Simarjeet was excited when she saw her result, but was also sad about having no plans to pursue studies because of her family’s financial condition.
Although her Class 12 PSEB result was declared after a delay of two days, Simarjeet Kaur of Budhlada had all reasons to celebrate after scoring 449 out 450 marks. When results were declared initially Tuesday, “result late” was mentioned against her roll number along with 9 other students of her school. But on Friday, she was just one short of perfect score.
Simarjeet was excited when she saw her result, but was also sad about having no plans to pursue studies because of her family’s financial condition.
Mukesh Kumar, principal of Government Girls Senior Secondary Smart School, Budhlada, said, “She is a bright student who came in merit even in Class 10. In September exams of Class 12, she got 98 per cent marks. She lost one mark in English and hence got 99.7 per cent. Her result was late and declared today. It was worth the wait.”
Simarjeet Kaur, who was in humanities stream, had taken Maths, Economics, Fine Arts as elective subjects apart from English, Punjabi and Environment Studies as compulsory subjects. She got full marks in Environment Studies, Punjabi while scoring one mark less in English in the boards. Her elective subjects’ exams could not be held, and were marked as per the average scored in school exams. In elective subjects, she had scored 100 per cent in the September test.
Simarjeet’s father is a photographer, but these days he hardly has any work because of limited social functions. She has two sisters and a younger brother, while her mother is a homemaker. Satnam Singh, her father, was happy about her score, but remained tight-lipped as to whether Simarjeet will study further.
Principal Mukesh Kumar said, “When I went to congratulate her at her house, she stated that though she wants to study, her family has financial constraints. She has not made up her mind as to which field she will pursue. She doesn’t know if she will go to college or not. She is not sure as yet.”
He added: “We asked her to choose a stream and we all will help her out in getting admission in a college and will contribute in paying her fee as well.”
Meanwhile, Hardeep Singh, media coordinator, Punjab Education Department also pointed out that Jaspreet Kaur from Mansa had scored 448/450 marks when results were declared on Tuesday. Jaspreet’s father is a hairdresser and they stay in a small house in Bajewala village of Mansa.
Praising Jaspreet’s achievement, former Indian cricketer V V S Laxman tweeted Thursday: “Jaspreet Kaur, daughter of a poor barber of Bajewala in Punjab has shown that no goal is impossible if one works consistently towards it. She secured 99.5% marks in the Class XII examinations of Punjab School Education Board in the humanities stream. Kudos to her”
Jaspreet had taken Political Science, Physical Education and History as elective subjects while English , Punjabi and Environment Studies as compulsory subjects. She also could not give elective subjects’ exams.
Talking to The Indian Express, she said, “Most of the time, I used to get full marks, and hardly one or two marks would get deducted.” She was also honoured by Mansa DC on Thursday.