A 'perfect' 35 in all six subjects, Thane teen and family celebrate his clearing of exam

THANE: At a time when high scorers have done their schools proud, Vishal Karad, a student from a Marathi medium school in Thane, has become the talk of the town for scoring 35 marks in all six subjects in his SSC exams and an aggregate of 35% - the minimum pass percentage. Amid the clamour of attention outside his Ambedkar Nagar slum in Uthalsar, Vishal told mediapersons that he didn't expect to clear the board exams.
The family had relocated from Shivai Nagar to Uthalsar before Vishal's class X academic year. Despite managing the frail financial resources at home, Vishal's father Ashok, an autorickshaw driver, didn't mind travelling and spending extra to escort his son to and from school. Vishal's mother, who works as a maid despite a birth defect in one of her limbs, also pitched in. "I feel that I managed to clear the exams only due to constant encouragement from my parents," said Vishal. "I come from a humble family background. Now, I want to study further and either become an engineer or a collector to improve our living conditions." He plans to pursue Arts.
Ashok said he is happy as his son is in the limelight even though he has scored only 35%. "Many parents may be celebrating their children's high scores, but for us Vishal's 35% holds a lot of importance as he has done us proud by clearing his SSC exams," he said.