for a laptop, which Mr Xavier promised to gift her soon,” said ATR Assistant Conservator of Forests V Selvan, adding, “The forest department will provide all the required assistance for Sreedevi’s higher studies.”
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Edited by Suman Singh