Being a school topper in the Class XII examinations usually brings cheer. But for P Prabavathi and B Gayathri of the Government Higher Secondary School in Velachery, a sense of gloom and foreboding clouds their celebrations after they secured the second and third ranks in their school.
Hailing from orthodox families, both girls fear their education has come to an end and that they will be married off soon.
Their fears stand out in stark contrast to the surroundings of their school, which has seen a massive growth over the past decade, thanks to its location along the IT Highway.
And, this fear is not entirely unfounded. Gayathri’s sister, for instance, is now a mother of two after having been married off at the age of 18. Gayathri now seems almost convinced that her life is headed in a similar direction.
The lack of familial support for their desire to continue education was perhaps underlined by the fact that parents of both girls had not turned up at school to celebrate their daughters’ achievement. Gayathri scored 1119 marks out of 1200.
Prabavathi, on the other hand, scored 1122 marks out of 1200. Her father is a driver and mother is a domestic help. The family of five pulls in `10,000 a month.
“Most of my family members discontinued their education after class X. The very fact that I have managed to compete class XII is an achievement for me,” says Prabavathi. “Even if I am not going to be married off soon, I will be made to sit at home instead of going to college because my parents believe that as a girl, I have studied enough,” she declares.
Her father, however, insists that there are no plans in the pipeline to get his young daughter married in a hurry.
Gayathri’s fate, however, seems more decidedly a question of straightforward economics.
Her father has no stable occupation because of a hearing impairment and the entire burden of making ends meet has been borne in recent years by her mother Indira, who ekes out a living as a cook.
“It is customary in our community to get our girls married off before they turn 20. I do not have enough money for marriage or her education. So, I would prefer to get her married off as it would reduce our burden,” says Indira.
With their backs against a tight spot, the girls, however, do manage weak smiles, still in the hope that somehow they will receive college admission cards and not wedding cards.