Son of small utensils shop owner while seeking education in a Government school of his locality had always aspired to become a mechanical engineer but weak financial conditions would have shattered his dream unless a corporate entity came to rescue him from hopeless situations.
Rohit Kumar, a 19-year-old boy hailing from a lesser known area of Jharkhand –Bhurkunda, has qualified for Joint Entrance Examination (JEE) Mains, Jharkhand Combined Entrance Examination (JCECE) and Bihar Combined Entrance Competitive Examination (BCECE) at a go.
Kumar alongwith 10 other kids’ lives have changed ever since they were chosen by the Central Coalfields limited (CCl) for ‘CCl KE lAl’ project, which is a part of the Coal India subsidiary’s Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) for imparting better education facilities to economically weak and meritorious students of its command areas.
The children were provided free schooling in DAV Gandhinagar after matriculation, fooding as well as lodging and coaching facilities for cracking engineering entrance examination, who after taking coaching from here had qualified in different engineering entrance test including IIT, JEE, and state engineering.
Kumar sharing his happiness with the Pioneer said, “It’s amazing. When God shuts one door it opens many. All one has to do is take an attempt with utmost commitment. Being dweller of a remote area and brought up in an economically weak family, making it to the IITs was next to impossible thanks to CCl authorities who gave their round the clock support to accomplish my dream.”
“We had to strictly follow a routine that was prepared for us. Besides studies, time for sports and other recreational activities was also allotted in it. We learnt things in a fun and frolic way. Our mentors never let us feel the burden of studies,” Kumar added.
Interestingly, the innovative idea was the brainchild of CCl CMD Gopal Singh which was presented in the board meeting in the year 2012. Immediately, after getting green signal from board members the programme came into action.
As pilot project the programme kicked off in company’s 12 command areas, which include- Kathara, Bokaro, Rajrappa, Bhurkunda, Gomia among others. Out of 325 applicants 11 students were selected for the programme.
Three employees of CCl, Chief Manager of Excavation Department SC Vishwakarma, Chief Manager of MSKM Department Sl Ghosh, and Chief Manager of Washery Department MP Singh provided coaching to these students to lead them to success.
Talking about the students, CCl CMD Gopal Singh said, “I feel honoured that we had the chance to serve. Our mission is to shed the light of knowledge to the underprivileged. The unflinching confidence among the students after seeking coaching from here is the true source of our strength.”