NEW DELHI: Sunday came as the happiest day in the life of Vijay Kumar, 16, who qualified for IIT-Delhi, availing Delhi government’s free coaching scheme, but did not know how to pursue his dream thereon.
Varun Gandhi, a businessman from Defence Colony, who read of his success and his family’s poor background has now offered to pay the fee for the four years that would take him to pass out. The news was broken by Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal at a press conference, in which Kumar and his family was also present.
Kumar is the son of a tailor father and a homemaker mother. The Chief Minister also introduced Gandhi to the media. “You all have already read about Vijay’s achievements in the papers and seen about it on TV. He had availed Delhi government’s Jai Bhim Mukhyamantri Pratibha Vikas Yojana, which is a free coaching scheme for aspiring students like him, who dream big but do not have resources,” said Kejriwal, himself an IIT graduate.
Kejriwal said, “After hearing about Vijay’s case, Varun Gandhi and his family decided to fund his education at IIT-Delhi. Their gesture will inspire others to contribute to society too,” he said. The Morning Standard first reported how the scheme for children belonging to humble backgrounds is helping them to secure admissions in coveted institutions.
Gandhi, accompanied by his mother, said his family has always valued education and celebrated excellence.
Roll of honour
Thirty-five students, who had got free coaching, have cracked JEE Main and NEET exam this year. Five of them got admission in top technical and medical institutions such as IIT-Delhi