93 Social and Tribal Welfare students Crack IIT-JEE (Advanced)

Hyderabad: Thinking of IIT for sons and daughters of auto drivers, masons, roadside tea sellers, landless labourers, security guards, daily wage labourers, taxi drivers and domestic housemaids from SC and ST communities is just out of question, because of high costs associated coaching in private institutions. But, thanks to the government of Telangana, for launching free intensive long-term IIT residential coaching program for students of social and tribal welfare residential educational institutions under the KG-PG Mission. 93 social and tribal welfare students have overcome odds of abject poverty and cracked the IIT-JEE (Advanced) this year.

Of the 93, close to 20 social and 27 tribal welfare residential students would secure admission in IITs and the remaining 46 students would get into IIT Preparatory courses. A significant number of these successful students are first generation learners from their rural villages and tribal hamlets. Number of social and tribal welfare students securing IIT seats increased notably from 36 in 2018 to 93 in 2019.

A parent namely Redya Naik whose son A. Venkatesh secured all India 23 rank in Scheduled Tribe (ST) Category said "with my financial hardships, providing IIT coaching to my son was beyond my limit. Thanks to the government for providing free residential IIT coaching to poor students. If not for the government's support, my son wouldn't have realized his dream said Redya Naik with tears in his eyes. Redya Naik is not alone, many parents echoed similar views and overjoyed that their sons and daughters will be making it to IITs. "I can never forget the kind of support our secretary DR RS Praveen Kumar and principal K. Satyanarayana provided to me", said Vidwan Gagan who secured all India 847 rank in SC category.

An elated Dr RS Praveen Kumar, Secretary, TSWREIS & TTWREIS while thanking the chief minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao and minister for Welfare Koppula Eshwar said "it is immensely satisfying to see that hundreds of students from SC/ST communities creating a mark for themselves in the country's toughest exam and this success means a lot to them and their poverty stricken families. The entire credit goes to students and dedicated teachers for their hard work and sincerity".