West Bengal Madhyamik toppers credit their parents for their success

KOLKATA: The top rank holders in this year's West Bengal Madhyamik examinations are predictably happy with their result, which was declared on Friday and credited their parents for their success.

Joint topper Rounak Mondal of CMS School Burdwan told PTI over the phone that he was expecting to be on the list from the 5th to the 10th position. "But when the news broke on TV that I am a topper, it was like realising something which is beyond my dreams." "I loved all subjects, both humanities and science. Mathematics and life science were my favourites," he said. An avid reader of crime thrillers, Rounak also watches cricket in his spare time. The time he gives to his hobbies was naturally curtailed by his preparation for the examination for the past two years. "But I did not stop my music practice and Rabindra Sangeet is my all-time favourite," the 16-year old who wants to become a doctor said.

Kaushiki Sarkar of Adarshabani Academy High School of Gazol, Malda, the joint second rank holder and the topper among girls said mathematics was her favourite subject since her primary school days. "But I loved studying literature, history as well as science." Kaushiki, who too wants to be a doctor, said she would be happy if her success inspires other girls to excel in academics, score well in board exams and not give up their dreams and hope for empowerment. "I did not anticipate that I will get the second rank and the feeling is yet to sink in. But if my success story makes other women feel determined to pursue higher studies and be economically independent, I will be too happy," she said. She loves recitation and singing and had been encouraged to pursue them since she was in class one.

Also read | Space short, MBBS students of UP medical college allege they took turns to go to campus

Avik Das of Alipurduar McWilliam High School, who stood fourth along with two others, said he wants to do fundamental research in physics, a subject that "fascinates" him. "Mathematics and physics used to be my favourite subjects and I loved solving problems in those subjects since childhood. But I also loved studying humanities subjects. All fathers of the three rank holders are teachers and their mothers are homemakers.

An estimated 86.6 per cent of the 10.98 lakh candidates passed the Madhyamik examination this year which was held in offline mode after a gap of one year due to the COVID pandemic. Altogether 104 candidates occupied the top ten ranks.

Also read | India’s new IAU astronomy centre will assess quality of astronomy education in schools